After pillaging their farm system at last year's trade deadline, the Minnesota Twins are beginning to reload their system as The Athletic's Keith Law ranked three future Twins in his Top 60 Prospects list.
The list, which includes players that were selected in this year's draft for the first time, not only has a heavy representation with Brooks Lee, Emmanuel Rodriguez and Walker Jenkins making the cut, but it also shows the strength of the farm system with all three players ranked in the top 25.
It starts with Lee, who is still Minnesota's top prospect after jumping from No. 51 to No. 17 on Law's list. After hitting .303/.389/.451 with four homers and 15 RBI in 31 games with the Twins system last year, Lee's first full season of professional baseball has gone well, hitting .283/.360/.472 with 10 homers and 55 RBI with Double-A Wichita.
Lee's performance has also hit another gear, hitting .314/.389/.537 with seven homers and 40 RBI in 44 games dating back to May 24.
"A jump from college one spring to Double-A the next would be a big challenge for most players, but Lee’s pitch recognition has always been strong and it’s carried over into pro ball," Law wrote.
"He’s still playing shortstop but I think he’ll move to third or second by the time he sees the majors. Lee’s a high-floor guy, as it’s very hard to imagine he’s less than a regular, although I think the only way he’s a true star is if he’s a consistent .300+ hitter and gets toward that [15-to-20 homer] ceiling."
Rodriguez is another prospect that made a big jump in Law's rankings, going from No. 48 to No. 22 on the list last season. Rodriguez struggled coming off a season-ending knee injury, hitting just .163/.320/.357 through the end of May but has turned it on since the calendar turned to June, hitting .276/.440/.496 with six home runs, 19 RBI, eight stolen bases and 34 walks in his last 36 games.
"He just does not chase," Law wrote. "But [he] takes too many strikes right now, which I think is an easier thing to fix than pitch or ball/strike recognition. He’s got plus-plus raw power and should get to that more in games as he gets a little more experience. A centerfielder now, Rodriguez probably moves to right before too long, but the potential for a .400 OBP with 25 homers there would make him at least an above-average regular."
While Lee and Rodriguez made big jumps on Law's list, Jenkins made his debut after being selected with the fifth overall pick in the draft earlier this month.
Jenkins has already earned praise as the back-to-back winner of the North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year and the recipient of a ringing endorsement from former Twin Doug Mientkiewicz, but Law believes there were some scouts that believed he was the best player in the draft.
"I know plenty of scouts who thought he was the best player available and think he’s a young Larry Walker," Law wrote. "It’s a gorgeous left-handed swing, and he’s a projectable athlete who runs above average and plays center now, eventually moving to right field and probably becoming a plus defender there."
Law went on to say that Jenkins' swing is capable of becoming a .280 hitter with 25-30 home runs a year and his approach at the plate could produce a high on-base percentage.
If Lee, Jenkins and Rodriguez live up to the hype, they could add to what is being a talented nucleus at the major league level that already includes Royce Lewis, Edouard Julien and Alex Kirilloff."
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