Minnesota Twins 2017 MLB Draft pick capsules
A complete listing of the Minnesota Twins’ 2017 MLB Draft picks with a capsule summary of each.
Round 1, Pick 1 -- SS Royce Lewis (6-1 , 185), JSerra Catholic HS (Calif.): The 2017 Gatorade Player of the Year in California and was also a first-team 2017 Rawlings-Perfect Game All-American. … No. 5 ranked prospect by MLB.com and Baseball America. … In 2016 for the gold-medal winning USA Baseball 18U national team, he batted .500 with eight walks and zero strikeouts. … Named MVP of both the 2016 Under Armour All-American Game and Perfect Game Al-American Classic.
Round 1, Pick 35 -- OF Brent Rooker (6-4, 220), Mississippi State: Finalist for Dick Howser Award given to top collegiate baseball player. … Ranked No. 29 prospect by MinorLeagueBall.com, No. 50 by MLB.com and No. 64 by Baseball America. … 2017 SEC Player of the Year and first-team All-SEC after winning the conference Triple Crown after hitting .387 with 23 home runs and 48 RBI. … Led Division 1 in doubles, slugging percentage and OPS. … Was also drafted by the Twins in 2016 in the 38th round.
Round 2, Pick 37 -- RHP Landon Leach (6-4, 205), Pickering HS (Ontario, Canada): Ranked as No. 101 prospect by MLB.com, No. 102 by MinorLeagueBall.com and No. 118 by Baseball America. … A second-team 2017 Rawlings-Perfect Game All-American. … Was the closer on the Canadian Junior National team. … Converted from catcher to pitcher in his 16U year. … Has hit 96 on his fastball and also throws a changeup and slider. … Doesn't turn 18 until July. … Committed to Texas.
Round 3, Pick 76 -- RHP Blayne Enlow (6-3, 180), St. Amant (La.) HS: Ranked No. 28 prospect by MinorLeagueBall.com, No. 29 by MLB.com and No. 33 by Baseball America (although had been No. 27 back in May). … As a senior had a 1.01 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 69 2/3 innings. … First-team 2017 Rawlings-Perfect Game All-American. … Had a 13-inning scoreless streak for the US National team in October, helping them win a gold medal in the Pan-American Games. … MLB.com says Enlow "might have the best breaking ball in the 2017 high school class." … An LSU commit but reportedly already has worked out a deal with the Twins.
Round 4, Pick 106 -- LHP Charlie Barnes (6-1, 170), Clemson: Ranked the No. 108 prospect by Baseball America, No. 149 by MLB.com, No. 155 by MinorLeagueBall.com. … In three years at Clemson had a 3.85 ERA and 220 strikeouts with just 54 walks. … Had a 3.53 ERA and .246 opponent batting average in 10 regular-season starts in the ACC in 2017.
Round 5, Pick 136 -- 3B Andrew Bechtold (6-1, 195), Chipola College: Batted .419 with 12 home runs, 24 steals and 65 RBI in 60 games in 2017. … Helped lead Chipola to JUCO World Series championship game. … Ranked No. 95 prospect by Baseball America, No. 117 by MinorLeagueBall.com and No. 142 by MLB.com. … Originally attended Maryland, where he played for two seasons. … An LSU commit.
Round 6, Pick 166 -- SS Ricky De La Torre (6-2, 175), Puerto Rico Baseball Academy: First-team 2017 Rawlings-Perfect Game All-American. … Ranked No. 110 prospect by MinorLeagueBall.com, No. 180 by MLB.com and No. 196 by Baseball America.
Round 7, Pick 196 -- LHP Ryley Widell (6-4, 205), Central Arizona College: In 2017, was 8-2 with a 1.82 ERA, .179 opponent batting average and 115 strikeouts and 39 walks in 95 2/3 innings. … Ranked No. 187 prospect by Baseball America, No. 190 MLB.com and No. 197 by MinorLeagueBall.com. … North Carolina commit.
Round 8, Pick 226 -- LHP Bryan Sammons (6-4, 225), Western Carolina: In 2017 was 8-3 with one save, a 3.02 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 104 1/3 innings. … Had over 100 pitches in all 14 of his starts. … No. 375 ranked prospect by Baseball America and No. 472 by MinorLeagueBall.com. … Had a 1.53 ERA in the 2016 Cape Cod League.
Round 9, Pick 256 -- OF Mark Contreras (6-0, 185), UC Riverside: Batted .366 with a .427 on-base percentage and .588 slugging percentage in 2017. … Tied NCAA record with three triples in a game at San Diego State on April 25.
Round 10, Pick 286 -- RHP Calvin Faucher (6-1, 175), UC Irvine: Had 20 saves in two seasons, including 12 in 2017. … Finished with a 2.76 ERA and 92 strikeouts. … Ranked No. 390 prospect by Baseball America and No. 491 by MinorLeagueBall.com.
Round 11, Pick No. 316 -- OF Gabriel Rodriguez (6-1, 193), Adela Rolon Fuentes (P.R.) HS: Ranked No. 329 prospect by MinorLeagueBall.com and No. 407 by Baseball America. … Honorable mention 2017 Rawlings-Perfect Game All-American. … Florida International commit.
Round 12, Pick No. 346 -- RHP Bailey Ober (6-7, 190), College of Charleston: No. 241 ranked prospect by MinorLeagueBall.com and No. 300 by Baseball America. … Went 24-9 with a 2.91 ERA and 254 strikeouts in 259 innings in his collegiate career. … Drafted by Dodgers in 26th round in 2016. … Missed 2015 season due to Tommy John surgery and missed a month this past year with a back injury. … In 2014 was named the NCBWA Freshman Pitcher of the Year.
Round 13, Pick No. 376 -- OF Jared Atkins (6-3, 195), Fresno State: Hit .328 with a team-high 11 home runs as a junior in 2017. … His 23 doubles were 10th most in a single season in school history. … Played at Glendale Community College in 2016.
Round 14, Pick No. 406 -- RHP Derek Molina (6-3, 195), Merced College: Hit .356 with 40 runs, 36 RBI and 11 steals in 42 games.
Round 15, Pick No. 436 -- RHP Rickey Ramirez (6-0, 160), Fresno State: In 19 games, with 13 starts, had a 5.30 ERA and 68 strikeouts. … In 2016 was second-team All-Mountain West and had a 0.45 ERA with four saves in conference play.
Round 16, Pick No. 466 -- RHP Cade Smith (6-5, 220), Mennonite Educational Institute (B.C., Canada): Played on the Canadian Junior National team. … Overcame Osgood-Schlatter Disease in his knees. … Hawaii commit.
Round 17, Pick No. 496 -- C Andrew Cosgrove (6-2, 200), North Carolina State: Hit .284 with 11 doubles and four home runs in 2017. … Played in junior college one year and one game for Washington prior to NC State.
Round 18, Pick No. 526 -- CF Colton Burns (6-2, 200), UC Santa Barbara: No. 323 ranked prospect by Baseball America and No. 401 by MinorLeagueBaseball.com. … Hit .308 with 34 walks in 2017 and was an honorable mention All-Big West. … Played for College of the Canyons from 2014-16 and hit .386 with a .514 slugging percentage. … Was a Junior College All-American in 2016 as a sophomore and a Gold Glove winner as a freshman.
Round 19, Pick No. 556 -- SS Jordan Gore (6-0, 165), Coastal Carolina: Hit .318 with 38 runs in 2017. … Played two years at South Carolina. … Had Tommy John surgery in the spring of 2016.
Round 20, Pick No. 586 -- RHP Tyler Gray (6-2, 180), Central Arkansas: In 2017 had a 3.80 ERA in 87 2/3 innings with89 strikeouts. … In three years, posted a combined 3.42 ERA with 168 strikeouts in 171 innings.
Round 21, Pick No. 616 -- C Colton Waltner (6-2, 185), San Diego: Hit .290 with a .396 on-base percentage in 2017. … Missed the 2016 season after having Tommy John surgery. … In 2015, batted .321 with 40 RBI.
Round 22, Pick No. 646 -- RHP Christian Broussard (6-3, 260): Cal State Los Angeles: Had a 3.43 ERA with 73 strikeouts in 89 1/3 innings in 2017. … Also played first base and hit .318 with nine home runs.
Round 23, Pick No. 676 -- RHP Jared Finkel (6-3, 205), Iona: In 24 relief appearances in 2017 had a 1.41 ERA with 11 saves. … Held batters to a .182 average.
Round 24, Pick No. 706 -- OF T.J. Dixon (5-11,180), Samford: Hit .327 with 48 runs and 23 steals in 27 attempts in 2017. … Was third in the Southern Conference in triples (5) and steals (21) in 2016.
Round 25, Pick No. 736 -- 2B Carson Crites (6-0, 195), Southeastern Louisiana: Hit .299 with 14 home runs, 15 steals, 51 runs and a Southland Conference-leading 60 RBI in 2017. … Second-team All-Southland Conference in 2017 and a first-team pick in '17.
Round 26, Pick No. 766 -- RHP Jordan Spicer (6-3, 205), Polk State: Ranked No. 143 by MLB.com, No. 144 by Baseball America and No. 147 by MinorLeagueBall.com. … In 13 starts, was 7-0 with a 1.94 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 69 2/3 innings. … Central Florida commit.
Round 27, Pick No. 796 -- OF Chandler Taylor (6-1, 210), Alabama: Named second-team All-SEC. … Hit .282 with 16 home runs (ranking third in the SEC), 39 runs and 34 RBI. … Led Alabama in home runs, RBI, runs, slugging percentage (.634), total bases (71) and steals (7). … Made the All-SEC Freshman Team in 2016.
Round 28, Pick No. 826 -- RHP Joe Record (6-3, 210), UC Santa Barbara: Started the season as UCSB's Sunday starter but an elbow injury cut short his season. … Pitched in just three games and 9 1/3 innings. … In 2016, was team's Sunday starter and went 6-5 with a 3.91 ERA.
Round 29, Pick No. 856 -- RHP Griffin Roberts (6-3, 210), Wake Forest: No. 177 ranked prospect by MLB.com, No. 209 by MinorLeagueBall.com and No. 217 by Baseball America. … Fastball can reach 95-97 mph. … Wake's closer, finished with eight saves and a 2.19 ERA and .160 opponent bating avrerage with 80 strikeouts in 53 1/3 innings.
Round 30, Pick No. 886 -- RHP Alex Robles (6-0, 200), Austin Peay: First-team All-OVC in 2017 after making the second team in 2016. … Was the first player in OVC history to receive five All-OVC awards in a career. … Ranks second in school history for pitchers in wins (28) and strikeouts (295) as well as third for batters in hits (268). … Is the only NCAA player to record a win as a starting pitcher, hit for the cycle and go 5-for-5 in the same game. … Had a 6.50 ERA with 85 strikeouts in 73 1/3 innings in 23 games, with 10 starts. … Also hit .347 in 2017 with 10 home runs, 11 stolen bases and 47 RBI.
Round 31, Pick No. 916 -- 3B Luke Miller (6-3, 185), Indiana: Hit .274 with 15 doubles, 10 home runs, 50 runs and 39 RBI in 55 games. … In 2016, was a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American as well as on the All-Big Ten Freshman team.
Round 32, Pick No. 946 -- RHP Nick Brown (6-1, 190), William & Mary: Appeared in 22 games with seven starts, finishing with a 5.23 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 63 2/3 innings.
Round 33, Pick No. 976 -- 1B J.J. Robinson (6-2, 215), Lewis-Clark State: No. 487 ranked prospect by MinorLeagueBall.com. … NAIA West Grouping North Division Player of the Year and NAIA All-American in both 2016 and 2017. … Hit .376 with .730 slugging percentage in 2017 to go with 19 home runs and 62 RBI.
Round 34, Pick No. 1,006 -- RHP Max Meyer (6-0, 170), Woodbury (Minn.) HS: Honorable mention 2017 Rawlings-Perfect Game All-American. … Minnesota commit.
Round 35, Pick No. 1,036 -- SS Adam Oviedo (5-11, 180), Alvarado HS: No. 129 ranked prospect by MLB.com and No. 133 by both Baseball America and MinorLeagueBall.com. … Honorable mention 2017 Rawlings-Perfect Game All-American. … As a senior, batted .439 with an .872 slugging percentage. … Had six home runs, six triples, 41 runs, 29 RBI and 22 stolen bases. … TCU commit.
Round 36, Pick No. 1,066 -- RHP Josh McMinn (6-4, 185), Oral Roberts: Went 9-3 in 16 starts in 2017, with an ERA of 2.47 and 75 strikeouts in 91 innings.
Round 37, Pick No. 1,096 -- C Patrick Bailey (6-0, 175), Wesleyan Christian Academy (N.C.): No. 299 ranked prospect by Baseball America and No. 382 by MinorLeagueBall.com. … Honorable mention 2017 Rawlings-Perfect Game All-American. … Hit .510 with a .947 slugging percentage, 33 runs and 33 RBI in 2017. … As a junior led the team in batting average (.402), doubles (12), triples (4) and RBI (30). … North Carolina State commit.
Round 38, Pick No. 1,126 -- C Benjamin Rodriguez (6-6, 235), Pepperdine: Hit .230 with five home runs and 31 RBI in 2017. … In 2016, led the team with a .401 on-base percentage and .533 slugging percentage while batting .289.
Round 39, Pick No. 1,156 -- OF Jonny DeLuca (5-11, 180), Agoura (Calif.) HS: No. 277 ranked prospect by MinorLeagueBall.com and No. 320 by Baseball America. … Honorable mention 2017 Rawlings-Perfect Game All-American. … Also a top long jumper in California. … Oregon commit.
Round 40, Pick No. 1186 -- RHP Austin Bizzle (6-1, 205), Alabama State: Made 27 appearances in 2017 with just two starts. … Had a team-best 1.95 ERA, .202 opponent batting average and 78 strikeouts in 74 innings.
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