He might not be in the majors yet, but Miguel Sano is a name that fantasy owners all over will have to take note if they haven't done so already. Sano is a 20-year-old third baseman currently playing in Double-A with the New Britain Rock Cats, the Minnesota Twins' affiliate. Only the Twins know their exact plans for Sano in the next couple of months, but here are the kid's stats, which indicate that he will be a force at the major league level some day.
Sano tore up Fort Myers in the early part of 2013. In 56 games, Sano hit .330 with 16 home runs, driving in 48 runs and posting a .424 on-base percentage. He is a right-handed hitter with power and some speed as he also had nine stolen bases in Fort Myers. Currently, Sano is struggling to find consistency at New Britain, but the power is still present. In 20 games with the Rock Cats, Sano has hit six home runs, driving in 16 runs, but hitting only .215.
However, Sano proved in a four-day stretch how dangerous he could be at the plate. From June 25-28, he went 7-15 with four home runs, eight RBI and six runs scored. He has cooled off significantly of late, but the Dominican born player is getting accustomed to the next level in the minors.
Currently, the Twins are falling further and further away in the A.L. Central. They are now 7.5 games behind the first place Cleveland Indians. Many believe the organization will trade some of their movable pieces before the trade deadline as teams like the New York Yankees are seeking players like Justin Morneau.
The team's third baseman now is Trevor Plouffe, but he looks expendable as Sano continues to develop in the minors. There is no timetable for Sano's arrival in the majors. It could be as early as this year, depending on how well he performs against Double-A pitching. However, for all those fantasy league owners, he will be a talent worth scouting as third base is a position slowly losing power.
If you would like to learn more about Sano and how he was scouted, check out the documentary "Pelotero" available on Netflix.
