X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Minnesota Twins: Top 12 Dynasty Prospects

fantasy baseball prospects MLB prospects rookies call-ups

Marc Hulet ranks the Top 12 prospects in the Minnesota Twins system for 2020 fantasy baseball dynasty leagues. The system features a significant number of high-ceiling prospects -- both in the field and on the mound.

The Minnesota Twins will be our next stop on the farm to evaluate the best prospects on each MLB team. Once the 2020 MLB season begins, it may turn out that Minor League systems will be more important than usual. Franchises are losing money during the pandemic layoff, so many teams will be looking for sources of cheap production. It might also take older players longer to rebound from a long layoff meaning we could see more injuries and more roster moves. We might even see expanded rosters, at least in the early going.

One important question to ask is: How will a long layoff affect prospects? One has to assume the more advanced prospects prior to the work stoppage will be at an advantage, while the more “toolsy but raw” type could be hurt with the lack of repetition and in-game action; throwing or hitting in simulated environments just doesn’t match up to the real thing. Many prospects will have to work jobs during the pandemic just to make ends meet, while players who signed for large bonuses will have an advantage. Other prospects that lack strong discipline and commitment to their craft could struggle to stay in shape.

We won’t really know what the layoff impact will have on baseball in general until things start ramping up. But we do know that a strong prospect pool will continue to be an important element for a successful baseball franchise. We're looking at the Top 10 (or more) dynasty prospects in each organization with an eye to discovering which organizations are best positioned to succeed with their player development when games resume. Make sure to check out all of our prospect content, including Top 50 for 2020 and Top 250 for Dynasty Leagues.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Quick Synopsis

The Twins feature one of the better systems in baseball with high-ceiling players, near-MLB prospects, and solid depth. The system features three outfielders with above-average offensive potentials that could reach the Majors within the next calendar year. The system is so impressive that we've increased the list of players from 10 to 12.

 

1. Alex Kirilloff, OF

Dynasty Prospect Rank: 14
2020 Prospect Rank: 6
2020 LEVEL: AAA
MLB ETA: 2020

After dealing with injuries the past two years, Kirilloff really needed to take advantage of a full season in 2020 to help shake off some of the rust. That won’t happen now but he remains close to MLB ready. He has the makings of a .300 hitter with 20-30 home run potential. He’s an average defender in the outfield but could also end up being moved to first base.

2. Trevor Larnach, OF

Dynasty Prospect Rank: 45
2020 LEVEL: AA
MLB ETA: 2021

Larnach isn’t quite the natural hitter that Alex Kirilloff (above) is but he’s no slouch with the bat and is a .307 career hitter through 169 pro games. He also reached Double-A in just his first full season. Larnach has yet to top 13 home runs as a professional but he has the raw power to develop into a 20-30 home run hitter, albeit it with a healthy amount of swing-and-miss.

3. Jordan Balazovic, RHP

Dynasty Prospect Rank: 80
2020 LEVEL: AA
MLB ETA: 2021

One of the fastest rising prospects in 2019, Balazovic was drafted out of Canada as a teenaged lottery ticket back in 2016 and it took him three years to shake off the snow and ice. Once he gained additional experience on the mound and his body matured into a 6-foot-5, 220 pound beast, Balazovic saw both his fastball and slider improve dramatically. Between two A-ball levels in 2019, the right-hander struck out 129 batters in 93.2 innings.

4. Royce Lewis, SS/OF

Dynasty Prospect Rank: 83
2020 LEVEL: AA
MLB ETA: 2021

Selected first overall in the 2017 draft, Lewis hasn’t seen the offensive success that the Twins were likely hoping for with such a big investment. But he’s also still just 20 years old and reached Double-A in 2019. If he continues to make adjustments and gets stronger, Lewis has 20-20 (HR-SB) potential and could play multiple premium positions (CF and SS). But he’s also a career .266 hitter who hasn’t had an OPS above .800 since Low-A ball so there is risk here.

5. Brent Rooker, 1B/OF

Dynasty Prospect Rank: 109
2020 Prospect Rank: 43
2020 LEVEL: AAA
MLB ETA: 2020

I might be one of the biggest Rooker fans around. He’s a one-dimensional player who doesn’t offer much (if anything) on defense but he’s a very underrated hitter. He has a career .861 OPS in three pro seasons despite being promoted very aggressively. He spent an injury-plagued season in Triple-A but was on pace to hit close to 30 home runs. He won’t hit for a high average because he has a ton of swing-and-miss but Rooker could burst onto the scene in similar unheralded fashion as Twins catcher Mitch Garver.

6. Jhoan Duran, RHP

Dynasty Prospect Rank: 128
2020 LEVEL: AA
MLB ETA: 2020

Duran is very intriguing. He has size, power stuff, gets a ton of ground-ball outs, and has a chance to develop above-average control. But he’s also struggled to find a reliable third offering, which leads to some reliever risk. I think he’ll figure it out and stick as a big-league starter long term so this ranking could end being too low when all is said and done.

7. Lewis Thorpe, LHP

Dynasty Prospect Rank: 168
2020 LEVEL: AAA
MLB ETA: 2020

Thorpe has been a solid performer throughout his career, although he projects as more of an innings-eating No. 3/4 starter than a true star. The lefty has deception to his delivery as well as good control but he struggles with his command, which led to a .336 batting average during his first taste of big-league action in 2019.

8. Nick Gordon, 2B

Dynasty Prospect Rank: 180
2020 LEVEL: AAA
MLB ETA: 2020

Like Lewis Thorpe above, Gordon will likely develop into a solid contributor but lacks the tools to develop into a star. He has average-across-the-board tools but I’ve ranked him higher than some because he can really sting the ball and generates above-average line-drive rates. He’s never hit more than nine home runs in a season but if a hitting coach can help Gordon adjust his swing from a very heavy ground-ball approach then we could see a huge spike in extra-base power.

9. Keoni Cavaco, 3B

Dynasty Prospect Rank: 219
2020 LEVEL: SS-A
MLB ETA: 2023

I felt Cavaco was being overhyped as a draft prospect but the Twins saw things differently and selected him 13th overall in the 2019 draft. He struggled out of the gate with a .172 batting average and BB-K of 4-35 in 87 at-bats in Rookie ball. As ugly as those numbers are, the Twins have one of the better player development systems in the game so I have faith in their ability to help Cavaco turn things around.

10. Wander Javier, SS

Dynasty Prospect Rank: 231
2020 LEVEL: A-
MLB ETA: 2022

Javier appeared to be on the verge of a breakout in 2019 but, instead, fell flat on his face. An already-high strikeout rate skyrocketed to 34% and his line-drive rate dropped below 10%. The line-drive rate was so bad that it’s hard not to think that an injury was to blame. It’s not time to give up on Javier just yet but he needs to have a huge bounce-back and the lost time due to the pandemic is not going to help his cause.

11. Chris Vallimont, RHP

Dynasty Prospect Rank: 245
2020 LEVEL: AA
MLB ETA: 2021

Vallimont is another player that I’m much higher on than the consensus and the Twins pulled off a real steal in getting him as part of the Sergio Romo trade with the Marlins. He has a solid fastball-slider combination and could eventually end up with three or four average-or-better offerings. He also has an excellent pitcher’s frame, should be durable and held A-ball hitters to a .204 batting average with 150 strikeouts in 127.2 innings.

12. Misael Urbina, OF

2020 LEVEL: R
MLB ETA: 2024

Urbina is a high-ceiling lottery ticket that was given almost $3 million dollars as an amateur free agent. He showed very well during his first taste of pro action — although it was way down in the Dominican Summer League. He’s expected to hit for a solid average, run well and possibly grow into some over-the-fence power.

More Prospect Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

New York Jets

Jets Pushing Sauce Gardner to Strive for Perfection
Xavier Worthy

Chiefs to Open Up Offense in 2025
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Stefon Diggs

Likely to Begin Camp Working on the Side
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Xavier Legette

Should be More Productive
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Cole Bishop

has Good Shot to Win a Starting Job
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Nate Wiggins

Ravens Think Nate Wiggins has Star Potential
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Kel'el Ware

Collects 21 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Cam Spencer

Contract Being Restructured
Drew Timme

Scores 30 Points in Summer League Loss to Wizards
Quinshon Judkins

More Details Emerge on Quinshon Judkins' Arrest
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Alexandre Sarr

Logs Impressive Outing in Summer League Action on Sunday
Junior Tafa

Unsuccessful in his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Kaden Elliss

Could be Atlanta's Most Impactful Pass-Rusher
Kyle Filipowski

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss to Warriors
Darius Robinson

Ready to Make his Mark in 2025?
Jauan Jennings

Expected to Report for Training Camp
Trey Smith

the Only Player Still on the Franchise Tag
Cody Williams

Collects 22 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Jauan Jennings

Seeking New Deal or Trade From 49ers
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
A.J. Dillon

Not a Lock for a Roster Spot?
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Boston Celtics

Damian Lillard Drawing Interest from the Celtics
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Kyle Stowers

Punishes Former Team with Three-Homer Game
St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals Select Liam Doyle with Fifth Overall Pick
Daniel Gafford

Agrees to Contract Extension with Dallas
Colorado Rockies

Rockies Select Ethan Holliday Fourth Overall
Seattle Mariners

Kade Anderson Selected Third Overall by Seattle
Ha-Seong Kim

X-rays on Ha-Seong Kim's Foot Come Back Negative
Los Angeles Angels

Tyler Bremner Selected Second Overall by Angels in 2025 MLB Draft
Washington Nationals

Nationals Select Eli Willits First Overall
Jake Meyers

to Miss More Than Three Weeks With Calf Injury
Cooper Flagg

Shut Down for Rest of Summer League
LeBron James

Hasn't Requested a Trade
Quinshon Judkins

Following Quinshon Judkins Arrest, NFL Declines Comment
Travis Hunter

Earning Praise in Jaguars Camp for Work Ethic
Memphis Grizzlies

Cole Anthony, Grizzlies Agree to Contract Buyout
Edward Cabrera

Hopeful to Avoid Injured List
Oneil Cruz

Absent on Sunday
Lars Nootbaar

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Jake Burger

Scratched on Sunday
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Julius Chestnut

Kalel Mullings Competing for RB3 Role
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
Kimani Vidal

Fighting for No. 3 Job
Cam Hart

Recovering From Shoulder Surgery
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
Quentin Johnston

Might Not Get Many Chances to Prove Himself
Tre Harris

Officially a Holdout
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Travis Etienne Jr.

Needs to Bounce Back in 2025
Alexandre Sarr

Plays Well in Summer League Loss to Phoenix
Yang Hansen

Looks Good on Friday Night
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Kon Knueppel

Struggles in Summer League Win
Walter Clayton Jr.

Plays Well on Friday Night
Cody Williams

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Leads the Way on Friday Night
Isaiah Jackson

Signs Three-Year Extension
Marvin Bagley III

Joining the Wizards
Herbert Jones

Signing Extension with Pelicans
Jacob Toppin

Returning to Hawks
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF