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Scouting reports, video on the Twins' top three draft picks

Learn about the Twins' top three draft choices and watch video of their high school and college action. Scouting reports are from mlb.com.

June 13, 2017 at 12:13PM
(Howard Sinker/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Here's a look at scouting reports from MLB.com and video of Royce Lewis, Brent Rooker and Landon Leach, the top three players taken by the Twins on the first night for the MLB draft.

Royce Lewis, shortstop, JSerra (Calif.) Catholic:

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 45 | Run: 70 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 55

Lewis uses his plus athleticism well on both sides of the ball. While he doesn't have the most traditional approach at the plate, he does barrel the ball up consistently. He's hit over power now, but he should grow into more pop as he matures. Even if he never becomes a big home run guy, he should have plenty of extra-base ability, sending line drives into the gaps and then using his plus speed to take extra bags, as well as steal them. That speed gives him good range in the field, both at shortstop and in center field. His arm might be a touch short for the infield position, but teams might be willing to send him out and let him play his way off the dirt.

Brent Rooker, first baseman, Mississippi State:

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50

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Rooker has a history of performing well with wood bats in the New England Collegiate Baseball and Cape Cod leagues the last three summers. He has taken his game to a new level this year by making adjustments to his swing, doing a better job of using his lower half and quickening his right-handed stroke. He always has packed a lot of strength in his big frame and is doing a better job of getting to his power this year, with improved plate discipline another contributing factor. Rooker moves well for a big man, showing average run times out of the batter's box and even more quickness once he gets going. Though the Bulldogs moved him to first base this year, he played right field as a redshirt sophomore and has enough range and arm strength to do at least a passable job on the outfield corners.

Landon Leach, pitcher, Pickering (Canada) High School

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 50 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45

The 6-foot-4 hurler with a commitment to Texas has the chance to have a very solid three-pitch mix. He'll touch 94 mph with his fastball and sits comfortably around 92 mph, throwing it with good sink and without a ton of effort. His 78-80 mph curveball is an average breaking ball now and he has a good feel for his 79-81 mph changeup. He's around the zone with all three offerings and he's a decent athlete, so he should continue to repeat his delivery well. There is some drop and drive in his mechanics at times, but nothing that can't be corrected. He did throw well during Team Canada's annual trip to Florida this spring.Leach's room to add strength combined with coming from a colder climate add up to a good amount of projection.

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about the writer

about the writer

Howard Sinker

Digital Sports Editor

Howard Sinker is digital sports editor at startribune.com and curates the website's Sports Upload blog. He is also a senior instructor in Media and Cultural Studies at Macalester College in St. Paul.

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