Top 50 Twins Prospects 2010: No. 9 Rene Tosoni

Position | Outfield

Bats/Throws | Left/Right

Born | July 2, 1986 (Toronto, Ontario)

School | Chipola Junior College

Height | 6'0''

Weight | 195 pounds

2009 Ranking | 20


Breakdown

Selected by the Twins in the 34th round of the 2004 draft, Tosoni chose to go the JUCO route instead of signing.  He was selected in the 36th round a year later, but this time chose to sign.  Unfortunately, issues with his visa forced Tosoni to miss all of 2006, which meant he wouldn't be allowed to begin his professional career until 2007, two years after he was drafted.

Tosoni was sent to Elizabethton of the Appalachian League in 2007 where he hit .301/.407/.428 with 20 extra-base hits to help lead the Twins to an Appalachian League Championship.  He hardly got a sip of coffee with the Beloit Snappers, but most believed he'd be back to the Midwest League for all of the 2008 season.  But the Twins surprised many by promoting Tosoni straight to the Florida State League, and it looks to have been the right decision.

Despite missing three months with a broken foot, Tosoni hit .300/.408/.414 in 42 games with the Miracle.  In 2009, the Twins continued to move Tosoni up the the organizational ladder. He played the entire season with the New Britain Rock Cats of the Eastern League, hitting .271/.360/.454 with 44 extra-base hits in 122 games.  He struggled in the Arizona Fall League.  But since he had 30 more at-bats in 2009 than he had in 2007 and 2008 combined, I think he deserves a free pass.

Tosoni is a very complete player.  He has a very fluid swing and makes good contact. He isn't great on defense, but his strong arm will make the organization think hard about keeping him in right field. 

He has outstanding discipline at the plate, and he could be a good No. 2 hitter someday, but if he can't improve against left-handed pitching he might be nothing more than a bench bat for the Twins.  Still, someone will eye Tosoni, and the Twins may use him as trade bait given the amount of high quality outfielders the organization has.

2009 Statistics

          Level       G    PA     AVG     OBP     SLG     XBH     HR   wRC+

          AA        122   490    .271    .360    .454      44     15    125

Estimated Time of Arrival: 2010