Thursday, February 18, 2016

From the Prospect Handbook: Jorge Polanco

A pair of tweets yesterday from Baseball America's J.J. Cooper:







Which seems relevant when considering Jorge Polanco, rated by BA as the Twins' No. 6 prospect. Polanco has played primarily shortstop the past two years, but the general consensus is that his arm is a bit weak for the position. Second base is his best spot, but the Twins gave Brian Dozier a multi-year deal, so that spot is blocked.

Polanco's bat is major-league ready, but there's no place to put him. He has one option left, and unless somebody gets hurt in camp he's destined for Rochester, presumably to again do battle with a position for which he's an ill fit.

Third base might be an option, but if arm strength is an issue at short, it's an issue at third. (Dozier, it should be remembered, is a second baseman today because he doesn't have a true shortstop's arm either.) And Trevor Plouffe doesn't become a free agent for two years, so opening third for Polanco would require a trade, and there's no reason to believe the Twins are interested in dealing Plouffe.

But somebody's going to get traded someday.  Polanco is too talented a prospect to languish indefinitely in the minors, and even if he's blocked for 2016, something will have to happen for 2017.

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