Miguel Sano, outfielder?

Miguel Sano is hitting
in instructional league
but still being kept out
of games.

In a teleconference call Wednesday with season-ticket holders, Terry Ryan said a couple of noteworthy things about Miguel Sano. In an interview Thursday with the Pioneer Press, Ryan walked one of them back.

First: The power prospect has no chance of coming north out of spring training, not after missing the entire 2014 season. No real surprise, given the organization's conservative approach to promotions and Sano's long layoff.

Second: When Sano does reach the majors, Ryan suggested to the ticket holders, it may be as an outfielder.

That's the one he retreated from Thursday,

#MNTwins GM Terry Ryan on Miguel Sano: "Can he play the outfield? Probably. Is he going to? No."
— John Shipley (@johnDshipley) October 9, 2014

Shipley's story elaborated:

"Someone asked me if Sano could play the outfield, and I said he probably could," Ryan said. "He probably could play any position, but let's put that to rest right now. I don't have any interest in moving Sano."

Which is fine by me. I don't like the idea of Sano in the outfield. At all.

I want this team to get back to fast outfielders who can make the pitching staff better. I don't foresee, even with the hopes for Alex Meyer and Kohl Stewart, a Minnesota rotation of power arms who can thrive without good outfield defense. Sano might make Target Field's left field look small at the plate, but he'd make it look mammoth in the field.

In Shipley's story, Ryan goes further on downplaying Sano-to-the-majors, suggesting that we won't see him until 2016. I'm not going to put any weight on that. If Sano is healthy, he'll bash his way to the majors on his schedule, not the front office's.

They can start slow with him. He is capable of speeding it up.