3 potential superstars taken after Twins' 2019 draft bust
Corbin Carroll, the 2023 NL Rookie of the Year, was passed on by 15 teams in the 2019 draft and he remembers every player picked ahead of him, including the Twins' taking Keoni Cavaco three picks before the Diamondbacks called his name.
Carroll was a big part of Arizona finishing second in the NL West last season and making a magical playoff run to the World Series. He slashed .285/.362/.506 with 25 homers, 10 triples, 54 stolen bases and 76 RBIs en route to his first All-Star appearance and winning Rookie of the Year. Carroll finished fifth in National League MVP voting.
In other words, he's a superstar and the Twins were among 15 teams that didn't want him. What's more regrettable is that the Twins took Cavaco, who they truly believed was the best player available when they went on the clock with the 13th pick.
In a recent video for MLB's social media channels, Carroll rattled off all 15 picks ahead of him in the 2019 MLB Draft, including Cavaco, who who hasn't made it out of A+ ball. Think there's a bit of a chip on Carroll's shoulder?
Cavaco, 22, has struggled since turning pro, batting just .219/.274/.336 across the three lowest levels of the farm system (Rookie, A, A+). He hit just .193/.266/.287 for the Twins' A+ affiliate, the Cedar Rapids Kernels, in 59 games during the 2023 season.
Adding further salt to that particular 2019 draft wound is the fact that the Twins also passed on the 2023 American League Rookie of the Year Gunnar Henderson, who, like Cavaco, can play shortstop and third base. Henderson was eighth in AL MVP voting as a rookie and fell to the Orioles at the top of the second round.
Not only that, but Mariners All-Star pitcher George Kirby was taken just seven picks after Cavaco. In just his second season in the majors Kirby had a 3.35 ERA with 172 strikeouts while giving up just 19 walks in 190.2 innings. Kirby finished eighth in Cy Young voting in 2023.
The 2019 draft wasn't all bad for Minnesota. They found some gems in later rounds, including Matt Wallner (39th overall), Louie Varland (449th overall) and Eddy Julien (539th overall).
Oct 27, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll (7) rounds second base against the Texas Rangers during Game 1 of the World Series at Globe Life Field.
© Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK
