The Minnesota Twins are next on our Players Likely to Debut series. In case you missed it, we have already rolled out the AL and NL East.
AL East: Red Sox — Yankees — Orioles — Blue Jays — Rays
NL East: Marlins — Braves — Phillies — Mets—Nationals
AL Central: Tigers — Royals — White Sox
Below, you will find a list of three prospects from the respective organization. Each prospect will have a number score next to their name — this number will represent the estimated amount of time we anticipate that player seeing at the big-league level. Players that have already made their big-league debut will not be included on this list.
BREAKDOWN OF TIME ON ROSTER SCORES:
1 — September call-ups / guys that are likely to see less than 20-25 games on the roster
2 — 1/4 of the season (roughly 40 games on roster)
3 — 1/2 of the season (roughly 80 games on roster)
4 — 3/4 of the season (roughly 120 games on roster)
5 — Full season on the MLB roster
Minnesota Twins
Position — Name (Time on Roster Score)
SS — Nick Gordon (1)
This is the year that we finally get a glimpse at the fifth overall pick in the 2014 MLB Draft. Unfortunately, it’s likely just that — a glimpse. Gordon is no longer a highly-regarded prospect in this organization as he’s seen his stock plummet year after year. Middle infield is a strength of this team in 2021 so there won’t be much run for him, however a late season call-up would allow the Twins to see what exactly he has at the big league level.
If the club found themselves in a position where they were out of contention, they might look to trade away players like Jorge Polanco and Andrelton Simmons, the later of which signed a one-year deal this year. If that scenario were to happen, consider Gordon a lock to be the stop-gap for the remainder of 2021.
RHP — Jhoan Duran (1)
In recent years, names like Randy Dobnak and Jordan Balazovic have been the often-discussed prospects when it comes to arms. However, Duran could turn into the best option of that bunch. Since coming over in the trade that sent Eduardo Escobar to Arizona, the 23-year-old hurler has posted a 10.71 K/9 while flashing a plus fastball and plus splitter — a combination that will also help him keep the ball on the ground.
RHP — Bailey Ober (2)
Having shown signs of development during the 2019 campaign, Ober was certainly impacted by the lack of a season last year. Over his 78.2 innings pitched two years ago, the now-25-year-old posted an 8-0 record, allowed just six earned runs, walked a half-dozen batters, and struck out 100 batters. A case could have been made that he would have been up in 2020 had there been a full season.
Currently on the 40-man roster, the Twins may call on him to provide innings out of the bullpen in 2021. He could also see a few spots starts throughout the year given his ability to command the strike-zone and keep hitters off base. A 6-foot-9 frame does not often translate into above-average command and control, however, that’s exactly what the Twins have seen so far from Ober. If he is able to continue that trend, you may see a lot of him over the next few years.
Notable
This might sound contrary to what the consensus is around baseball, but it doesn’t seem like there is much playing time available to Royce Lewis in 2021. Many outlets might provide a path for the former No. 1 overall pick, however it doesn’t seem likely given the recent moves to bolster the MLB club. Alex Kirilloff was not included on this list for one reason — technically he already made his debut, despite his playoff appearance last season not counting toward service time.