Shadow Draft Positive Results

by John Sickels on Sep 28, 2025 11:36 AM EDT in News

I have been doing a Shadow Draft for the Twins since 1996, building my own farm system on paper. I assume I'm the Twins with the budget restrictions and draft position thereof. Sometimes I like the same players that the real Twins do, but a lot of times I go my own direction.

Here is a look at the guys I have drafted since 1996 who have made the majors. Later today or tomorrow I will look at the biggest mistakes, and then we will see how my current Shadow Twins farm system compares to the real thing. I don't pretend to know 10% of what Mike Radcliff and the Twins scouts know, but I do find the exercise useful, informative, and fun.

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Nice

Excellent return on the 02 class.

by twill on Sep 28, 2025 11:36 AM EDT 0 recs

IF?

Does Eck stay at short? Does Wood slide to 3B? Cuddyer still a RF?

by cooper7d7 on Sep 28, 2025 11:41 AM EDT 0 recs

yeah

Yeah, Eckstein at short, Ellis at second, Wood at third, Brendan Harris at utility infield, Morneau at first base.

by John Sickels on Sep 28, 2025 11:46 AM EDT 0 recs

starters

how about Aaron Harang? Don't mind bragging about that one.

by John Sickels on Sep 28, 2025 11:49 AM EDT 0 recs

99

Great call on Harang.

by mckeeno on Sep 28, 2025 11:50 AM EDT 0 recs

The Sickelsota Twins

SP Aaron Harang
SP Joe Blanton
SP Kevin Slowey
SP Scott Baker
SP Glen Perkins
CL Pat Neshek

C Joe Mauer
1B Justin Morneau
2B Mark Ellis
3B Brandon Wood
SS David Ecketein / FA
LF Termel Sledge
CF Curtis Granderson
RF Michael Cuddyer

I believe the only one who's reached FA is Eckstein. I'd say that right now you have almost as good a team as the Twins, with a lower payroll. Better offense, comparable pitching. And that's if you've never made any good trades or FA acquisitions.

Well done.

Question: Why do you have so many actual Twins draftees? Is this a result of just thinking along the same lines as the Twins, or is there some other reason? I've got Mauer, Morneau, Jones, Cuddyer, Slowey, Perkins, Baker, Neshek, Romero, Crain. And possibly missing some.

by abbreviatedman on Sep 28, 2025 12:05 PM EDT 0 recs

some

Some of it is I tend to think along similar lines. Sometimes in the later rounds I will go with what they do because they know more.

by John Sickels on Sep 28, 2025 12:43 PM EDT up 0 recs

Hmmm

I don't think Santana compares to Harang.

by jahs34 on Sep 29, 2025 10:28 AM EDT up 0 recs

Santana was acquired...

... by Rule 5 draft, not Amateur Draft. John wasnt doing trades or Rule 5, etc.

by grozzy on Sep 29, 2025 5:11 PM EDT up 0 recs

True.

But to be fair, I WAS trying to compare his roster with the current Twins. And while I was thinking that Harang-Blanton was better than Santana-Liriano (having no idea how Liriano will come back, I'm not so sure that Santana-anyone isn't the best duo out there.

by abbreviatedman on Sep 30, 2025 12:43 AM EDT up 0 recs

Excellent

Any GM would be pleased with that 10 year take from the draft. You actually did better than the Twins did, better than the A's did, and better than the Braves did over the same time frame. Congratulations.

In fairness, the Twins' strength under Ryan wasn't so much drafting, as player acquisition (Santana/Nathan...).

by Mike Green on Sep 28, 2025 12:24 PM EDT 0 recs

Better than the A's

Since 1996 (with different draft positions) they drafted Eric Chavez, Tejada (international signing?), the big 3, Harden, Blanton, Swisher, Street. I'd go with the A's although John's list is very impressive, especially some of the later round picks like Harang.

by niallmack on Sep 28, 2025 1:06 PM EDT up 0 recs