The Minnesota Twins just pulled a college arm, righty Brett Renfrow, off the board at 73rd overall in the competitive balance section of the 2nd round. This guy was ranked just outside the top 100 on both MLB Pipeline and Fangraphs, but the Twins brass clearly sees something special, especially given their system's severe lack of this type of pitcher this year. It looks like it'll be an under slot deal for them, too, which is just smart business.
This Arm Has the Goods, Straight Up
Renfrow isn't just some raw prospect, either. He threw a ton of innings over three seasons at Virginia Tech, and the dude was a good strike-thrower with impressive strikeout numbers. His mechanics are solid, with an over-the-top release and great extension getting down the mound. His fastball? Man, it already sits in the low 90s, topping out at a filthy 97 MPH with serious carry and spin. Chen called it 94-95 T97.6, and if he can consistently get that into the mid 90s, we're talking about a big league heater. But it’s not just the gas. Renfrow’s secondary stuff is legit. His slider at 87 MPH generates tons of whiff and chase, and the article called his cutter/slider in the mid 80s his best secondary. It's got good bite and late sweep, making it a solid whiff pitch if he can locate it consistently. Then there’s an 85 MPH changeup with good vertical separation from the fastball and a low 80s curveball, which has really good spin and can be an effective third pitch, stealing strikes and keeping hitters guessing.Big League Dream or Bullpen Arm?
Look, Renfrow is still considered a fringy prospect, needing some noticeable improvement to really push him into big league territory. We're talking about maybe more fastball velocity or significant development with one of his secondary pitches. He’s gotta nail that changeup, though, if he wants to stick as a starter long term. That’s probably the biggest hurdle for him right now. But hey, a nasty carry fastball plus those high-spin breaking balls? That's a ticket to a big league bullpen, at minimum. This kid has the tools to make some noise. We'll get a much clearer picture once he starts throwing in professional action down in Fort Myers and we can dive into that pitch data. The Twins are banking on that raw talent, and if Renfrow can consistently hit that mid-90s fastball and refine those secondaries, he could be a force for them down the line.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.