1. Aaron Hicks, OF – Many scouts like Hicks’ arm when he was drafted, but the Twins gave him a shot in the outfield. His debut was pretty good. Last year was his first full season in the minors and he didn’t do bad. He’s very patient, which is great for a player of his age (19). He’s projected to have good power and good speed. In the field, he’s just as good; his arm is strong and his speed allows him to cover a lot of ground.
2. Wilson Ramos, C – Ramos is one of the under the radar catching prospects. He’s got raw power that should translate to actual power. He makes good contact and has decent speed (for a catcher). He does need to work on his walk and strikeout rates. He’s also solid defensively and shouldn’t move from behind the plate.
3. Kyle Gibson, P – Gibson is a little bit of a question mark due to a stress fracture in forearm right before last years draft; he was a top 5 pick prior to the injury and ended up being picked at 22. Gibson has a great 2 seam fastball and couple of developing breaking pitches. He’s projected as a 2-3 starter. He could move fast if the Twins feel he’s healthy.
4. Ben Revere, OF – Revere didn’t fare as well as people would hope this past year. He won’t hit for power, but has great speed. His stolen base rate is low for as good as his speed is. I’ve heard multiple people compare him to Juan Pierre, including the weak arm for center field. He could be up by the end of next year.
5. Danny Valencia, 3B – Valencia is a guy that does a lot, but nothing particularly well. He started slow every time he went to a new level, but eventually broke through. He’s good for 15-20 homers, which is low for third; he does have good contract though. His defense is a little questionable, so don’t be surprised if he ends up moving positions at some point.
6. Angel Morales, OF – Morales is a raw prospects – he’s probably got the best raw power in the system. He’s got plate discipline issues though; he had the lowest strikeout rate of his career in 2009 at 27.7%. He also doesn’t walk much. His speed is a plus; there are predictions of 20/20 potential. He can handle center, but will probably end up in right.
7. Miguel Sano, SS – In a year or 2, Sano could be at the top of this list. It’s hard to rank him since he’s so young and hasn’t made his pro debut. People are already questioning if he can stay at short, based off his size (6’3″, 200 lbs). John Sickels give him an upside of Miguel Cabrera, which is mighty high praise.
8. Joe Benson, OF – Benson has the tools to be a major leaguer, but he needs to translate those to skill. He’s developing nicely though. His power is starting to develop and his speed is pretty good. He needs to cut down on his strike outs and his contact rate is low. He’s got the arm to play all 3 outfield spots.
9. David Bromberg, P – Bromberg has had an up and down career in the minors. He struggled in 2008, but led the minors in strikeouts. Last year, he worked on his mechanics and lowered his ERA by more than a run; the result was the Twins Minor League Pitcher of the Year. He’s got a 90 MPH fastball, but doesn’t keep it down; he’ll need to work on his groundball rate to be successful.
10. Chris Parmelee, 1B – There is no question about Parmelee’s power; he can rake. He’s also very patient and will take a walk. It’s the remaining areas of his game that concern scouts. He can’t field very well, so he’s a DH in the making. If he can keep his power numbers up, he could move Jason Kubel back to the outfield by the end of the year.
