Shadow Twins Top 20 2015 prospects in review

Here is the end of minor league season update for the Shadow Minnesota Twins farm system. Complete draft list dating back to 2000 will be in the comments section. The '15 draft adds Andrew Benintendi who will certainly rank highly.

SHADOW TWINS WHO MADE MAJOR LEAGUE DEBUT IN 2015

Miguel Sano, Eddie Rosario, Mikie Mahtook, Tyler Ladendorf, Luke Maile, Ryan O'Rourke, Colin Rea, Pat Venditte

SHADOW TWINS PRE-SEASON TOP PROSPECTS FOR 2015

1) Miguel Sano, 3B, Grade A-: Original Twins international signing from Dominican Republic that I stayed with. I started doing my own international signings in 2012 so as time passes there will be fewer and fewer holdovers like this. Hitting .294/.403/.617 since being promoted to the major leagues. I am VERY glad I stayed with this one.

2) Jose Berrios, RHP, Grade B+: Supplemental first round pick from high school in Puerto Rico in 2012, this was a real pick I stayed with.13-5, 2.90 between Double-A and Triple-A, leads minors with 170 strikeouts in 161 innings, just 37 walks, 133 hits. Very happy I stayed with this one too.

3) Clint Frazier, OF, Grade B+ (Indians): First round pick in 2013 from high school in Georgia. Real Twins picked Kohl Stewart. Frazier has had a hot second half and is currently hitting .278/.370/.449 with 15 homers 65 walks, 123 strikeouts in 486 at-bats in High-A. Making progress.

4) Nick Gordon, SS, Grade B: First round pick in 2014 from high school in Florida, real Twins pick I stayed with. Hitting .278/.338/.358 with 25 steals, 39 walks, 84 strikeouts in 472 at-bats in Low-A. Not much power at this point, but defense has drawn strong reviews.

5) Ben Lively, RHP, Grade B (Phillies) : Fourth round pick in 2013 from University of Central Florida. Real Twins picked lefty Stephen Gonsalves. 4.31 ERA in 138 innings in Double-A for the Phillies, 105/44 K/BB, 153 hits. Up and down season. At this point I wish I had stayed with Gonsalves who had an excellent season in A-ball for the Twins.

6) Christian Walker, 1B, Grade B- (Orioles): Fourth round pick in 2012 from University of South Carolina. Real Twins picked RHP Zack Jones. Walker is hitting .260/.325/.429 with 18 homers, 46 walks, 133 strikeouts in 520 at-bats in Triple-A for the Orioles. Slow first half but has found his power stroke recently. Jones is a decent relief prospect but Walker most likely has more value.

7) Jorge Polanco, INF, Grade B-: Original Twins international signing from Dominican Republic. Hitting .288/.338/.386 in Double-A/Triple-A, ready for an extended trial.

8) Duane Underwood, RHP, Grade B- (Cubs): Second round pick in 2012 from high school in Georgia, real Twins picked lefty Mason Melotakis. Underwood had a strong first half before being sidelined with a sore elbow, 2.41 ERA with 54/24 K/BB in 78 innings in High-A, 55 hits, strong reviews for progressing stuff. Melotakis has been hurt all year.

9) Mitchell Brown, RHP, Grade B- (Indians): Supplemental first round pick in 2012 from high school in Minnesota. Real Twins picked Georgia Tech RHP Luke Bard. 5.09 ERA in 140 innings in High-A, 107/72 K/BB, 145 hits. Up-and-down season, some dominant outings and some terrible ones, needs more consistency, could still be a workhorse. Bard is working his way back from arm trouble and spent most of the year in Low-A.

10) Lewis Thorpe, LHP, Grade B-: Real Twins signing from Australia that I stayed with as part of my first international class in 2012. Missed season with Tommy John surgery.

11) Eddie Rosario, OF-2B, Grade B-: Fourth round pick in 2010 from high school in Puerto Rico, real Twins pick I stayed with. Hitting .271/.291/.446 in the major leagues, has some flaws but quite interesting. Glad I stayed with him.

12) Nick Burdi, RHP, Grade B-: Second round pick in 2014 from University of Louisville, real Twins pick I stayed with. Dominant in High-A (2.25, 29/3 K/BB in 20) but command problems in Double-A (4.75, 51/32 in 42), still has closer potential.

13) Nolan Sanburn, RHP, Grade B- (White Sox): Second round pick in 2012 from University of Arkansas. Real Twins picked RHP J.T. Chargois. Bedeviled with command problems and injuries in Double-A, 7.07 ERA, 28/22 K/BB in 28. Chargois has been much better at the same level and looks like the better pick at this stage.

14) Mikie Mahtook, OF, Grade C+ (Rays): First round pick in 2011 from Louisiana State University. Real Twins picked infielder Levi Michael. Mahtook hit .249/.324/.366 in Triple-A, .179/.273/.436 in sporadic trials with the Rays. Michael had a decent season in Double-A. At this stage both should be regarded as disappointing.

15) Max Kepler, OF, Grade C+: Original Twins signing from Germany before I started doing my own international class. Excellent season in Double-A, .323/.410/.531 with 63/65 BB/K and 19 steals. Very glad to have him.

16) Travis Harrison, OF, Grade C+. Supplemental first round pick from high school in California in 2011. Real Twins pick I stayed with. Hitting .240/.358/.358 in Double-A, just five homers, has yet to tap his power but does draw walks. Disappointing.

17) Stuart Turner, C, Grade C+: Third round pick in 2013 from University of Mississippi. Real Twins pick I stayed with. Hit .222/.322/.307 in Double-A but with excellent defense.

18) Adam Brett Walker, OF, Grade C+: Third round pick in 2012 from Jacksonville University, Real Twins pick I stayed with. Hitting .241/.314/.501 with 30 homers, 51 walks, 190 strikeouts in 485 at-bats in Double-A. More right-handed power.

19) Thomas Shirley, LHP, Grade C+ (Astros): Eighth round pick in 2010 from Xavier University. Real Twins choice was outfielder Lance Ray.  Shirley got off to a good start (3.07, 37/11 in 41 innings) in Triple-A but got hurt in May.  Lance Ray is out of baseball.

20) Jharel Cotton, RHP, Grade C+ (Dodgers): 19^th round pick in 2012 from East Carolina University. Real Twins picked outfielder Jonathan Murphy. Strong season, 2.11 ERA, 113/31 K/BB in 94 innings at four levels, currently in Triple-A and seen as big league promotion candidate. Jonathan Murphy is out of baseball.

21) Chih-Wei Hu, RHP, Grade C+: Real Twins signing I stayed with.Traded to Rays, which didn't happen in the Shadow Universe, 3.32 ERA with 99/31 K/BB in 109 innings between High-A and a spot start in Triple-A.

OTHERS SHADOW DRAFTEES OF NOTE:

Mat Batts, LHP: 2.61 ERA, 129/28 K/BB in 141 innings in A-ball, 17th round pick in 2014 from UNC-Wilmington.
Austin Gomber, LHP: 2.67 ERA, 140/34 in 135 innings in Low-A, fourth round pick in '14 from Florida Atlantic.
Tyler Jones, RHP; 3.07 ERA, 49/18 K/BB in 44 innings in AA, 16 saves, 11th round pick in '11 from LSU.
Kyle Kinman, LHP; 2.10 ERA,64/26 in 51 in A/AA, 18 saves, 24th round pick in '14 from Bellevue University.

Tyler Ladendorf, UT; .265/.311./.349 in AAA, six games in majors, second round pick in '08 from Howard JC.
Corey Littrell, LHP; 2.69 ERA, 93/21 in 130 in A+, fifth round pick from Kentucky in '13.
Luke Maile, C; .207/.298/.296 in 294 AB in AAA, just promoted to majors, eighth round pick in '12 from Kentucky.
Juan Mauricio, SS: .181/.246/.238 in 105 AB in rookie ball, excellent defense, IFA signing in '13.
Austin Nola, SS: .279/.350/.338 in 201 AB in AAA, another strong glove, fifth round pick in '12 from LSU.

Franklin Perez, RHP; 4.50 ERA, 61/14 K/BB in 50 in DSL/Rookie, IFA signing in 2014.
Brandon Peterson, RHP; 2.14 ERA, 73/26 K/BB in 59 in A/AA, 13th round pick in '13 from Wichita State.
Nick Petree, RHP; 3.99 ERA, 75/33 in 122 in A/AA, ninth round pick in '13 from Missouri State,
Colin Rea, RHP, 1.95 ERA, 80/23 in 102 in AA/AAA, 5.47 in majors, 22/8 in 25, 10th round in '11 from Indiana State.
Eric Skogland, LHP; 3.52 ERA, 66/11 in 84 in High-A, third round pick in '14 from Central Florida.

Luke Tendler, OF; .262/.327/.439, 14 HR 41/95 BB/K in 451 in Low-A,29th round in '14 North Carolina A&T
Jose Trevino, C (C+); .264/.294/.419, 14 HR, 18/59 in 420 in Low-A, sixth round in '14 from Oral Roberts.
Riley Unroe, SS (C+); .255/.333/.321, 51/99 in 439 in Low-A, second round pick in '13 from AZ high school.
Pat Venditte, SHP: 1.81 ERA, 45/15 in 45 in AAA, 3.72 in majors, 13/4 in 19, 19th round pick in '08 from Creighton.

KEY TWINS PROSPECTS NOT IN MY SHADOW SYSTEM:
Byron Buxton (I drafted Kevin Gausman instead)
Michael Cederoth
Lewin Diaz
Stephen Gonsalves
Trevor May
Alex Meyer
Amauyrs Minier
Kohl Stewart
Jake Reed
Huascar Ynoa

NON-ROOKIE SHADOW TWINS IN MAJOR LEAGUES IN LAST TWO YEARS

97-1) Michael Cuddyer, SS, Great Bridge HS, Cheasapeake VA
99-3) Justin Morneau, 1B, New Westminster (B.C) HS.
99-6) Aaron Harang, RHP, San Diego State University
99-9) Mark Ellis, SS, University of Florida
00-2) Joel Hanrahan, RHP, Norwalk Community HS, Norwalk, Iowa
01-1) Joe Mauer, C, Cretin-Derham HS, St. Paul, Minnesota
02-1) Joe Blanton, RHP, University of Kentucky
02-2) Curtis Granderson, OF, University of Illinois-Chicago
02-6) Pat Neshek, RHP, Butler University
03-2) Scott Baker, RHP, Oklahoma State University
03-FA) Yohan Pino, RHP, Venezuela
04-1) Glen Perkins, LHP, University of Minnesota
05-2) Kevin Slowey, RHP, Winthrop University
06-14) Jeff Manship, RHP, Notre Dame
06-19) Danny Valencia, 3B, University of Miami-Florida

06-FA) Josmil Pinto, C, Venezuela
07-FA) Danny Santana, SS, Dominican Republic
07-FA) Oswaldo Arcia, OF, Venezuela
08-1) Brett Lawrie, OF, Brookswood SS, Langley BC
08-1) Jake Odorizzi, RHP, Highland (Illinois) HS
08-1S) Conor Gillaspie, 3B, Wichita State University
08-10) J.J. Hoover, RHP, Calhoun CC (Al)
08-31) Sam Freeman, LHP, University of Kansas
09-8) Brian Dozier, SS, University of Southern Mississippi
09-13) Nick Greenwood, LHP, University of Rhode Island
09-21) Michael Fiers, RHP, Nova Southeastern University
10-2) Addison Reed, RHP, San Diego State University
10-3) Donn Roach, RHP, College of Southern Nevada
10-15) Chase Whitley, RHP, Troy University
11-1S) Brad Miller, SS, Clemson University
12-1) Kevin Gausman, RHP, Louisiana State University
KOREA
08-3) Eric Thames, OF, Pepperdine University