[WaitTilNextYear]

#1 | OF | 20 y/o | Byron Buxton
As the #1 overall prospect in baseball as well as in the Twins system, the sky’s the limit. Lazy comparisons have been made to Mike Trout, but they are not the same player. Buxton probably won’t hit 30+ HRs. Buxton has tools to become a better defender than Trout. But, like Trout, Buxton has very advanced plated discipline, will work a walk, and projects to clear .300 on a regular basis. Needs to gain experience.
ETA: May 2015

#2 | 3B | 20 y/o | Miguel Sano
The Dominican native suffered an unfortunate setback needing offseason Tommy John surgery, but even with that, Sano is holding strong on most prospect Top 10 lists. Sano, along with Kris Bryant and Joey Gallo, has the most raw power of any current minor leaguer and he projects to flirt with 40 HRs per season. Sano may not find an eventual home at 3B despite a cannon throwing arm, but as a DH, LF, or even 1B, his bat will be worth it. Needs to improve plate discipline.
ETA: September 2015

#3 | RHP | 24 y/o | Alex Meyer
Meyer is a more advanced prospect than Buxton or Sano—he’s 24. When he makes his debut this season, Meyer should finally give the Twins a SP that brings heat and can strike people out. The 6’9” righty has incredible downward plane of his heater and can reach back for 98–99 mph up at the letters. Meyer also brings an Uncle Charlie that ranks best in the Twins system to go with his major league-ready fastball. If this gargantuan righty can keep his mechanics clean and repeatable, he can be a solid #2 starter.
ETA: June 2014

#4 | RHP | 19 y/o | Kohl Stewart
The 4th overall selection in the 2013 MLB draft, Stewart was able to back his blue chip status up with an outstanding 20 inning cameo in rookie ball. Stewart posted a 10.8 K/9 to go with a stingy 1.8 BB/9 and 1.70 FIP. The 6’3” Stewart is a 4-pitch pitcher and with a couple of years of refinement, he projects anywhere from #1–#3 starter.
ETA: 2017

#5 | 2B/OF | 22 y/o | Eddie Rosario
The main thing holding Rosario back is not playing due to making questionable decisions. When playing, Rosario has shown an aggressive hitting-style with excellent bat speed. Split between A+ and AA ball last season, Rosario slashed .293/.338/.434 with a .349 wOBA. A useful bat, but Rosario will have to work at his defense to stick at the keystone where his bat profiles best.
ETA: September 2015

#6 | RHP | 19 y/o | Jose “J.O.” Berrios
Berrios projects as a mid-rotation starter, but still has a lot of time to grow. As a 19-year-old, the Puerto Rican native put up respectable numbers in A Ball. Berrios’ 8.68 K/9 is a result of a mid-90s fastball with movement as well as his developing curveball and changeup. While Berrios needs to work on his command, control (3.47 BB/9), and keeping the ball down to be less homer-prone, he gives the Twins another exciting SP prospect.
ETA: April 2016

#7 | OF | 21 y/o | Max Kepler
A rare MLB prospect that hails from Europe, German-born Max Kepler has plenty of tools despite a down 2013 season. Kepler is a very good athlete with a lithe 6’4” frame with room to add power. With his good range, Kepler projects as an OF, but some see him eventually moving to 1B due to a middling throwing arm. Kepler has yet to put it all together, but could be a nice league-average regular with multi-position ability and a sweet lefty swing down the road.
ETA: September 2015

#8 | MI | 20 y/o | Jorge Polanco
Polanco would make a great Twin and might cause a revival of the “Little Piranhas” moniker popularized by Ozzie Guillen. Polanco hit .326 in the Dominican Winter League after his first taste of full season ball in 2013. Polanco projects to be a tough out with good OBP, willingness to work counts, and ability to not strike out. Though not a speedster and barely with doubles power, Polanco could potentially handle both MI positions while eeking out a .300/.365/.720 slash line as a switch-hitter.
ETA: September 2015

#9 | SS | 23 y/o | Danny Santana
Santana has the luxury of having the same last name as Twins legend Johan Santana, but he brings his own resume as well. Danny Santana is a switch-hitter that makes copious contact and can steal a base. Santana is likely capped at 8-10 HRs per season, but the main thing he has to improve is plate discipline. Santana struck out 94 times in 587 plate appearances in AA. Despite this, a strong showing in Dominican Winter Ball and spring training has leapfrogged Santana over Eduardo Escobar on the MLB depth chart. Santana will start the season at the UTIL position and stands only a protracted Pedro Florimon slump away from being the everyday shortstop.
ETA: April 2014

#10 | LHP | 18 y/o | Lewis Thorpe
Thorpe is an LHP that was born down under. As the only real standout LHP starter in the Minnesota MiLB system, Thorpe is very raw as is to be expected from a teenager from outside North America. Pitching as a 17-year-old in 44 IP of rookie ball, Thorpe posted outstanding numbers: 2.05 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 13.1 K/9, 1.2 BB/9, 0.4 HR/9. By this time next year, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Thorpe only behind Buxton and Sano on this list.
ETA: 2017