Johan Santana is the name rolling off the lips of most everyone these days, but another Twins pitcher has been mentioned as someone the Twins might be willing to offer for the right deal.
Matt Garza is a 24 year old right handed pitcher, who the Twins chose as the 25th overall pick in the 2005 draft. Garza was blessed as the Twins’ seventh-best prospect by Baseball America in 2006. Garza rose though the Twins minor league system quickly, posting a 14-4 at the each minor league level in 2006, with a 1.99 ERA and 154 strikeouts in 135 ⅔ innings and wound up winning the 2006 USA Today Minor League Player Of The Year award.
With Francisco Liriano getting injured, the Twins promoted Garza to replace him and he made his Major League debut on August 11th, 2006. Twelve days later he earned his first win, giving up one run over six innings.
Entering this past season, Garza was rated the top prospect in the Twins organization by Baseball America and 21st overall in baseball. Garza started 15 games and posted a 3.69 ERA with a 1.54 WHIP.
Video of Garza warming up in the bullpen can be found here. His minor league statistics can be found on Baseball Cube, and his major league career statistics can be viewed on Baseball Reference.
It’s not yet clear if the Twins would be willing to trade Garza if they deal Johan Santana, as they would already have received a bounty of prospects from that deal. If in fact the Twins are serious about dealing Garza, he is worth considering. Garza has met almost every challenge the Twins have put before him thus far and has performed at a high level at a young age.
