Here's where the Twins' Top 30 prospects are starting the season
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With the Minor League season opening this week, here's where the Twins’ Top 30 prospects are projected to start:
1. Walker Jenkins (MLB No. 10), OF -- Fort Myers (Single-A)
2. Brooks Lee (MLB No. 18), SS -- St. Paul (Triple-A) injured list (lower back)
3. Emmanuel Rodriguez (MLB No. 41), OF -- Wichita (Double-A)
4. Gabriel Gonzalez (MLB No. 75), OF -- Cedar Rapids (High-A)
5. David Festa, RHP -- St. Paul (Triple-A)
6. Marco Raya, RHP -- Wichita (Double-A)
7. Charlee Soto, RHP -- Fort Myers (Single-A)
8. C.J. Culpepper, RHP -- Cedar Rapids (High-A)
9. Luke Keaschall, 2B -- Cedar Rapids (High-A)
10. Tanner Schobel, 2B -- Wichita (Double-A)
11. Brandon Winokur, SS -- Fort Myers (Single-A)
12. Cory Lewis, RHP -- Wichita (Double-A) injured list (shoulder fatigue)
13. Matt Canterino, RHP -- St. Paul (Triple-A) injured list (rotator cuff)
14. Danny De Andrade, SS -- Cedar Rapids (High-A)
15. Austin Martin, SS -- Minnesota (MLB)
16. Kala'i Rosario, OF -- Wichita (Double-A)
17. Connor Prielipp, LHP -- Cedar Rapids (High-A) injured list (elbow)
18. Andrew Morris, RHP -- Cedar Rapids (High-A)
19. Yasser Mercedes, OF -- Extended spring training
20. Zebby Matthews, RHP -- Cedar Rapids (High-A)
21. Kody Funderburk, LHP -- Minnesota (MLB)
22. Ricardo Olivar, C -- Cedar Rapids (High-A)
23. Yunior Severino, 1B -- St. Paul (Triple-A)
24. Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP -- St. Paul (Triple-A)
25. Andrew Cossetti, C -- Wichita (Double-A)
26. Jose Rodriguez, OF -- Fort Myers (Single-A)
27. Noah Cardenas, C -- Wichita (Double-A)
28. Ben Ross, UTIL -- Wichita (Double-A)
29. Darren Bowen, RHP -- Cedar Rapids (High-A)
30. Rayne Doncon, INF -- Fort Myers (Single-A)
Team to watch
The Twins have their top talent spread around pretty evenly, especially at the top of the Top 30. Cedar Rapids has the highest total with nine, but no one would be upset if you focused on Single-A Fort Myers. The main attraction, of course, is Jenkins, the top prospect and the Twins’ top pick in last year’s Draft. He may not be there long, so check out the Mighty Mussels soon to see him and fellow high-ceilinged 2023 draftees Charlee Soto and Brandon Winokur.
Teams on MLB.TV and MiLB.TV
Triple-A St. Paul
Double-A Wichita
High-A Cedar Rapids
Single-A Fort Myers
Players we could see in 2024
Lee, the club’s No. 1 pick in 2022 who reached Triple-A in his first full season, should be back in action soon. Then it’s just a question of need and opportunity in the big leagues. There isn’t an obvious spot for him to break in, but don’t be surprised if he forces the Twins’ hands by putting up big numbers in St. Paul once he’s healthy. Festa appears to be the next in a line of later-round picks the Twins find and develop into big league starters and could be the first arm to get called up as needed.
New faces
Jenkins heads up the 2023 Draft class that includes the aforementioned prepsters (Soto and Winokur) as well as a college bat in Keaschall, who is beginning his first full season with High-A Cedar Rapids. In January, the Twins sent Jorge Polanco to the Mariners and got a pair of Top 30 guys in Gonzalez and Bowen, both of whom are joining Keaschall in Cedar Rapids.
On the shelf
Aside from Lee, who is coming back from a relatively minor back issue, it’s the arms that are sidelined here. Lewis is delayed by a few weeks due to shoulder fatigue that cut into his spring preparation. The Twins really think Canterino’s stuff will play, but he’s had trouble staying healthy. Now it’s a rotator cuff strain. Prielipp had internal brace surgery on his left elbow last summer and is still working his way back.