Minnesota Twins

Track Record: A relatively unheralded draft prospect, Varland is a local product—he grew up in St. Paul and went to college there as well—who signed in the 15th round for $115,000. He turned in an exceptional first full pro season, winning the Twins minor league pitcher of the year award after posting a 2.10 ERA between Low-A Fort Myers and High-A Cedar Rapids.
Scouting Report: Varland’s success has come with increased fastball velocity. After pitching in the 90-92 mph range as an amateur, Varland’s fastball sat in the 94-95 mph range this season, peaking at 98-99 mph. It’s a flat approach angle fastball that he throws for strikes well and earns plus grades. Varland’s most-used secondary is a hard slider in the mid 80s that gets average grades. He also throws an average changeup in the upper-80s that has good sink and could improve in the future, plus an occasional, show-me curveball in the upper 80s with solid raw spin rates, but below-average scouting grades. Varland’s been an average strike-thrower in the past, but this season he walked just 2.6 batters per nine.
The Future: Varland has the repertoire and control to be a back-end starter with his newfound fastball velocity and has a fallback option as a hard-throwing reliever otherwise.

Track Record: Hajjar was a talented draft prospect dating back to his prep days, and a bump in fastball velocity during the summer prior to his draft year at Michigan helped raise his draft stock significantly. That stuff didn’t hold during the spring, but Hajjar still showed a solid pitch mix and control—enough for the Twins to sign him for $1,129,700 in the second round.
Scouting Report: Where Hajjar’s velocity settles into is probably one of the bigger questions for the big lefthander now. He pitched in the low 90s for the most part with Michigan, and while he didn’t get into an official pro game this summer, he reportedly touched 97 and was sitting comfortably above 93 mph in bullpens with the Twins. Hajjar threw a curveball, slider and changeup in college, though he will likely use the slider and changeup the most at the pro level. His slider has been up to 87 and flashes hard, biting action at its best, while he’s made tremendous progress over the last three years with a low-80s changeup that has impressive tumble. There’s a bit of funk in Hajjar’s delivery that could add some deception to his overall operation, and for the most part he’s done a good job throwing strikes.
The Future: Hajjar has starter traits and back-end stuff now, though the quality of his fastball could tick his ceiling up.

Track Record: The younger brother of Guardians shortstop Owen Miller, Noah is a savvy defensive shortstop with an impressive baseball IQ. One of the better defenders in the 2021 prep class, the Twins signed him for $1.7 million to buy out his Alabama commitment and he impressed in his pro debut in the Florida Complex League.
Scouting Report: Slick defending is the calling card with Miller for the time being. He has all the intangibles to stay at shortstop in the long run, outside of foot speed. He has good instincts, a quick first step and an internal clock that’s advanced beyond his age. He can make throws from multiple angles and arm slots and generally has a good understanding of when to let loose and when he can hold back on his throws. A switch-hitter, Miller is a hit-over-power bat currently who will need to add strength as he develops. Some amateur scouts thought he could grow into average power, but he’s not there yet. His righthanded swing is freer and easier than his left side, so refining that left side will be key for his offensive development. Miller is an average runner.
The Future: The recent track record of Wisconsin hitters is quite good, and Miller will look to follow players like Gavin Lux, Jarred Kelenic and Daulton Varsho.

Track Record: Steer was a standout performer throughout his collegiate career with Oregon and also stood out on the Cape Cod League. After an impressive 2019 pro debut, Steer began tapping into more power in 2021, advancing to Double-A Wichita and drawing positive reviews from scouts both inside and outside the org for his all-around game.
Scouting Report: While Steer doesn’t have massive top-end exit velocity numbers, he makes hard contact consistently and hit 24 home runs and 18 doubles between High-A and Double-A in 2021. That’s a great sign for a contact-oriented bat like Steer, who only struck out at a combined 21.5% rate this season. He’s a versatile defender who can handle several positions—including shortstop in a pinch—with good hands, adequate arm strength and enough arm for whatever position he’s at. His best defensive position is second, but he should be able to move around the defensive spectrum depending on team need. Steer is an average runner, but he’s opportunistic and savvy on the base paths and generally draws positive reviews for his baseball instincts in general, and for his competitiveness and intensity on the field.
The Future: Steer needs more at-bats against upper-level minor league pitching, but his power increase makes him one of the risers of the system and his defensive versatility gives him multiple avenues to a big league role.

Track Record: Sands turned in career bests in strikeout and walk rates during his draft year with Florida State in 2018, turning that into a $600,000 fifth-round bonus. He pitched well at the lower levels in 2019 and in 2021 had another strong season with Double-A Wichita, though his control regressed (1.8 BB/9 in 2019 to 3.9 BB/9).
Scouting Report: In a time where north-south pitching profiles and vertical fastballs sit at the popular table, Sands is a lower three-quarters slot righty with an east-west three-pitch mix. He sits in the 93-94 mph range with his fastball and touches 96, but the pitch has more arm-side running life than carry up in the zone. His secondaries match that movement profile as well. His 78-82 mph curveball has huge raw spin rates (around 2,900 rpm) but is more of a sweeping pitch with lateral movement that he showed good feel to land for strikes. His low-80s changeup also has lateral, fading life that could play off his fastball nicely with about 10 mph of separation, and it’s flashed plus in the past. After showing glimpses of improved command, Sands looks more like a fringe-average strike-thrower which gives him some reliever risk.
The Future: Sands has No. 4 or No. 5 starter upside with improved command, but probably profiles best as a unique look out of the pen.

Track Record: Mostly a reliever in college, the Rays developed Strotman as a starter and dealt him to the Twins in the Nelson Cruz trade that also landed Minnesota righthander Joe Ryan. Strotman pitched exclusively at Triple-A in 2021 with solid stuff, but control that got him into trouble at times.
Scouting Report: Strotman has a four-pitch mix headlined by a fastball that sat in the 94-95 mph range and has been up to 99-100 mph. The pitch is ordinary in terms of movement and spin, and he needs to do a better job spotting the pitch on the edges of the zone moving forward. His best secondary is a hard cutter/slider that sits in the upper 80s and is currently his best in-zone swing-and-miss offering. Strotman also has a mid-to-upper-80s changeup that gets whiffs more as a chase offering versus lefthanded hitters. A curveball around 80 mph is his fourth offering and doesn’t project as anything more than a change of pace pitch.
The Future: Strotman has the stuff to pitch in a No. 4 or No. 5 role if he can get his control back to pre-Tommy John surgery levels, but if that doesn’t happen his fastball could play up in a bullpen role. Strotman is on the 40-man roster with a chance to make his big league debut in 2022.

Track Record: The Twins signed Enlow for $2 million out of high school to pry him from a Louisiana State commitment. He has pitched well in all four of his pro seasons and was off to a strong start in 2021 with High-A Cedar Rapids before undergoing Tommy John surgery in June after just three starts and 14.2 innings.
Scouting Report: Enlow has a solid mix of four offerings and was trending in the right direction this year with a bit more fastball velocity, more movement on his breaking ball and impressive feel for a hard cutter that he can land to both sides of the plate. Enlow has been up to 97 mph with his fastball, but the development of his breaking stuff is probably the most encouraging sign for his profile. He has impressive touch on a low-80s curveball that he can land for strikes or bury below the zone for whiffs. His upper-80s cutter is now a pitch he can use for swings and misses in the zone or to keep hitters off the barrel. On top of his fastball and breaking stuff, Enlow has a firm changeup in the upper 80s that improved significantly in 2020 and gives him a fourth reliable offering.
The Future: Enlow profiles as a back-end starter if healthy, but he’ll miss all or most of the 2022 season recovering from surgery.

Track Record: Born in Puerto Rico and raised in the Dominican Republic, Mercedes became an early standout in the 2021-22 international class thanks to his combination of size, athleticism and tools at a premium position. He became the headliner of Minnesota’s international class when the signing period opened on Jan. 15, 2022, signing for $1.7 million.
Scouting Report: Mercedes has a chance to be a power/speed threat in center field. He’s a plus runner with some of the better raw power in his class, showing flashes of future plus raw power that should continue to climb as he fills out his lean, well-proportioned 6-foot-3 frame. While Mercedes has big power and has shown it in games at times, that power does come with some strikeouts that he will have to keep in check. Depending how he develops physically, there’s a chance Mercedes could end up outgrowing the middle of the field and end up in a corner, but if he can maintain his speed and athleticism he could stick in center, where he has an above-average arm.
The Future: Mercedes is a high-risk, high-reward player with some of best upside in the lower levels of the Twins system. His pro debut will come this year in the Dominican Summer League.

Track Record: Sabato set North Carolina’s freshman home run record (18) in 2019 and showed some of the best raw power in the 2020 class as a draft-eligible sophomore. The Twins signed him for $2.75 million with the 27th overall pick and watched him look overmatched early and quite good late in his debut pro season this year.
Scouting Report: As a right-right, first base-only defensive profile, almost all Sabato’s value is riding on his bat and massive raw power. Early this season with Low-A Fort Myers, Sabato was extremely passive and looked overmatched by fastballs north of 93 mph. He struggled to get to pitches on the inner half and in general seemed out of sync and off time. He was promoted to High-A Cedar Rapids in late August and the fresh start seemed good for him, as he managed a 1.015 OPS with eight home runs and a heavier pull approach. Sabato has a keen eye at the plate—his 92 walks ranked second in the minors only to org mate Edouard Julien—rarely expands the zone and does plenty of damage on contact, but will need to find a way to lower his 32% strikeout rate. He’s a bottom-of-the-scale runner limited to first base defensively.
The Future: Sabato should get a chance at Double-A in 2022, where he’ll put his power and patient approach to the test against better arms.

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.

Track Record: De Andrade is a Venezuelan shortstop and third baseman who trained in the Dominican Republic as an amateur and was an early standout in the 2020-21 international class. He signed with the Twins for $2.2 million on Jan. 15 and made his Dominican Summer League debut, where he showed contact ability and impressive defensive tools as a 17-year-old.
Scouting Report: De Andrade is more polished on the defensive side of the ball now. He has impressive hands, quick actions, good body control and a sound internal clock that give him a chance to stick at shortstop despite fringe-average or solid speed at best. His arm strength is certainly strong enough for him to stick on the left side of the infield, but some scouts think he might be a better fit for third base as he adds strength and physicality to his frame. Offensively, De Andrade has a short, quick swing and contact-driven, aggressive approach. He swings frequently and will chase outside of the zone, so in the future he’ll likely need to become more selective to do more damage. He’s a gap-to-gap doubles hitter now, but scouts think he has a chance to get to above-average power potential in the future.
The Future: De Andrade is one of the focal points of Minnesota’s next wave of international prospects and should make his domestic debut in 2022.

Track Record: Cavaco blew up late in the draft process during his senior spring season in high school, when he showed some of the most exciting raw tools in the class. The Twins signed him for $4.05 million as the 13th overall pick, but he has struggled mightily in his brief two years in the lower minors.
Scouting Report: The one silver lining for Cavaco at this point is his 2021 season showed flashes of the promise he showed in high school. In June and July, he hit .292/.376/.427 between the FCL and Low-A Fort Myers. Consistency in his approach and consistency in being on the field has been more of a challenge. He missed time with a concussion and hamstring issues this year, and he is behind the curve from an approach and mechanical standpoint. Cavaco has plus raw power, but he can’t access it regularly thanks to poor direction in his lower half and bat path, as well as a chase rate that has been described as “unsustainable.” He drew mixed reviews for his defensive ability, with some scouts saying he looked better than expected at shortstop and others believing the game still speeds up on him.
The Future: There are still significant holes in Cavaco’s game, but there’s no denying his toolset is among the most intriguing in the system.

Track Record: Moran signed for $275,000 as one of the top pitching prospects in Puerto Rico in 2015 and quickly transitioned to a full-time reliever role after joining the organization. After a strong 2019 season, Moran excelled at Double-A Wichita and Triple-A St. Paul in 2021, posting the best overall full-season strikeout rate of his career and earning a big league debut.
Scouting Report: Moran relies mostly on a two-pitch mix led by a 92-93 mph fastball that gets up to the 97-98 mph range at peak and an out pitch changeup in the 80-81 mph range. His fastball is ordinary—especially by reliever standards—and got hit hard in his brief big league sample. The pitch was also his least effective offering in the minors. His changeup is a real weapon. It has received double-plus grades and generated a 51% whiff rate in the majors. He also throws a low-80s, high-spin slider but largely scrapped the pitch in his major league stint. Control has always been a question mark and weak link for Moran, and that was still the case in 2021, with a walk rate of 4.3 per nine innings in the minors.
The Future: Moran has a chance to provide low-leverage innings out of the bullpen again in 2022, but his upside could be capped without improving his fastball velocity, shape or command.

Track Record: Vallimont signed for $300,000 in the fifth round with the Marlins in 2018 after a stellar three-year career at Division II Mercyhurst (Pa.). The Twins acquired him and Sergio Romo in 2019 in exchange for Lewin Diaz. After pitching well in 2019, Vallimont struggled against Double-A bats in 2021, but the Twins still added him to the 40-man roster in November.
Scouting Report: Vallimont gave up plenty of hits (1.638 WHIP) and walks (5.8 BB/9) this season, but still has an intriguing four-pitch mix. His fastball sits in the 92-93 mph range and has been up to 95-96, and analysts love the metrics beyond the velocity, especially the extreme carry and vertical break of the offering. His go-to secondary and most effective pitch this year was a mid-80s slider with spin in the 2,500 rpm range and solid sweeping action. The 6-foot-5 righty also throws an upper-70s curveball and a low-80s changeup. All his offerings have average or a tick better potential, but he needs to take a big step forward with the consistency of his command against upper-level bats.
The Future: The Twins have developed Vallimont as a starter, and he has a deep arsenal and the physical frame, but his control might make him a better fit for the pen, where perhaps his velocity could tick up.

Track Record: Wallner set Southern Mississippi’s career home runs record (58) and parlayed that power potential into a $1.8 million bonus as the Twins’ 39th overall pick in the 2019 draft. After homering eight times in his pro debut in 2019, Wallner clubbed 15 at High-A Cedar Rapids in 2021 and performed well in an 18-game stint in the Arizona Fall League (1.011 OPS).
Scouting Report: Power is Wallner’s calling card and the physical 6-foot-5 outfielder posts some of the best top-end exit velocity numbers in the system, along with first baseman Aaron Sabato. He has 70 or 80-grade raw power, but his plate discipline, the length of his swing and his swing-and-miss rate will severely limit his overall offensive upside and deflate his average. Wallner struck out at a 33.3% clip with Cedar Rapids—while old for the level—and chases outside the zone at an above-average rate. He’s pull-happy, which suits his power, but will also leave him susceptible to secondary offerings and more advanced pitching. A former pitcher, Wallner has plus arm strength that fits well in right field, where he is a fringy, but adequate defender and runner.
The Future: Wallner will never compete for a batting title, but his power production could make him a big league contributor. He should get his first test against upper-level minor league pitching in 2022.

Track Record: Julien was a prominent amateur player dating back to his prep days when he impressed scouts with his lefthanded swing with the Canadian Junior National Team. The Twins signed Julien for $493,500 in the 18th round of the 2019 draft as an eligible sophomore. He led all minor league hitters with 110 walks in his first pro season in 2021.
Scouting Report: Julien has one of the keenest eyes in minor league baseball. He rarely expands the zone, and his chase rate is reportedly among the best in the minors. He walked at a 24.5% clip in Low-A Fort Myers and after being promoted to High-A Cedar Rapids still walked at a 19.4% rate. Some scouts have put plus raw power grades on him as well, and Julien smacked 18 home runs and 28 doubles between both levels. Just seven minor league hitters managed 15+ homers, 25+ doubles and a .400+ on-base percentage in 2021 (including Jose Miranda) and of that group, only Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe was younger than Julien. Julien played first, second, third and left field, but he profiles best at a corner and is likely a better fit in the outfield than in the dirt with below-average speed and fringy defensive ability.
The Future: The Twins have plenty of corner profiles in front of Julien, but he excels at getting on base and has some power to go with it. How his approach fairs against upper-level pitching is the next question.

Track Record: Rosario was the top draft prospect out of Hawaii in 2020, separating himself by posting massive exit velocities at showcases like the Area Code Games and showing a good ability to use the entire field. The Twins signed Rosario for $270,000 in the fifth round and he was solid in his pro debut in the Florida Complex League (109 wRC+).
Scouting Report: Rosario is an impressive, physical athlete with a strong frame and raw power that gets both 70 and 80 future grades. His exit velocities stack up with the better sluggers in the system, though that translated into just five home runs in 51 games this summer. He has the power to tally many more as he learns to drive the ball more consistently in games and cut down a below-average swing-and-miss rate. Rosario struck out at a 31.7% rate, though his swing decisions themselves are solid and he doesn’t chase out of the zone at an exorbitant rate. Rosario spent time in left field (78 innings) and right field (229 innings) this summer and is definitely a corner outfielder whose arm strength fits best for left field.
The Future: Rosario has huge power upside and should get a chance at full-season ball for the first time in 2022 during his age-20 season. He’s praised for a strong work ethic.

Track Record: Signed as a 17-year-old in 2017, Henriquez had advanced to Low-A through 2019, then saw action in 2020 at instructional league due to the cancellation of the minor league season in the wake of the pandemic. He made it to Double-A in 2021 but ran into serious trouble keeping the ball in the park. Nonetheless, he was added to the Rangers’ 40-man roster after the season.
Scouting Report: Henriquez’s biggest attribute is an electric fastball that sits around 94 mph and has touched up to 97. The pitch plays up thanks to excellent spin rates and horizontal break coupled with a near-elite vertical approach angle. He complements the fastball with a mid-80s slider and a high-80s changeup. Each of his offspeed pitches has its moments, but both need more consistency. The Rangers have confidence that he’ll make the necessary improvements because of the innate way he uses his hand to manipulate the baseball. His changeup in particular needs to come along so he has a better chance against lefties.
The Future: Henriquez will likely head back to Double-A in 2022. If he can improve his slider and changeup, he could fit in the back of the rotation. If only one comes along, he could be a multi-inning reliever.

Track Record: Raya was an arrow-up player during his senior season in high school prior to the 2020 season being shut down, but the Twins still liked his upside and feel for spin enough to sign him for $410,000 in the fourth round. There’s a lot of unknown with Raya, as he missed the 2021 season with shoulder fatigue and has yet to make an official pro start.
Scouting Report: Despite Raya’s lack of professional track record, Minnesota is still high on the 6-foot rightander’s upside and stuff. While he didn’t pitch an official game in the 2021 season, he joined the team in instructs and reportedly had his fastball sitting at 97 mph consistently in a short outing, with a good slider and curveball. His fastball sat in the 92-93 mph range as an amateur, but it’s still up in the air what sort of fastball quality he will have over the course of a professional season. His breaking balls have both shown promise at times and he seems to have an innate feel for spinning the ball, while his changeup quality is to be determined. While Raya isn’t physically imposing, he’s worked hard over the last few years to add strength to his frame.
The Future: Raya is one of the bigger question marks in the system and should finally make his pro debut in 2022, when he’ll still be in his age-19 season.

Track Record: One of the top prospects in the 2018 international class, Urbina signed for $2.75 million. After impressing in the Dominican Summer League in 2019, Urbina made his stateside debut in 2021, where he struggled with the bat with Low-A Fort Myers.
Scouting Report: Urbina impressed with his bat-to-ball skills in the DSL, and he still made an above-average amount of contact in his first test in full season ball. But the quality of his contact was poor and opposing scouts turned in lower complimentary tools grades for Urbina almost across the board compared to a year ago. The Twins tried to quiet Urbina’s hands in his load, while also narrowing his stance to unlock more power, but he finished the year with just a .286 slugging percentage and .095 ISO. He does have solid zone recognition. A year ago, Urbina was cited as a plus runner with a chance to stick in center field, but his run tool grades this year have regressed and some scouts think he’s a better fit for left field moving forward with below-average arm strength. Urbina is an aggressive runner on the base paths, who stole 16 bags in 22 tries.
The Future: Urbina will be looking to bounce back in 2022, his age-20 campaign. It sounds like the Twins are still excited about his potential, but he needs to develop more power.