2012 MLB Draft: Jose Berrios To Sign With Twins With $1.55 Million Bonus

The Minnesota Twins and No. 32 pick Jose Berrios came to an agreement on Monday on a $1.55 million signing bonus, via the St. Paul Pioneer Press' Ben Goessling. The right-handed pitcher will receive exactly the recommended bonus for his draft slot after the completion of a physical.

This news comes on the heels of a report that No. 2 overall pick Bryon Buxton is 'very close' to signing with the Twins. The latest on Buxton is that he should take his physical on Tuesday.

Berrios is an 18-year-old from Puerto Rico who throws in the mid-90s. If this deal becomes official before Buxton's, it will be the highest pick signed by Minnesota.

The Twins were riding a three-game winning streak before falling to the Cubs on Monday. They begin a three-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies at home on Wednesday.

Minnesota Twins Start Contract Negotiations With First Round Pick Byron Buxton

The Minnesota Twins and their first round pick in the 2012 MLB Draft Byron Buxton have taken the first steps in negotiating a contract according to Charley Walters of Twincities.com.

The 18 year old outfielder is scheduled to be in Minneapolis on June 11 in order to get a physical done, after which the contract negotiations will begin. The recommended signing bonus via baseballs new signing agreements is $6.2 million.

If the No. 2 overall pick signs quickly with the Twins, he should start his minor league career with the Twins' rookie level team in Fort Meyers, Florida. If he does well there during the short two and a half month season, he will move up to their higher level rookie team in Elizabethtown, Tennessee. At that point it will be all about performance -- Buxton hit .513 at his high school in Georgia before being drafted and will look to have similar success in the lower levels of the Twins system.

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MLB Draft 2012: Twins Allowed To Spend Roughly $12.35 Million On First 10 Rounds

The 2012 MLB Draft is in the books, and the Minnesota Twins got an exciting haul, to be sure. Of course, that starts with outfielder Byron Buxton, who was drafted with the second overall pick after Mark Appel of Stanford went to the Houston Astros at No. 1 overall. Buxton has a lot of potential and it's likely he would have went No. 2 overall to most teams in Major League Baseball, though he wasn't the consensus that Appel was at No. 1.

Minnesota had 13 picks in the 10 rounds of the draft, more than any other team. According to the Pioneer Press, the new labor agreement for the MLB includes recommended signing bonuses for each team's first 10 rounds of draft picks. It says the Twins are allowed to spend about $12.35 million in signing bonuses on those picks specifically.

Right there in the headline of the piece they mention that $10.5 million of that could go to the top five picks. There are suggested slots for many of the picks as well, and Buxton's slot pays him $6.2 million. It also noted the rest of the top five:

For the Twins' next pick, pitcher Jose Berrios (No. 32 overall), the recommended bonus is $1.55 million. For the Twins' No. 3 pick, pitcher Luke Bard (No. 42 overall), $1.227 million; No. 4, pitcher Mason Melotakis (63 overall), $818,500; No. 5, pitcher Jon Chargois (72 overall), $712,600.

To contrast, the Twins' final pick in the first 10 rounds is pitcher D.J. Baxendale, and the report says that his slot suggests a signing bonus of $125,000 - further affirming most of the allotment is going to the top guys.

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MLB Draft 2012: Twins Continue To Add Arms On Day 3

On the third day of the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft, the Minnesota Twins continued their desire to add to their pitching pool by drafting 12 pitchers throughout the course of the day. Over the course of the last two days, the Twins have selected 24 pitchers over the course of the 40-round draft.

Here is the complete list of players taken on Day 3:

For more 2012 MLB Draft coverage, stay with SB Nation Minnesota's StoryStream. For more Twins coverage, check out Twinkie Town. And for the best, most insightful MLB analysis on the web, make sure to visit Baseball Nation.

Twins No. 1 Pick Byron Buxton Should Go To GCL Twins When Signed

The Twins used their second overall selection in the 2012 MLB Draft to pick outfielder Byron Buxton, and he may be in the farm system much sooner rather than later once he gets a deal inked with the team.

According to the Twins blog at Twincities.com, once Buxton is signed officially by Minnesota he is likely to head down to Fort Meyers, Florida. That's where the GCL Twins play, Minnesota's rookie ball affiliate. By the end of the year, he could move up a level to Elizabethton, the Twins high rookie affiliate.

Pending physicals for Buxton and everyone else picked by the Twins, we just have to wait and see how soon the team and player can work out a signing. More than likely, it won't happen until after the final 25 draft rounds are finished, of course. The rules of the new CBA require all players to be signed by July 13 under the new system, but it's made easier with the new allocated money system.

For more 2012 MLB Draft coverage, stay with SB Nation Minnesota's StoryStream. For more Twins coverage, check out Twinkie Town. And for the best, most insightful MLB analysis on the web, make sure to visit Baseball Nation.

2012 MLB Draft Order: Twins Pick 2nd Overall In Every Round On Third Day

The Minnesota Twins got their man on the first day of the draft when they snagged Bryan Buxton with the second overall pick. Since, they've put together a solid mixture of players but the real test for scouts starts on Day Three of the draft process, when rounds 16-40 have teams seek out diamonds in the rough.

The draft dictates that after round four, every round shall be exactly the same, so the Twins will continue to get the second overall pick in every round on the third day.

Coverage of the third day of draft action will begin, just like it did on Tuesday, at 12 p.m. Eastern time with the best live coverage being provided on MLB.com.

For more 2012 MLB Draft coverage, stay with SB Nation Minnesota's StoryStream. For more Twins coverage, check out Twinkie Town. And for the best, most insightful MLB analysis on the web, make sure to visit Baseball Nation.

2012 MLB Draft: Twins Select 2B L.J. Mazzilli, Four More Pitching Prospects

In what appears to be one of the bigger steals of the later rounds, the Minnesota Twins picked up Connecticut junior second baseman L.J. Mazzilli, the son of former MLB player/manager Lee Mazzilli.

Projected as a fifth or sixth round pick, Mazzilli slid all the way down to the the second selection of the ninth round and No. 280 overall. A productive player during his three-year stint with the Huskies, Mazzilli is a jack-of-all-trades type of player that lacks an elite quality, and likely slipped because of it. Even though many of his attributes grade out as average and hardly dazzle scouts, MLB.com still served up plenty of praise for the six-foot infielder:

He has a short, compact swing and should be able to hit for a good average at the next level. He has shown good power this spring but many believe that at best, it will be average. He has the ability to steal some bases and has shown it throughout his college career, but it will not be his best asset. Mazzilli is not the greatest defender at second but scouts believe that with some instruction he could be an average defender. Mazzilli's bat will most likely be too much for teams to pass on in the top five rounds of the Draft.

After the Mazzilli pick, the Twins went right back to the well and picked up yet another handful of young pitching prospects. Arkansas' D.J. Basendale was the first at No. 310, and the organization followed up by snatching another SEC player in Kentucky's Taylor Rodgers 30 picks later.

With as many as 10 pitchers already in the bag, the Twins refused to ignore their desperate push to bring as many talented arms to Minnesota as physically possible, and went ahead and grabbed Alexander Muren from Cal State-Northridge at No. 370 and South Carolina high school prospect Erich Knab at No. 400. The two selections give the Twins a whopping 12 pitching prospects drafted out of 16 picks alone, and make it painfully clear just how badly this franchise needed quality arms.

For more 2012 MLB Draft coverage, stay with SB Nation Minnesota's StoryStream. For more Twins coverage, check out Twinkie Town. And for the best, most insightful MLB analysis on the web, make sure to visit Baseball Nation.

2012 MLB Draft: Twins Select Three More Pitchers, Catcher Jorge Fernandez At No. 220

In a draft where the Minnesota Twins have already acquired eight pitchers after the first 250 picks, it was only natural that the organization acquired a catcher at some point. And with the 220th overall pick, the Twins did just that by nabbing 18-year-old catching prospect Jorge Fernandez from Puerto Rico.

Before Fernandez came a pair of, rather predictably, pitchers. The Twins locked up Rice junior pitcher Tyler Duffey at No. 160, college teammate of J.T. Chargois, who happened to be Minnesota's choice at No. 72 overall. With only one lefthander, Mason Melotakis of Northwestern State, drafted until that point, the Twins moved to the other side of the rubber and plucked lefty Andre Martinez from Archbishop McCarthy High School in Florida at No. 190.

To become the team's eighth pitcher drafted over just 11 picks, Minnesota wasted little time calling the name of College of Charleston's Christian Powell at No. 250. Powell went 9-4 with a 2.69 ERA over 16 starts for a 38-22 Cougars squad this past spring, and will join a growing list of a newcomers expected to infiltrate Minnesota's organization over the coming years.

For more on the 2012 MLB Draft, stay with SB Nation Minnesota's StoryStream. For more Twins coverage, head over to Twinkie Town. And for the best MLB analysis on the web, make sure to visit Baseball Nation.

2012 MLB Draft: Minnesota Twins Select RHP Zach Jones With No. 130 Pick

On the second day of the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft, the Minnesota Twins selected right-handed pitcher Zach Jones. Jones is a six-foot-one, 195 pound junior out of San Jose State University and has been clocked in at throwing in the low-90s. He was selected by the Kansas City Royals out of high school in round 24 of the 2009 draft but opted not to sign in order to play at San Jose State.

Here is his profile on San Jose State's official website:

Was named the WAC Preseason Pitcher of the Year and was also on the Preseason All-WAC team as both a relief pitcher and designated hitter...Named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association "Stopper of the Year" Preseason Watch List...Had a team-leading 60 strikeouts and a 3.5-to-1 strikeouts-to-walks ratio...Led the Spartans with 10.00 strikeouts per nine innings...His seven saves on the year tied for the third-most in a single season at San Jose State...Pushed his already-record career saves total as a Spartan to 22...Did not allow an earned run in nine of his 19 total appearances on the mound.

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2012 MLB Draft Picks: Minnesota Twins Take Jacksonville's Adam Walker

The Minnesota Twins went away from pitching for the first time since the second overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft with 97th overall pick. They went with someone they probably watched in high school, too, as Wisconsin native Adam Walker heard his name called with the Twins first pick in the third round.

Walker, a 21-year-old junior from Jacksonville University, was announced as a right fielder. That surprised the folks on the draft telecast with good reason, too, considering he's been more of a first baseman thus far in his career. Either way, it's likely the Twins drafted him for his bat rather than his fielding if MLB.com's scouting report is any indication.

The son of a former NFL running back, Walker looks the part of a future slugger. The question is if he has the baseball skills to get there. There's no question about his pop at the plate. He might have as much raw power as anyone in the Draft class, with some scouts giving him an 80 on the 20-80 scouting scale. He also has a very good approach to hitting, though his hitting instincts lag behind. That leaves some wondering if he'll learn to tap into that power consistently enough against advanced pitching.

A big, physical specimen, Walker has played both first base and the outfield. His arm is well below average, and while some think he could handle playing left field, his defensive home is up in the air. He draws comparisons to Giancarlo Stanton, both in body type and power potential, but there is some concern that he's a Ferrari with a VW engine.

Lord knows the Twins need bats, but hopefully Walker's fielding improves as he moves his way through the minors.

For more on the Minnesota Twins, head over to Twinkie Town. For more MLB coverage, be sure to visit Baseball Nation.

MLB Draft Results: Cleveland Indians Select Minnesota High Schooler Mitch Brown

The Cleveland Indians made an interesting move on Tuesday in the 2012 MLB Draft, selecting Rochester, Minn., high school pitcher Mitch Brown. There was a lot of speculation that Brown might end up with the Twins, but after they went with college arms, Brown fell to Cleveland.

Brown is an interesting player simply because he's the latest high school player from Minnesota to be selected high in the MLB Draft. As we've written about before, MLB.com's scouting report indicates that Brown should have probably expected to be selected higher than the 79th overall pick.

It's not uncommon for players who play in colder climates to be late risers as scouts get to see them as the weather changes. That definitely has been the case for Brown this spring. While not the biggest guy in the world, he is strong and durably built. He also has a good idea of what he's doing on the mound.

The right-hander can run his fastball up to 94 mph. He can spin a breaking ball pretty well, throws a good cutter and even shows a feel for the changeup. That gives him the chance to have four Major League average or well above offerings in the future. While Brown can struggle with his overall command at times, it's not a long-term concern.

There was little doubt he was the best player in the state of Minnesota as the Draft approached, one who was creeping up higher on Draft boards.

It'll be interesting to follow Brown make his way through the Indians system ... though a bit unfortunate he won't be coming up with the hometown Twins.

For more on the Minnesota Twins, head over to Twinkie Town. For more MLB coverage, be sure to visit Baseball Nation.

MLB Draft 2012: J.T. Chargois Selected By Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins apparently decided to focus on college pitchers on Day of the 2012 MLB Draft. After picking Mason Melotakis with the 63rd pick, Minnesota went back to the college ranks to grab J.T. Chargois with the 73rd overall pick.

Chargois, a 21-year-old righty out of Rice University, seems to project as a closer or set-up guy ... which isn't exactly ideal, but should make his trek to the big leagues go a little bit quicker. Chargois' scouting report on the MLB website makes it seem like the Twins might have either picked up a steal or a bust because of the lack of scouting teams were able to do.

Rice has had some success with first basemen-pitchers (see Savery, Joe) and Chargois is the next in line, playing first every day for the Owls while also serving as the team's hard-throwing closer. Chargois' dual roles have made it difficult in the past to evaluate him properly. His future is on the mound and scouts haven't always been able to see him consistently enough to know what he brings to the table.

His fastball is a plus pitch, up to 95 mph and it has above-average movement. Chargois combines that with a spiked curveball that can be above-average to plus when his mechanics are right. He doesn't have tremendous command, but is around the strike zone enough for short relief work.

College closer types tend to do well on Draft Day and even if Chargois is a bit of a wild card, his potential as a future big league setup man or closer should have him off the board fairly early.

It'll be interesting to see what the Twins picked up in Chargois, won't it?

For more on the Minnesota Twins, check out Twinkie Town. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at Baseball Nation.

2012 MLB Draft: Minnesota Twins Select LHP Mason Melotakis

On the second day of the MLB First-Year Player Draft, the Minnesota Twins selected Mason Melotakis with the No. 63 overall pick. Melotakis is a six-foot-three, 205 pound left-handed reliever out of Northwestern State University. Born and raised in Texas, Melotakis was originally undrafted out of high school because he was undersized and struggled to consistently pitch in the low-90s. Since entering college, he underwent a growth spurt and increased his velocity to the 94-96 miles per hour range.

He is believed to be a relief pitching prospect as he has displayed that he wears down when he pitches as a starter. He developed into Northwestern's ace reliever and led the team with five saves and ranked fourth in strikeouts with 45 in 40 innings. Melotakis took off as a legitimate prospect when he pitched in the prestigious Cape Cod league with the Bourn Braves where he had a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 22-2 in 18.2 innings pitched over 14 appearances.

For more on the Minnesota Twins, check out Twinkie Town. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at Baseball Nation.

2012 MLB Draft: Rochester's Mitch Brown Misses Out On First Round

Rochester Century High School pitcher Mitch Brown didn't get the call he was hoping for in Monday's first round of the MLB Draft.

The Star Tribune's high school baseball hub had an article documenting Brown's Monday night angst:

Three times the name "Mitch" was called, but each time it failed to produce the result Rochester was hoping for.

The first round of Major League Baseball's first-year player draft wrapped up Monday evening without Rochester Century High School pitcher Mitch Brown's name announced.

The Minnesota Baseball Gatorade Player of the Year was touted as the 44th-best prospect by Baseball America but was left out of the first 60 picks of the 2012 draft.

Like most high school pitching prospects, Brown had incredible numbers this spring. He was 7-1 with a 0.91 ERA. He has major-league velocity (95-mile-per-hour fastball) and a 6-2, 215-pound frame.

The Star Tribune article says that Brown's last start may have hurt his draft stock. With Minnesota Twins GM Terry Ryan on-hand, Brown walked four batters and hit another while giving up four earned runs.

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MLB Draft 2012: Scouting Report On Twins Pick Jose Berrios

The Minnesota Twins had three picks on the first day of the 2012 MLB Draft and, fortunately, they all seem to be fairly promising. The most random selection may have been their first pick in the compensation round, however, as Jose Berrios wasn't ranked quite as high as the Twins picked him.

It seems signability might have been taken into concern, though, and even then SB Nation's John Sickels writes about him as a pretty promising player.

Listed at 6-2, 180, Berrios added 20 pounds to his frame in the last 12 months, boosting his fastball as high as 97-98MPH. He also has a very good slider and changeup, and should be easily signable away from Miami Dade JC in this slot.

Berrios was born in 1994 and will be coming to the Twins organization straight of the Bayamon, Puerto Rico high school leagues if Minnesota's able to sign him easy as it sounds like they should be.

For more on the Minnesota Twins, check out Twinkie Town. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at Baseball Nation,

2012 MLB Draft Results: A Look At The AL Central's First-Round Picks

Like most of the AL Central, the Minnesota Twins went after an outfielder in Monday's first round of the 2012 MLB Draft, selecting Byron Buxton No. 2 overall.

The only AL Central team not to select an outfielder was Kansas City, which took right-handed pitcher Kyle Zimmer at No. 5. The 20-year-old Zimmer played last season at the University of San Francisco, where he had 104 strikeouts and 17 walks in 88.1 innings.

According to Baseball America, Zimmer had the best fastball among college pitchers, and the third-best curveball.

The other AL Central teams to draft Monday -- Detroit didn't have a first-rounder -- did like the Twins and took outfielders.

The Chicago White Sox took high-schooler Courtney Hawkins 13th overall. Hawkins, the Sox's first opening-round high school pick since 2001, hit .437 with 11 homers, 39 RBIs, 56 runs scored and 17 stolen bases in 36 games this season.

Hawkins is an all-around athlete. He played varsity football as a freshman in high school and, maybe more impressive, has been a lights-out pitcher this season: 5-2 with a 0.96 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 36.1 innings. He can hit the mid-90s with this fastball.

The Cleveland Indians, meanwhile, took Tyler Naquin from Texas A&M at No. 15 overall. Naquin, 21, was drafted in the 33rd round of the 2009 Draft (No. 986 overall) but went to A&M instead. He has a career .348 batting average with the Aggies, but this year hit .380 with a .458 on-base percentage.

MLB.com will stream rounds 2 through 15 Tuesday, starting at 11 a.m. Central. Rounds 16 through 40 will be Wednesday, also starting at 11 a.m. Central.

2012 MLB Draft Order: Minnesota Twins Will Have Another 2 Picks In Second Round

The Minnesota Twins had three picks in the first round and compensatory round of the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft on Monday night, selecting OF Byron Buxton with the No. 2 overall pick, RHP Jose Berrios with the No. 32 overall pick, and RHP Luke Bard with the No. 42 overall pick.

On Tuesday, the Twins will have another two picks -- the third overall of the second round (No. 63 overall) and No. 72 overall. The draft will conclude on Wednesday with the remaining rounds.

The order for the rest of the draft can be found here. The second and third rounds are below:

SECOND ROUND

61. Houston Astros

62. Oakland Athletics (J. Willingham - MIN)

63. MINNESOTA TWINS

64. Seattle Mariners

65. Baltimore Orioles

66. Kansas City Royals

67. Chicago Cubs

68. San Diego Padres

69. Pittsburgh Pirates

70. San Diego Padres (H. Bell - MIA)

71. New York Mets (J. Reyes - MIA)

72. MINNESOTA TWINS (M. Cuddyer - COL)

73. Colorado Rockies

74. Oakland Athletics

75. New York Mets

76. Chicago White Sox

77. Philadelphia Phillies (R. Madson - CIN)

78. Cincinnati Reds

79. Cleveland Indians

80. Washington Nationals

81. Toronto Blue Jays

82. Los Angeles Dodgers

83. Texas Rangers (C.J. Wilson - LAA)

84. San Francisco Giants

85. Atlanta Braves

86. St. Louis Cardinals

87. Boston Red Sox

88. Tampa Bay Rays

89. New York Yankees (S. Stafford - unsigned)

90. Arizona Diamondbacks

91. Detroit Tigers

92. Milwaukee Brewers

93. Texas Rangers

94. New York Yankees

95. Philadelphia Phillies

THIRD ROUND

96. Houston Astros

97. MINNESOTA TWINS

98. Seattle Mariners

99. Baltimore Orioles

100. Kansas City Royals

101. Chicago Cubs

102. San Diego Padres

103. Pittsburgh Pirates

104. Miami Marlins

105. Colorado Rockies

106. Oakland Athletics

107. New York Mets

108. Chicago White Sox

109. Cincinnati Reds

110. Cleveland Indians

111. Washington Nationals

112. Toronto Blue Jays

113. Los Angeles Dodgers

114. Los Angeles Angels

115. San Francisco Giants

116. Atlanta Braves

117. St. Louis Cardinals

118. Boston Red Sox

119. Tampa Bay Rays

120. Arizona Diamondbacks

121. Detroit Tigers

122. Milwaukee Brewers

123. Texas Rangers

124. New York Yankees

125. Philadelphia Phillies

For more on the Minnesota Twins, check out Twinkie Town. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at Baseball Nation.

2012 MLB Draft Results: Minnesota Twins Select RHP Luke Bard Out Of Georgia Tech

With their second pick of the draft and the No. 42 overall pick in the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft, the Minnesota Twins selected right-handed pitcher Luke Bard out of Georgia Tech. Luke is the brother of Boston Red Sox pitcher Daniel Bard.

Bard is a 6-foot-2 junior from Charlotte, North Carolina who was mostly used in the closer's role in college. In three seasons with the Yellow Jackets, Bard posted a 3.47 ERA with just under 100 strikeouts in 103-plus innings. He posted a 0.99 ERA with over nine strikeouts per nine innings in his junior season. He has a mid-nineties, moving fastball with good break and is said to be very polished.

Bard was originally drafted out of high school in 2009 by the team his brother plays for, the Boston Red Sox, but he opted to go to college instead.

For more on the Minnesota Twins, check out Twinkie Town. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at Baseball Nation.

MLB Draft Results: Jose Berrios Selected By Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins took outfielder Byron Buxton in the first round of the 2012 MLB Draft, according to what we've learned from the SB Nation experts. The team followed the Buxton pick up with another promising player in the compensation round, selecting Puerto Rican pitcher Jose Berrios.

Berrios, a 6-foot-1 righty out of Papa Juan XXIII High School, was ranked as 73rd best prospect by ESPN's Keith Law so it's a bit surprising that he was selected by the Twins with the 32nd pick. Law's analysis on the ESPN Insider page paints a prettier picture of Berrios, however.

Berrios was on the radar all spring but saw his stock spike when he threw a no-hitter against Carlos Correa's team in April (the only baserunner reached on a passed ball third strike). He'll touch 96 and works at 92-94 with a hard downward-breaking curveball at 80-82 and a straight change in the same range, enough of an arsenal to see him as a potential starter.

He appears a couple inches shorter than his listed 6-foot-1 and doesn't get plane on the fastball; that plus a rough arm action with very late elbow pronation in back has a lot of scouts pegging him as a reliever down the road. He's seen as signable without a college commitment and could go in the sandwich round, even in the higher part, to a team looking to overdraft a kid and sign him quickly.

If they are indeed able to sign him Berrios quickly, that should certainly help make this pick be a prettier one.

For more on the Minnesota Twins, check out Twinkie Town. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at Baseball Nation.

Byron Buxton Selected By Twins In 2012 MLB Draft; SB Nation Provides Promising Scouting Report

Byron Buxton was selected by the Minnesota Twins with the second overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft on Monday night. It wasn't surprising considering the majority of the mock drafts had the team and player linked, but there was quite a bit of speculation it wouldn't end up like this when the Houston Astros opted for Carlos Correa instead of Mark Appel.

The Twins stuck to their guns, however and went with the high school phenom from Georgia. It's difficult to project exactly when and what kind of impact he'll have in the majors, but SB Nation's John Sickels seems to think he'll be a solid player judging by his scouting report on Minnesota's newest prospect.

Byron Buxton, OF, Appling County HS, Baxley, GA: Listed at 6-1, 175, Buxton is a spectacular athlete with blazing speed and an outstanding throwing arm. Opinions differ about his bat; he's strong enough to hit for considerable power, but his swing is still a work in progress and his plate discipline needs improvement. He is a prototype high-risk/high-reward player who could develop into a superstar, a bust, or anything in between. Buxton is committed to the University of Georgia.

The Twins need pitching in the system, but this multi-tooled talent was too much to pass up. He will need considerable development time, particularly with the bat, but he has the physical ability to be an All-Star.

It should be fun watching him come up, along with fellow top prospect Miguel Sano, through the minors. Hopefully Minnesota is able to add a few more potential-laden players with their other two picks on Monday night.

For more on the Minnesota Twins, check out Twinkie Town. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at Baseball Nation.

MLB Draft 2012: Byron Buxton Selected By Minnesota Twins With Second Overall Pick

The Minnesota Twins are certainly not the best team in baseball this season, but with the help of the 2012 MLB Draft, the team might be on its way to getting better. It's difficult to judge picks in baseball, but the Twins seem to have made a solid pick with new second overall pick Byron Buxton.

The Twins had everyone but first overall pick Carlos Correa available on the board -- even Mark Appel, who was expected to be the top pick -- but, in a move that shouldn't be shocking, they decided to take the high school outfielder from Georgia. The most recent mock drafts indicated this would be the case and, although SB Nation's Minor League Ball ranked him as the fifth best prospect, Buxton seems to have plenty of tools.

Blazing fast, cannon arm, grade A tools but I have enough questions about his bat to put him behind Correa. University of Georgia commitment.

The Twins also have two other picks on Monday night, but neither will be scrutinized as much as Buxton is with the second overall pick.

For more on the Minnesota Twins, check out Twinkie Town. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at Baseball Nation.

MLB Draft 2012: Rumors Indicate Minnesota Twins Have Settled On Byron Buxton

The Minnesota Twins are essentially on the clock in the 2012 MLB Draft considering the Houston Astros are likely to take Mark Appel. Rumors have been swirling all of Monday regarding what the Twins are going to do with the second overall pick, but the latest news indicates that the team is going to go with the consensus and draft Byron Buxton.

Buxton, a high school outfielder from Georgia, has been projected to the Twins in the majority of the mock drafts. The Pioneer Press says not to be surprised if the Twins go with Kevin Gausman, but the Star Tribune's La Velle E. Neal posted Monday evening that Buxton is apparently Minnesota's top option.

Twins director of player personnel Mike Radcliff said they have yet to confirm what Houston's intentions are and will be prepared for any scenario when it's their turn to pick.

The Twins have narrowed their choices to Appel and Buxton. They worked out shortstop Carlos Correa in recent weeks, but he apparently isn't worth that high of a pick in their eyes. They apparently have backed off of USF righthander Kyle Zimmer, a pitcher they scouted extensively this year.

It is interesting that Gausman wasn't even mentioned by Neal considering the Press and ESPN's Keith Law both mentioned him earlier in the day. Luckily the draft begins soon and we'll all be able to hear the pick right from the horse's mouth.

For more on the Minnesota Twins, check out Twinkie Town. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at Baseball Nation.

MLB Draft Rumors: Kevin Gausman Could Be Minnesota Twins' Favorite

The Minnesota Twins have been linked with Byron Buxton for awhile now, but the latest MLB draft rumors heading into Monday night seem to believe that the team playing its home games at Target Field is ready to go in a different direction. It shouldn't be a surprise when it happens, either, according to one local report.

Charley Waters of the Pioneer Press wrote on Monday that the team is apparently leaning toward LSU Tigers pitcher Kevin Gausman when their turn comes up following the first pick from the Houston Astros.

The Minnesota Twins have the No. 2 overall pick in Major League Baseball's amateur draft Monday evening, June 4. Don't be surprised if they choose 6-foot-4, 190-pound right-handed pitcher Kevin Gausman and his 94-mph fastball from Louisiana State.

Gausman seems to be gaining steam on Monday afternoon considering ESPN's Keith Law mentioned his name as one of the possibilities the Twins could look at on Monday night.

For more on the Minnesota Twins, check out Twinkie Town. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at Baseball Nation.

MLB Mock Draft 2012: Minnesota Twins Could Create Controversy With Second Pick

The Minnesota Twins have the second overall pick in the 2012 MLB draft and, according to reports, they've settled in on high school shortstop Byron Buxton. That might not necessarily be the case, however, judging by ESPN's final mock draft.

It sounds pretty set in stone that the Houston Astros are going to select Mark Appel, leaving the Twins the ability to pick anyone else. That choice apparently hasn't been easy for them, however, as the dreaded dollar factor seems to have come into play.

The latest word in ESPN Insider Keith Law's final mock draft is that the Twins will pick between either Buxton or pitcher Kevin Gausman, a player he has pegged for the fourth slot. The reasoning might actually be more interesting than the pick itself.

There's a late rumor that has them taking right-hander Kevin Gausman and possibly saving a little money to go after some prep righties with their extra picks. I also wouldn't rule out Carlos Correa, who returned to Minnesota last week for a second pre-draft workout.

Either Mr. Law is not very good at his job -- considering he gave three options less than eight hours before a draft that has already had the top pick determined -- or the Twins are waffling on whether they want to save some money while hoping that the scouting department can make the right decision.

For more on the Minnesota Twins, check out Twinkie Town. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at Baseball Nation.

2012 MLB Draft: Twins To Draft Byron Buxton With Mark Appel Going To Astros, According To Report

It was reported on Sunday that the Houston Astros had already made a decision on the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft, with multiple reports suggesting that Stanford's Mark Appel is the guy. That was widely assumed prior to there ever being reports of it, but there's even more now.

Jon Heyman of CBS is reporting (via Twitter) that, by all accounts, Appel is indeed the pick by the Astros and on top of that, he suggests that the Minnesota Twins have already made their decision on their selection as well. He says they're planning on taking Byron Buxton:

Early word: astros take stanford rhp mark appel and twins take Ga. prep CF byron buxton. unconfirmed but that's scuttlebutt

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) June 4, 2012

The fact that he has Buxton going to Minnesota is significant because it means he's heard something from the Twins, which seems to imply that they know Appel is going to be gone. It's not a certainty that Appel was going to go to Minnesota if Houston didn't take him, but it's difficult to think of somebody they'd take over him.

For more on the Minnesota Twins, check out Twinkie Town. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at Baseball Nation.

2012 MLB Draft Order: Twins With Plenty Of Options At No. 2

The Minnesota Twins have quite a few holes to fill, sitting at No. 5 in the basement of the AL Central standings. They're got a win percentage of .377 on the season with a 20-33 record and really could use some fresh, young talent to get back in the swing of things. Fortunately for them, they're sitting in a very good position in the upcoming 2012 MLB Draft.

Though the Houston Astros have the No. 1 pick, Minnesota has No. 2, and this is considered one of the more talented drafts in recent history. Unfortunately, this draft is "the" draft to have the first overall pick, with Stanford Cardinal pitcher Mark Appel being available. Many teams would love the shot to get Appel, including the Twins, but it stands to reason that the Astros will be the team picking him.

Our own Jesse Lund recently took a look at some of the possibilities for Minnesota at No. 2, providing that Appel go to Houston with the first pick. So check that out, and below we'll list the full draft order for the first round.

1. Houston Astros
2. Minnesota Twins
3. Seattle Mariners
4. Baltimore Orioles
5. Kansas City Royals
6. Chicago Cubs
7. San Diego Padres
8. Pittsburgh Pirates
9. Miami Marlins
10. Colorado Rockies
11. Oakland Athletics
12. New York Mets
13. Chicago White Sox
14. Cincinnati Reds
15. Cleveland Indians
16. Washington Nationals
17. Toronto Blue Jays
18. Los Angeles Dodgers
19. St. Louis Cardinals
20. San Francisco Giants
21. Atlanta Braves
22. Toronto Blue Jays
23. St. Louis Cardinals
24. Boston Red Sox
25. Tampa Bay Rays
26. Arizona Diamondbacks
27. Milwaukee Brewers
28. Milwaukee Brewers
29. Texas Rangers
30. New York Yankees
31. Boston Red Sox

That's the order for the first round excluding the supplemental portion. Minnesota will also pick at the very top of the supplemental first round, and you can find the full order for that right here.

For more on the Minnesota Twins, check out Twinkie Town. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at Baseball Nation.

MLB Draft 2012: Minnesota's Mitch Brown Looking To Be 1st Round Pick

Minnesota's own Rochester Century High School senior Mitch Brown could be in for a pleasant surprise on Monday, the first day of the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft. He is considered one of the top 50 prospects in the draft and is an outside contender to be picked in the first round. He's taking the day in stride, but it would make him the first Minnesotan drafted in round one since 2004.

"Earlier this season, I couldn't sleep much because of the anticipation of the draft," Brown said last week. "Now, I'm OK with it. I'm calm. I feel like I've done everything I can to make a good impression."

Mitch has gotten lots of press and tons of scouting due to his sharp, 95 m.p.h fastball and solid record at the high school level.

One team that could potentially pick him up around the time he's expected to go is the hometown Minnesota Twins, who have selected guys from in-state before. Joe Mauer in 2001 came from St. Paul, while Glen Perkins of Stillwater and the University of Minnesota was taken in the first round in 2004. The Twins hold the 32nd and 42nd picks in the draft, both of which would fit the bill of when Brown is expected to be selected.

For more on the Minnesota Twins, head over to Twinkie Town. For more MLB coverage, be sure to visit Baseball Nation.

MLB Draft 2012: Mark Appel To The Astros Would Still Leave Twins With Plenty Of Possibilities

If the Astros take the Stanford pitcher with the first overall pick, which way will the Twins turn at number two?

MLB Mock Draft: Minnesota Twins Projected To Take Mark Appel

With the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft coming up on June 4, the Minnesota Twins are looking to take advantage of their second overall pick. It's well documented that the team has several holes that it needs to fill and the draft is viewed by many as a great place to start in meeting those needs.

The popular opinion is that the team should look to add a pitching prospect with their first selection and according to the most recent mock draft on MyMLBDraft.com, that's exactly what the team will do.

In the mock, the Twins are projected to select right-handed pitching prospect Mark Appel with the second overall selection. He is 20-years old, stands at six-foot-five, 190 pounds and was named a First Team All-American at Stanford prior to the start of the 2012 season. Appel was originally selected in the 15th round of the 2009 draft by the Detroit Tigers but did not sign a contract with the club because he had already committed to pitch at Stanford.

Appel is considered one of the best pitching prospects in all of baseball and has been tied as a potential candidate for the first overall selection.

Stay tuned with SB Nation Minnesota's StoryStream for more Twins 2012 MLB Draft coverage.

For more on the Minnesota Twins, head over to Twinkie Town. For more MLB coverage, be sure to visit Baseball Nation.

MLB Mock Draft 2012: Keith Law Says Twins Should Take Byron Buxton

ESPN.com's Keith Law projects the Minnesota Twins to select H.S. OF Byron Buxton with their No. 2 overall pick.

MLB Draft 2012: James Ramsey Has Improved Since Twins Selected Him

Jack Ramsey, the Minnesota Twins's 22nd-round draft pick last season, passed up the majors to return to Florida State for his senior season.

And according to an ESPN Insider article, Ramsey is reaping returns on returning to FSU:

Ramsey's carrying tool is his bat and he has a long history of hitting. In 239 plate appearances this spring he's hitting .380/.520/.674 and last summer in the wood bat Cape Cod League, he hit .313/.448/.571 in 140 plate appearances. There are some tools to back up that performance as Ramsey has a direct, line drive bat path with some strength and bat speed, but most importantly he has an innate ability to square up pitches.

The article hypothesizes that Ramsey could go straight to High-A and says that he is a "low-risk prospect." Age is one looming concern: He'll be 22 and six months when the draft happens in early June, and as has been shown, the older a player when drafted, the less likely he is to be successful.

For more on the Minnesota Twins, check out Twinkie Town. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at Baseball Nation.

MLB Draft 2012: Minnesota Twins Worked Out Carlos Correa

The Minnesota Twins worked out short stop Carlos Correa, according to the Twins' MLB.com page. Correa, who has committed to the University of Miami, is considered a surefire Top 10 pick in this summer's draft.

According to Sports Illustrated:

Correa dazzled scouts at summer and fall showcases in 2011. He is a slick defender with smooth fielding actions and a powerful arm. He shows signs of becoming a unique hitter. During an October showcase, Correa, using a wood bat, drilled an opposite field home run directly down the right field line which, to quote a long ago Joe Garagiola description, "didn't get up, didn't get down...it just got out."

Correa, 6-4 and 190 pounds, could become the highest-drafted Puerto Rican high school player, according to MLB.com.

The "First-Year Player Draft" will take place June 4-6. The Twins draft No. 2 overall.

For more on the Minnesota Twins, check out Twinkie Town. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at Baseball Nation.

MLB Draft: Minnesota Twins Have Plenty Of Options

Even though the current baseball season might not exactly be going the way the Minnesota Twins expected, the franchise is hoping to uncover a future All-Star in June's 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft.

Owner's of the No. 2 overall pick with Houston in the top spot, the Twins automatically benefit from a solid draft class that includes a handful of elite prospects. The player currently projected to head to the Astros at No. 1, high school five-tool outfielder Byron Buxton, could very well prove to be a once-in-a-generation type prospect if he came to Minnesota. But for a Twins organization that remains desperate for top-end starting pitching, it's hard to believe they could pass up on a possible front-of-the-rotation ace atop the draft.

Stanford righty Mark Appel appears to be at the top of Minnesota's wish list, even if the Astros know this all too well and could easily snatch him up to bolster their lackluster future rotation. The 6-foot-5 Appel is already capable of flirting with triple digits on his fastball, and worked with the pitching coach who trained No. 1 overall pick Stephen Strasburg during his time with Stanford. In many scouts' eyes he is the surest, most polished pitching prospect in the draft.

If Appel isn't the guy though, Minnesota could be tempted to look at University of San Francisco's Kyle Zimmer, another polished righthander projected to be selected near the top ten. Zimmer posted a 5-3 record and 2.85 ERA over 13 starts with the Dons this year, totaling 104 strikeouts in just 88 innings. He isn't expected to have quite the same upside as a kid like Harvard-Westlake High School's Lucas Giolito, however, who was a pitcher the Twins were absolutely smitten with until he injured his elbow recently and scared numerous scouts away.

Aside from taking a huge gamble on Giolito at No. 2, who still may need surgery down the line, it doesn't appear the Twins can go wrong with whoever they select in the second spot. Even catcher Mike Zunino from Florida could be the type of pick that sets a distinct tone for the franchise heading into the future. The flamethrowing Appel truly looks the part, though, and might be the smartest pick based on need assuming the organization opts to make pitching a priority.

For more on the Twins' 2012 draft, stay locked with this StoryStream. For full Twins coverage, be sure to check out Twinkie Town. And for the best MLB coverage on the web, head over to Baseball Nation.

Reviewing MLB Mock Drafts: Who Will the Twins Take Second Overall?

MLB Mock Drafts are not as pundit-heavy as NFL Mock Drafts, but they still exist. Who do they believe the Twins will take with the second overall selection?

MLB Draft 2012: 40 Round Mock For Twins

It's become clear that the Minnesota Twins have several areas that they need to improve upon. Luckily for the organization, they will have a chance to do that on June 4 when the MLB Draft begins. Listed below will be a 40 round mock draft courtesy of Matt Garrioch of SB Nation's Minor League Ball.

Here are his projections for the Twins through the first 500 picks:

For more on the Minnesota Twins, head over to Twinkie Town. More news and analysis on Major League Baseball and the MLB Draft can be found over at SB Nation's home for America's past time, Baseball Nation.

MLB Draft 2012: Mitch Brown Expected To Be Selected Early

The Major League Baseball draft brings out tons of high school and college age kids with the potential to be Major League stars some day, and this year's edition could feature a local Minnesota kid getting picked very, very high up. As mentioned in this article by Twincities.com, Century High School in Rochester, Minnesota boasts a young right handed pitcher whose fastball is at a blistering 95 MPH named Mitch Brown.

Unsurprisingly, Brown is getting the attention of more than a few Major League teams interested in such a speedy throw from a high schooler:

The other day against John Marshall, Brown struck out 17 in six innings, including four in an inning twice.

One scout said Brown, who has committed to the University of San Diego, is the best high school pitcher he has seen in 30 years.

Brown is expected to be among the first 42 overall picks in the June 4-6 major league draft.

The Twins will hold the No. 32 and 42 picks in the draft, right in the breadbasket of where Brown is expected to be selected. Getting a strong local kid is always a good story line, so the Twins might not be able to resist the allure of snagging Brown for their system.

For more on the Minnesota Twins, head over to Twinkie Town. More news and analysis on Major League Baseball and the MLB Draft can be found over at SB Nation's home for America's past time, Baseball Nation.

MLB Mock Draft 2012: Byron Buxton Could Be Minnesota Twins Target

The Minnesota Twins essentially need all the help they can get so it'd be pretty easy to say the team should just take the best player available in the upcoming draft. Unfortunately it's a bit harder to tell the best available players in baseball as opposed to other sport so -- thankfully -- ESPN has released its first official 2012 MLB mock draft.

The Twins were said to be high on Kyle Zimmer when ESPN Insider Keith Law released his top prospects list last week, but that's apparently no longer the case. Now it seems as though Minnesota's either hoping Stanford pitcher Mark Appel falls to them or a different pitcher impresses them.

If neither of those options work out, it seems Minnesota is apparently ready to settle on Byron Buxton. Buxton, a 6-foot-1 senior at Appling County High School in Baxley, Ga., was described earlier this year as "by far the best upside prospect in this year's draft, as his body and off-the-charts athleticism have earned him comparisons to players from the Uptons to Matt Kemp to Eric Davis to Willie Mays."

Law's mock draft writeup on Buxton and the Twins doesn't include quite as much optimism, though, as he seems to indicate that the Twins would be better off falling in love with a pitcher.

They were presumed to be on San Francisco right-hander Kyle Zimmer until the past few weeks, when Zimmer's velocity slipped and he missed a start with a hamstring injury. Appel seems to be the other option here, or perhaps prep right-hander Lucas Giolito now that teams are getting more and more comfortable with reports on his elbow injury, which caused him to miss most of the year.

Starting pitching is certainly a problem, but if Buxton is as much of a prospect as advertised, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to take a look at him -- the Twins can't get any worse, anyway, and at least it'd be exciting to have another high-caliber prospect in the minors.

For more on the Twins, head over to Twinkie Town. For more MLB news and expert analysis, be sure to check out Baseball Nation.

MLB Mock Draft 2012: Minnesota Twins Could Look At Kyle Zimmer

The Minnesota Twins obviously need quite a bit of help when considering how awful they've been this season and, as of now, it looks as though the answers aren't exactly at the minor league level. That could change, however, with the upcoming 2012 MLB Draft.

And since it's draft season, we figured this would be a good time to start taking a look at some of the MLB mock drafts, beginning with a gander at ESPN Insider Keith Law's look at the Top 100 prospects for this year. It isn't a mock draft, per se, but Law notes in the column that he would "have Byron Buxton going first overall to Houston, Kyle Zimmer second to Minnesota and Mike Zunino third to Seattle."

The majority of Twins fans probably aren't all that familiar with Zimmer, a 6-foot-4 pitcher pitcher from the University of San Francisco. That's because he was a bit under the radar, apparently, before busting out this spring.

Zimmer, a converted position player, exploded on to the scene this spring when he sat 94-98 in a three-inning stint on the season's first day, and then spent the next two months pitching at 92-97 with a hammer curveball at 79-82.

Seems a bit risky for the second overall pick, but if it works out, that might be a risk worth taking.

For more on the Twins, head over to Twinkie Town. For more MLB news and expert analysis, be sure to check out Baseball Nation.

Minnesota Twins Will Be Drafting Second Overall: Who Should They Be Targeting?

With the Twins drafting the number two overall pick in June, let's look at a number of players who they might be scouting right now.