E-Twins could see top pitching prospects
Perhaps more so than any season, including the 2005 campaign that saw Major League starters Kevin Slowey and Glen Perkins take turns on the Joe O'Brien Field diamond, the potential is there for one of the best pitching units to hit Elizabethton in quite some time.
Of course rosters have yet to be determined, but there is a good possibility that a couple, if not all, of Minnesota's top four picks could see time in Elizabethton this summer if they do not begin in low A.
With their first pick, Minnesota got one of the biggest steals of the draft as they selected University of Missouri right-hander Kyle Gibson with the 22nd overall selection.
Gibson's stock declined after he was sidelined with a stress fracture in the collegiate postseason.
The junior could be sidelined for up to six weeks, but should be ready to pitch by late July. There's also the possibility the pitcher may sit out the summer to completely heal his injury.
Baseball America ranked the 6-foot-6, 208-pound righty as the fourth overall prospect in the draft. Prior to his injury, Gibson was expected to be taken in the first ten picks after a year that saw him post an 11-3 record with a 3.21 ERA while tying a school record with 131 strikeouts.
In the first compensation round, the Twins went with southpaw Matthew Bashore of Indiana University.
According to a report on the Minnesota website, Bashore turned heads in the Twins office with a solid second half to the collegiate season. Standing at 6-foot-2, Bashore throws a fastball that peaks in the mid-90s and is projected to be a starter.
Minnesota took two additional right handed pitchers with their second and third round picks in University of Florida's William Bullock and Jacksonville State's Benjamine Tootle, each of whom are projected as relievers.
Bullock has been clocked as fast as 98 miles per hour with his fastball, while Tootle's fastball reached 99 mph during Cape Cod League play a year ago.
All-in-all, Minnesota selected 29 pitchers and 29 collegiate prospects in their 51 selections. Of the position players, the Twins grabbed five catchers, five infielders and four outfielders.
Outside of Bullock, Minnesota took two additional University of Florida players in lefty pitcher Tony Davis and catcher Buddy Munroe.
The Twins took one player from Tennessee, Vanderbilt outfielder Steven Liddle, a native of Brentwood, in the 15th round.
Wounding out the top eleven picks are fifth round pick West Virginia catcher Tobias Streich, University of Miami catcher Christopher Hermann in the sixth round, Kent State righty Brad Stillings in the seventh round, Southern Miss shortstop Brian Dozier in the eighth, and Florida high school shortstop Nick Lockwood in the ninth and LSU outfielder Blake Dean in the tenth.
The full Elizabethton roster will not be available for two weeks as the draftees and returning players participate in camp in Fort Myers, Florida.
Elizabethton begins its Appy League campaign on the road at Bluefield on June 23rd. The Twins open at home with Pulaski in a rematch of the 2008 league championship series June 26th.