After making the playoffs three of the last four seasons, some of the Minnesota Twins‘ top prospects have moved to the majors lately and succeeded. With these players making the move to MLB, the team’s farm system has taken a hit in the process. But they still have a few top-tier prospects in the system who are working their way to being impactful players at the highest level. So who are considered some of the Minnesota Twins’ top prospects?
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Minnesota Twins Top Prospects
SS Brooks Lee
The switch-hitting Lee was drafted by the Twins in the first round of the 2022 draft out of Cal Poly. Seen as a hitter that can hit at an average level from both sides of the plate (.286 batting average for 2023), he has been able to add more strength since being drafted by the Twins. He has also gained recognition as one of the Minnesota Twins’ top prospects. The hope is that this added strength will help lead to more power in his bat. He currently has 11 home runs in the 2023 season.
Brooks Lee collected his first two RBIs in Triple-A yesterday in the @StPaulSaints win💥
Lee went 2-4 on the day with 3 batted balls hit 99+ mph and 2 balls hit 103+ mph 🚀#MNTwins pic.twitter.com/qtlyhZE8JO
— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) August 10, 2023
Defensively, Lee may have to switch to the third base position at some point. Still, the Twins have high hopes for him at shortstop, where he sports an above-average arm.
Lee could be pushing for an MLB roster spot as soon as 2024 if his bat can stay hot.
OF Walker Jenkins
A first-round pick in this year’s draft, the left-handed hitting Jenkins sits at a 6’3″ frame which helps him with the power he has in his bat. He is also another prospect who is able to hit the ball to all parts of the field. Coming into 2023, Jenkins was viewed as the second-best high school prospect in the draft (behind Max Clark).
On the defensive side of the field, he possesses raw instincts at the center field position, but his lack of speed could lead to him being pushed to a corner outfield spot at some point in the near future.
OF Emmanuel Rodriguez
Another left-handed hitter in the Twins farm system, Rodriguez was an international signing in 2019 at the age of 17. So far in his time with the Twins organization, he has jumped through three levels of minor league baseball. He landed in High-A this season and is hitting .225.
Rodriguez has high potential as a power hitter due to his raw strength and bat speed at the plate. This season, he has hit a total of 14 home runs. Along with his power comes plate discipline many have raved about him having at such a young age, and makes him a top prospect for the Twins. Rodriguez was able to draw more walks than strikeouts in the 2022 season (57 to 52).
In the field, Rodriguez has been seen as a solid center fielder that possesses above-average speed. If this continues, there should be no need to try him at a different position.
LHP Connor Prielipp
Prielipp, a former member of the Alabama Crimson Tide, was considered to have the potential to be one of the top pitchers after his first season at Alabama in 2020. But in March of his sophomore year, he had to undergo Tommy John surgery and did not pitch at all in the 2022 season. This led to him falling to the Twins in the second round of the 2022 draft.
It will be very important for Prielipp to have a full and healthy season. This would go a long way toward proving he can get back to his freshman-year self. It would also help prove why he was viewed as a top prospect prior to the injury. Consequently, he could climb back up the ranks of the Minnesota Twins top prospects list. His pitching arsenal consists of a fastball that sits around 95 miles per hour, a low 80s sinker, and a slider that sits in the 90s. His slider is viewed as his most dangerous pitch.
If Prielipp is able to bounce back from the elbow surgery, he could be considered a steal from the 2022 draft class.
RHP Marco Raya
A fourth-round pick in the 2020 draft, Raya is another Twins pitching prospect with an injury history. He was unable to pitch in the 2021 season due to a shoulder injury. He was then highly monitored during the 2022 season, where he threw a total of 65 innings.
All four of the pitches in Raya’s arsenal are viewed as average to above average. These include a fastball that sits around 97 miles per hour, an 82-83 mph slider, and a curve ball. This has helped make him one of the Twins’ top prospects. He has been developing a changeup to add to these three pitches, making his arsenal even more dangerous for hitters to face. This season, he has accumulated 52 strikeouts in just over 42 innings pitched.
With these current prospects looking to make some noise soon, and some former top prospects now in the majors, the Twins have a chance to contend in the AL Central for years to come.
Photo Credit: Michael Cuneo/STARNEWS / USA TODAY NETWORK
Players Mentioned: Brooks Lee, Walker Jenkins, Max Clark, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Connor Prielipp, Marco Raya
