Twins prospect list: 5-1

I will be finishing my look at the top 50 prospects in the Twins organization. Today, I will look at prospects 5-1. I hope all have enjoyed my look at the Twins top 50 prospect lists. Of course there can be arguments for some guys that did not make the list and that should not be thought of as less of a prospect. I only had 50 spots so I could not include everyone that is a good player. If you have any comments or questions you can either leave me a comment in the comment box or shoot me an email at travis_aune@yahoo.com. Thanks for reading and happy holidays.

• 5. Ben Revere OF (5/3/1988) 21

2009 stats: .311 avg 2 homeruns 48 rbi's along with 13 doubles and 4 triples in 121 games. Walked 40 times while striking out 34 times along with 45 stolen bases in 466 at bats. Had a .372/.369/.741 split.

2009 teams: Fort Myers Miracle

• Ben Revere could not have asked for a better start to his career. After hitting .379 in his 2008 rookie year he followed that up by hitting .311 in his sophmore year in a much better pitching league. Ben Revere showed just that he is probably the best pure hitter in the organization. In 2009, Revere had another good season hitting .311 with 2 homeruns and 48 rbi's. Another good part of his game is his speed as he stole another 45 bases and in two years he has stolen 89 bases. Ben Revere is as close to a sure thing there is in the Twins organization. He has a combination of mind dumbing speed, he has a great eye at the plate as his 34 strikeouts show in 466 at bats. With that being said there are some things that Revere needs to work on to reach his potential. First, as someone that is a singles hitter as his only 19 extra base hits would allude to, he needs to walk more. He only walked 34 times in 466 at bats. With his ability to hit the ball if you could add better plate discipline you would have something. He had a .372 on base percentage but if you added some walks to the equation it would be over .400 which is awesome. Another thing that he needs to work on is his stolen base proficiency. Revere was thrown out 17 times in 2009 which is way to often to be thrown out. Finally he needs to get better in centerfield, his defense was better in 2009 than it was in 2008. That is not saying much as he still needs to improve in centerfield gong forward. Ben Revere is the most ready outfield prospect in the organization and it would not surprise me to see him with the Twins sometime in 2010 as he is a hitting machine who at age 21 looks to be a future all star if he keeps improving. Which I think he will and everyone will know who Ben Revere is in a year or two.


• 2010 projection: Spend season playing outfield in New Britain


• Estimated Time of Arrival: 2011

• 4. Wilson Ramos C (8/10/1987) 22

2009 stats: .317 avg 7 homeruns and 35 rbi's along with 17 doubles and a triple in 59 games. Walked 6 times while striking out 23 times in 224 at bats. Had a .339/.496/.835 split

2009 teams: New Britain Rockcats

• Wilson Ramos had an interesting year in 2009 for the Rockcats. It was injury riddled, but when he was healthy he hit the ball awesomly. Wilson Ramos has proved without a shadow of a doubt that he is the top catching prospect in the organization and when he is healthy he just might be the top prospect at any position. In 2009 Ramos suffered through hamstring and wrist problems that only let him play in 59 games. However, when the playoffs came along he was almost impossible to get out. In 59 games Ramos hit .317 with 7 homeruns and 35 rbi's along with 17 doubles and a triple. It is so hard to judge his season based on the fact that he only got 224 at bats. He followed that up this winter by playing some winter ball in Venezuela. He has been absolutely dominant this winter as he is hitting .332 with 12 homeruns and 49 rbi's along with 14 doubles and a triple in 54 games. It is hard to do but if you put his 2009 season with his Winter ball numbers together you have quite the numbers. In 113 games he is hitting .325 with 19 homeruns and 78 rbi's along with 31 doubles and one triple in 432 at bats. If he can put those type of numbers together for a full year he will have quite a year. Wilson Ramos has developed it all he can hit for average, can hit for power, good eye at the plate, calls a good game, good strong throwing arm. The big thing for Ramos is he needs to find a way to stay healthy, because when he is healthy he is a dominant prospect. He will be ready to join the Twins late in 2010 and for good in 2011. I could see a way where he would serve as the DH for a year while getting alot of playing time at catcher to give Joe Mauer more games at DH. However, Wilson Ramos is going to be a starting catcher at the major league level so the Twins are going to have to do something eventually because Wilson Ramos' future is really bright and he will be a major league starting catcher mark my words.


• 2010 projection: split season catching between New Britain and Rochester.\


• Estimated Time of Arrival: 2011

• 3. Kyle Gibson P (10/23/1987) 22

2009 draft: 1st round pick/ 18th overall signed to contract with 1.85 mil bonus

2009 teams: Missouri Tigers

• Kyle Gibson was the Twins first round pick, the 18th overall, in the 2009 MLB Draft out of the University of Missouri. After weeks of tough negotiations the Twins were able to sign the phenom at the last second. It was too late for him to play any minor league ball in 2009 for Gibson and he had a broken forearm that he was nursing so he wouldn't of pitched anyway. If it had not been for the injury there is no doubt that Gibson would have been a top ten pick so the Twins were very very fortunate to nab him at 18. Really this kid has it all as he has the size at 6 foot 6 inches and 208 lbs. He has a low 90's fastball that he can spot all day long. To go with that he has a very good slider and changeup that he can control. How good can Kyle Gibson be and that is so hard to tell because he has not even thrown a pitch in the minor leagues, but from everything I have read and heard about him he can be a solid number two at the major leagues. That is something different than the Twins have in the organization because most of our pitching prospects are number 3's or 4's in a big league rotation. Gibson has way more upside than that he is a solid number 2 and if he can develop his changeup better he has the ability to possibly be a number 1. The big thing for him is have the ability to spot all his pitches. If he can continue to do that I think he will race through the system and be pitching for the Twins sooner than everyone thinks. He is definately someone you should keep an eye on.
• 2010 projection: Split season pitching between Fort Myers and New Britain
• Estimated Time of Arrival: 2012

• 2. Miguel Sano SS (5/11/1993) 16

2009 stats: Signed as a free agent out of the Dominican Republic for 3.15 million bonus.

• There is not a lot known about Miguel Sano, but everything you hear is stunning. There were questions about his date of birth and if he is really 16. Those questions must have been answered to the Twins liking because the Twins really stepped up on this one. They signed Sano for a contract with a Twins record 3.15 million dollar bonus. For the Twins to give that amount of money to a 16 year old you know there is quite a bit of promise. At 6 foot 3 189 lbs already he is a freak of nature. He can already turn on the inside fastball and has suberb arm strength. He has everything you are looking for in a prospect in that he has the ability to do it all. I have heard comparisions to him and a young Alex Rodriguez or a young Miguel Cabrera. That is saying a lot and odds are he won't ever get to that standard because there are only one of those guys. However, this signing puts the Twins on a whole new level as he is an elite talent and the Twins were willing to do what it took to get it done. Sano will likely start his career in the GCL and with his age take it one level at a time to start out with atleast. The reason it is so hard to say about him is he is 6 promotions away from getting to the Twins. Who is to say how good he is going to be, but atleast the Twins are giving themselves a chance to put the 3rd amigo on the roster to go with Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. Sano may end up at 3rd base if he continues to grow the way he is. But he has the ability to be a power hitting 3rd baseman with great defense. I will take that every day of the week and I think any Twins fan has to be excited about the promise that Miguel Sano has a chance to deliver.
• 2010 projection: Starting shortstop for the GCL Twins
• Estimated Time of Arrival: 2016

• 1. Aaron Hicks OF (10/2/1989) 20

2009 stats: .251 avg 4 homeruns and 29 rbi's along with 15 doubles and 3 triples in 67 games. Walked 40 times while striking out 55 times along with 10 stolen bases in 251 at bats. Had a .353/.382/.735 split

2009 teams: Beloit Snappers

• Aaron Hicks was the Twins first round draft pick, 14th overall, in the 2008 MLB draft out of high school in California. After putting up an impressive season in 2008 with the GCL Twins, Hicks joined the Beloit Snappers right before the short seasons were starting. He did a solid job in 2009 with the Snappers. Hicks hit .251 with 4 homeruns and 29 rbi's along with 15 doubles and 3 triples in 67 games. The most impressive stat was his 40 walks in 251 at bats. That led to a very good .353 on base percentage which is very hard to do when you only hit .251. Quite simply Aaron Hicks can do it all on the baseball field. He is a true 5 tool player in that he can hit for average, hit for power, patient at the plate, steal bases, play good defense, strong arm, and good accuracy. To go with that if the outfield thing does not work out he was clocked throwing 97 so he could have a future as a pitcher. However, I think the outfield thing is going to work out just fine for him going forward. I really think he is going to break out this year and everyone will not only know that he has all the tools, but he will show it on the field. The big thing for Hicks is just to keep getting better every day. If he can do that he will be just fine as there is nothing he can't do on a baseball field. At only age 20 he is still young for his level and I look for him to at some point in 2009 be in Fort Myers before his 21st birthday. There is really nothing in particular that stands out over everything else for Aaron Hicks. If he can just keep getting better at every facet of his game he will be awesome. Aaron Hicks has the ability to be special and when I mean special I mean an All-Star caliber player that will man centerfield for the Twins for many years. When you look at the Twins farm system the next 4-5 years the conversation has to start with Hicks because he has the ability to be that special as a player.
• 2010 projection: Split season between Beloit and Fort Myers playing centerfield
• Estimated Time of Arrival: 2013