[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by 3kings

Chuck,

I was at a Rochester Redwing game last week and saw Danny Valencia (Twin prospect) play and thought he looked like a big time prospect. He made a couple of great plays in the field and the ball jumped off his bat. Do you have any info on him? Was just curious, thanks.

Was Twins number 3 prospect coming into the season.

Danny Valencia, 3B
DOB: 9/19/84
Height/Weight: 6-2/200
Bats/Throws: R/R
Drafted/Signed: 19th round, 2006, University of Miami
2008 Stats: .336/.402/.518, .274 EqA at High-A (60 G); .289/.334/.485, .247 EqA at Double-A (69 G)
Last Year's Ranking: Not Ranked

Year in Review: This once lightly regarded organizational player continued to put up impressive numbers in 2008 while turning scouts into true believers.
The Good: Valencia's hitting skills rank with anyone's in the system other than Revere's. He's "aggressively patient" at the plate, looking for pitches to drive, using all fields, and showcasing average power with the occasional ability to crush mistakes. He's a solid third baseman who makes all of the plays he gets to while featuring a plus arm.
The Bad: There are no real weaknesses to his game, but then he doesn't have massive tools or significant upside potential either. He's a tick below average as a baserunner, and his range at third is average at best.
Fun Fact: No player signed as the 576th overall pick has ever reached the big leagues. (The Cubs selected Micah Owings with the selection in 2004, but he didn't sign.)
Perfect World Projection: He's a solid mid-pack third baseman.
Glass Half Empty: He'll be a good utility player at both corners, though his right-handedness could make that a tougher road to travel.
Path to the Big Leagues: It's wide open; the Twins enter camp without a real answer at third base.
Timetable: Because of his age, Valencia could get jumped to Triple-A Rochester to begin the year as the Twins want to see if he could ready to fill their hole at the hot corner.