Gilberto Celestino

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Minnesota Twins #20 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Celestino was a top prospect in the 2015 international class who signed with the Astros for $2.5 million. The Twins acquired him in a trade that sent Ryan Pressly to Houston, and injuries on the big league roster led to Celestino making his big league debut in 2021, where he looked overmatched at the plate.
  
  Scouting Report: Celestino has shown the ability to hit for average and get on base in the upper minors and was off to a strong start with Triple-A St. Paul (125 wRC+) but scouts believe he wasn’t quite ready for big league arms. He hits the ball hard when he gets a pitch in his hitting zone, but he also doesn’t elevate the ball frequently and struggles with velocity on the inner half. Celestino controls the zone well and makes solid swing decisions, but scouts believe he’ll be a below-average power hitter. Celestino can handle center field, and he played all three outfield positions both in Triple-A and for the Twins. Despite an 80th percentile sprint speed according to Baseball Savant, some scouts believe he’s a fringe runner who is better in a corner—though he’s always been praised for his route running and reads off the bat.
  
  The Future: Celestino profiles as an extra outfielder off the bench who will need to tap into more power to raise his ceiling.
  
• 
  Ranked Minnesota Twins #10 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 50. Power: 40. Run: 50. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Celestino was one of the top prospects in the 2015 international class and signed with the Astros for $2.5 million. The Twins acquired him in the 2018 trade that sent Ryan Pressly to Houston. Celestino impressed quickly in his new organization and starred at low Class A Cedar Rapids in 2019. He attended the alternate training site in 2020.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Celestino isn’t the toolsiest player, but he does many things at a high level. He’s a plus defender in center field, despite being an average runner, thanks to exceptional reads and route-running. His plus arm also allows him to play right field. Celestino is more hit-over-power, but he has slowly added strength and may develop sneaky power as he continues to grow. He has some moving parts to his setup— including a high leg kick—but he knows his body and his swing well. Celestino has good strike-zone awareness and has improved his ability to hit to all fields. He spent 2020 working to control his stride and load more consistently in order to not be susceptible to elevated fastballs and breaking balls.
  
  THE FUTURE: Celestino has a chance to be an everyday center fielder with an above-average bat. His ability to play all three outfield spots gives him a fallback as reserve outfielder.
• 
  Ranked Minnesota Twins #12 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Celestino spent three seasons at rookie and short-season levels before making his fullseason debut in 2019. The Twins acquired him from the Astros in July 2018 in the swap that sent righthander Ryan Pressly to Houston. In 2019, he put forth his best season in pro ball to date.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Celestino is a plus defender in center field thanks to excellent routes and reads. His speed is average, but he has excellent body control and goes back into gaps extremely well. He has a plus arm. Celestino adjusted his grip in 2018 and worked to better cover the outer half with an improved stance and a quicker trigger in 2019. His ability to make adjustments reflects well on his feel for hitting and is why it's possible to project him as a future above-average hitter. He also added some muscle and has shown the promise of future fringe-average power.
  
  THE FUTURE: Even though he has just nine games above low Class A, the Twins added Celestino to the 40-man roster to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft. Celestino's center field defense gives him a solid shot to be a regular, but also makes him a viable fourth outfield candidate if his bat doesn't reach expectations.
• 
  Ranked Minnesota Twins #30 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Scouted by then-Rangers assistant general manager Thad Levine as a 15-year-old in the Dominican Republic, Celestino and the executive met up again after Levine’s current team acquired him from the Astros in the Ryan Pressly deal.
  
  Scouting Report: A well-rounded player with solid-average tools across the board and a chance to be a plus defender, Celestino is the classic “whole is greater than the sum of its parts” prospect. At fall minicamp, former Twins hitting coordinator Rick Eckstein changed Celestino’s awkward bat grip, which had been cutting off his swing and limiting his exit velocity. Celestino doesn’t have as high of a ceiling as Gabriel Maciel, another center fielder acquired the same day from Arizona in the Eduardo Escobar trade, but he’s an instinctive defender who shows excellent reads and routes to go with an above-average arm. His speed is just average and he projects as an average hitter with average power if the changes take hold. He was voted the top prospect in the New York-Penn League but struggled in the conversion to the Appalachian League after the trade.
  
  The Future: Coachable with fast-improving English skills and a fairly high floor, Celestino figures to open 2019 in the Midwest League.
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #20 prospect in 2018
  When the 2017 season began, Celestino had a massive number of center fielders ahead of him on the team's depth chart. But as 2018 begins, the Astros have traded away Teoscar Hernandez, Daz Cameron and Ramon Laureano, which cleared the long-term path ahead of him. Celestino is the organization's best minor league center fielder defensively. He's already plus in center with great instincts and good reads and routes to go with above-average speed and an above-average arm. Offensively, he shortened his swing, reducing his load. He has plenty of bat speed, but he can get too noisy in his setup leading to a longer swing than he needs. A veteran of international baseball tournaments as an amateur, he has a pretty good understanding of the strike zone. He has a chance to end up as an average hitter with average power. Celestino has the tools to eventually turn into an everyday regular, but he'll play all of the 2018 season as a 19-year-old, so that refinement may be a few years away. He's ready for low Class A Quad Cities.
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #19 prospect in 2017
  Unlike many signees from the Dominican Republic who are first spotted at workouts, Celestino had a long history of playing internationally, which gave scouts multiple chances to see him against top-level competition. He played in the Cal Ripken World Series as a 12-year-old, the COPABE 15U tournament and with an international team at the National High School Invitational. The Astros liked what they saw in all their different looks and signed him for $2.25 million during the 2015 international signing period. Celestino's hard-earned baseball savvy was apparent in his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League in 2016. He walked more than he struck out, demonstrated a knack for contact and showed more pop than the average 17-year-old in the DSL. He has solid bat speed and reads pitches well for his age, but whatever he does offensively pales in comparison with his defense in center field. Celestino is an average runner, but he reads the ball off the bat exceptionally well and takes outstanding routes. He's at least a plus defender with an above-average, accurate arm. Scouts can't help but compare Celestino with Cubs outfielder Albert Almora, another hit-over-power center fielder with exceptional defense despite modest speed.
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #24 prospect in 2016
  Unlike many Latin American teenage prospects, scouts had gotten a chance to see Celestino in international play for years, stretching back to seeing him as a 12-year-old in the Cal Ripken World Series and including time as a 15-year-old playing in the COPABE 15U Pan American games. That track record made the Astros comfortable spending $2.5 million on him. Celestino has always impressed with his feel for covering ground in center field. Much like Cubs outfielder Albert Almora, Celestino is a potentially plus defender in center field despite just average speed. He reads swings, gets great jumps and then uncorks accurate throws with a quick release and an average arm. At the plate Celestino's swing isn't mechanically perfect, as he has a big leg kick and his swing has some length, but he has a long track record of hitting in international tournaments and has a more advanced approach than most young Latin American prospects. He shows some raw power already, and has the size to add size and strength. Celestino will make his pro debut in 2016 starting in the Dominican Summer League.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked New York-Penn League #1 prospect in 2018
  The toolsy Dominican put up excellent numbers before being traded to the Twins for reliever Ryan Pressly at the deadline. In just 34 games, Celestino hit .323 while also stealing 14 bases. His on-base percentage was a sparkling .387, which would have been good for sixth in the league if he had enough at-bats to qualify. Celestino has an above-average hit tool, a solid understanding of pitch recognition and developing power. He also plays a solid center field. Celestino begins his swing with a big timing step, but he gets his foot down on time and seems to have few issues with balance or timing. He demonstrated an advanced all-fields approach, as he sprayed extra-base hits to right, center and left field. The only concern about Celestino’s offensive game is that his swing can get a little long at times, although he manages his strikeouts well. Celestino has a high floor as an outfielder who can play all three spots, but he also has a shot to be a solid regular in center field.
• 
  Ranked American League #11 prospect in 2017
  Celestino competed at the highest amateur levels before he signed with the Astros for $2.25 million in 2015. He proved far too advanced for the Dominican Summer League in 2016. Celestino doesn't normally stand out for his batting prowess, but he has enough bat-to-ball ability for scouts to see a future average to slightly above hitter. He's a gap-to-gap hitter, capable of spraying line drives to all fields and maintaining a high average. His swing is geared for going the opposite way. Celestino will never be a true masher, but he does have the potential for future average raw power if he continues to add strength. Celestino's fielding and baserunning instincts might be his most valuable tool. He has average speed and reads the ball well off the bat. He runs impressive routes in center field with ease, and his above-average arm reinforces a plus grade at the up-the-middle position.

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Celestino was a top prospect in the 2015 international class who signed with the Astros for $2.5 million. The Twins acquired him in a trade that sent Ryan Pressly to Houston, and injuries on the big league roster led to Celestino making his big league debut in 2021, where he looked overmatched at the plate.
  
  Scouting Report: Celestino has shown the ability to hit for average and get on base in the upper minors and was off to a strong start with Triple-A St. Paul (125 wRC+) but scouts believe he wasn’t quite ready for big league arms. He hits the ball hard when he gets a pitch in his hitting zone, but he also doesn’t elevate the ball frequently and struggles with velocity on the inner half. Celestino controls the zone well and makes solid swing decisions, but scouts believe he’ll be a below-average power hitter. Celestino can handle center field, and he played all three outfield positions both in Triple-A and for the Twins. Despite an 80th percentile sprint speed according to Baseball Savant, some scouts believe he’s a fringe runner who is better in a corner—though he’s always been praised for his route running and reads off the bat.
  
  The Future: Celestino profiles as an extra outfielder off the bench who will need to tap into more power to raise his ceiling.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 50. Power: 40. Run: 50. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Celestino was one of the top prospects in the 2015 international class and signed with the Astros for $2.5 million. The Twins acquired him in the 2018 trade that sent Ryan Pressly to Houston. Celestino impressed quickly in his new organization and starred at low Class A Cedar Rapids in 2019. He attended the alternate training site in 2020.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Celestino isn't the toolsiest player, but he does many things at a high level. He's a plus defender in center field, despite being an average runner, thanks to exceptional reads and route-running. His plus arm also allows him to play right field. Celestino is more hit-over-power, but he has slowly added strength and may develop sneaky power as he continues to grow. He has some moving parts to his setup— including a high leg kick—but he knows his body and his swing well. Celestino has good strike-zone awareness and has improved his ability to hit to all fields. He spent 2020 working to control his stride and load more consistently in order to not be susceptible to elevated fastballs and breaking balls.
  
  THE FUTURE: Celestino has a chance to be an everyday center fielder with an above-average bat. His ability to play all three outfield spots gives him a fallback as reserve outfielder.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 50. Power: 40. Run: 50. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Celestino was one of the top prospects in the 2015 international class and signed with the Astros for $2.5 million. The Twins acquired him in the 2018 trade that sent Ryan Pressly to Houston. Celestino impressed quickly in his new organization and starred at low Class A Cedar Rapids in 2019. He attended the alternate training site in 2020.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Celestino isn’t the toolsiest player, but he does many things at a high level. He’s a plus defender in center field, despite being an average runner, thanks to exceptional reads and route-running. His plus arm also allows him to play right field. Celestino is more hit-over-power, but he has slowly added strength and may develop sneaky power as he continues to grow. He has some moving parts to his setup— including a high leg kick—but he knows his body and his swing well. Celestino has good strike-zone awareness and has improved his ability to hit to all fields. He spent 2020 working to control his stride and load more consistently in order to not be susceptible to elevated fastballs and breaking balls.
  
  THE FUTURE: Celestino has a chance to be an everyday center fielder with an above-average bat. His ability to play all three outfield spots gives him a fallback as reserve outfielder.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 50. Power: 40. Run: 50. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Celestino was one of the top prospects in the 2015 international class and signed with the Astros for $2.5 million. The Twins acquired him in the 2018 trade that sent Ryan Pressly to Houston. Celestino impressed quickly in his new organization and starred at low Class A Cedar Rapids in 2019. He attended the alternate training site in 2020.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Celestino isn’t the toolsiest player, but he does many things at a high level. He’s a plus defender in center field, despite being an average runner, thanks to exceptional reads and route-running. His plus arm also allows him to play right field. Celestino is more hit-over-power, but he has slowly added strength and may develop sneaky power as he continues to grow. He has some moving parts to his setup— including a high leg kick—but he knows his body and his swing well. Celestino has good strike-zone awareness and has improved his ability to hit to all fields. He spent 2020 working to control his stride and load more consistently in order to not be susceptible to elevated fastballs and breaking balls.
  
  THE FUTURE: Celestino has a chance to be an everyday center fielder with an above-average bat. His ability to play all three outfield spots gives him a fallback as reserve outfielder.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Celestino spent three seasons at rookie and short-season levels before making his fullseason debut in 2019. The Twins acquired him from the Astros in July 2018 in the swap that sent righthander Ryan Pressly to Houston. In 2019, he put forth his best season in pro ball to date.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Celestino is a plus defender in center field thanks to excellent routes and reads. His speed is average, but he has excellent body control and goes back into gaps extremely well. He has a plus arm. Celestino adjusted his grip in 2018 and worked to better cover the outer half with an improved stance and a quicker trigger in 2019. His ability to make adjustments reflects well on his feel for hitting and is why it’s possible to project him as a future above-average hitter. He also added some muscle and has shown the promise of future fringe-average power.
  
  THE FUTURE: Even though he has just nine games above low Class A, the Twins added Celestino to the 40-man roster to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft. Celestino’s center field defense gives him a solid shot to be a regular, but also makes him a viable fourth outfield candidate if his bat doesn’t reach expectations.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Celestino spent three seasons at rookie and short-season levels before making his fullseason debut in 2019. The Twins acquired him from the Astros in July 2018 in the swap that sent righthander Ryan Pressly to Houston. In 2019, he put forth his best season in pro ball to date.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Celestino is a plus defender in center field thanks to excellent routes and reads. His speed is average, but he has excellent body control and goes back into gaps extremely well. He has a plus arm. Celestino adjusted his grip in 2018 and worked to better cover the outer half with an improved stance and a quicker trigger in 2019. His ability to make adjustments reflects well on his feel for hitting and is why it's possible to project him as a future above-average hitter. He also added some muscle and has shown the promise of future fringe-average power.
  
  THE FUTURE: Even though he has just nine games above low Class A, the Twins added Celestino to the 40-man roster to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft. Celestino's center field defense gives him a solid shot to be a regular, but also makes him a viable fourth outfield candidate if his bat doesn't reach expectations.