SB Nation Minnesota - MLB Draft 2012: Minnesota's Mitch Brown Selected By Cleveland Indians

Twins Draft Picks 2012: Again, Minnesota Loads Up On Pitchers In Draft

2012-06-07T12:59:34Z

The Minnesota Twins have been working all season to get their pitching staff in order. Demotions, call-ups, starters going to the bullpen -- and then back to the rotation. Anything to get production on the mound.

Well, the season-long pitching theme continued in this week's MLB First-Year Player Draft, when the Twins selected 24 pitchers -- well over half of their 43 overall picks. The club did much the same last season, drafting 35 pitchers out of 52 picks.

Of those 24 pitchers, 20 of them were from college, and eight were lefties. According to this MLB.com article, the Twins went with power over finesse. For instance, the club's two compensation picks, Jose Barrios and Luke Bard, can each throw in 96-mph range.

That article quotes Mike Radcliff, vice president of player personnel, saying:

"We're happy about [the power arms], no question," Radcliff said. "I know everybody says we're the pitch-to-contact Twins and all that, but that's really not our preference at all. It's how it played out over time with all the different pitchers we drafted, signed, and brought in.

"But we have just as much preference and desire to sign guys that throw hard as anybody else. It just hasn't played out that way. We did take a lot of guys with some arm strength, some power to their pitches."

Of the Twins' 19 position players, there were nine outfielders, six catchers and four infielders.

Of note: The Twins selected LJ Mazzilli, whose father, Lee Mazzilli, was a big league player and coach.

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

2012-06-05T16:46:51Z

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.

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

2012-06-05T14:05:54Z

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

2012-06-04T15:25:32Z

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.

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MLB Draft 2012: Mitch Brown Expected To Be Selected Early

2012-05-21T14:18:28Z

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.

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