News
Twins add six to fill out 40-man roster
Valencia, Guerra protected from Rule 5 Draft
Danny Valencia could challenge for the Twins' third-base job in the spring. (Jerry Hale/MLB.com)
By Kelly Thesier / MLB.com
11/20/09 4:36 PM EST
MINNEAPOLIS --The Twins had no shortage of players who were worthy of being protected from next month's Rule 5 Draft. So on Friday -- the deadline for clubs to set their 40-man roster -- the Twins had to remove one player from the roster to make enough room for all their additions.
The Twins filled up their 40-man roster by protecting six players -- infielders Danny Valencia and Estarlin De Los Santos and right-handers Deolis Guerra, Alex Burnett, Loek Van Mil and Rob Delaney -- in preparation for the Dec. 10 Draft that will take place at the Winter Meetings in Indianapolis.
To make room for all the additions, the Twins removed third baseman Deibinson Romero from the 40-man roster and outrighted him to Triple-A Rochester. All Major League clubs have until 10:59 p.m. CT on Friday to finalize their 40-man rosters; the Twins' is now full. Of the players who were protected by Minnesota, Valencia was likely the most notable name. The 25-year-old is expected to compete for the third-base job in the spring, although indications are that the Twins believe Valencia could use a little more time at Triple-A Rochester. Valencia, a 19th-round pick in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Miami, batted .284 with seven home runs and 29 RBIs in 57 games at Double-A New Britain last season before being promoted to Rochester on June 23. He then hit .286 with seven homers and 41 RBIs in 71 games for the Red Wings. Another name that might stand out to Twins fans is Guerra, who was one of four players the Twins received from the Mets in the Johan Santana trade. Guerra, 20, began the 2009 season at Class A Fort Myers but showed the most progress after a midseason promotion to New Britain. He went 6-3 with a 5.17 ERA for the Rock Cats and was named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week on July 20. Burnett went a combined 3-3 with a 1.85 ERA in stints with Fort Myers and New Britain. After being promoted to the Rock Cats in early June, the 22-year-old posted nine saves in 40 appearances while recording 52 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings. Burnett, who pitched for the Twins in the Arizona Fall League this year, was the Twins' 12th-round pick in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft. Van Mil, 25, has gotten his share of attention -- mostly for his height. The 7-foot-1 pitcher saved five games and posted a 2.86 ERA in 25 games before being promoted to New Britain in August. Van Mil, who was signed out of the Netherlands, went 1-1 with one save and a 2.45 ERA in eight appearances for the Rock Cats. Another intriguing factor with Van Mil besides his height is his ability to touch 97 mph with his fastball. Like Van Mil, Delaney was originally signed by the Twins as a non-drafted free agent. The 25-year-old, who signed with Minnesota in 2006 out of St. Johns University, went a combined 8-4 with a 3.44 ERA in 62 relief appearances for New Britain and Rochester in 2009. It was a continuation of the success Delaney's had in the Twins system, as he was named Minor League Baseball's best overall reliever in 2008. De Los Santos, 22, is a talented shortstop who has had trouble staying healthy over the past two years. But he batted .290 in 68 games with Fort Myers in 2009, tallying 33 runs, 11 stolen bases, 11 doubles and seven triples. The Twins did leave a couple of intriguing prospects exposed for the Rule 5 Draft, although there were no huge surprises left off the roster. Among the position players who might be taken in the Draft are infielder Steve Singleton, who played in the Arizona Fall League, and infielder/outfielder Brian Dinkleman. Among pitchers, there is right-hander Santos Arias and left-hander Winston Marquez.If a player is selected in the Major League portion of the Rule 5 Draft, he must stick with the Major League club that claims him -- either on the active roster or disabled list -- for the length of the 2010 season or else be offered back to the Twins for $25,000, which is half the fee for selecting such a player.
Kelly Thesier is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
