The 2022 MLB Draft has come and gone. To say that the Minnesota Twins made their mark this year would be somewhat of an understatement. They were successful in their own right by drafting a top-tier player that fell to them in the first round and restocking their farm, which had been somewhat depleted due to the recent graduations. After the trade deadline, building more for the future also seems more prevalent than ever, as the Twins traded away a lot of their future in order to help win now.
That being said, it’s quite rare for any drafted player to be that big of an impact so soon, so “potential” is the key word here, as it all matters how they will be developed. Still, it’s fun to look at the present-day situation and imagine what the future will hold with such good talent waiting to grow. While here is their complete draft list, my focus will be on their first three picks, which I think were outstanding in their own right.
1. Brooks Lee, SS, 21, Cal-Poly (NCAA)
Brooks like we got our guy!
With the 8th pick in the 2022 Draft, we’ve selected SS @brookslee22! pic.twitter.com/HNCcab3ikR
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) July 18, 2022
Thought by some to be the most polished hitter of the draft, Lee should be a fixture in the Twins’ farm system for quite a while. Despite being listed as a shortstop, he seems likely to get some time in as a second baseman as well, given that Royce Lewis is still there. All that being said, Lee has some power in his swing, evidenced by his twenty-five home runs throughout three collegiate seasons. Additionally, he has a well-developed eye at the plate, as he’s walked more often than he’s struck out, all while finishing with an impressive batting line. Stats aside, he comes as a well-decorated recipient of many awards:
He seems to be tailor-made for this Twins infield and could be the total package. Some scouts have him with a 65 Grade Hit Tool paired with a 55 Grade Power Tool, making him one of the better prospects Minnesota has drafted in quite a while.
Here’s the full MLB Pipeline report on Brooks Lee, the Twins’ 2022 first-rounder. pic.twitter.com/T19QEsalRz
— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) July 18, 2022
2. Connor Prielipp, LHP, 21, Alabama (NCAA)
With the 48th pick in the 2022 Draft, we’ve selected LHP, Connor Prielipp.
Welcome back to the midwest, Connor! pic.twitter.com/GQ73hsGBdU
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) July 18, 2022
The Twins didn’t stop with their good fortune after they made their first pick, as Connor Prielipp fell to them in the second round, giving them a potentially legitimate left-handed arm to develop. Falling down the draft boards because of his injury-riddled past which included Tommy John Surgery, the fully-healed southpaw brings a low-to-mid 90’s Grade 50 Fastball and a devastating 60 Grade Slider that sits in the mid 80’s to the team to help him develop into something more. While he does have a third pitch that will need development, he comes highly rated to the point of shock yet again that someone that the Twins valued fell onto their laps.
Here’s the full MLB Pipeline scouting report on #MNTwins second-rounder Connor Prielipp. pic.twitter.com/DjN5YOEX1J
— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) July 18, 2022
3. Tanner Schobel, SS, 21, Virginia Tech (NCAA)
Tanner is our man at 68!
With the 68th pick in the 2022 Draft, we’ve selected SS, @TannerSchobel. pic.twitter.com/sEoBlk2osa
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) July 18, 2022
Also selected in the second round, Schobel becomes their third Top-100 Prospect taken in this year’s draft, which is quite the feat for the franchise. Schobel was someone that the Twins valued due to his breakout in 2022 aided by his increased preparation in the gym and in the scouting room. His extra attention to detail allowed him to figure out pitcher tendencies and patterns, allowing him to succeed and finish with nineteen home runs last season. Versatile and dependable in the infield, Schobel played every single game during his collegiate career, at both second base and shortstop, and comes to the Twins with the potential to be quite the utility player should that be his calling.
And here’s the MLB Pipeline scouting report on #MNTwins draft selection Tanner Schobel, just taken at No. 68. pic.twitter.com/wkADY2fqoP
— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) July 18, 2022
Overall, the feeling from this draft is one of ecstatic relief. The Twins had cycled through some pretty high-level prospects and sent them up to the Majors for their graduation, leaving a feeling of emptiness, to me at least. Personally, I had felt that there was a lack of impact players within their system, and the ones that they did have were tagged with injury-riddled concerns. This draft gave a breath of fresh air that was necessary for the franchise, and it came in a big way. The three aforementioned prospects seem to all have something special to offer and could in fact be as impactful as their graduated predecessors. That said, there’s a lot of work to be done in order to make that happen, but the Twins seem up to the task.
We have signed 15 of our 2022 draft picks to their first Major League contracts! pic.twitter.com/xIyrDWeZRq
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) July 26, 2022
Dave Funnell covers the Minnesota Twins minor leagues for Prospects1500. Located just south of Toronto in the city of Hamilton, he's an hour away from Buffalo (and the Bisons). He's been a fan of baseball his entire life and doesn't have a favorite team, which hopefully gives way for objectivty in analysis. Dave is in multiple keeper fantasy baseball leagues and is active on Twitter at @sportz_nutt51.
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