2017 Acquisition: Blayne Enlow, RHP
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 3/21/1999 (19)
2017 teams/levels played for: Gulf Coast League Twins
2017 Stats: 6 G, 1 GS, 20 1/3 IP, 1.33 ERA, 0.69 WHIP, 5.2% BB, 24.7% K
Info: The Minnesota Twins made intentional effort to target players with high spin rate as part of their pitching targets over pure velocity. That led them to Enlow in the third round, a high school pitcher out of Louisiana.
Enlow’s curve was referred to by many as one of the top curves in all of the draft, and certainly the top right-handed curve in the high school class. His velocity had been down a bit over the spring, and that bumped him down from a mid-first round selection coming into the spring to the Twins signing him away from his LSU commitment in the third.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
Enlow has excellent control of his fastball, which is notable for a high school draftee. Some scouts graded his control as high as a present plus grade, which would be very impressive, to say the least.
The curve is definitely a plus pitch, and Enlow has a better feel of his change than he really should, considering he hasn’t really even worked with one heavily until he got to pro ball.
Enlow’s arrow is certainly pointed up, and he’s the type of guy with an easy delivery, a good frame that still has projection left, and present stuff and control such that he could become a big time prospect in a hurry.
Mostly likely Enlow will open 2018 with Elizabethton, but he could spend significant time in Cedar Rapids if he is able to show the same ability to control his pitches next season in his first full pro season.
So that is the Minnesota Twins top 10 prospects for 2018. Who is too high? Too low? Missing entirely from the list? Comment below!!