4/24/13

The Twins minors' top 25 - 4/24/13

For a few years now, I have been doing a feature, pretty much on a monthly basis, which was called "Who is hot in the Twins' minors" (you can see last seasons' versions here.)   This included a list of the best players in the Twins' system, based on cumulative performance year to date, broken down by position.

I am giving it a new twist this year:  I am listing the best team of 25 players in the Twins' organization, by position based on cumulative performance.  This is listed as a 25-man roster squad with starters and bench and a rotation an a pen.  No batting order.  Ages, handedness and team are also listed along with the stats. This is the first one and I will be doing those every 3-4 weeks.

This first version of the Twins' top 25 in the minors is dominated by players from the Fort Myers Miracle and Cedar Rapids Kernels teams that dominate their leagues, but there is a good representation from the Rochester Red Wings and New Britain Rock Cats squads.   This is pretty small sample size and the results can be skewed, especially on the pitching side.  And of course there are some surprises.

The 2013 Twins minors' best 25 are:

 Starters:

C - Josmil Pinto (RHB, 24, AA) : .294/.400/.544, 4 HR, 15 RBI, 80 PA
1B - Chris Colabello (RHB, 29 AAA) : .328/.377/.642, 6 HR, 14 RBI, 77 PA
2B - Eddie Rosario (SHB, 21, A+) : .338/.368/.500, 2 HR, 13 RBI, 1 SB, 87 PA
3B - Miguel Sano (RHB, 20, A+) : .384/.439/.740, 7 HR, 19 RBI, 1 SB, 82 PA
SS - AJ Petersen (RHB, 24, A+) : .345/.418/.448, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 2 SB, 68 PA
OF - Byron Buxton (RHB, 19, A) : .404/.514/.614, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 7 SB, 70 PA
OF - Clete Thomas (LHB, 29, AAA): .347/.448/.571, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 2 SB, 58 PA
OF - Danny Ortiz (LHB, 23, AA): .313/.356/.582, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 73 PA
DH - Mike Gonzales (LHB, 25, A+) : .238/.338/.476, 4 HR, 15 RBI, 77 PA

Bench:

C - Kyle Knudson (RHB, 25, A+) : .432/.512/.649, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 43 PA
IF - Nate Hanson (RHB, 26, AA/AAA) : .317/.405/.429, 2 HR, 11 RBI
1B - DJ Hicks (LHB, 23, A): .310/.385/.586, 3 HR, 12 RBI
OF - JD Williams (SHB, 22, A): .270/.429/.514, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 6 SB, 49 PA
UT - Matt Koch (RHB, 24, A+) : .405/.490/.548, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 49 PA


Rotation:

Tyler Duffey (RHP, 22, A) : 2-1, 2.29 ERA, 3 GS, 19.2 IP, 3 BB, 17 K, 0.661 WHIP (.184 BABIP), 7.78 K/9, 5.67 K/BB
DJ Baxendale (RHP, 22, A+) : 2-0, 1.04 ERA, 3 GS, 17.1 IP, 3 BB, 15 K, 0.750 WHIP (.200 BABIP), 7.79 K/9, 5 K/BB
Alex Meyer (RHP, 23, AA) : 1-0 , 1.69 ERA, 3 GS, 16 IP, 7 BB, 19 K, 1.250 WHIP (.317 BABIP), 10.69 K/9, 2.71 K/BB
Kyle Gibson (RHP, 25, AAA) : 0-1, 4.43 ERA, 4 GS, 20.1 IP, 1.279 WHIP (.321 BABIP), 8.41 K/9, 2.71 K/BB
Andew Albers (LHP, 27, AAA): 0-0, 3.09 ERA, 3 GS, 11.2 IP, 1.286 WHIP (.314 BABIP), 8.49 K/9, 2.75 K/BB


Bullpen:



Corey Williams (LHP, 22, A+) : 2.08 ERA, 7 G, 8.2 IP, 4 Sv, 0 BB, 3 K, 0.692 WHIP (.231 BABIP), 3.12 K/9 INF K/BB
Adrian Salcedo (RHB, 22, A+): 4.82 ERA, 6 G, 9.1 IP, 0 BB, 11 K, 1.179 WHIP (.407 BABIP) 10.61 K/9, INF K/BB
Caleb Thielbar (LHP, 26, AAA) : 3.68 ERA, 8 G, 14.2 IP, 2 BB, 18 K, 1.364 WHIP (.405 BABIP), 11.05 K/9, 9 K/BB
Steven Gruver (LHP, 24, A) : 0.64 ERA, 4 G, 1 GS, 14 IP, 1 Sv, 2 BB, 16 K, 0.714 WHIP (.258 BABIP), 10.29 K/9, 8 K/BB
Tyles Jones (RHB, 23, A) : 0.96 ERA, 5 G, 9.1 IP, 2 Sv, 2 BB, 11 K, 0.750 WHIP (.217 BABIP), 10.61 K/9, 5.50 K/BB
Ryan O'Rourke (LHP, 25, A+) : 0.00 ERA, 5 G, 9 1P, 1 BB, 7 K, 0.333 WHIP (.100 BABIP), 7 K/9, 7 K/BB
Zach Jones (RHB, 22, A+) : 1.00 ERA, 7 G, 9 IP, 5 Sv, 2 BB, 13 K, 0.667 WHIP (.176 BABIP), 12 K/9, 4 K/BB








Complete List of all Minnesota Twins Prospects who participated in the Arizona Fall League since 1992

The timing of this might seem out of season, despite the fact that winter weather forgot that it is Spring, but there is a very good reason for posting this now:  I am starting a series of features on Twins' prospect retrospectives (so check in soon for the first one) and the list of AFL participants is about as good place to start for a baseline as any.   

As far as the Minnesota Twins go, (with some exceptions like Jacque Jones) this is the list of the non-Latin American prospects (who go to play winter ball home in the Dominican and Venezuela usually to be with their families) who the Twins brass thinks that it is the top talent in the organization. 

Since the Arizona Fall League started in 1992, this list contain 21 years of top prospects in the Twins' organization and it covers pretty much the post-championship Terry Ryan era of the Minnesota Twins.  I am not including players, like Boof Bonser and Ryan Pressly, who were or are parts of the Twins organization but participated in the AFL with other teams (the San Fransisco Giants and the Boston Red Sox for the two above.)

Without further ado, here is the full list of the 123 Twins' minor leaguers from Scott Baker to Nate Yeskie, and from AJ to JJ to JD, in alphabetical order, with the team and the year each prospect participated listed as well.  

A couple of trivia based on this list:  The Twins' champion of AFL appearances is Rob Bowen with 4; and "They both played in the AFL" is the answer to:  "What do Dan Perkins and Glen Perkins have in common other than the name (and the fact that they both pitched for the Twins?)"   I am sure that you can find many more.

Scott Baker, Grand Canyon 2004
Grant Balfour, Grand Canyon 2001
Ricky Barrett, Grand Canyon 2005
Jason Bartlett, Grand Canyon 2004
Jayson Bell, Scottsdale 1996
Joe Benson, Peoria Sag 2010
Evan Bigley, Peoria 2012
Nick Blackburn, Phoenix 2007
Henry Bonilla, Grand Canyon 2003
Rob Bowen, Grand Canyon 2001, 2003, 2004; Phoenix 2002
Travis Bowyer, Grand Canyon 2005
David Bromberg, Peoria 2010
Alex Burnett, Mesa 2009
Drew Butera, Phoenix 2007
Anthony Byrd, Tempe 1993
Kevin Cameron, Mesa 2006
Dan Cey, Grand Canyon 1999
Marty Cordova, Chandler 1994
Jesse Crain, USA 2003; Grand Canyon 2004
Mike Cuddyer, Grand Canyon 1999, 2001
Logan Darnell, Peoria 2012
Doug Deeds, Mesa 2006
Rob Delaney, Phoenix 2008
Rex Delanuez, Grand Canyon 1992
Cole DeVries, Mesa 2011
Brian Dozier, Mesa 2011
Brian Duensing, USA 2007
Michael Durant, Tempe 1993
J.D. Durbin, USA 2003; Grand Canyon 2004
Willie Eyre, Phoenix 2002
Pete Fisher, Grand Canyon 2001
Kevin Frederick, Grand Canyon 2001
Gus Gandarillas, Chandler 1994
Sean Gavaghan, Tempe 1993
Kyle Gibson, Peoria 2012
Tom Gourdin, Sun Cities 1997
Carlos Gutierrez, Peoria 2010
Chip Hale, Grand Canyon 1992
Jeff Harris, Scottsdale 1997
LaTroy Hawkins, Peoria 1995
Jon Henry, Phoenix 1992
Chris Herrmann, Mesa 2011; Peoria 2012
Aaron Hicks, Mesa 2011
Steve Hirschfeld, Mesa 2009
Brent Hoard, Phoenix 2002
Dennis Hocking, Tempe 1993
David Hooten, Grand Canyon 1999
Torii Hunter, Phoenix 1998
Brett Jacobson, Mesa 2011
J.J. Johnson, Scottsdale 1996
Garrett Jones, Grand Canyon 2005
Bobby Kielty, Grand Canyon 2000
Matt Kinney, Grand Canyon 1999, 2000
Corey Koskie,Sun Cities 1997
Tim Lahey, Phoenix 2008
Matt Lawton, Peoria 1995
Matt LeCroy, Grand Canyon 2000, 2001
Mike Lincoln, Phoenix 1998
Kyle Lohse, Grand Canyon 2000
Matt Macri, Phoenix 2007
Jeff Manship, Phoenix 2008
Lee Marshall, Grand Canyon 2000
Dustin Martin, Phoenix 2008
Joe Mauer, USA 2003
Jake Maurer, Grand Canyon 2003
Mike McCardell, Mesa 2009
Doug Mientkiewicz, Phoenix 1998
Ryan Mills, Grand Canyon 2000
Chad Moeller, Sun Cities 1997; Grand Canyon 1999
Mike Moriarty, Sun Cities 1997
Eduardo Morlan, Phoenix 2007
Justin Morneau, Phoenix 2002
Matt Moses, Grand Canyon 2005, Mesa 2006
Ryan Mullins, Phoenix 2007
Dan Naulty, Peoria 1995
Pat Neshek, Grand Canyon 2003
Brad Niedermaier, Sun Cities 1997
Jamie Ogden, Peoria 1995; Scottsdale 1996
Kevin Ohme, Peoria 1995
Ray Ortiz, Phoenix 1992
Derek Parks, Sun Cities 1992
Chris Parmelee, Mesa 2009; Peoria 2010
Dan Perkins, Sun Cities 1997
Glen Perkins, Grand Canyon 2005
A.J. Pierzynski, Phoenix 1998
Trevor Plouffe, Phoenix 2007
Bruce Pugh, Mesa 2011
Brian Raabe, Chandler 1994
Mark Redman, Scottsdale 1996
Mike Restovich, Grand Canyon 2001; Phoenix 2002
Ben Revere, Peoria 2010
Todd Ritchie, Tempe 1993; Scottsdale 1996
Nate Roberts, Peoria 2012
Tyler Robertson, Peoria 2010
Benj Sampson, Sun Cities 1997
Jay Sawatski, Mesa 2006
Dan Serafini, Chandler 1994; Scottsdale 1996
Errol Simonitsch, Mesa 2006
Mitch Simons, Peoria 1995
Steve Singleton, Mesa 2009
Anthony Slama, Phoenix 2008
Kevin Slowey, Mesa 2006
Denard Span, Grand Canyon 2005
Scott Stahoviak, Chandler 1994
Spencer Steedley, Mesa 2009
Brent Stentz, Phoenix 1998
Anthony Swarzak, Phoenix 2007
Caleb Thielbar, Peoria 2012
Terry Tiffee, Grand Canyon 2003
Matt Tolbert, Mesa 2006
Steve Tolleson, Phoenix 2008
Michael Tonkin, Peoria 2012
Rene Tosoni, Mesa 2009
Danny Valencia, Phoenix 2008
Kyle Waldrop, Peoria 2010
Todd Walker, Peoria 1995
Scott Watkins, Chandler 1994
Dakota Watts, Mesa 2011
Kevin West, Grand Canyon 2004
David Winfree, Mesa 2006
William Wissler, Tempe 1993
Brian Wolfe, Grand Canyon 2003
Nate Yeskie, Grand Canyon 1999