Recent efforts by the Twins have lifted the talent level in their farm system to the point where it can be regarded as above average. That, of course, is based on projections. And it's hard to project how a kid is going to grow and develop.
We're all forecasting. And we know how meteorologists fare with their forecasts. This is one man's forecast.
These rankings are based on what I've read, been told by people in and out of the organization - and, in some cases, on what I've seen. I've noticed that some folks have lifted Kyle Gibson to No. 1 on their Twins prospect lists. I'm not ready to go there.
1. Aaron Hicks, OF, Class A Fort Myers: The tools are hard to ignore. He has a quick bat and should be able to generate some power once he figures things out. He has a strong arm in the outfield. He can run. And he walked a whopping 88 times last season. Saw him a few times this spring and he seems more sure of himself and is filling out nicely. A legitimate five tool talent.
2. Kyle Gibson, RHP, Class AAA Rochester. He has a very good sinker, a very good slider and is willing to change speeds. What's just as impressive is his pitching moxie. After a spring outing against Boston, he told the media how he was reading Kevin Youkilis' body language in reaction to one of his pitches. Wow. He has a chance to be a front end of the rotation starter. Some aren't sure if he misses enough bats to become a true ace, but perhaps a Twins ace.
3. Joe Benson, OF,Class AA New Britain: Benson showed signs of starting to figure things out at the plate last season, but he still needs to hit for a higher average before fans can start putting him in the 2013 Twins outfield. He showed in spring training that he can cover some ground in the outfield and he has a strong arm. He's built like a running back - because he was, twice rushing for over 300 yards in a game while in high school. Hasn't unlocked his power yet, either.
4. Miguel Angel Sano, 3B, Rookie League Elizabethton: The two things that jump out to me about him: How he's growing and how polished his swing is. Sano is going to be a big man. The day I watched him play in a minor league spring game, I was told he weighed in at 231 pounds that day. It's not really fat. He just has big, strong legs. The ball sounds different off his bat, but he's got work to do with strike zone judgment and really doesn't know what a good curveball is like. I have problems ranking players off of short-season experience, but one Twins official said I would be nuts not to list Sano here. The Twins are going to play him at shortstop as much as they so he can learn the game. But he's really a third baseman. But I'm wondering if he'll outgrow that position.
5. Ben Revere, OF, Rochester: Revere has hit at every level he's played at, so the Twins hope that he'll be productive on the major league level once he gets an extended amount of playing time. He also has top end speed and will pile up the stolen bases. I'm wondering how much he'll drive the ball. Can he become Juan Pierre? Something more? He's worked hard on his arm strength over the years but he definitely doesn't have a cannon. He has to work on getting to balls and getting rid of the ball quickly to give himself a chance to throw baserunners out.
