Minnesota Twins’ Miguel Sano, Baseball America’s No. 6 prospect, fears he needs Tommy John surgery

The Minnesota Twins received bad news when Miguel Sano, Baseball America’s No. 6 prospect, felt soreness in his throwing arm after being shut down during winter ball and fears he needs Tommy John surgery.

Despite the conservative approach by the Twins, Sano was headed for an MRI on his elbow Friday afternoon with the fear from Sano and his agent Rob Plummer that Tommy John surgery will be the next step for the top power-hitter in the minor leagues. In fact, Sano asked his agent Friday morning if he should have the operation which likely would end his season before it even started.

"“If this was nothing, Miguel wouldn’t have asked me that,” Plummer said Friday afternoon from his New York headquarters. “I have a feeling this is more than nothing. We have to wait for the MRI to be read, but it feels like this is more than nothing.”"

It is always disappointing when prospects have to miss time because of an operation as severe as what could lie ahead for Sano pending the results of the MRI, but don’t fault the Twins for not handling Sano’s soreness back in the Dominican Winter League.

“It was handled properly,” Plummer said. “He had zero pain until Thursday. Then he made one throw awkwardly and he felt the pain he felt. It was the way he had to throw: across his body, off balance.”