Top 50 Twins Prospects 2010: No. 42 Liam Hendriks

2010 Top 50 Twins Prospects | #42 | Liam Hendriks

Position | Pitcher

Bats/Throws | Right/Right

Born | Feb. 10, 1989 (Perth, Australia)

School | Sacred Heart College

Height | 6'1''

Weight | 190 lbs.

2009 Ranking | Not Ranked




Breakdown

The Twins signed Liam Hendriks as an undrafted free agent in February 2007. He made his professional debut as an 18-year-old that summer with the Gulf Coast League Twins. He made 11 starts and went 4-2 with a 2.05 ERA.

The following March, Hendriks pitched for the Australian national team in the Final Olympic Qualification Tournament. He unfortunately then underwent back surgery and missed the entire 2008 season.

Prior to the 2009 season, Hendriks again found himself pitching for Australia in the World Baseball Classic. In two appearances, Hendriks threw 1 2/3 innings and gave up two runs.

But to his credit, one of the appearances was a high-pressure situation in which he gave up two runs in just 1/3 of an inning. Hendriks showed no ill-effects from his back surgery in '09 where he went 5-5 with a 3.55 ERA between 14 starts, 11 of which were with the Beloit Snappers.

Hendriks induces a good amount of ground balls and has the potential to be a mid-rotation starter.

2009 Statistics

          Level      W      L      ERA      IP      K      BB      WHIP     FIP

          R          2      0     3.71    17.0     13       1      1.18    1.85



          A-         3      5     3.51    66.2     62      15      1.32    2.69

2010 Outlook

Hendriks doesn't have a ton of seasoning yet, which leads me to believe that he'll at least begin the 2010 season in Beloit.

Even though he missed a year, he'll only be 21 years old in 2010, so there's no need to rush him. But he has good stuff and could fight for a promotion mid-season.

Pitching Repertoire

• Fastball
  
• Curveball
• Slider
  

Video


Estimated Time of Arrival

2013

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