System overview
One of the great ironies of the contraction debate is the fact that the Minnesota Twins, targeted for extinction because of their alleged "inability to compete" in the long-term, have one of the best farm systems in baseball.

The major-league team is young, and the minors are full of prospects ready or nearly ready to make the jump. Power has been the Twins greatest weakness on the major-league level in recent years. But sluggers like Mike Cuddyer, Mike Restovich, Justin Morneau, and Matt LeCroy (not mentioned below because he has too much major-league experience) offer strong power bats and will be ready within the next year or two. The Twins also have a solid core of pitching prospects, derived from both the college and high school ranks.

They continue to expand operations in Latin America, and probably have the strongest Australian scouting program of any major-league club. The Twins operate on a tight budget, but they've made the most of their resources. One hopes that the people who've worked loyally for the organization, not to mention Twins fans, are given the chance to enjoy the fruits of this labor.

2001 Minor League W-L Percentage: .541, (ranked 6th)

2001 amateur draft
With the first pick in the country, the Twins had a chance to make a big splash. They did just that, selecting Minnesota high school catcher Joe Mauer. Not a nepotism or hometown pick, Mauer is one of the best catchers in high school history. He hit .400 in rookie ball, is sound defensively, and has a good chance to avoid the pitfalls that make high school catchers as risky (if not more so) than their mound counterparts.

The Twins focused on high school talent in the next few rounds as well. Second-round pick Scott Tyler, a right-hander from Pennsylvania, throws in the mid-90s and has a potentially strong curve, but is somewhat raw. Third-round pick Jose Morales, a shortstop, and fourth-rounder Angel Garcia, a hard-throwing right-hander, came out of Puerto Rico. Both are talented; neither will advance quickly, though the Twins are quite high on Garcia.

College picks were the emphasis in the following rounds, especially pitchers. Seventh-rounder Matt Vorwald (RHP, University of Illinois) and eighth-rounder Jared Hemus (LHP, Grossmont JC) have the best arms, while fifth-rounder Jeremy Brown (RHP, University of Georgia) and sixth-rounder Vince Serafini (LHP, University of Evansville) are control types. 13th-rounder Kevin Cameron, a RHP from Georgia Tech, hits 95.

Two high school hitters to watch closely: ninth-rounder Dusty Gomon, from Florida, and 10th-rounder Garrett Guzman, from Nevada. Gomon is a power monster, while Guzman should hit for average.

Overall, this is a solid mixture of high school and college types.

Top prospects
Players in the "Will Help Soon" section could see major-league action in 2002. Players in the "Will Help Someday" section shouldn't reach the majors until '03 or later, though of course that can change. Players are listed alphabetically. No 2001 draftees are listed.

WILL HELP SOON
Grand Balfour, RHP: Aussie with a 93 mph fastball and nasty slider. Threw well in Double-A last year (1.08 ERA) and could contribute in the bullpen this year.

Mike Cuddyer, OF-3B: Possible right fielder for the Twins in '02, after slamming 30 homers and hitting .301 in Double-A. Also drew 75 walks.

Adam Johnson, RHP: 2000 first-rounder, throws 90-95, has decent breaking stuff and throws strikes. May make the rotation, but sometimes projected as a future closer.

Matt Kinney, RHP: Struggled with his command last year (5.07 ERA, 74 walks in 162 innings), but retains 95 mph fastball and big-breaking slider. In the rotation mix.

Mike Restovich, OF: Not quite as polished as Cuddyer, but a similar talent. Hit .269 with 23 homers, 33 doubles, 54 walks, and 15 steals at Double-A.

Juan Rincon, RHP: Another rotation candidate, posted 2.88 ERA and 14-6 record in Double-A, with 133/57 K/BB. Works at 91-94 mph with good slider and changeup.

Brad Thomas, LHP: Another Aussie, can hit 95 and has a decent curve/changeup combo. Went 10-3 with 1.96 ERA in Double-A. May need some Triple-A time but another rotation candidate.

WILL HELP SOMEDAY
J.D. Durbin, RHP: Athletic guy with 93 mph fastball, posted 1.87 ERA in rookie ball. At least two years away, but someone to watch.

Colby Miller, RHP: Like Durban, he is young (20) and he throws hard, hitting 93 mph and posting a 2.44 ERA in rookie ball. Also some distance from the majors, but talented.

Justin Morneau, 1B: Canadian slugger, has a picture-perfect swing, good strike zone judgment, and upper-deck power. Will need a full season of Double-A, but no need to rush him. Just 20.

Sandy Tejada, RHP: Product of the Dominican, hits 93 already and should pick up more velocity. Fanned 87 with just 20 walks in 56 innings of rookie ball.

KEY SLEEPER
Kevin Frederick, RHP: Used a 90-mph fastball and a solid slider to post a 1.63 ERA in Double-A, fanning 109 in 83 innings of bullpen duty. Could sneak into middle-relief role.

Other names to know
Rob Bowen, C; B.J. Garbe, OF; Kelley Gulledge, C; Beau Kemp, RHP; Bobby Kielty, OF; Luis Maza, SS; Jon McDonald, RHP; Jason Miller, LHP; Dustin Mohr, OF; Mike Nakamura, RHP; Jeff Randazzo, LHP; Ruben Salazar, 2B; Todd Sears, 1B; Terry Tiffee, 3B-1B; James Tomlin, OF; Brian Wolfe, RHP.

John Sickels is the author of the 2002 STATS Minor League Scouting Notebook. He is currently writing a biography of Bob Feller. He lives in Lawrence, Kansas, with his wife, son, and two cats. You can send John questions or comments at JASickels@aol.com, or you can visit his homepage at hometown.aol.com/jasickels/page1.html.