Eddie Rosario

Rosario set career highs with 32 home runs and 109 RBI, but declined in the second half for a second consecutive season. He had 20 home runs and an .841 OPS in the first half, but just 12 home runs and a .750 OPS in the second half. Rosario is a free swinger (fourth-worst O-Swing% among qualified hitters at 46.3%), which is partially offset by an uncanny ability to make hard contact on bad balls. Despite his strong season, there were some troubling signs. Rosario had been improving his anemic walk rate, but took a step back to just 3.7%. His defense went from being seen as an asset to becoming a liability as he fell to -11 in DRS which was 29th among qualified left fielders. He also stole just three bases. Still, Rosario did reduce his whiffs (career-best 14.6 K%). He has enough power to thrive in the middle of the lineup and has upside if he can learn to lay off some of those balls outside the strike zone.

Rosario looked like an All-Star snub, hitting .311/.353/.537 with 19 home runs in the first half. He faded in the second half (.240/.262/.361 with just five homers) and played just eight games over the final month due to a nagging quadriceps issue. Rosario, who has always been a free swinger, had the fifth-worst O-Swing% (42.9) among qualified hitters. That said, he has an uncanny ability to make hard contact on bad balls. He has reduced his strikeout rate the past two seasons (17.6% in 2018), but his 5.9 BB% from 2017 represents a career high. He's become an above-average defender in left field and improved on the basepaths (8-of-10 on stolen-base attempts). If his second-half decline was due more to injuries than an erosion of skills, Rosario could be set for a career year at age 27. That late-season fade should allow for a palatable price tag on draft day.

After an up-and-down first two seasons, Rosario fulfilled his promise as a power hitter last year and became Minnesota's everyday left fielder. He had always been a free swinger, but his success in 2017 was largely fueled by a significantly reduced strikeout rate (25.7 percent in 2016 to 18 percent last season). Rosario may never walk a ton, but he made strides in that department, upping his walk rate from 3.4 percent to 5.9 percent. His 27 home runs may look like an outlier, but his 16.4 percent HR/FB was near the median among everyday outfielders. He used to have decent speed, but was just 9-for-17 on stolen-base attempts, so he may not have the green light as much going forward. While he is trending away from being a contributor in steals, his improvements as a hitter give him a chance to continue being a positive contributor in batting average. His .290 average came with a .312 BABIP, well below his .325 career mark. Better luck in 2018 could negate his expected regression in that department.

Rosario began last season as the Twins' starting left fielder after a promising rookie year, but was sent to Triple-A in May after hitting just .200 with a .532 OPS. He bounced back there with an .881 OPS and returned to the majors in July. He then hit .305 with seven home runs and an .812 OPS over his last 60 games before a fractured thumb ended his season in mid-September. Rosario has promising power and decent speed, which gives him the potential to be an above-average defender. He is 16-for-24 (66.6 percent) on the bases against big league batteries, so he is not a major threat in that department, but will chip in a handful of steals over a full season. Unfortunately he doesn't draw walks (3.4 percent of plate appearances) and strikes out too often (25.7 percent). At age 25, he could improve significantly and add more consistency if he shows better command of the strike zone, and he's expected to begin the year with the starting left field job.

Rosario enters 2016 as a starting outfielder after a promising rookie season. Called from Triple-A in May, he got hot early, hitting .284 before the All-Star break to take over the starting left field job, although he got time at all three outfield positions. Rosario showed promising power with 13 home runs and 15 triples. He also added 11 stolen bases, showcasing the speed that also made him an above-average defender. Despite his initial success, there are some worrisome signs, as he drew just 13 walks (3.2 percent of plate appearances), struck out too often (24.9 percent) and had a high .335 BABIP. He'll need better command of the strike zone to sustain his early success. Nonetheless, Rosario will enter 2016 with a starting job in either left or right field.

Rosario missed the first two months of the 2014 season while serving a 50-game suspension for his second positive test for a drug of abuse, and he went on to bat just .243/.286/.387 in 87 games between High-A Fort Myers and Double-A New Britain. He did salvage his season to a certain extent by hitting .330/.345/.410 in the Arizona Fall League. Rosario had drawn walks at a decent rate but saw a sharp decline in 2015. He does make good contact and has shown good power through his minor league career. However, the off-field problems and a lackluster minor league season saw his prospect status take a hit. He also permanently moved to the outfield after playing second base the year before. While Rosario may not be viewed as a cornerstone of Minnesota's rebuilding effort, a strong start to the 2015 season could still see him in the majors this summer.

Rosario is one of Minnesota's best prospects after hitting .329/.377/.527 in 52 games at High-A Fort Myers and then .284/.330/.412 in 70 games at Double-A New Britain. He was moved to second base from the outfield for 2013, which should increase his chances to find a job with the Twins thin on infield talent. However, he had 14 errors at second base last year and it's not sure if he'll stay at the position. Rosario draws walks at a decent rate, makes good contact and has shown good power through his minor league career. He would have been a candidate to be called up early in 2014, but he was suspended 50 games by MLB for violating the minor league drug policy. He's appealing the suspension, but if it holds up, the missed time may hurt his development and will likely delay his debut with the Twins. He could still be with the team in September if the time off doesn't hurt him, and he may be Minnesota's starting second baseman or left fielder in 2015.

Rosario has become one of Minnesota's top prospects after hitting .296/.345/.482 at Low-A last season just age 20. Rosario missed six weeks after getting hit in the face by a line drive, but it did not seem to faze him as he had a .963 OPS after he returned. He draws walks at a decent rate, makes good contact and has shown good power through his minor league career. He moved to second base from the outfield last season, which could accelerate his advancement in a Minnesota organization devoid of strong middle-infield prospects. However, he made 15 errors in 65 games and it is not clear if his defense will be viable enough to keep him in the infield at higher levels. He will likely begin the season a High-A and could make an impact in the majors as early as 2014.

The 2010 fourth-round pick out of Puerto Rico crushed the ball for a second consecutive season in rookie ball, hitting .337/.397/.670 with 21 home runs for the Elizabethton Twins in the Rookie Appalachian League. The Twins moved to him second base during instructional league, which should enhance his fantasy value if he sticks in the infield. He's a rising prospect to grab in keeper leagues as a result.