I still believe in Aaron Sabato (and you should too!) – Gemini

If you asked Minnesota Twins fans about Aaron Sabato a year ago, you would probably hear a mix of frustration and disappointment. The 27th overall pick in the 2020 draft would be a safe bet at the plate. He may not have had the upside of a jack-of-all-trades, but his sheer raw power and a 6-foot-4, 230-pound frame, combined with his patient approach at the plate, made him someone who intrigued as a first-rounder. baseman/designated hitter.

Coming out of the University of North Carolina, Sabato’s college grades were nothing short of incredible. In 2019 and 2020, he posted OPS numbers of 1.149 and 1.186, respectively, and collected 46 extra-base hits in 64 games during his freshman season alone, with a slugging percentage that flirted with .700.

Given his impressive college stats and an advanced age of 21 at the time of the draft, Sabato seemed destined for Major League success. However, his transition to professional baseball was anything but smooth. In his first three full seasons in the Minors, Sabato’s OPS languished in the 700s, and his strikeout rate was much higher than we saw in college, with strikeout rates consistently above 30. The power-hitting prospect that once looked as a can’t-miss at the plate was now a shadow of his college self and struggling to find his footing.

The fall from grace was so steep that the Twins opted not to add Sabato to their 40-man roster last season, leaving him exposed to the Rule 5 draft. There was a real chance that another team would land an earlier first-round pick, but no one took the bait and Sabato stayed with Minnesota. It seemed like the writing was on the wall for Sabato’s career with the Twins, but things have changed over the past eight months.

Sabato found his feet in the Arizona Fall League last fall, posting a .905 OPS with seven home runs in 18 games. This revival was no fluke. Sabato has torn it up in Double-A Wichita by carrying that momentum into the current season. Through 31 games, he has an .837 OPS with 13 extra base hits. Since June 1, he has gotten even better, posting a .925 OPS with five home runs in 13 games. This is the Aaron Sabato we’ve been waiting for.

Adding to the optimism, Sabato has returned his strikeout rate to 26.9% this season in Triple-A – a huge improvement after posting seasons in the 30s every year since being called up. Sabato is pulling the ball more than ever before, and is now doing so 54% of the time, allowing him to get on the ball more than in previous seasons.

At 25 years old, Sabato may be past his prime to be considered a top prospect, but that doesn’t mean his value is gone. He still possesses the first-round pick, the ability to get on base at a solid 34%, and most importantly, the raw power that every team in the MLB craves. His recent performance should make the Twins reconsider their position on him.

The Twins must decide whether to add Sabato to the 40-man roster this season to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. While it was an easy choice to leave him alone last year given his issues, his performance this year makes that decision much more difficult. Sabato will soon be promoted to Triple-A, where the Twins can better understand his readiness for the big leagues.

Sabato will likely never live up to his first-round draft selection where he was taken four years ago. He may never even become a full-time Major League Baseball player. But if anything from the Minnesota Twins this season, you can never have too many bats in your organization to call up, especially ones with the pop that Sabato presents. And with many of the emerging Twins players coming from the left side of the plate (Emmanuel Rodriguez, Matt Wallner, Edouard Julien), a player with Sabato’s bat who emerges even as a platoon first baseman/designated hitter is something of value. .

Power-hitting bats are always in demand, and Sabato’s resurgence suggests he could still fill that role even if his capacity is limited. The journey hasn’t been easy and Sabato may still never make it to the Big Leagues with the Twins, but his performance this season has given the Twins a reason to see what they have in their previous first-round pick. There is still plenty of reason to believe in Aaron Sabato.

Do you still believe in Aaron Sabato as a candidate for the Minnesota Twins? Leave a comment below and start the conversation!