Rosario will need repetitions at second, but his arm, athleticism and quickness give him a chance to stay there. He shows average range and arm strength in center field, and he encouraged Minnesota with his play after moving to second base in instructional league. Rosario has above-average speed as well, though his baserunning lacks polish. While he's not a slugger, he should have average to plus power down the line. He's balanced at the plate, has above-average bat speed and a short swing with surprising strength, helping him drive the ball from pole to pole. The Twins love Rosario's swing and were less surprised by his batting average than by his power. He couldn't have been more ready for the Appalachian League, winning co-MVP honors while leading the circuit in runs (71), triples (nine), homers (21, three shy of the Appy record), total bases (181) and slugging (.670). Though he had a strong debut in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2010, Rosario wasn't assigned to a full-season roster to start 2011, instead languishing in extended spring training. He's a bit of a tweener if he has to go back to the outfield, so the Twins will give him every chance to remain at second base. Rosario will stay in the infield as he moves up to high Class A. Minnesota has had him focus on making the routine play and turning the double play, but he'll need more work to be an average defender. Rosario's average speed and range are less than ideal for center field, and scouts question whether his hands and throwing are good enough for second base. 538 in the lower minors, scouts and club officials expect him to settle in around 10-15 homers at higher levels because he has a line-drive swing and gap-to-gap approach. His hands are low in his set-up but quick through the hitting zone. Rosario uses his hands well in his swing and has excellent plate coverage. He missed nearly seven weeks after a batting-practice line drive hit him in the face in mid-June, requiring the insertion of a plate above his lip, but he played well after his return. The Twins tried him at second base that fall in instructional league, and he played 67 of his 86 games in the field there in 2012. Rosario led the Appalachian League with 21 homers in 2011 and won co-MVP honors as an outfielder. He will give Double-A another go in 2014. A slightly above-average runner, Rosario goes first to third well but isn't an efficient basestealer. His range has improved as he better understands positioning, and his arm is above-average for second. He goes back on popups as well as any infielder the Twins have had in recent years, but his footwork, particularly around the bag, still needs work. He has put in long hours on his defense and has made tremendous strides at second. After reaching Double-A New Britain, he chased more pitches than normal and got himself into some slumps. He doesn't project to hit more than 15 home runs a season in the majors. Though he holds his hands low at the set-up, he flashes them quickly through the hitting zone, generating solid gap power. Considered the best hitter for average in the Twins system aside from Byron Buxton, Rosario generates excellent bat speed and plate coverage. In stints in both the Arizona Fall and Puerto Rican leagues, he played both second and the outfield corners. Former big league manager Edwin Rodriguez raved about Rosario's potential while managing him for Puerto Rico in the 2013 World Baseball Classic, where Rosario went 3-for-14. He overcame a 2012 mishap when he missed seven weeks after a line drive hit him in the face during batting practice (a plate was inserted above his lip). Rosario moved to second base full-time in 2013 after starting his pro career as a center fielder. With the Twins' outfield situation unsettled, Rosario's best chance to reach the majors in a hurry could be in left field to replace the traded Josh Willingham. Rosario was added to the 40-man roster this winter. A slightly above-average runner at his best, Rosario has been successful on just 54 percent of his stolen-base attempts the past three seasons. Defensively, his footwork and range still need work at second base, where he logged just 18 games in 2014, but in the outfield he takes good routes and shows an above-average arm. He generates outstanding bat speed and plate coverage, flashing his hands through the zone and generating gap power, and he projects to hit a dozen or more home runs. Rosario's hit tool ranks among the best in the system. A 50-game suspension for violating baseball's recreational drug policy wiped out Rosario's first two months in 2014, and he struggled uncharacteristically once he returned. The Twins now view Rosario as the third-most prominent Puerto Rico product in the organization, behind righthander Jose Berrios and slugger Kennys Vargas.
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