Ranking the Twins Top 30 Prospects: #30-#29

This post will start a series where I count down the best 30 prospects in the Twins’ minor league system.

#30.  Rob Delaney, P – Delaney, 25, signed with the Twins in 2006 for a mere five hundred dollars after not being selected in the draft that year.  In four years in the system he has certainly earned that much and more.  Delaney emerged as one of the Twins’ top relief pitching prospects after terrific years in 2007 and 2008.  Delaney tore up both levels of A ball and double A before experiencing his first real troubles in AAA in 2009.  After a 2007 and 2008 where he posted earned run averages of 1.03 and 1.23, respectively, Delaney was not quite as lights out in 2009.  While he started off the year well, with a 2.00 ERA in double A, the promotion to triple A did not agree with Delaney, as he struggled down the stretch to a 4.53 ERA.  Delaney projects as a reliable middle reliever who will pound the strike zone and be murder on right handed batters.  Without overwhelming stuff, Delaney has to rely on savvy and control to get batters out.  While Delaney’s numbers in the minors have been impressive, he lacks a dominant out pitch, with his slider merely ranking as mediocre.  Delaney should get his chance to become a permanent fixture in the Twins’ bullpen at some point in the 2010.

#29.  Luke Hughes – Hughes is a perfect example of the Twins’ aggresive efforts in the international markets.  While most teams choose to focus those efforts on Latin America, and possibly Japan,  Minnesota has looked to more unconventional areas in their search for young talent.  Hughes, 25, was signed out of Australia in 2002 at the age of 18.  Hughes has struggled to make a significant impact on the farm system as constant injuries and an inability to secure playing time have combined to derail his career.  Despite these struggles, Hughes is still one of the Twins most promising power hitters, and they demonstrated this by protecting him on the 40-man roster.  Hughes had a teriffic year in 2008, hitting 18 home runs with a .309 batting average and effectively worked himself back into the Twins’ plans for the future.  Unfortunately, 2009 saw Hughes crash right back down to earth as he was only able to muster 12 home runs and a .254 batting average.  Hughes is at the point in his career where it is time for him to prove that he actually belongs in the majors.  The Twins will give him every opportunity to succeed as he represents serious power potential in a seriously power starved system.