It's spring in Ft. Myers and our beloved hometown nine + bench + hopeful 40-man'ers + NRI's have convened to make a roster out of this blob of white millionaires with beards. Have an opinion about what that's gonna look like? Weigh in!

This is "to break camp with the team" not "who will get the bulk of time over the course of the season"

Most correct roster choices gets a Walleye-autographed ticket stub from one of the TWO early-season Twins visits to the DC area. Supply limited by whether or not I actually end up attending these games in person.

*likely not an actual stub but a printout of a ticket
**your choice of my actual name or my absurd okayplayer handle

Rotation (pick five):

-Phil Hughes
-Ricky Nolasco
-Tyler Duffey
-Kyle Gibson
-Ervin Santana
-Trevor May
-Alex Meyer
-Tommy Millone
-Taylor Rogers
-Jose Berrios (not on 40-man but invited to camp)
-Pat Dean
-OTHER

Bullpen (pick seven):

-Glen Perkins
-Alex Meyer
-Ricky Nolasco
-Pat Dean
-JT Chargois
-Casey Fien
-Nick Burdi (not on 40-man but invited to camp)
-Jake Reed (not on 40-man but invited to camp)
-JR Graham
-Trevor May
-Kevin Jepson
-Yorman Landa
-Ryan O'Rourke
-Ryan Pressly
-Taylor Rodgers
-Randy Rosario
-Mike Strong
-Mike Tonkin
-OTHER

Outfield (pick 4-5)
-Byron Buxton
-Miguel Sano
-Eddie Rosario
-Joe Benson (not on 40-man but invited to camp)
-Adam Walker
-Oswaldo Arcia
-Max Kepler
-OTHER

Infield (pick 5-6)
-Joe Mauer
-Brian Dozier
-Eduardo Escobar
-Eduardo Nunez
-Danny Santana
-Trevor Plouffe
-Miguel Sano
-Kennys Vargas
-Byun Hyung Park
-Jorge Polanco
-OTHER

Catchers (pick 2-3)
-JR Murphy
-Kurt Suzuki
-John Hicks
-OTHER

______________________________

"Walleye, a lot of things are going to go wrong in your life that technically aren't your fault. Always remember that this doesn't make you any less of an idiot"

--Walleye's Dad

>Rotation (pick five):
>-Taylor Rodgers - workhorse lefty in the minorleagues, decent depth prospect. the pen is his most likely avenue to a big league job out of camp, but he'll pretty likely debut this season in some capacity and he definitely has the durability to start.

>-Pat Dean - just take everything I said about Taylor Rodgers and imagine somebody slightly less good.

>Bullpen (pick seven):

>-JT Chargois - reliever taken out of Rice University during the Twins "draft all the NCAA relievers and see if any of them can start" phase. They actually never tried that with Chargois because his entire upper body is held together with duct-tape, but he has back-end relief stuff with an upper-90s fastball and a vile slider.

>-Nick Burdi and Jake Reed - see Chargois, only with less professional time and more health. Big fat fastballs (Burdi hit 103mph in college) and plus sliders.

>-Yorman Landa - A 40-man add because of the risk of losing him to Rule 5. He's got great stuff, but isn't nearly ready.

>-Ryan O'Rourke - Throws with his left arm

>-Randy Rosario - Just like Landa, a 40-man protection pick. But he's left-handed. He may be really, really good. But he's got a lot of stuff (including health) to get better at first.

>-Mike Strong - I have no idea who this person is. That should tell you something.

>Outfield (pick 4-5)

>-Joe Benson (not on 40-man but invited to camp) - Yep, same Joe Benson. He's back as a NRI. If the team gets cold feet about Buxton, Benson has a chance to win the job. Though it'll take some 40-man shenanigans so I'm not sure. If a pitcher goes down with a 60-day DL type of injury *and* Buxton can't hit in the spring, that's Benson's window.

>-Adam Walker - Big, huge, Sano-esque pop. Does almost nothing else well. But everybody seems to like him, so maybe he'll learn?

>Catchers (pick 2-3)

>-John Hicks - a human catcher.

______________________________

"Walleye, a lot of things are going to go wrong in your life that technically aren't your fault. Always remember that this doesn't make you any less of an idiot"

--Walleye's Dad

>Rotation (pick five):
>
>-Phil Hughes
>-Tyler Duffey
>-Kyle Gibson
>-Ervin Santana
>-Tommy Millone

Boring. Boring. Boring.

>Bullpen (pick seven):

>-Glen Perkins
>-Alex Meyer
>-Ricky Nolasco
>-Casey Fien
>-Trevor May
>-Kevin Jepson
>-Taylor Rodgers

Also boring. Though I think one of Meyer or Chargois will come north with the team.

>Outfield (pick 4-5)
>-Byron Buxton
>-Miguel Sano
>-Eddie Rosario
>-Oswaldo Arcia

Arcia will see almost no actual outfield time, but they'll bring him north as a bench bat with a chance to be more. If Park doesn't fully pan out, maybe even a timeshare at DH. The backup outfielders are all presently listed as infielders.

>Infield (pick 5-6)
>-Joe Mauer
>-Brian Dozier
>-Eduardo Escobar
>-Eduardo Nunez
>-Danny Santana
>-Trevor Plouffe
>-Byun Hyung Park

I picked seven. Oops.

>Catchers (pick 2-3)
>-JR Murphy
>-Kurt Suzuki

______________________________

"Walleye, a lot of things are going to go wrong in your life that technically aren't your fault. Always remember that this doesn't make you any less of an idiot"

--Walleye's Dad

1. http://www.startribune.com/suzuki-s-fine-with-splitting-time-at-catcher-for-twins/369910691/

Kurt Suzuki, proud owner of a .240/.296/.314 line in 2015, is comfortable sharing the catching role with JR Murphy in 2016. Pretty generous of him.

I don't think the Twins traded Hicks for somebody they only expect to be a backup. Murphy kind of skipped prospect-hood by going from decent minorleaguer to buried at the MLB level. But I think he might actually be an above-average starter at the position.

2. http://www.startribune.com/twinscentric-burdi-may-be-twins-future-closer/369975171/

Nick Burdi may be the team's next closer. Which would be fun, because he throws really goddamn hard.

______________________________

"Walleye, a lot of things are going to go wrong in your life that technically aren't your fault. Always remember that this doesn't make you any less of an idiot"

--Walleye's Dad

At the very least, this lineup is going to want for left-handed power somewhere. Rosario is, at the moment, the best they have in that regard. That leaves a pretty natural smackdown for Arcia vs. Vargas. I think Arcia has the higher upside and has actually shown it at the MLB level.

He's also really fun to watch when he's playing well. I hope he makes it. I'd be pleased to see Vargas make a leap forward, but something has always left me not quite a believer on him.

http://www.startribune.com/down-to-last-strike/370592821/

Twins' Oswaldo Arcia is down to his last strike
Ex-phenom Arcia must show Twins he belongs, or risk going elsewhere
By Phil Miller Star Tribune MARCH 1, 2016 — 7:35AM

FORT MYERS, FLA. – A nagging hip injury last May sidelined Oswaldo Arcia for three weeks and eventually got him sent down to the minors. But that wasn’t the damage that kept him from being called back to the Twins.

“The problem was right here,” Arcia said, pointing to his head. “It was really hard. It was in my mind.”

Now he’s got something new in his mind: making the Twins’ roster again. Arcia is one of three Twins veterans who is out of options this season, meaning he cannot be sent to the minor leagues without being exposed to waivers and claimed by another team. His status, like that of relief pitcher Michael Tonkin and utility man Danny Santana, makes this spring the most important training camp of his life.

“It’s a new year,” Arcia said. “I want to be here, but all I can do is work. Don’t let last year happen again.”

Actually, if he plays like last year, the Twins’ decision will be an easy one, because their onetime phenom experienced an unexpected crash. Arcia opened the season as the Twins’ starting right fielder, a position he had held since slugging 14 homers in only 97 games in 2013. He followed that with 20 homers in 2014. But he began 2015 in a slump, strained the hip while making a long throw from the outfield and went on the disabled list.

By the time he recovered, his replacement, Eddie Rosario, had won the job for himself, and Arcia was sent to Class AAA Rochester to work himself out of his slump.

Oswaldo Arcia prepared to take batting practice during a spring training workout in Fort Myers, Fla.

Oswaldo Arcia prepared to take batting practice during a spring training workout in Fort Myers, Fla.
It never really happened.

“When he hit home runs as a very young major league outfielder, he kind of fell in love with that a little bit. And it became too much of a focus, that he was willing to discard the poor at-bats and not get runners in when he was supposed to,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “Cheating to hit the ball over the right field fence. Not recognizing pitches. … Some of the holes were exposed.”

Arcia was stuck at Rochester, and his season spiraled downward. He batted only .118 after the All-Star break, managed only four home runs in that time. His kooky clubhouse persona, cocky and crazy during his days in Minnesota, became more subdued and sullen.

“He hit rock bottom,” Rochester manager Mike Quade said. “To his credit, he never begged out. It didn’t get so bad where he ever said, ‘You know, not today.’ He always wanted to be in the lineup. But it humbled him. He recognized that this was a hell of a mess.”

But it’s one that he is determined to clean up. Arcia took only 10 days off this winter, then left Venezuela to return to Florida, where he dedicated himself to training like never before. “Haven’t missed a day,” he says proudly of his sculpted physique. “I’m working a lot on my body. I feel more strong, more agile.”

Yet he and the Twins both know that Arcia’s problems didn’t stem from his conditioning, so there’s no way to tell what effect being in top shape will have. Still, they like how dedicated he is to recapturing his old job.

“We want to have everything perfect so can go back to trying to hit a baseball,” Quade said. “It’s about being in shape, taking care of an injury, being as focused as you can, taking care of other things that are pulling at you in your life. You solve everything you can, and then come to the park and hit. It ain’t easy, so make the path as clear as you can.”

Arcia believes he has done that, but as exhibition games begin this week, he understands how important March is. He has worked on not being too pull-happy, learning that he has the strength to hit outside pitches over the left-field wall instead of trying to jerk them to right. “I worked hard,” he said. “I’m a better hitter, a better player now.”

Molitor, General Manager Terry Ryan and the coaching staff will be the judge of that. The manager is more than willing to be convinced Arcia is right, though he emphasizes that being out of options won’t matter if he doesn’t perform. “I’m not one who likes to give somebody something they didn’t earn,” Molitor said.

Still, “different people get it at different times. We hope this is kind of a breakthrough for him,” Molitor said. “I’m not forgetting about him. I know what he can do.”

______________________________

"Walleye, a lot of things are going to go wrong in your life that technically aren't your fault. Always remember that this doesn't make you any less of an idiot"

--Walleye's Dad

Free BPro article. The takeaway is that Buxton is projected to be a 4-5 win player THIS year - but that the projection is based almost exclusively on his defense. PECOTA isn't sour about his hitting, but doesn't think he's ready for his big offensive star turn yet.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=28563

______________________________

"Walleye, a lot of things are going to go wrong in your life that technically aren't your fault. Always remember that this doesn't make you any less of an idiot"

--Walleye's Dad

This is the kind of thing that every team says, but Molitor is a new-ish regime so I'm more inclined to believe it until I've been burned a few times. It's a good idea. I'd mostly conceded that 4/5 spot to Duffey/Milone, which made me happy/meh. Milone is a fine pitcher, but until the Twins are at that point of trying to move the needle from, say, 90 wins to 92 wins, I'm more interested in them trying to find something bigger and sexier than Milone.

Alex Meyer remains the biggest sexy, but after last year's cratering I think that we're best off hoping for bullpen success that leads to soon-enough bullpen dominance. But May is a nice option there as well.

Regrettably, he'll be fighting against the narrative that the move to the bullpen is what allowed him to focus on repeating his delivery and hammering the strikezone without drifting into hittability. While it's true (and intuitive, given the freedom to air out his fastball) that his strikeout rate rose in the relief role, he still struck out 73 guys in 83 innings as a starter last season, against only 18 walks. That's what the rotation needs. The nail in the starting coffin for him was hitters teeing off to a .445 SLG when he was a starter. That's not very good - but it weirdly didn't come that much from the longball. 8 homers in 83 innings is a perfectly acceptable rate for a guy who tries to miss bats by elevating his fastball once and awhile. Sometimes, you lose. As long as the bases aren't constantly occupied due to walks and general hittability, we'll take that.

A more advanced look shows an FIP of more than a run lower than his ERA as a starter, more or less confirming that a lot of his struggles as a starter came from bad luck that reversed itself when he became a reliever. Orrrrrr, possibly a genuine (fixable?) issues working out of the stretch - as the 69% left-on-base rate as a starter was... rough. Orrrrrr, one other possibility - that the team's commitment to running a non-shitty defense out there daily is the reason for the shift.

But for a spot start in August, May was out of the rotation by the beginning of July. After his June stint, Buxton was a regular by early August, Rosario by mid-May. Is it possible that May's luck started to turn around when these two started to see regular outfield time together?

http://www.startribune.com/twins-day-at-camp-trevor-may-sets-lofty-goals/370872701/

______________________________

"Walleye, a lot of things are going to go wrong in your life that technically aren't your fault. Always remember that this doesn't make you any less of an idiot"

--Walleye's Dad

Click through for video, heatmaps, and better analysis than the two paragraphs I swiped. But the takeaway is that, while in the broadest sense Tyler Duffey did his damage last year with just two pitches (fastball and curve) that broad sense may not be telling the full story. Because:

a)He varies and commands his four seamer and two seamer pretty well and for different locations/purposes

b)his curveball may be genuinely elite

That's the makings of a good pitcher. An even better one if he can develop a workable change.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/tyler-duffey-the-shockingly-interesting-twin/

We’ve been conditioned to mostly ignore the various Twins starters, and for the most part that’s been a pretty sound policy, but Duffey has some unusual things about him.

...

There’s a really neat thing about the curveball. How many times have I talked about my pitch-comp formula? Using PITCHf/x information, I can calculate similar individual pitches by looking at the average velocities, horizontal movements, and vertical movements. I decided to run pitch comps for curveballs thrown by starting pitchers in 2015. The curveball most similar to Duffey’s, on average: none other than Felix Hernandez‘s curveball. And that particular curve was arguably the best in the game. Felix has about one extra mile on Duffey, but the movements are almost identical. Now, of course, Felix also has his changeup, and he shows a slider, so he has more going on overall than Duffey does. But if Duffey is known for anything, he’s known for his hook, and it turns out it compares well to the hook of one of the elites.

______________________________

"Walleye, a lot of things are going to go wrong in your life that technically aren't your fault. Always remember that this doesn't make you any less of an idiot"

--Walleye's Dad

This is maybe the longest prospect write-up I've seen, and it's free. For those two reasons, I'm not going to swipe the whole thing and rather encourage clicking through.

It's really effusive. The good news is that they don't see any diminishment in Buxton's upside. They think that Park will absolutely whale (that's in the swiped portion - so read). Berrios can be a top of the rotation god. And - this is nice because it's the second time I've read a prospect writer say-so this week - they think that Jorge Polanco will be more than adequate defensively at shortstop.

It's down on Tyler Jay, which is fine. Ditto Alex Meyer, though he sounds willing to go nuts on him if he starts finding the plate.

He ranks Chargois at the top of the bullpen arms that haven't debuted yet. That's new to me, but Chargois has apparently been bumping triple digits just like Burdi but without the pro struggles.

LaMonte Wade and Wander Javier show up as the obligatory "here are some guys you haven't heard of that I'm ranking highly." They're names you should know though. Wade is a do-everything-pretty-well NCAA pick that destroyed E-Town. He probably profiles as a really valuable fourth outfielder who can start in center for a second division team. But there's upside that sounds a lot like Denard Span.

Javier is the guy who broke Miguel Sano's club record for international bonus, but it didn't get the same hype because bonuses have gotten relatively huge. Still a giant expenditure for the Twins though, and it sounds like he could be really good.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/evaluating-the-2016-prospects-minnesota-twins/

Evaluating the 2016 Prospects: Minnesota Twins
by Dan Farnsworth - March 4, 2016

1. Byron Buxton, OF
Current Level/Age: MLB/22.3, 6’2/190, R/R
Acquired: Drafted 2nd overall (1st round) in 2012 out of Georgia HS by MIN for $6 million bonus
Previous Rank: 1
Buxton had a rough year in 2015 and has more questions surrounding him now than at the beginning of last season, when he was the consensus number-one prospect in baseball. It’s easy to worry about him being injury prone after two seasons in a row where he missed a chunk of time, but I think it may be too early to knock him down off his throne. A combination of a sprained thumb and perhaps a slightly premature introduction to the majors were mostly to blame for his subpar performance. His approach was more aggressive in the big leagues than it had ever been previously, though I’m willing to chalk it up to not being able to get acclimated while dealing with his time off.

Buxon is still a plus hitter with at least average power. He’s still one of the best base-runners in the game, and small sample last year aside, still projects as one of the better defensive center fielders in the league. With his injuries all being unrelated the last two years, I’m assuming good health without much reservation. And if he’s healthy, his only adjustment will be taking his advanced minor-league approach into his at bats against big-league pitchers, which will be much easier when he isn’t having to deal with physical problems.

2. Jose Berrios, RHP
Current Level/Age: Triple-A/21.8, 6’0/185, R/R
Acquired: Drafted 32nd overall (Supp 1st round) in 2012 out of Puerto Rico HS for $1.55 million bonus
Previous Rank: 3

Berrios has three pitches that are all tough on hitters — even when he throws them in the zone. He throws strikes and has a deep enough arsenal to turn over lineups and face teams multiple times over the course of a season right now. There are some slight mechanical issues to work out, but nothing he won’t be able to figure out on the fly, as he’s a tremendous athlete on the mound. He gets a little too closed off at times and has to force his upper body through, and he may need subtle adjustments here and there with his tempo, but he’s also not even 22 years old yet and had no problem cruising through Triple-A lineups last year.

His fastball sits in the low- to mid-90s, but has reached up to 98 in the past. His changeup is already a plus to plus-plus pitch with enough fade to get righties and lefties out, complemented by a solid breaking ball. His curve is regarded as clear third pitch, but the feel he shows for adding and subtracting speed with great movement may give him a third plus offering at its peak.

Berrios is a stud in waiting, and should get the chance to start his reign over the Twins rotation pretty quickly this season. Look for him to be a strong contender for Rookie of the Year after some seasoning in Triple-A.

3. Byung-ho Park, 1B
Current Level/Age: NA/29.7, 6’1/236, R/R
Acquired: Signed in 2015 out of Korea for $12.85 million posting fee and 4 years/$12 million
Previous Rank: NA

Park is going to mash in the big leagues. While Jung-ho Kang is a completely different athlete, it’s helpful to compare the two to get a sense for how well Park’s abilities will translate stateside. While Park had the higher strikeout rate in Korea, he also shows a better ability manipulating his bat to get the barrel on tough pitches. He drew more walks, and his simpler swing should allow him more time than Kang to read pitches, giving him a good chance of continuing to rack up free passes against big-league pitching.

With regard to his swing, Park is superior in nearly every way to Kang. He has a stronger lower half with more stability and a quicker drive, a shorter path to the ball with his barrel and more reliable lift that results in high line drives and hard fly balls everywhere between right and left field. Barring some unforeseen change in his approach, or a drastic reduction in his contact rate, Park has a high probability of outpacing Kang’s impressive production with the bat.

Obviously, Park won’t provide as much defensive or base-running value as Kang, being a first baseman by trade. Though he’s likely to be the Twins’ designated hitter, his defense comes with the reputation of being solid at the cold corner. He moves well on the bases for a slugger, having stolen 10 bases in 2015. The only reservation is regarding his contact, about which some evaluators have raised concerns. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him hit for a lower average, but the power threat he provides will force pitchers to work around him and let him take his walks, counteracting the potential high strikeout rate with plenty of on-base opportunities.

4. Max Kepler, LF
Current Level/Age: MLB/23.1, 6’4/205, L/L
Acquired: Signed in 2009 out of Germany by MIN for $800,000 bonus
Previous Rank: 14

Kepler had everything going right last year as he stormed through the Double-A Eastern League. He hit for the best power, stole the most bases and had the highest walk rate of his minor-league career. It led to a short debut in the big leagues, setting him up for more appreciable playing time for the parent club in 2016.

For a player coming from Germany, Kepler is surpisingly polished at the plate. His plate discipline has gotten stronger as he has come up through the system, and he has a strong swing built for hitting line drives around the field. He can get overactive with his front shoulder, leading to more than a few ground balls to the right side, but he hits everything hard and gets his hands on level with the pitch early in his swing. The shift will take away a few more hits in the majors, but his ability to take a walk will help counteract whatever he loses in hit totals.

He has developing power that could make a 55-ceiling grade look light eventually, but for now he has strong gap power with more homer pop to the pull side. While his fielding is fringe-average in the outfield, his bat more than makes up the difference to profile as an above-average regular with upside as an All-Star.

5. Jorge Polanco, SS
Current Level/Age: Triple-A/22.7, 5’11/200, B/R
Acquired: Signed in 2009 out of Domincian Republic by MIN for $775,000 bonus
Previous Rank: 7

Polanco is a versatile player with excellent ability on both sides of the ball. He has solid hands and range to go with an average arm and quick release, which allows him to play anywhere on the infield very well. There is talk of him moving off shortstop at some point, but he’s already league average there defensively. The only reason to move him would be because he can handle second or third, and you have another shortstop who’s one of the best in the league

He’s going to hit for a high average with occasional pop on mistake pitches, though he will need to continue honing his plate discipline and not lean on his hand-eye coordination too much. He will chase balls just because he can hit them, though obviously he would benefit from putting himself in the best counts possible and driving pitches in the zone. Polanco has more power from the left side with a bit more athleticism in the box, but his righty swing will play fine as well. His hit tool may be limited slightly on account of the unsure on-base and plate-discipline future, but he can hit his way to at least a 55 grade there, or even better if the walks show up. He’s very difficult to strike out, and has shown he can use his speed to contribute on the base paths as well.

______________________________

"Walleye, a lot of things are going to go wrong in your life that technically aren't your fault. Always remember that this doesn't make you any less of an idiot"

--Walleye's Dad

Got the obligatory weirdo pick in Trey Cabbage. I rather like that. In the past we've had Engelb Vielma (Law) and LaMonte Wade (fangraphs) so the more the merrier.

March 8, 2016
2016 Prospects
Minnesota Twins Top 10 Prospects
by Christopher Crawford and BP Prospect Staff

1. Byron Buxton, OF
DOB: 12/18/1993
Height/Weight: 6’2” 190 lbs.
Bats/Throws: R/R

Future Tools: 80 speed, 70 arm, 70 glove, 60 hit, 55 power
Role: 70—All-Star center fielder

Mike Trout in 2011: .220/.281/.390 with 30 strikeouts in 40 games. Yes, he was two years younger than Buxton was last year, so I’m not saying. I’m just saying.

Buxton wasn’t very good at the big league level, but there is zero reason for panic. This is still an elite offensive player. His hand-eye coordination rivals anyone’s. His fast hands and above-average bat speed give him the potential for at least a plus hit tool, maybe more. He’s willing to use the whole field, but he got pull-happy upon his promotion, and he also struggled to recognize quality off-speed stuff. Call it a case of trying to do too much rather than a sign of things to come.

Even with the struggles, Buxton is still one of the two best prospects in baseball. The ceiling is MVP candidate, and because the defense is so good, the floor is starting center fielder who hits near the bottom of the order. He’s that good.

2. Jose Berrios, RHP
DOB: 05/27/1994
Height/Weight: 6’0” 185 lbs
Bats/Throws: R/R

Future Tools: 60 fastball, 60 curveball, 60 change, 55 command
Role: 70—No. 2 starter

Byron Buxton in round one, Jose Berrios in round two. That’s a decent start to a draft, in my obvious opinion. Berrios’ arsenal is as complete as it gets, with three plus pitches at his disposal. It starts with his fastball, a pitch that can get up to 97 but typically sits 92-94 with good life. He’ll add and take away velocity from his curveball; at times it’s a legit power offering and at times a softer 12-6. They’re both quality pitches, and both can be located at the bottom of the strike zone. The change is the least consistent of the three and he’ll occasionally lose the arm speed, but there’s enough “ha ha fooled you” to call it at least an above-average offering at present, and he gains feel for it every year. As if the arsenal wasn’t enough, he also repeats his delivery and arm action, and pounds the strike zone with all three pitches.

Major League ETA: 2016

3. Max Kepler, OF/1B
DOB: 02/10/1993
Height/Weight: 6’4” 205 lbs.
Bats/Throws: L/L

Future Tools: 65 hit, 55 power, 50+ speed
Role: 60—First-division corner outfielder/above-average regular at first

Well, this sure escalated quickly. Kepler has gone from “interesting story” to “oh I like this” in a relatively short amount of time. His swing has some length, but because he recognizes pitches so well and has an advanced approach, he can make hard contact to every part of the field while drawing walks and limiting strikeouts. He’s still tapping into his power, and those 45 doubles + triples should become homers as he becomes more comfortable turning on the baseball. Despite having only a tick above-average speed, he’s a legit threat to steal double-digit bases because he reads pitchers well and gets a great first step.

4. Nick Gordon, SS
DOB: 10/24/1995
Height/Weight: 6’0” 160 lbs
Bats/Throws: L/R

Future Tools: 60 hit, 60 speed, 60 glove
Role: 55—Above-average regular at shortstop

Gordon gets unsurprising raves for his feel for the game, and it shows at the plate. He works counts, he fouls off quality pitches, and his line-drive stroke with above-average bat speed gives him a chance for a plus hit tool. He’ll need something close to a plus hit tool, as there’s very little power here due to a linear swing, with scant leverage in the lower half. His plus speed helps make up for the lack of pop, and he could easily be a 30-40 stolen base guy as a regular.

And a regular he shall likely be, as Gordon can really pick it at shortstop. He makes the plays in front of him, and he also has well above-average range. Add in a strong, accurate throwing arm, and you get a guy who turns hits into outs on a routine basis.

Major League ETA: 2018

5. Tyler Jay, RHP
DOB: 04/19/1994
Height/Weight: 6’1” 180 lbs.
Bats/Throws: L/L

Future Tools: 65 fastball, 60 slider, 50+ command
Role: 55—Mid-rotation starter/high-leverage reliever

Jay started just two games last year for Illinois, but he ranked as the best left-handed starter in the class on the boards of several scouting directors I spoke with. There are two pitches that flash double-plus, starting with a fastball that has touched the high 90s in short spurts and sits 93-95 when he starts. His slider is his out pitch, and while he has a tendency to overthrow it, the hard tilt and depth make it a devastating offer to lefties and a pretty darn good one to righties.

The question marks regarding Jay don’t regard stuff or command, but whether or not he’s going to be able to do it over 100-pitch outings. He doesn’t have ideal size, and the fact he pitched almost exclusively out of the bullpen in college means there’s not much track record here. Is there a chance he ends up pitching out of the bullpen? Absolutely, but Jay has the stuff to pitch in the middle of a rotation—and maybe higher.

Major League ETA: 2017

6. Jorge Polanco, SS
DOB: 07/05/1993
Height/Weight: 5’11” 200 lbs.
Bats/Throws: S/R

Future Tools: 60 speed, 55 hit
Role: 50+—Solid-average regular in the middle infield

He has an advanced feel for hitting from both sides of the plate, and while he won’t be the type of guy who draws a boatload of walks, he will work counts with little swing-and-miss. The swing is geared for contact, so despite above-average bat speed you shouldn’t expect much more than a couple of handfuls of homers. He’s an above-average runner, but he doesn’t get great jumps, and he gets thrown out too often to be considered a true stolen base “threat.”

Defensively, Polanco is ready to play shortstop, and it’s not out of the question that it’s his long-term landing spot. He has enough range to handle the position and has shown the ability to make the spectacular routine.

Major League ETA: Debuted in 2014

7. Kohl Stewart, RHP
DOB: 10/07/1994
Height/Weight: 6’3” 195 lbs.
Bats/Throws: R/R

Future Tools: 60 fastball, 60 slider, 50+ curve
Role: 50+—Mid-rotation starter

It’s tough to be too hard on Stewart for his lack of strikeouts, as he was 20 years old for all of the season, and he did generate nearly a 60 percent groundball rate. Still, until he shows more ability to miss bats, it’s tough to call him more than a mid-rotation starter. A strong 2017 season will go a longs way to disproving that theory.

Major League ETA: 2017

8. Stephen Gonsalves, LHP
DOB: 07/08/1994
Height/Weight: 6’5” 190 lbs.
Bats/Throws: L/L

Future Tools: 60 fastball, 55 change
Role: 50—No. 4 starter

Gonsalves gets his fastball up to 95 mph with run, and he sits comfortably 90-92 with his four-seamer. Spike curveballs are not this prospect writer’s cup of tea, but Gonsalves has a usable one, with good spin and enough depth to make it effective. Like most spike curves, it’s almost never a strike, so it’s strictly an ahead-in-the-count offering. His best pitch is a change that has splitter action, and he has improved his feel for it every year. He can sometimes tire deep into games, and he doesn’t do a great job of repeating his delivery or arm action from start to start.

Is Gonsalves as good as the numbers he put up in 2015? Probably not, but with a solid three-pitch mix and improving feel for pitching, he has a chance to pitch in the back of a rotation.

Major League ETA: 2017

9. Nick Burdi, RHP
DOB: 01/19/1993
Height/Weight: 6’5” 215 lbs
Bats/Throws: R/R

Future Tools: 80 fastball, 70 slider
Role: 50—High-leverage reliever

Filthy, nasty, sick. Whatever you wanna use to describe Burdi’s fastball/slider combination, it all leads to hitters having a bad time. He touches triple digits on a routine basis, and sits 96-98 with ease. He also showed a two-seamer in the AFL, capable of generating ground balls. The slider is death to right-handers with loads of tilt, and it’s certainly good enough to get lefties out too. There’s a change here as well, but it’s really a show-me pitch and nothing more.

Major League ETA: 2016

10. Trey Cabbage, 3B
DOB: 05/03/1997
Height/Weight: 6’3” 205 lbs.
Bats/Throws: L/R

Future Tools: 55 hit, 55 power, 55 arm
Role: 50—Average regular at third
His swing is aesthetically pleasing, showing balance and staying in the zone with above-average bat speed. Like many young hitters, he can get pull-happy, but all the elements are here for an above-average hit tool. There’s a natural loft to the swing, and his ability to create leverage and strong wrists make above-average power a real possibility, maybe even plus if everything goes right.

Major League ETA: 2019

Five who are just interesting:

Alex Meyer, RHP – Saying that Meyer had a disappointing 2015 is the understatement of this article. He’s always struggled to repeat his delivery and throw strikes, but last year it came to a head, and it looks like the bullpen is going to be his landing spot. The good news is Meyer has a chance to be a darn fine part of the bullpen. He touches the high 90s from power forward height (6-foot-9) and when he doesn’t get under his slider, it’s a plus-plus pitch with silly amounts of tilt.

Engelb Vielma, SS– Everything you’re looking for from a shortstop defensively, you get. There’s no power here, and he generates a ton of weak contact from a choppy swing at both sides of the plate. Still, when you can run and pick it like this, you have a chance to play everyday.

Adam Brett Walker II, OF– When Adam Brett Walker II makes contact with the baseball, it doesn’t jump off the bat, it caprioles. There’s plus-plus power potential in his right-handed bat, and he can take the ball out to any part of the field. Notice that I say when, because Adam Brett Walker II swings and misses. A lot.

Taylor Rogers, LHP – If you like your left-handers to throw strikes from a deceptive delivery, you have good taste and you should be commended for that. Rogers has those qualities, which is good, because his average fastball and solid-average slider aren’t good enough to get hitters out on their own.

Jake Reed, RHP – His fastball has explosive life, and it’s a plus-plus pitch when you add that to its 93-96 mph velocity. He mixes in a solid-average slider, and his deceptive arm slot makes that pitch a real bee in the bonnet of right-handed hitters. Strike throwing is a problem, but if the command can even get to fringe-average, he has the stuff to pitch in high-leverage situations. Side note: the potential of a Reed, Meyer and Burdi bullpen should give AL Central hitters nightmares. -Jeffrey Paternostro

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"Walleye, a lot of things are going to go wrong in your life that technically aren't your fault. Always remember that this doesn't make you any less of an idiot"

--Walleye's Dad