The 2005 and 2006 drafts were Snickers bars, just packed with peanuts. In this analogy, players are peanuts. The Twins added 2 current Twins and 10 more former Twins. While there were no superstars added to the organization, this is still a windfall of peanuts/players. The 2007 draft is more of a tumbleweed or perhaps a Milky Way with a rogue peanut. Only two players have reached the Majors and realistically, maybe two or three more have a chance to join them. However, one of the more popular recent Twins was added...
1st Round Pick
The Twins selected the diminutive (required adjective) Ben Revere with the 28th overall pick in the 2007 draft. Revere was a high school kid out of Kentucky. He's small, listed at 5' 9" and 170 lb, but that is part of what made him so much fun to watch. Revere has crazy range in the outfield and could track down fly balls like a homing beacon. Plus, he was kind of clumsy, so he'd fall and do somersaults and whatnot. It was all very entertaining.
Ah, but what if?
The Twins pretty much nailed the Revere pick. If you can get a starting player with the 28th pick, it's a success. However, since I am legally obligated to present a "what if" scenario, you could make the case that Giancarlo Stanton would have been a nice selection. Stanton went 76th overall, which was somehow in the second round because there were roughly 400 compensation picks in 2007. For serious, take a look (at the bottom). Stanton is an excellent power hitter, but rarely falls down while trying to make amazing catches. Just stating the facts.
Best Player Drafted
Well hey, welcome back Ben Revere! I think I need to change these categories for the more recent drafts. The Twins finally rid themselves of the malcontent that is Ben Revere last off-season, acquiring Trevor May in a trade with the Phillies.
I apologize for the previous section. Ben Revere is neither a malcontent or a "worst player" in any way. However, he is the only player who the Twins signed in 2007 who also made it to the Majors. Thus, in a totally unfair way, and based on an extreme technicality, he is the worst player to reach the MLB from this draft. More accurately, he always wore his hat poorly, and that cannot go unpunished. So, Revere is not the worst player, but he was the worst hat-wearer from the '07 draft.
The One Who Got Away
The only other Twins' 2007 draftee to make the Majors (so far) is Mickey Storey. Storey was drafted in the 22nd round, and went back to school to become a Senior and thus the "top dog" on campus. If I have learned anything from movies, he wasted this year partying before ultimately learning a lesson right before finals. He was drafted in the 31st round just one year later. Storey is currently pitching for the Blue Jays organization, and has a career ERA of 4.24. He strikes out a lot of batters.
Best Name
With the 1453rd overall pick in the 2007 MLB draft, the Twins selected Christopher Freshcorn, a catcher out of Alonso High School in Alonso, Florida. The Twins' 50th round selection does not have any stats.
Fun Facts
- Despite Ben Revere being the only player from the 2007 draft to play for the Twins, he still has a higher WAR than all seven players drafted in 2006 who also played for the Twins combined.
- Andrew Schmiesing, the Twins' 11th-round pick, went to St. Olaf College and played for the St. Paul Saints. He's from Northfield, Minnesota! So many local angles!
- Third-round pick Angel Morales is currently playing with Fort Myers. He is a local Angel. He has played over 260 games in Fort Myers. He's spent more time in Fort Myers than long-time Fort Myers Mayor Randy Henderson, Jr. EEEYYY-OOO! That's actually not true.
- Twins' 8th-round pick and current Rochester Red Wing Danny Lehmann has hit eight career Minor League home runs in over 1000 at-bats.
- Twins' 14th-round pick Dan Rohlfing was playing in New Britain but just got the call to Rochester. He has seven career Minor League home runs in over 1100 at-bats, but of course, he hit one in his first AAA game. Your move, Danny Lehmann.
- Twins' 16th-round pick Nelvin Fuentes has never hit a professional home run. He's a pitcher, so that's not a fair way to assess him.
- In the 28th round, the Twins drafted Seth Rosin out of Mounds View High School. I went there! He did not sign and went to the University of Minnesota. I went there! In 2010, Rosin was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 4th round. Rosin is pitching well at AA for the Phillies now. This is more of a fun fact for me. I am going to really enjoy reading it later.
All those drafted who made it to the Bigs (so far)
Ben Revere and Mickey Storey.
One Sentence Summary
The 2007 draft was all about Ben Revere and that wonderful smile.
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