Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Updated Twins Top 50 Prospects

Good Monday Morning everyone! After you're done here, be sure to head over to Josh's Thoughts as today he has a great Q&A with our friend Jeff Manship. Manship did a Q&A for this site in May.

Over at John Sickels' Minor League Ball site, someone posted a diary asking for team's updated Top 10 lists, so I thought I would update mine. If you would like to check it out (along with comments over there) click here. You can also comment here. Normally I post my main Top 50 Twins Prospect lists right before the June draft (first week of June) and right after the minor league season's finish in early September. But, it has been two months and a lot has changed already, and it is likely that things will change against next month when I do the big post-season update. But, just for fun, here are my Top 10 (or 12) as I posted them on Sickels' site. I will also write in the rest of the Top 50 as I would rank them today. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have and I will be sure to answer them here tomorrow. I will also add where the player ranked in June. Note that Matt Garza is not on this list as he is over the 50 inning mark now. You can see how prospect status and opinion can change dramatically in a short period of time.

The Updated Seth Speaks Top 50 Twins Prospects (8/6/07)

1.) Kevin Slowey - RHP - (2) With Garza over 50 innings, Slowey moves up one spot to the top. Showed that he has a lot to learn, but he's as smart as it gets and will be just fine.
2.) Alexi Casilla - 2B/SS - (4) He likely won't be eligible for this list since he came up and is getting everyday 2B duties for the Twins and should the rest of the year. I would predict average, on base skills and stolen base speed. He also has enough pop to the gaps for some extra base hits.
3.) Anthony Swarzak - RHP - (18)heading into the season, he was a top 5 Twins prospect. Then came the drug suspension. Now he's back and really throwing well at AA.
4.) Trevor Plouffe - SS - (15) The pleasant surprise of the year, Plouffe is really playing well offensively and defensively for New Britain (AA). After getting off to very slow years the last two seasons, I thought another year in the FSL would be helpful, but he has adapted to the Eastern League very well!
5.) Brian Duensing - LHP - (11) In 2006, Duensing moved from Low A to High A to AA, and I didn't really always understand why they were pushing him. He started this season in AA and soon moved up to AAA where he is now 9-2 with a 2.77 ERA in 81+ innings.
6.) Jeff Manship - RHP - (8) The Twins 14th round pick in 2006 out of Notre Dame, I can't explain why the Twins left Manship in Low A Beloit for the whole first half of the season. Despite struggling a little in his last start at Ft. Myers, he has dominated there as well.
7.) Tyler Robertson - LHP - (40) 19 year old was the Twins 3rd round pick in 2006. He began the season in Extended Spring Training, but shortly before the draft, he was brought up to Low A. He has been tremendous.
8.) Chris Parmelee - 1B/OF - (9) Twins 1st pick in 2006 out of high school, Parmelee does have 13 homers and plenty of RBI. He has a low average, but has shown a good eye. He power potential makes him a big-time prospect. 9.) Oswaldo Sosa - RHP - (13) The ground ball pitcher was added to the Twins 40 man roster last year after putting up great numbers between Low A and Hi A. He began this year with Ft. Myers again and despite a very mediocre record, posted a great ERA. He moved up to AA where he has continued to be very good!
10.) Glen Perkins - LHP - (3) In terms of innings  pitched, he is under the 50 mark, but since he was in the bullpen, I am not sure if he has enough time on the active roster to no longer be a rookie in 2008. He actually falls from this list a little bit, primarily because of the arm injury. It probably would not have moved him down had he come back in a timely manner. However, he has been out longer than expected.

Since Alexi Casilla and Glen Perkins may not really be eligible for this, I will include #11 and #12.

11.) Alex Burnett - RHP - (20) Just turned 20 and pitching very well at Low A. He has always pitched well at each level despite being young for that level.
12.) Danny Valencia - 3B - (17) Twins 19th round pick in 2006, Valencia was excellent offensively and defensively at Beloit, and he (along with Brian Dinkelman - #14) helped spark a dormant Ft. Myers Miracle offense when he was promoted.

And now for the rest:

13.) Ben Revere - OF - GCL Twins (N/R)

14.) Brian Dinkelman - 2B - (25)  Ft. Myers Miracle

15.) Joe Benson - OF - (21) Beloit Snappers (20)

16.) Kyle Waldrop - RHP - (7) Ft. Myers Miracle

17.) Jay Rainville - RHP - (16) Ft. Myers Miracle

18.) Ryan Mullins - LHP - (22) Rochester Red Wings

19.) Yohan Pino - RHP - (26) New Britain Rockcats

20.) Danny Rams - C - GCL Twins

21.) Erik Lis - OF - (14) Ft. Myers Miracle

22.) Eddie Morlan - RHP - (5) Ft. Myers Miracle

23.) Rene Leveret - 1B - Elizabethton Twins

24.) Juan Portes - OF/IF - (37) Ft. Myers Miracle.

25.) David Winfree - 3B/1B - (6) New Britain Rockcats

26.) Deibinson Romero - 3B - (47) Elizabethton Twins

27.) Matt Moses - 3B - (31) New Britain Rockcats

28.) Dustin Martin - OF - Ft. Myers Miracle

29.) Angel Morales - OF - GCL Twins

30.) Nick Blackburn - RHP - Rochester Red Wings

31.) David Bromberg - RHP - Elizabethton Twins

32.) Brock Peterson - 1B - (30) New Britain Rockcats

33.) Zach Ward - RHP - (46) Ft. Myers Miracle

34.) Wilson Ramos - C/DH - Beloit Snappers

35.) Matt Tolbert - IF - (19) Rochester Red Wings

36.) Garrett Guzman - OF - (41) New Britain Rockcats

37.) Rene Tosoni - OF - Elizabethton Twins

38.) Jose Morales - C - (38) Rochester Red Wings

39.) Jose Mijares - LHP - (24) New Britain Rockcats

40.) Brian Kirwan - RHP - (32) Beloit Snappers

41.) Denard Span - OF - (27) Rochester Red Wings

42.) Cole DeVries - RHP - (45) Beloit Snappers

43.) Trent Oeltjen - OF - (10) Rochester Red Wings

44.) Steve Tolleson - IF - (48) Ft. Myers Miracle

45.) Estarlin de los Santos - IF - Elizabethton Twins

46.) Johnny Woodard - 1B - Ft. Myers Miracle

47.) Eli Tintor - OF - (33) Beloit Snappers

48.) Brandon Roberts - OF - (43) New Britain Rockcats

49.) Ozzie Lewis - OF - Elizabethton Twins

50.) Steve Singleton - SS - (36) Beloit Snappers

The Next Ten (in no particular order): Dan Lehman, Danny Santiesteban (23), Bobby Korecky, Juan Richardson, Mike McCardell, Mike Tarsi, Edward Ovalle, Robert Delaney (50), Jon Waltenbury, Garrett Olson (34).

What If? (Injuries) - Where would you rank these guys if healthy? Ricky Barrett, Allan de San Miguel, Whit Robbins (29), Paul Kelly (35), Drew Thompson (39) and Henry Sanchez? I decided they all dropped out of the Top 50.

What If? (...They were 2-3 years younger) - Tommy Watkins, Garrett Jones (28), Brian Buscher, Doug Deeds (49), Felix Molina (42), Matt Fox

So, who is ranked too high? Who is too low? Who am I completely forgetting? This isn't the full-fledged Top 50 report that you are used to, but I need everyone to look through the list and ask questions and discuss. Help me with thoughts or ideas on any of the prospects to help (or hurt) my opinions of them so that when I finalize my post-season Twins Top 50 Prospect list, it is good. 

Any thoughts?  Send me your thoughts. 

TWINS THOUGHTS

Carlos Silva pitched well. Two runs over seven innings should be enough for a win, but thanks to Paul Byrd, it wasn't. Tonight, the Twins will start a three game series against the Kansas City Royals.

ANYTHING YOU CAN DO... - A night after Scott Baker shut out Cleveland, Paul Byrd shut down the Twins offense. I know. I know. When you watch Paul Byrd pitch on TV, it is hard to think that it would be hard for the biggest of sloths on their couches to hit Byrd. But when you're in that batter's box, Byrd is tough. No, he doesn't throw hard, but nothing is straight. As I've said before, he is likely one of those guys where when Twins hitters came back to the dugout, they may yell, "Come on... this guy's got nothing!" In reality, it is far more difficult than it appears and Byrd deserves a lot of respect.

ROUGH LOSS - At this stage in the season, any loss is a rough loss. A loss to a team ahead of you in the standings is actually a two game sway. Moreso, the Detroit Tigers and the New York Yankees both won their games, so the Twins lost a game in the standings to all three teams ahead of them.

OK WITH PUNTO - If you can believe this, I didn't have a problem with Nick Punto being in the lineup last night. Why? He has been the utility guy. Brian Buscher, Jason Bartlett and Alexi Casilla have been getting the starts of late. Punto has been coming in to replace Buscher for defense late in games. That's a role I can handle. He can also make spot starts. I don't' expect big offense from a utility infielder. Just make the plays. And Punto does that. So, in this role, I no longer have a problem with Nick Punto. I do question how long Gardy will allow Punto to only be the utility guy. In fact, because of a Casilla mistake last night, I expect that Punto will be at 2B tonight against the Royals.

THE PLAY - The play that Alexi Casilla made with nobody out and the bases loaded was as good a play by an infielder as I recall. I know that sounds a bit excessive, but the Twins were down 2-0 at the time and a hit would have likely scored one if not two. He dove to his left, rolled and while still down, he threw a perfect one-hop throw to Joe Mauer for the first out of the inning. Unfortunately, two runs scored after the play. But the play should be the #1 Web Gem! (note - it was)

SHOCKING... REALLY?? - Did you see the look on Rick Anderson's face when Dennys Reyes fell behind Travis Hafner 2-0 after allowing two singles and a walk to start the 8th inning. Gardy raced out and brought in Pat Neshek. All I could think when seeing Andy's look of shock was... "Seriously, despite what he did in 2006, we are still talking about Dennys Reyes!!"

TYNER LEAD-OFF UPDATE - Marney Gellner got on TV last night and commented on how Jason Tyner has really adapted well to the leadoff spot in the lineup. I just wonder where they get this stuff from. I mentioned it first yesterday, but with his 0-4 last night, he is now 3-23 (.130) with two walks (.200 OBP) in the six games since his 3-4 in his first game as the team's new leadoff hitter.

STRUGGLING - Justin Morneau is now one for his last 22 (.045) in the last six games. Michael Cuddyer is 1-10 in his last three games.

Any other thoughts on the Twins? Send me an e-mail. 

Twins and their Minor League Updates

Do you have any further thoughts on any Twins prospects, minor leaguers, or these summaries? E-mail me, or also feel free to leave comments below.

That is it for today. Have a great day and a great week!

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