Jason Kubel: Out of right field and climbing

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Jason Kubel knows who was named Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America magazine last season. That would be the Twins' Joe Mauer.

He also knows who is a leading contender this year. That would be Kubel himself.

"It's fun to open up a new issue and see if my name is still there," said Kubel, a right fielder.

Kubel, 22, is fashioning one of those seasons that have opponents scratching their heads and Twins executives reworking their five-year blueprints.

Minnesota needs another outfield prospect like Donald Trump needs a loan. But here comes Kubel to add another wrinkle to the plot.

"He's an outstanding player who is very disciplined at the plate," said Rob Antony, the club's director of baseball operations. "He doesn't strike out very much, and he hits to all fields. He's the type of player you make room for [at the big-league level.]"

Kubel began the season at Class AA New Britain and hit an Eastern League-leading .377 in 37 games before earning a promotion to Class AAA Rochester.

"He's at the level we thought he'd be at," Twins farm director Jim Rantz said. "But we didn't think it would happen before the first half of the season ended."

Rantz and Twins General Manager Terry Ryan planned to keep Kubel at New Britain until the All-Star break before moving him to an International League known this season for tough pitching.

But when Red Wings first baseman Justin Morneau was promoted to the Twins May 21, Rantz decided to move Kubel up.

Tough adjustment? He promptly went on a 10-game hitting streak and reached midweek hitting .337 with three home runs, 13 doubles and 29 RBI in 35 games. "The thing about this league is that the pitchers are always around the plate," Kubel said. "They throw strikes. I didn't think I would make the adjustment [to a higher class] this fast. It's been exciting."

Kubel will put his talents on display before big-league scouts Sunday, when he joins Morneau at the Major League Futures Game in Houston in a game to be televised on ESPN2.

The 5-11, 200-pound Kubel was born in Belle Fourche, S.D., but grew up in the Southern California town of Palmdale. He was offered a baseball scholarship to Division I Long Beach but decided to turn pro after the Twins selected him in the 12th round of the 2000 draft.

The lefthanded-swinging Kubel has quick wrists and excellent plate discipline. He entered the year with only 125 strikeouts in 1,046 at-bats.

During one stretch this year he went 53 at-bats between strikeouts.

"He's got eye-hand quickness and tremendous strength in his hands," Red Wings Manager Phil Roof said. "We've been high on him since we signed him."

Kubel's biggest problem might be cracking into a loaded Twins outfield that includes Shannon Stewart, Torii Hunter, Jacque Jones and Lew Ford.

"We have a lot of great outfielders in this organization," Kubel said, "and I don't expect to pass them by. I just go out there and try to play my best every day."

That will be good enough, Roof predicted: "He'll find a place up there. He'll move somebody out."