Miguel Sano should swing a big bat for the Twins. (USATSI)
Miguel Sano should swing a big bat for the Twins. (USATSI)

This wasn't supposed to be the Twins' time to compete yet. They lost 92 games last season and didn't make many big additions to the big-league club in the offseason that indicated they were on the verge of contention. To sit at 41-36 at this point comes as a huge surprise, and the organization is rightly recognizing the opportunity it has.

This team hasn't had the talent to be a playoff contender -- 39-38 Pythagorean record -- and the Twins have so far smartly avoided any rash trades that could set them back for long term for short-term gains. However, they already called up top outfielder prospect Byron Buxton, one attempt to improve the talent level of the team. Their next attempt is set to come in the coming days, with MLB.com reporting that third baseman Miguel Sano is set to make his major-league debut soon.

Sano isn't quite the prospect Buxton is, but he isn't far off. He entered the season as Baseball America's No. 13 prospect, despite losing all of the 2014 season to Tommy John surgery. That surgery and subsequent time off put major questions about his development timetable in the forefront, but Sano has done an excellent job of batting them away by hitting .274/.374/.544 as a 22-year-old in Double-A.

Yes, Fantasy players, you should be excited.

Sano has true 80 raw power on the scouting scale, with 105 home runs in 445 career minor-league games -- a 37-homer pace over 162 games. He has 15 homers in Chattanooga this season, a total made all the more impressive in light of the missed season he is coming off. He had actually reached Double-A in 2013 and was a dominant power force in spite of some contact issues, clubbing 19 homers in 67 games. That gives him 34 home runs and a .255/.359/.557 career line over 133 games at Double-A.

And, despite the year off, it is worth mentioning Sano's status as the 11th youngest qualified hitter in the Southern League. Among the 10 players younger than him in the league, Sano ranks third in wOBA, and he ranks 17th overall, so the talent here is clear.

The most exciting thing about Sano's recall is just how hot he has been with the bat of late. He got off to an understandably slow start to the season after a year off, hitting just .159/.303/.381 with four homers in April. He has made up for that lost time since, hitting above .300 since, including a massive .329/.432/.658 line in June that made it pretty clear the Twins could no longer wait on him.

As with all players, there is significant downside with Sano making the jump to the majors. He doesn't have Joey Gallo-esque contact concerns, but he has struck out in 23.8 percent of his trips to the plate in Double-A, a mark that is likely to increase. The jump from Double-A to the majors will be a difficult one, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see Sano strike out quite a bit as he makes the transition. Of course, that isn't a death knell by any stretch.

For what it's worth, BaseballProspectus.com's PECOTA projection system is pretty optimistic on Sano, with a Weighted Mean projection of .235/.321/.525 line with 14 home runs in 257 plate appearances from this point on. That's not far off from what Chris Davis has done for the Orioles this season, and Davis ranks 12th and 11th in Scott White and Al Melchior's respective rankings for third base. Assuming he plays every day from this point on -- DH seems like a likely spot after Vargas' demotion -- Sano has top-15 catcher potential. 

In the Season of Prospects, Sano isn't the biggest name, nor is he the safest, even at his position. He probably doesn't have Kris Bryant's immediate floor or Gallo's incredible ceiling. However, he is probably the last truly elite prospect with a chance to get called up, with Buxton and Steven Matz among others making their way up this month. The only other contender left is probably Corey Seager.

If you've been saving a high waiver-wire priority or a big chunk of your FAAB budget for a high-impact player, this is the time to fire that bullet. There probably won't be another player with Sano's upside available from this point on.