Minnesota Twins: Draft for Today, Draft for Tomorrow

Zander threw a couple questions my way, and while I am no draft-expert, I've decided to answer them here

What are the biggest positional needs for this team, both on the farm and at the big-league level?

It seems very odd to say, but I think the Twins should try to add a few more arms in the minors. Yes, the Twins rotation (outside of Livan) is very young, and yes, we’ve got a few more pitchers than we can actually use right now, but as the Delmon Young trade shows, good pitching can be traded to fill whatever holes are left.

The Twins have gone away from the “our AAA and AA rotations are better than your big-league rotation” model that was prevalent under Terry Ryan, and that’s for the best. The system is much more balanced, with good offensive prospects at many positions, and guys who can really fill in at the major-league level and contribute.

Right now, the pendulum has swung the other way, and the Twins could use with a restock in the pitching department. 

With two first-round picks at No. 14 and No. 27, and three additional picks in the top-88, the Twins really have a chance to reload for the future. Any ideas on the types of players they should target?

The outfield looks pretty well set right now. Young and Kubel will duke it out in left, but both are young guys, and chances are ONE of them will emerge his year. Gomez is the CF of the future, and Cuddyer just signed a long-term deal in right. Beyond them, Denard Span looked fantastic before his injury, and Ben Revere has opened eyes in A-ball, and he should move up this year.

As I mentioned earlier, the Twins could use a few more arms in the system, so I’d look to take a pitcher early, and it looks like that is the way the team is leaning.

Beyond that, I’d like to see the Twins draft a high-ceiling 3B or 2B. There are enough guys in the system, like Luke Hughes or Danny Valencia at 3B, and Matt Tolbert at 2B, that if the pick doesn’t pan out, it won’t kill the Twins, but if he does work out, the Twins can sure up another infield position.

Should the team take the best-available talent regardless of position or age, or look to take somebody who could move through the system quickly for a fast impact?

The Twins are always reloading for tomorrow; it’s the blessing and the curse of the team. The fact is though, that tomorrow is here. Mauer and Morneau are locked in, and Alexi Casilla is (shockingly) looking like a very good option at second. The OF is set, the rotation is young, so there are very few holes left to fill, but the ones that exist are absolute pits.

With five picks in the top 88, the Twins should fill needs (pitching), take at least one high-risk/high-reward middle infielder, and after that, look to improve positions of need as quickly as possible. The Twins should target college grads, not high school, in the early rounds. The future is now, or soon, so the Twins need to be ready for it.


Should teams try to stay within the MLB recommendation for slot payment, or spend however much they like? Is it wrong that some teams have much larger budgets for player development than others?

I’d like to see teams remain within the slot payment system. It has worked well for the NBA, and it means that teams that pick busts aren’t also hampered by a large contract.

Its not wrong for a team to have a large budget for player development, it's their choice. Teams tend to rebuild through the draft or through free agency, and while it's not a zero-sum game, the choice does reflect the team’s philosophy, which MLB certainly should not try to regulate.


What is your take on Scott Boras and the ever-increasing contract demands he asks for his draftable clients?

I’m not a Boras fan, but he certainly does his job well. If MLB had a rigid slot system, like the NBA does, he would have a significantly decreased impact. It’s disappointing to see teams pass on players they can’t afford to sign, especially since the players with the most talent are likely to be those that the neediest teams are forced to pass up.

The whole pay-system for athletes, regardless of sport, is out of whack and people like Boras and Drew Rosenhaus are certainly part of that. I don’t think they should bear the blame, however, because they are only taking advantage of the system that is in place.