Originally published at TwinsMVB.com .
The Twins certainly didn’t stray from their organizational philosophy in this most recent MLB Draft. Holding the twenty-first overall selection in the Rule 4 Draft, Minnesota made several selections of players that fill a mold that Twins’ fans have grown familiar with. Here is a brief run-down of Minnesota’s first three picks.
21st pick: Alex Wimmers, RHP, Ohio State (6′2”, 195 lbs)
Wimmers is exactly the type of pitcher the Twins have historically favored in the draft. Although he doesn’t possess a blazing fastball, Wimmers is able to consistently throw three pitches for strikes. His curveball has the possibility to develop into a ‘60’ pitch on the 20-80 scouting scale, according to Keith Law , while his changeup could reach ‘65.’ Wimmer’s fastball ranges from 89-92 mph, which is why he will rely on his offspeed stuff in the future.
One of the safest picks in the draft, Wimmers is a very polished pitcher and should be able to fly through the minor league system, perhaps reaching the Twins’ rotation in the middle of 2011. Of course, the sooner he signs the sooner he can fill out a rotation spot in Minnesota.
71st pick: Niko Goodrum, OF, Fayette County HS, Jonesboro, Ga. (6′3”, 175 lbs)
A toolsy 18-year old from Georgia, Goodrum was one of the more high risk/high reward players in the draft this year. He is a switch hitter, and played shortstop in high school, though both of those are in question as he transitions to professional baseball. Goodrum will probably move to center field to take advantage of his plus speed and arm.
Goodrum’s main concern lies in his ability to make contact. His raw strength shows great power potential, but he needs to make contact before he can send the ball into the seats. The Twins have tons of athleticism to work with, but Goodrum could very likely be a complete bust at the minor-league level. With the Twins coaching and development staff working their magic, though, I wouldn’t bet against Goodrum having a long major-league career.
102nd pick: Pat Dean, LHP, Boston College (6′1”, 175 lbs)
Any left-handed pitcher has a better-than-average change of making it in professional baseball, but Dean’s polished four-pitch repertoire gives him an even better chance. Dean’s sum is greater than his parts, as no aspect of his game is far above average. The fact that he possesses an average ability to do so much, though, is where he finds his value.
An average fastball, changeup, curve, and slider are available to Dean, though he didn’t use his off-speed pitches very much because of the low quality of his opponents. Dean’s above-average command and control are probably what attracted him most to the Twins, and he should move through the minor-league system with relative ease.
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