With Aaron Hicks being optioned to Class AAA Rochester it appears that the Paul Molitor and the Twins will go with the platoon of Jordan Schafer and Shane Robinson in center field. Schafer and Robinson will be keeping the seat warm until Byron Buxton is deemed ready.
Jordan Schafer is hitting .263 this spring and has looked superb in the field. After joining the Twins last season Schafer went on to hit a career high .285. He also had 15 steals and could be a candidate to hit leadoff if Molitor isn’t sold on Danny Santana to fill that void. Schafer will likely get the starts in center with righties on the mound and Robinson will likely get the starts against lefties.
Shane Robinson signed as a minor league free agent this winter. He played the previous nine seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. He’s tied for the team lead in doubles this spring with Brian Dozier. Robinson can play all three outfield positions and is excellent in the field. He’ll likely be the opening day starter at centerfield with the Twins facing lefty, David Price.
Twin fans are eager to see Buxton in the Twins lineup. Torii Hunter didn’t help matters when he recently compared the Twins top prospect to reigning AL MVP, Mike Trout. Buxton will likely be joining the big league club at some point this summer. Until then, Schafer and Robinson will try their best to keep fans entertained.