Doug Mientkiewicz

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Minnesota Twins #8 prospect in 1999
  Background: Mientkiewicz went straight to the Florida State League after being drafted and has always been a highly polished player. His improvement the past two years has been due to a lifestyle change to nutritional foods and weightlifting. Strengths: Mientkiewicz does everything a first baseman should do except hit home runs. He is a masterful fielder, has an exceptional batting eye and enough gap power to produce runs. He is also a surprisingly good runner. Twins officials love his intensity on and off the field and look for him to be a leader in their clubhouse. Weaknesses: Mark Grace is the stereotype for slick-fielding first basemen with only average power, but in reality few teams give extended trials to his kind of player. Mientkiewicz's backers in the organization think he will develop more power; others think he has reached his potential in that area. The Future: Incumbent David Ortiz, who has the power that Mientkiewicz lacks but little else, will likely be moved to DH this spring so that Mientkiewicz will get a full shot at first base.