Byline: LA VELLE E. NEAL III; STAFF WRITER
Nick Blackburn was selected in the 29th round. Brian Duensing went in the third round. Jason Kubel was a 12th-round pick. Twins great Kent Hrbek was a 17th-round pick.
It shows that a team's draft can't always be judged by the first-round pick's ultimate success or failure. While first-rounders get the big bonuses and, now, exposure on national television, the Twins and other organizations look at how their first dozen picks -- and even more -- pan out years down the road before they determine how well they did.
That's why Tuesday was the biggest day of the three-day draft.
'This day will separate our draft,' said Mike Radcliff, the Twins' vice president of player personnel. 'Good or bad.'
Of the Twins' 29 picks Tuesday, 15 were pitchers and 13 of those 15 were in college. They also drafted a few potential power hitters.
But the key was adding what they think is quality pitching. While last year's first round pick, righthander Kyle Gibson, has established himself as a legitimate prospect, there aren't too many more behind him. So the Twins looked for arms.
Third-round pick Pat Dean, out of Boston College, throws the basic four pitches (fastball, curve, slider and changeup). His 5-1 record and 3.76 ERA doesn't jump out, but he walked only 10 batters while striking out 51 through 67 innings. And the Twins like pitching prospects with good control.
The Twins then took lefthander Logan Darnell, from the University of Kentucky, in the sixth round. They have seen Darnell hit 94 miles per hour on the radar gun while showing a good slider and project him to be a reliever.
The Twins later used 10 consecutive picks -- Nos. 12-21 -- on pitchers. They even gambled on 14th-round pick DeAndre Smelter, a hard-throwing righthander from Tattnall Square Academy in Macon, Ga., who has been tutored by former All-Star Kevin Brown but has a scholarship offer to Georgia Tech that might keep him from signing.
Twins scouting director Deron Johnson said Smelter also has a football scholarship offer from Auburn. Since he's a two-sport athlete, the Twins could spread the bonus over five years.
'This one will be one where we'll work the summer and see how it goes,' Radcliff said.
Add first-round pick Alex Wimmers, selected on Monday out of Ohio State, and the Twins hope they replenished their pitching staffs in the minors.
'Those were guys we liked and targeted and fortunately they got to us,' Johnson said. 'We made a run. I wouldn't say it was an organizational need, but it was something we definitely wanted and needed.'
The Twins also addressed offense. They selected shortstop Niko Goodrum out of Fayette County (Ga.) High in the second round and outfielder Nate Roberts, an outfielder out of High Point University. Roberts hit .416 with 19 homers, 69 RBI and 36 stolen bases in 59 games.
'He's a documented bat,' Radcliff said. 'He's hit all along the way. He kind of looks like [the Twins' Jason] Kubel, just kind of stocky strong.'
The Twins also selected Gophers catcher Kyle Knudson in the ninth round and righthander David Gutierrez in the 18th round, brother of current Twins prospect Carlos Gutierrez.
TWINS DRAFT PICKS
Rd., Player, Pos., College or high school
1, Alex Wimmers, RHP, Ohio State
2, Niko Goodrum, SS, Fayette County H.S. (Ga.)
3, Pat Dean, LHP, Boston College
4, Eddie Rosario, OF, Rafael Lopez Landron H.S. (P.R.)
5, Nate Roberts, OF, High Point
6, Logan Darnell, LHP, Kentucky
7, Matthew Hauser, RHP, San Diego
8, Lance Ray, OF, Kentucky
9, Kyle Knudson, C, Minnesota
10, J.D. Williams, SS, Brooks-DeBartolo H.S. (Fla.)
11, Tyler Kuresa, 1B, Oakmont H.S. (Calif.)
12, Steven Maxwell, RHP, Texas Christian
13, Ryan O'Rourke, LHP, Merrimack
14, DeAndre Smelter, RHP, Tattnall Square Academy (Ga.)
15, Thomas Girdwood, RHP, Elon
16, Clinton Dempster, LHP, Nicholls State
17, Devin Grigg, RHP, Cal State East Bay
18, David Gutierrez, RHP, Miami
20, Cody Martin, RHP/1B, Gonzaga
21, Nathan Fawbush, RHP, Georgia Perimeter College
22, Dillon Moyer, SS, The Pendleton School (Fla.)
23, Justin Gallant, RHP, Sam Houston State
24, Michael Quesada, C, Sierra Junior College
25, Andy Leer, SS, Maryland
26, Kelly Cross, C, Pearland H.S. (Texas)
27, Brandon Henderson, CF, Fresno Community College
28, Jamaal Hawkins, SS, Jacksonville
29, Brian Burke, 3B, Lewis and Clark State
, 30, Sergio Perez Dernal, SS, Palmetto Ridge H.S. (Fla.)
