With all the attention being paid to the Twins efforts at replenishing their system via a Johan Santana trade, Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus has released his Top 11 Minnesota Twins Prospects. Mr. Goldstein slots an organizations prospects into one of five star categories. The fact the Twins have no five-star prospects speaks to the systems lack of depth. Without a hitting prospect who finished higher than Low A explains why the team is focused on adding hitting.
Behind the subscriber wall, Mr. Goldstein also provides a Top 10 players under 25 which includes major league players. There were just three who are hitters - Revere, Joe Mauer and Alexi Casilla. For a small-budget team, that isn't a good signal. While Santana should add three players under 25, the team will still need to deal some of their well-regarded pitching to add hitting. The trade of Matt Garza for Delmon Young accomplishes that.
The bigger concern is the Twins subbed Eduardo Morlan for Juan Rincon, a trade only the Yankees would have the luxury to make - an up-and-coming fireballer for an overworked, veteran bullpen arm. Including Morlan signals the Twins will be adding a bullpen arm or two in the eventual Santana trade. I've mentioned Kevin Whelan of the Yankees or Manny Delcarmen of the Red Sox.
Four-Star Prospects
1. Ben Revere, CF
Three-Star Prospects
- Anthony Swarzak, RHP
- Jeff Manship, RHP
- Eduardo Morlan, RHP
- Tyler Robertson, LHP
- Nick Blackburn, RHP
- Brian Duensing, LHP
- Trevor Plouffe, SS
- Chris Parmelee, OF
- David Bromberg, RHP
- Joe Benson, OF