Circle the names of these Twins prospects after Spring Breakout
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DUNEDIN, Fla. -- A group of Twins prospects hopped on a bus on Saturday morning and made the trip to face top Blue Jays prospects in the second annual Spring Breakout, and well, the result wasn¡¯t what they wanted. Sometimes that happens in baseball, and the Twins were down two top players due to injury -- Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez.
But that doesn¡¯t mean there wasn¡¯t anything to like or anything to learn. So here are a few impressions from Minnesota's 10-0 loss on a breezy, warm afternoon at TD Ballpark.
Winokur has tools
Brandon Winokur, the club¡¯s No. 7 prospect and a third-round Draft pick in 2023, is a big dude. He¡¯s listed at 6-foot-6, and there aren¡¯t a lot of shortstops at that size. The Twins love his tools, and if you¡¯re picking a prospect from the system to break out this year, you could do a lot worse.
He went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts on Saturday, but he made the defensive play of the game. In the bottom of the fifth, Winokur made an athletic sliding play to his right, then showed off his 60-grade throwing arm. He also made a costly error, but watching Winokur, you can see what has the club excited.
¡°Just taking it day by day,¡± he said. ¡°Practicing every position as much as I can. Shortstop, center, third base, wherever it is. Just keep practicing everywhere, wherever they need me. That¡¯ll be kind of the job.¡±
Remember the name Beltre
Eduardo Beltre, the Twins¡¯ No. 19 prospect, is 18 years old and spent last year in the Dominican Summer League. But when Spring Breakout manager Toby Gardenhire (who also manages Triple-A St. Paul) asked the player development staff about his roster for Saturday, Beltre was one of the highlighted names.
So, he decided to see what the kid could do. Beltre started in center field and batted second, and although he didn¡¯t get a hit, he looked like he belonged.
¡°He moved around good in center field and he took some really good swings,¡± Gardenhire said. ¡°I liked his [batting practice]. He looks athletic and took a lot of good swings.¡±
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Beltre was unfazed by being put in the spotlight so soon after arriving in the United States, but he was excited to have the opportunity.
¡°It¡¯s really important,¡± he said through interpreter Mauricio Ortiz. ¡°I¡¯m really proud of it. I¡¯ve been in the States just a couple months. And for a kid from the Dominican to be here and playing in this game, it¡¯s really important and I¡¯m really proud of it.¡±
Keaschall is on the radar
Luke Keaschall, who¡¯s still limited from playing the field after right elbow surgery last August, started at designated hitter and led off. He singled in his first at-bat and was robbed on a liner in his third. He also played the entire game, the only Twins prospect to do so.
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Everything surrounding Keaschall tells you the team is interested. That includes his new locker placement in Fort Myers. After the last round of cuts, when some lockers were removed, Keaschall -- the club's No. 3 prospect -- was placed between Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner. Things like that aren¡¯t done by accident.
¡°Both of them are great people,¡± he said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say we¡¯ve talked too much hitting philosophy, but I always pick their [brains] in the middle of games. Or after an at-bat, Larnach, talked to him about what he¡¯s trying to do a couple times. I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s just those two. I just soak in as much as I can from everybody around me.¡±