Tag: Keoni Cavaco

Twins draft history

A Decade of First-Round Picks: Minnesota Twins (2015–2024)

From high-school phenoms to polished college bats, Minnesota’s first-round haul over the last ten years has been a roller-coaster of hopes, breakthroughs and what-ifs. The Derek Falvey regime took over in 2017. Here’s the year-by-year rundown:

2015 – Tyler Jay, LHP (Illinois, College) MLB Debut: 2024 (with the New York Mets) Status: Never threw a Major-League inning for Minnesota; debuted after release.

2016 – Alex Kirilloff, OF (Plum High School, PA) MLB Debut: 2021 Status: Retired in October 2024 due to chronic injuries; slashed .248/.327/.412 in 249 games.

2017 – Royce Lewis, SS (JSerra Catholic High School, CA) MLB Debut: 2022 Status: Core infielder and rising star—30+ homers in his first 150 games. That said, injuries have limited him to 188 games over four seasons.

2018 – Trevor Larnach, OF (Oregon State, College) MLB Debut: 2021 Status: Regular role player in the corner outfield; average-defense and a developing bat.

2019 – Keoni Cavaco, SS (Eastlake High School, CA) MLB Debut: — Status: Converted to pitcher in the Minors, released in 2024 without reaching Double-A.

2020 – Aaron Sabato, 1B (University of North Carolina, College) MLB Debut: — Status: Struggling in the Minors (.199 average in ’24); reached AAA St. Paul in 2025. Free-agent candidate.

2021 – Chase Petty, RHP (Mainland Regional High School, NJ) MLB Debut: — Status: Traded to Cincinnati in 2022; pitching in Double-A.

2022 – Brooks Lee, SS (Cal Poly, College) MLB Debut: 2024 Status: Made the Twins team out of Spring Training in 2025 but started on the IL; lauded for bat-to-ball skills and defensive polish.

2023 – Walker Jenkins, OF (South Brunswick High School, NC) MLB Debut: — Status: Top organizational prospect; has power and speed. The bad news he has been injured too frequently and the Twins bring him back slowly to protect him.

2024 – Kaelen Culpepper, SS (Kansas State, College) MLB Debut: — Status: In Double-A; praised for plate discipline and versatile glove work. Surprise of 2025 Twins minor league system?

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Twins minor league players of the week are Balazovic & Cavaco

The Minnesota Twins have named Triple-A St. Paul right-handed pitcher Jordan Balazovic and Low-A Fort Myers infielder Keoni Cavaco as the club’s minor league Pitcher and Player of the Week.

Jordan Balazovic was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 5th round of the 2016 MLB June Amateur Draft from St. Martin SS (Mississauga, ON). At one point he was as high as number 3 on the MLB Twins Pipeline but now finds himself at number 15. The soon to be 24 year-old is spending his sixth season in the minors (no minor league ball in 2020).

Balazovic, who turns 24 on Saturday, made two starts for the Saints, going 0-0, 1.00 ERA (9.0 IP, 1 ER) with four walks and 15 strikeouts. Balazovic has had a disappointing 2022 season with his last two starts being arguably the best he has had all season. He started the season on the IL and with the AAA-Saints he has made 18 starts and has an 0-6 record with a 8.16 ERA. In his 18 starts he has pitched 56 innings (3.11 innings per start) and he has given up 89 hits while striking out 61 batters. His last start was the first time he has ever pitched 5 innings in pro ball and he has not thrown as many as 80 pitches in his career. He is relatively young but has to turn things around soon if he wants to be a big league pitcher.

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Twins minor league players of the week are Hajjar & Cavaco

The Minnesota Twins minor league players of the week are LHP Steve Hajjar and shortstop Keoni Cavaco. Both are playing for the Low-A Fort Myers Mighty Mussels.

Steve Hajjar was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 2nd round of the 2021 MLB June Amateur Draft from University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI). After being selected #61 overall in last July’s draft, Hajjar a Massachusetts native received a $1.13 million signing bonus and spent the rest of the summer in Fort Myers working out with other prospects. MLB Pipeline has Steven Hajjar as the Twins 20th best prospect.

Hajjar, a 6’5″ lefty began his pro career this year with the Low-A Fort Myers Might Mussels and has seven starts so far. According to Primetimesportstalk.com, “Hajjar has a decent fastball and loopy curveball, but his best pitch is his changeup, which comes in with a lethal delivery and just fades at the end to baffle batters. He also employs a slider that can be lethal, though he opted to use it less in 2021; this could have been his best pitch if he used it more.” Hajjar’s slider is supposedly a “gyro” slider and you can read more about that and other things that Primetimesportstalk.com had to say about Hajjar here.

Hajjar, 21, started for the Mighty Mussels on Thursday at Bradenton, pitching 5.2 shutout innings (82 pitches-56 strikes), with two hits allowed, one walk and a career-high tying 10 strikeouts. Over his last three starts, Hajjar has dropped his ERA from 3.77 to 2.17, and over his last two, the lefty has struck out 16 while walking only two.

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Twins continue to sign draft picks

Keoni Cavaco – Credit MN Twins

After signing their first round (13th overall) selection Keoni Cavaco on Tuesday, the Twins have now signed 16 of their 41 players from the 2019 First-Year Player Draft:

 

UPDATE as of June 15, the following players have now been signed bringing the total to 24 out of the 41 players drafted.

RD 2 Matt Canterino, RHP

RD 4 Seth Gray, 3B

RD 6 Sawyer Gipson-Long, RHP

RD 7 Anthony Prato, SS

RD 9 Brent Headrick, LHP

RD 12 Seth Mooney, RHP

RD 14 Cody Laweryson, RHP

RD 30 Tyler Beck, RHP