Minnesota Twins Bailey Ober a prospect to watch in 2020

The Minnesota Twins have a prospect to watch for the coming season in Bailey Ober.

In a farm system as loaded as the Minnesota Twins, it is easy to be overlooked. No matter how strong of a season a player puts up, if they are not a former top draft pick, or a rising star in the system, those performances barely register on the map. With the Twins, who have the likes of Jordan Balazovic, Jhoan Duran, Royce Lewis, and Alex Kirilloff, great performances can be overshadowed.

Such was the case with prospect Bailey Ober last season. His 2019 campaign was certainly noteworthy, as he posted an astonishing 0.69 ERA and a 0.814 WHiP across three levels last season. In just 78.2 innings, Ober issued just nine walks while striking out an even 100 batters.

And yet, even with that performance, Ober did not crack the Twins top 30 prospects for 2020. Obviously, that performance is not sustainable, but one would have imagined that his video game numbers would have moved Ober into, at the very least, the bottom of that list.

One can understand why Ober would be overlooked. He definitely cuts an imposing figure on the mound, standing 6’9″ tall and weighing 260 pounds. With that size, one would imagine that he would have a fastball to match. Instead, Ober’s fastball sits in the mid 80s, relying on his deceptive over the top delivery which creates a difficult angle for hitters. Despite that lack of velocity, he generates plenty of swings and misses at the top of the zone, likely due to his delivery and size.

His best weapon is likely his excellent changeup. Considered to be a plus offering, he mixes excellent seperation in velocity, along with solid movement. Ober also throws a fringy curve that he struggles to stay on top of, possibly due to his mechanics and size. He does have excellent command of his arsenal, making him a strike throwing machine on the mound.

At this point, Ober’s future is still very much up in the air. With his fastball/changeup combo, he could be an effective reliever. If he can refine his curve, and continues to have the type of success that he has displayed during his minor league career, he could become a possible option in the Twins’ rotation. The upcoming campaign will not only go a long way towards determining his future role, but also towards determining what type of prospect he truly is.

Bailey Ober had an incredible 2019 campaign. That excellent showing makes him a minor leaguer to keep an eye on for the Minnesota Twins.