Twins target infielders in second day of MLB draft

CLEVELAND – The Twins backed up their opinion about pitching in this year's MLB draft — that there isn't as much as usual — with their actions on Day 2: They stocked up on college infielders.

Minnesota used four of its first five picks Tuesday on impressive hitters who can play in the infield, and scouting director Sean Johnson said they both expected and welcomed that fact.

"The college pitching, that board looked pretty thin. So you end up with a bunch of hitters, which is fine with us," Johnson said. "College hitters are definitely a market we like to be in, and most of the guys were performers."

That applies especially to third-rounder Spencer Steer, a shortstop from Oregon who particularly impressed the Twins in last summer's Cape Cod league, enough to be chosen with the 90th overall pick. Steer hit .349 and drove in 57 runs in 56 games, and earned All-Pac 12 and All-Pac 12 defensive honors. "He can stay at shortstop," Johnson said. "Now, whether he ends up at second or third, to be determined."

That's because the Twins also drafted third baseman Seth Gray from Wright State in the fourth round, and shortstops Will Holland of Auburn in the fifth and Anthony Prato of UConn in the seventh. "Holland, we thought he was a day-one guy going into the season," Johnson said. "He had a bad year (.248 with nine homers), but we love his tools and the athlete there, so to get him in that round, we felt good about it."

The Twins did add four pitchers in the later rounds, selecting righthander Sawyer Gipson-Long from Mercer in the sixth, then closing the second day with three pitchers in a row: Casey Legumina of Gonzaga; Brent Headrick, a lefthander from Illinois State; and Ben Gross from Duke. At 6-6, Gipson-Long is "a big guy who throws hard and has good breaking balls," Johnson said.

He also was a favorite of both the Twins' on-site scouts and the research department, which creates models to uncover pitchers who tend to succeed as professionals. "That's kind of a sweet spot for me when I'm trying to make decisions on who to take and where," Johnson said.

As free agents Craig Kimbrel and Dallas Keuchel consider whether and with whom to sign contracts, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli has to consider how to handle a newcomer, should one of them choose his team.

The Twins have been in contact with the agents for both pitchers, and while Baldelli did not comment on those pitchers specifically or the team's prospects of signing them, he said he is in contact with the front office about his roster on a daily basis. "But I like to focus on the players we have, instead of looking outward all the time," Baldelli said.

The manager is aware of the discussions, of course, but gave no hint of whether he feels a midseason signing is possible — or desirable.

"Am I excited? I'm excited about watching all our guys play right now. If I have to consider something else at any point, whether it's [Kimbrel or Keuchel] or anything in the future, I'll offer my opinion on stuff" to the front office, Baldelli said. "But I truthfully couldn't be any happier with the way the players that we have are playing and the way our team is playing right now. I don't know how the guys that we have, I don't know how they could have given us better efforts to this point in the season. They've done a phenomenal job."

And he knows that altering a roster that has charged to the top of the AL Central comes with potential risks — but possible benefits, too.

Nelson Cruz returned to the Twins' lineup, his first appearance since straining his left wrist May 12, and went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.