Minnesota Twins: 7 Current Players to Build the Future Around

With the Minnesota Twins facing another 90-loss season, there is no doubt that this team is in the rebuilding mode. As the baseball trading deadline looms closer, general manger Terry Ryan should be doing more selling than buying.

A lot more selling.

Even though the Minnesota Twins continue to slowly improve, finishing the month of June with a winning record, they need to be focusing on the future of the franchise—now. With the worst record in the American League as we reach the half-way point, there's little to gain by dealing for a veteran at this point.

While this season is assuredly a failure, there are some bright spots on the roster that he can build a contender around.

The Twins were able to build a World Series-winning team using a nucleus of players from the 1982 roster. That season they lost 102 games—the most franchise history since the team came to Minnesota in 1961.  Seven young players from that team, six of them under the age of 24 in 1982, helped to propel the Twins from the worst team in baseball to world champions in five seasons. 

First baseman Kent Hrbek, third baseman Gary Gaetti and right fielder Tom Brunansky all hit at least 20 home runs that season. The catchers that season were Tim Laudner and Sal Butera, Drew's father.  Randy Bush was a left-handed bat off the bench.

That was also the year a young left-handed pitcher made his debut. Frank Viola made 22 starts that season. He finished with a 4-10 record with a 5.21 ERA. By 1988, one year after being named the World Series MVP, he would lead the league with 24 wins, earning the American League Cy Young Award.  

The Twins added more young talent to the roster with the addition of center fielder Kirby Puckett in 1984 and shortstop Greg Gagne in 1985.

Shortstop Roy Smalley and pitcher Bert Blyleven made their return to Minnesota in 1985, and the Twins added a key veteran in Dan Gladden in 1987.  

While the talent on this year's roster doesn't look as good as that in 1982, here are seven players the Twins can build the future around.  

Shortstop Brian Dozier

Brian Dozier is the answer the Twins have been looking for at shortstop.

Greg Gagne made his major league debut with the Twins in 1983. Two years later he established himself as the starting shortstop, a position he maintained for eight seasons as part of both World Series championships. Before the 1993 season, he signed as a free agent with the Kansas City Royals, ending his career with the Twins. 

Pat Meares, a 12th-round draft pick of the Twins in 1990, succeeded Gagne in 1993. After six seasons Meares was replaced by Cristian Guzman who started at shortstop from 1999 to 2004. 

Jason Bartlett took over for Guzman in 2005 lasting only three seasons.

Since 2008, the Twins have had a revolving door at shorstop. Nick Punto, Orlando Cabrera, J.J. Hardy, Tsuyoshi Nishioka and Trevor Plouffe have all tried to nail down the position. None of them lasted for more than a season.

Dozier, a eighth-round draft pick of the Twins in 2009, started the season at Rochester before being making his debut on May 7th. He has only played 28 games at the Triple-A level.  In three-plus seasons in the minors he has a .305 batting average.

If Dozier plans to be a part of this team's future he needs to settle down and start playing like he did in the minors. So far in 50 games this season through Monday he is hitting only .241, and with 11 errors has a .955 fielding percentage.

Third Baseman Trevor Plouffe

Manager Ron Gardenhire obviously saw something in Trevor Plouffe.

After failing to win the starting shortstop position last season, Gardy was determined to keep Plouffe at the major league level.

Since the departure of Corey Koskie following the 2005 season the Twins have been searching for a third baseman. Five different players have been manning the hot corner over the past seven seasons.

The Twins thought they had found the answer in Danny Valencia who hit .311 and hit seven home runs in 85 games the second half of the 2010 season. Unfortunately for Valencia, who struggled with a .190 batting average in 27 games to open the season, he now finds himself still struggling in Rochester with a .250 average. 

The move to replace Valencia with Plouffe has paid off.

Plouffe is currently leading the Twins with 18 home runs. Over the last 30 days through Monday, he has 12 home runs, the second most in the majors to Jose Bautista, who has 14.

For now his power has secured him as the everyday starting third baseman. However, with a .944 fielding percentage in 26 games at third base he still needs to improve his defense.

Outfielder Ben Revere

Ben Revere reminds me a lot of Kirby Puckett. Like Puckett when he broke into the Twins starting lineup in 1984, Revere brings speed and defense along with a smile that never seems to leave his face.

The difference is that when Puckett joined the Twins is was to fill a need in center field, whereas Revere has needed to play himself into a position. 

The Twins first round draft pick in 2007, Revere has played 85 percent of his 872 games over six minor league seasons in center field. In order to break into the starting lineup he finds himself starting in right field, a position he only played in six games in the minors.

Filling in for an injured Denard Span in center, Revere led the Twins with 34 stolen bases in 117 games. It was the most steals by a Twin since Otis Nixon stole 37 bases in 1998.

After struggling early in the season he was sent down to Triple-A. With a .330 batting average over 23 games, he earned a promotion from Rochester. His hot hitting has continued with the Twins as Revere is currently second on the team with a .324 batting average.

He is once again leading the team with 15 stolen bases in 19 attempts.

With plenty of rumors surrounding the trade of Span, Revere's future could wind up in the same position as that of Puckett's. Jon Heyman at CBSSports.com reports that the Twins would be willing to listen to offers for Span as the trading deadline approaches.

Starting Pitcher Scott Diamond

Scott Diamond is leading the Twins pitching staff with seven wins. Through Monday he is second on the team with a 2.63 ERA, the best of any starter, and second with 72 inning pitched.

All this despite the fact he made his first six starts of the season in Rochester. Without a doubt, Diamond is not-so-quietly establishing himself as the the Twins ace.

The Twins picked up Diamond as a Rule 5 draft pick before the 2011 season from the Braves. They eventually worked out a trade that allowed the Twins to assign him to Triple-A Rochester where he struggled to a 4-14 record with a 5.56 ERA in 23 starts.

With only three innings pitched in spring training, Diamond opened the season in Rochester with a 4-1 record and a 2.60 ERA in six starts. Since being called up he has a 7-3 record in 11 starts for the Twins.

Diamond's emergence in the Twins rotation has fueled the speculation of the Twins trading Francisco Liriano before the trading deadline. Phil Mackey from 1500ESPN.com tweeted that there are four possible teams interested in Liriano.

Starting Pitcher Liam Hendriks

Liam Hendriks is struggling to find success in the big leagues. In 12 starts over the past two seasons he has yet to record his first win.

He came close on Tuesday in Detroit when the Twins handed him a 6-1 lead in the fifth inning, but three straight hits ended his night with only four innings pitched. His record is currently 0-5 with a 7.04 ERA in eight starts.

The success will come.

Since signing Hendriks as an undrafted free agent in 2007 as an 18-year-old high school player, he has found success at every level in the Twins minor league organization.

At Triple-A Rochester this season he is 5-0 with a 1.94 ERA. Over the past two seasons at this level he is 9-4 record with a 3.29 ERA. Over his six minor league seasons he is 34-17 with a 2.69 ERA.

There's enough promise with Hendriks to let him work it out at the major league level, provided it doesn't affect his confidence.

It took Frank Viola five seasons to even his record as a starter to 63-64. He started his career with a 11-25 record and a 5.38 ERA in his first two seasons.

After all the chances the Twins have given Nick Blackburn and Francisco Liriano, there's no reason to pull the plug on Hendriks yet.

First Baseman Chris Parmelee

Chris Parmelee is just waiting for a chance. Starts are hard to come by at first base as he is splitting time with Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer.

The problem is he is only hitting .190 in 37 games this season. His future looked promising last season after making his major league debut last September. In 21 games he hit .355 with four home runs and 14 RBI in 76 at-bats.

Like Trevor Plouffe, the Twins are trying to find a way to keep Parmelee in Minnesota, and have given him a chance to play outfield. Unfortunately his poor hitting opened the door for Ben Revere, who has grabbed the right field position and is not about to surrender it anytime soon.

A career .268 hitter in seven seasons in the minors, at 24 years old, Parmelee is the logical choice to replace Justin Morneau. It's been almost exactly two years since Morneau suffered the concussion against the Blue Jays that derailed his career. 

If the Twins have any confidence in Parmelee they should look to trade Morneau before the July 31st non-waiver trading.

Relief Pitcher Glen Perkins

Glen Perkins has established himself as a very good reliever. Over the past two seasons, since moving exclusively to the bullpen, he is 5-5 with five saves and a 2.80 ERA in 111 games.

In his first five seasons he was 19-12 with a 4.81 ERA over 80 games and 44 starts.

In Tuesday's win over the Tigers in Detroit he picked up his third save of the season as closer Matt Capps makes his way back from a shoulder injury that landed him on the disabled list.

At 29 years old, Perkins is two years younger than Jeff Reardon when he joined the Twins in 1987 as the closer, and the same age as Joe Nathan when they made him the closer. 

Like other failed starters turned closers, Rick Aguilera, Eddie Guardo and Nathan, Perkins has demonstrated the ability to be an effective pitcher out of the bullpen.

Depending if Capps can show any promise before the trading deadline could determine how quickly Perkins takes over as closer.