Ten Names To Watch This Spring Training

The Twins system is stocked with great talent. Here's some names to keep an eye on this spring.

Alex Kirilloff signs autographs for fans as a member of the Fort Myers Miracle in 2018. (Linwood Ferguson)

By Bill Vilona, Senior Writer

February 18, 2019

The Minnesota Twins status as one of baseball's top minor league systems includes a group of players now ready for a leap in level.
That should mean big things on the field at Blue Wahoos Stadium in 2019.
"Some of our best players in our minor league system are either ready to come to Double-A or they will be here at some point," said Twins general manager Thad Levine, speaking during his visit Jan. 31 at the Studer Community Institute during the Twins Winter Caravan.
"Once you get to Double-A and Triple-A, you are knocking on the door to the big leagues. Once you show up in the big leagues, we want you to have a standard of excellence that includes winning championships."
That bodes well for Pensacola's chances in the Southern League in 2019. The Twins Advanced-A affiliate, one level down, won the Florida State League title in 2018. Below them, A-Cedar Rapids went ot the Midwest League semi-final. Elizabethton, Minnesota's rookie league affiliate, won the Appalachian League championship.
The Twins began full-squad workouts Monday in Fort Myers with the first Grapefruit League Spring Training game set for Saturday.
There were 59 players in the Twins' major league camp Monday for the first practice at Hammond Stadium. The group included three of MLB's top 25 rated prospects: shortstop Royce Lewis, outfielder Alex Kirilloff, and pitcher Brusdar Graterol.
In addition, non-roster invitees to major league camp include prospects like catcher Ben Rortvedt, outfielder Luke Raley, and power-hitting first baseman Brent Rooker.
All could be in Pensacola this season.
Here are 10 names to keep an eye on this spring who could be wearing a Blue Wahoos uniform on Opening Day or soon after.

Royce Lewis: The 19-year-old shortstop from California is the Twins' consensus top-rated prospect and enters 2019 ranked as the #5 prospect in the game by MLB Pipeline. He was the #1 overall pick in the 2017 Major League Baseball draft. A five-tool talent, he hit a combined .292 with 14 home runs and 28 steals in 2018 between Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers.
Alex Kirilloff: The Twins second-rated prospect and #9 overall prospect in baseball is a 21-year-old corner outfielder and 2016 first round pick. He was instrumental in leading Fort Myers to the Florida State League title, hitting .362 and driving in 45 runs in 65 games. In total, he hit 20 home runs and drove in 101 runs in 2018 between Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers.
Brusdar Graterol: A righthanded starting pitcher from Venezuela, Graterol routinely hits 100 mph with his fastball and is the top pitching prospect in the Minnesota system. With Cedar Rapids in 2018, he averaged 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings while posting a 2.18 ERA in 8 starts. After a mid-season call-up to Fort Myers, he made 11 starts in the Florida State League and went 5-2 with a 3.12 ERA.
Brent Rooker: Former Mississippi State star belted 22 home runs and 79 RBI last season with the Chattanooga Lookouts, the Twins former affiliate in the Southern League. The first baseman sustained an ankle sprain that kept him from finishing in the Arizona Fall League and is expected to start in Pensacola.
Jaylin Davis : The right fielder was a star at Appalachian State and considered a top-round draft talent before a torn labrum ended his final collegiate season. A Florida State League All-Star and MiLB.com Organizational All-Star in 2018, he hit .273 with 11 homers between Fort Myers and Chattanooga last season.
Jorge Alcala : Acquired in a trade deadline deal with Houston for reliever Ryan Pressly, Alcala enters 2019 ranked as the #11 prospect in the Twins system and one of the most exciting arms in the organization. With a hard fastball that has touched triple digits, he struck out 104 batters in 99.1 innings last season and made 14 appearances at the Double-A level between Chattanooga and Corpus Christi. .
Luis Arraez : One of the best pure hitters in the system, the versatile infielder holds a career .329 batting average in the minors. In 2018, he hit .320 with Fort Myers before a promotion to Double-A. The #15 prospect in the Minnesota system, he was added to the Twins 40-man roster this off-season.
Ben Rortvedt: The top catching prospect in the Twins system, Rortvedt was a second round pick in 2016. A plus defensive catcher lauded for his receiving and blocking skills, he made large leaps offensively in 2018, slashing .262/.331/.379 between Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers in 2018.
Tyler Wells : The 6'5" pitcher was a hit with area fans during his visit Jan. 31 as part of the Twins Winter Caravan. A winner of the Twins Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service, Wells established himself as a top pitching prospect in 2018, going 10-6 with a 2.49 ERA between Fort Myers and Chattanooga.
Griffin Jax : A graduate of the Air Force Academy, Jax was limited to just nine minor league appearances during his first two professional seasons by his military commitments after being selected in the third round of the 2016 draft. In his first full season in 2018, he made 14 starts for Fort Myers and posted a 3.70 ERA.