Wondering which young players could have an impact in the majors this year? Let MLB FanHouse guide the way in Better Know a Prospect. In this edition we look at three players from the Minnesota Twins.Jose Mijares, RP: Returning from a broken arm last season, Mijares started at the very bottom and worked his way to the top, exceeding expectations every stop of the way. He dominated across four levels of play, beginning with a stint in Rookie league all the way up to 10 phenomenal innings (0.87 ERA, 0.29 WHIP) in the big leagues. Surely he should be able to ride that wave of success into a regular big-league job in 2009, right?
That remains to be seen. All the talent in the world can't make up for a bad attitude, and the Twins have to be concerned about the way Mijares abandoned his winter ball team after an argument with his manager. Toss in the fact that he's yet to see any meaningful action at Triple-A and it's not out of the question that he opens the year in the minors. That said, Mijares will be up at some point. He's posted more strikeouts than innings pitched for most of his career with excellent control, and just about every big league bullpen has a need for a guy like that.
Kevin Mulvey, SP: The Twins won't have an empty rotation spot going into camp, but Mulvey should be the first pitcher called should a vacancy appear. Last year in Triple-A he posted a 3.77 ERA (1.35 WHIP) while averaging 7.2 K/9 and 2.5 K/BB. Phillip Humber, the third-overall pick in 2004, has more name recognition, but Mulvey is two years younger and more effective.
Luke Hughes, 3B: Third base is currently up for grabs, and even if Joe Crede ends up signing, there's a good chance the Twins will need a replacement during his inevitable trip(s) to the disabled list. Hughes is a bit of a longshot behind veterans Brian Buscher and Brendan Harris, but he's a versatile option who has hit for both power and average in the minors.
Last year, split between Double-A and Triple-A, he combined to hit .309 (.891 OPS) while bouncing between second and third base, with appearances in all three outfield spots for good measure. Long-term, he may not have as high of a ceiling as Danny Valencia, who hit .311 (.866 OPS) between Single-A and Double-A last year, but he's closer to contributing in the majors and offers more position versatility.
For comprehensive coverage of the minor leagues, visit John Sickels at Minor League Ball and Baseball America. For minor league statistics, visit Baseball-Reference and Minor League Splits.
