Looking at Minnesota Twins drafts this century

With the June Amateur Free Agent draft just a month or so away maybe it is time to look back and see who the Twins have drafted this century that has made an impact on the Minnesota Twins major league team. We all know that very few prospects make it to the big leagues and even fewer are stars, here is how the Twins have fared. Keep this in mind before you get overly excited about the Twins picks in this years drafts.

 

Twins draft choices since 2000

 

2000 draft – 52 drafted, 30 signed and 5 put on a Minnesota Twins uniform

Best Twins playerJason Kubel (OF) was a 2nd round selection picked out of high school and debuted on August 31, 2004 and had a career WAR of 4.1. RETIRED

Wore a Twins uniform brieflyJosh Rabe (OF), J.D. Durbin (RHP), Adam Johnson RHP was 1st rounder and second pick overall) and Jason Miller (LHP)

2001 draft – 50 drafted, 33 signed, 3 put on a Minnesota Twins uniform and 1 played in big leagues for another team

Joe Mauer

Best Twins players – Joe Mauer (C) a Minnesota native was the number one overall pick out of Cretin High School and he debuted on April 5, 2004 and played with Minnesota throughout his career that ended after the 2018 season. Won an MVP, six time All-Star, five time Silver Slugger, three time Batting Champion and three time Gold Glove winner. Career WAR of 55.0. RETIRED

Best Twins players – Nick Blackburn was a collegiate right-handed pitcher drafted in round 29 and debuted on September 7, 2007. Blackburn pitched his entire career for the Twins from 2007-2012. RETIRED with a 3.1 career WAR.

Wore a Twins uniform briefly –  Jose Morales (drafted as a shortstop but switched to catcher).

Played in big leagues for another teamKevin Cameron (RHP).

What have the last ten years of Twins drafts produced

In the last ten years the Twins have had four winning seasons and made the playoffs three times but in those seven play-off games their record is 0-7. So why the dry spell after the Twins had winning teams in 7 of 9 years before that? 

If you look at the Twins drafts from 2009 thru current you might find your answer. The way baseball works you can’t expect your draft choices to produce in the big leagues for three or four years and it has been that way since who knows when. That baffles me because the NFL takes it players straight out of college, some after just three seasons and the next year they are professionals in the NFL. The NBA does it the same way but takes the cream of the crop college players after just one collegiate season and moves them to the pros. Baseball on the other hand is convinced that players out of high school or college can’t play in the big leagues. Oh, a handful of them have but for the most part you have to spend a few years in the minors and work you way up the ladder. 

Major League Debuts as Minnesota Twins – Chargois & Anderson on June 11

The big league debuts as Minnesota Twins on June 11th. These two guys debuts were 30 years apart in more ways than one.

 

J.T. Chargois

J.T. Chargois (P) – June 11, 2016 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 2nd round of the 2012 MLB June Amateur Draft. Pitching in the ‘bigs” isn’t easy as J.T. found out in his big league debut.

Allan Anderson (P) – June 11, 1986 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 2nd round of the 1982 amateur draft. Anderson’s debut was very interesting, he started for the Twins in the Metrodome against Charlie Hough and the Texas Rangers. The Rangers scored single runs in the first and third innings and the Twins scored single runs in the fourth and fifth inning and the game turned into a pitchers duel. Allan Anderson was pulled after 10 innings with the score still tied at 2-2. Anderson had allowed 8 hits and 4 walks and struck out three while allowing the 2 earned runs. The game remained scoreless until the top of the 16th inning when the Rangers broke through for 4 runs off Roy Lee Jackson and the Twins ended up losing 6-2. Texas starter Charlie Hough went 13 inning but he too left with a no decision and Texas reliever Mitch Williams pitched the last three innings to get the win.

To see other Major League Debuts as Minnesota Twins