 |
 |
|
| | Wednesday, April 19 Twins minor-league report | |||||
| By John Sickels Special to ESPN.com System overview Given their financial constraints, the Twins have no choice but to rely on the farm system as their main source of talent. Jacque Jones and Corey Koskie made a successful transition to the majors last year, and there are more hitters on the way. The major league club currently lacks power, but there is help on the horizon. The three best prospects in the system are power hitters of the first order, all three (Mike Cuddyer, Mike Restovich, Matt LeCroy) being potential stars. LeCroy could see action for the Twins in 2000, while the others are a year or two behind him. One negative is a lack of power pitching in the organization. Most Twins pitching prospects are finesse pitchers, partly because the scouting staff is instructed to look for guys with good control, but also because some of the best fastball throwers in the system have struggled. Ryan Mills, the Twins' first-round pick in 1998 and considered a future ace when drafted out of Arizona State, lost his mechanics and posted an 8.87 ERA in A-ball. Draftmate Marcus Sents, a hard-throwing raw right-hander picked in the second round, had a 6.14 ERA in rookie ball. The 1999 draft focused mostly on position players, meaning the lack of fastballs remains an issue. Minnesota's long-standing program in Venezuela has yielded Luis Rivas, a sharp shortstop prospect, and Juan Rincon, one of the more promising pitchers in the system. Overall, the Twins have good depth in hitting, but the lack of potential ace pitchers is still a problem. 1999 Minor League W-L Percentage: .496, (ranked 17th) 1999 amateur draftWith the fifth overall pick in the draft, the Twins scored big with Moses Lake, Washington, high school outfielder B.J. Garbe. He has all the physical tools, and is a refined hitter who knows how to play. He should move very quickly. The fact that the Twins went after him despite his Stanford scholarship is a sign that the team's budget problems won't prevent them from seeking top amateur talent. Second-rounder Rob Bowen, from high school in Indiana, is a fine defensive catcher with power potential and good strike zone judgment. Third-round pick Justin Morneau, a high school catcher from British Columbia, will probably move to first base since Bowen has superior defensive skills. Morneau has excellent bat speed, comparable to Larry Walker of the Colorado Rockies. Fourth-rounder Jeff Randazzo, from Pennsylvania, and sixth-round pick Brian Wolfe, from Anaheim, are high school pitchers with live arms and high ceilings. They won't be rushed, but both have excellent potential. Fifth-rounder Brent Shoening, from Auburn, was the first college player drafted by the Twins. He has a pretty good arm, sharp control, and is likely to be the first of the group to reach the majors. The Twins focused strongly on high school talent, which can be risky, but rewarding. Garbe and Morneau have strong bats, and both Randazzo and Wolfe are good risks as high school pitchers go. It will be awhile before we know how this draft turns out, but on paper it looks good. Top prospects1) Mike Cuddyer, 3B: Hit .298 with 16 homers, 14 steals, and 76 walks in the Florida State League. Compared to Scott Rolen by scouts, Cuddyer has strong athletic ability and outstanding makeup. 2) Mike Restovich, OF: Hit .312 with 19 homers and 107 RBI in the Midwest League. Very strong bat, good strike zone judgment. From Rochester, Minnesota, which makes him an organization favorite. 3) Matt LeCroy, C: His bat is for real; has 20-homer power and will hit for a decent average. Questions about defense may keep him in the minors for another year. 4) B.J. Garbe, OF: Hit .316 in pro debut. Excellent bat speed with a smooth swing, good with the glove, smart, works hard. 5) Luis Rivas, SS: Gaining command of the strike zone, hit .254 with 31 steals in Double-A, while more than doubling his walk rate. Glove good and getting better, could challenge Cristian Guzman or Todd Walker in 2001. Others of note Mario Valdez, 1B: Forgotten White Sox prospect, picked up on waivers, will have chance for job at first base. More power than Doug Mientkiewicz, and a better glove than David Ortiz. Jason Ryan, RHP: Will have chance for rotation spot. Stuff is adequate, gets people out when confident and throwing strikes. Matt Kinney, RHP: Season lost due to elbow problem, but throws hard and looked good in Arizona Fall League. J.C. Romero, LHP: Lefty with 90 mph fastball and sharp slider. Could be the closer, but also mentioned as a starting candidate recently. Juan Rincon, RHP: 14-8, 2.92 in Midwest League. Throws 93 mph, needs to improve his knowledge of pitching. Chad Moeller, C: Won Arizona Fall League batting title, but played poorly in Double-A. Might play in the majors if LeCroy isn't ready. Other names to know: Rafael Alvarez, OF; Grant Balfour, RHP; Cleatus Davidson, INF; Steve Hacker, DH; Brent Hoard, LHP; Bobby Kielty, OF; Kyle Lohse, RHP; Brian McMillin, OF; A.J. Pierzynski, C; Mark Redman, LHP; Saul Rivera, RHP; Ruben Salazar, 2B; Eric Sandberg, 1B; Jon Schaeffer, C. John Sickels is the author of the 2000 STATS Minor League Scouting Notebook. You can email your questions to him at JASickels@AOL.com. | ALSO SEE Hot Stove Heaters: Twins ESPN.com's Hot Stove Heaters  | |||||