Minnesota Twins: The 40 Best Players In Team History (No. 36-40)

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Apr 16, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins first baseman Joe Mauer’s (7) bats wait in the dugout prior to the game between the Minnesota Wolves and the Chicago White Sox at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Marilyn Indahl-USA TODAY Sports /

Wins Above Replacement has become a powerful stat to measure the value of a player. Here are the all-time best Minnesota Twins based on WAR (numbers 36-40).

The Minnesota Twins have had some good players in their history. From Hall of Famers to fan favorites, there are plenty of big names that have come through to play in the Twins Cities. In an effort to figure out who is the best Twins player of all-time, we have taken a look at the Twins career leaders in Wins Above Replacement (WAR).

WAR is a sabermetric tool to help determine the overall value of a baseball player. It is a way to calculate a player’s total contribution to the team, which shows how truly valuable they are. Position player WAR is complex to calculate, as is pitching WAR.

Without all of the calculations, the concept is fairly simple. Position player WAR is meant to show how many more games the team wins with that certain player in the lineup instead of his replacement. The same concept roles into pitching. It is meant to reflect how many more wins that pitcher is responsible for during innings they pitch compared to someone else.

With that said, the 40 players on this list have the best WAR numbers during their Twins careers. Only their WAR during their time with the Twins is included. So that means there is no David Ortiz, Carlos Gomez or anyone else that had more success elsewhere. This list is strictly who was the best in a Twins uniform.

So, here they are, the best Twins players of all-time according to their WAR in a Twins uniform. Starting with number 40, a fairly recent Twins fan favorite.

Jul 15, 2013; Flushing , NY, USA; National League outfielder Michael Cuddyer (3) of the Colorado Rockies at bat during the Home Run Derby in advance of the 2013 All Star Game at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 40: Michael Cuddyer (12.4 WAR)

Twins fan favorite, and soon to be Twins Hall of Famer, Michael Cuddyer comes in at number 40. Cuddyer played parts of eleven seasons with the Twins from 2001 to 2011. He helped them win six American League Central Division titles and was a key contributor during his time in Minnesota.

During his Minnesota years, Cuddyer hit 141 home runs, which is the tenth most in club history. He also ranks ninth in career doubles and tenth in triples in Twins history. He made his lone All-Star appearance as a member of the Twins in 2011, a year which he batted .284 with 20 home runs and 76 runs batted in.

His best season was in 2009 when he batted .276 with 32 home runs and 94 RBIs. He garnered a few MVP votes that season, as well. While Cuddyer flashed power, he also could swipe a bag when needed. He stole 52 bases during his time in Minnesota.

Overall, Cuddyer was a solid player who had many productive seasons for the Twins. He is in the top ten in a few major power hitting categories in Twins history. It is more surprising that his WAR was as low as it was, as many would think he should be higher on this list.

May 4, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; The Minnesota Twins logo in center field during a game against the Oakland Athletics at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 39: Scott Erickson (12.7 WAR)

The Twins won the World Series in 1991, and their pitcher was one of the best in the game that year. Scott Erickson was an unstoppable force in 1991, going 20-8 with a 3.18 ERA. He made the All-Star team and finished second in the Cy Young voting on his way to helping the Twins to a title.

That year, Erickson posted a 4.4 WAR, accounting for over one-third of his WAR total during his time in Minnesota. His time in Minnesota, besides that season, was nothing incredible. After a solid year in 1992, he went 16-30 over the next two seasons. His 19 losses in 1993 led the league.

That is not to take away from the fact that Erickson was productive starter and got wins for the Twins. He was a ground ball pitcher who did so effectively. One of the best baseball has ever seen. He was a workhorse who pitched 200 or more innings in three straight seasons from 1991 to 1993.

While the Twins have had some incredible pitchers over the years, Erickson was part of one of their best teams. He led the way during that season and that will never be forgotten by Twins fans. He squeaks into the top 40 at number 39, but that one year was one of the best in team history.

Jul 2, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; A general view at Target Field between the Minnesota Twins and the Texas Rangers. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 38: Brian Harper (13.4 WAR)

While Scott Erickson was mowing opposing batters down, his signal caller was producing too. Brian Harper caught for the Twins from 1988 to 1993 after being picked up from the scrap heap. He had never played more than 61 games in a season before coming to the Twins, having played for five teams before signing with Minnesota.

Being released by Oakland didn’t phase Harper, as we went on to have a productive stint as the starting catcher for a championship club. Behind the plate, he finished in the top five in catching base thieves three different seasons, throwing out 50 or more each time.

With the bat, Harper was stellar. He hit .306 during his time with the Twins, good for fifth in team history. His best season at the dish came when he hit .325 in 1989 to go along with eight home runs and 57 RBIs. He collected two or more wins above replacement each full season in Minnesota, which shows his value behind the plate.

One team’s trash is another team’s treasure.

The Twins found a diamond in the rough in Harper. Bill James, a notorious baseball mind, wrote about Harper in his book New Historical Baseball Abstract, saying:

“Harper should have had a much better career than he did. He lost a lot of his career to other people’s stupidity.” “Harper tried to convert to the outfield or first base. He wasn’t fast enough to play the outfield; nobody was sure he would hit enough to play first. He bounced over to St. Louis, Detroit, Oakland, Minnesota. He was (28) by the time he got a chance to play.”

Fortunately, for the Twins, they saw his potential and capitalized on it. He ended up being one of their most productive players ever. While he may not have the recognition of other Twins catchers, he is only one of two starting catchers in team history to win a championship.

Apr 13, 2017; Detroit, MI, USA; Minnesota Twins hat and glove in the dugout during the game against the Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 37: Zoilo Versalles (14.6 WAR)

The Twins’ franchise player that comes to mind in the 1960s was Harmon Killebrew. While he tore up American League pitching, he was not the first Minnesota Twin to win the AL MVP. That distinction belongs to Zoilo Versalles.

In 1965, Versalles was incredible. He ranked first in the league in position player WAR, with a 7.2 mark. He also led the American League in runs, at bats, total bases, doubles and triples that year. All of that happened while helping the Twins win their first pennant.

While that season was one of the best in club history, Versalles was productive during his entire time in a Twins uniform. He won two Gold Glove awards and went to two All-Star games. He is fourth all-time in triples for a Minnesota Twin with 56 and is tenth in franchise history in at bats.

Versalles racked up double digit triples in three straight seasons, and double digit stolen bases in four separate seasons. His speed helped him get on base and score. While his defense was erratic, one time committing five errors in a doubleheader, he was still able to make plays in the field. Making plays was something he had trouble with in the minors, only having a .940 fielding percentage. He improved his defense in the majors.

The Cuban star was a valuable asset to the Twins in the first decade in Minnesota, and a good bat to compliment the star presence of Killebrew. While he is only number 37, his 1965 season will never be overlooked as it is one of the best for anyone in a Twins uniform.

Apr 12, 2017; Detroit, MI, USA; Minnesota Twins helmet on the field during the game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 36: Jimmie Hall (14.8 WAR)

Sometimes, in baseball, you have players who start their careers red hot. Some of them stay that way, and others suddenly drop off. The latter was the case with Jimmie Hall. Hall was a big time talent in his first few years in the majors, and his most productive years were with the Twins.

Hall hit 20 or more home runs in each of his first four seasons, including 33 his rookie season in 1963. He was part of the magical 1965 team that won the pennant and had many stars, with Hall being one of them. That season, he even received MVP votes.

Before his decline, Hall was a two-time All-Star. He posted WAR numbers of 5.4, 4.3 and 4.0 in each of his first three seasons. He was a young star with a bright future at Metropolitan Stadium. Unfortunately, he would never be the same after being hit by a pitch in 1964.

Never the same.

On May 27th of that year, Hall was struck in the face by a pitch from Bo Belinksy, a hard-throwing lefty. He wore a protective flap on his helmet after that. While he would produce a little afterward, he was never the same. His hitting against left-handed pitching was already questionable, and after getting hit in the face he couldn’t produce at the same level again.

After the Twins traded him to the Angels before the 1967 season, Hall would only hit double digit home runs one more time. He would be out of baseball by 1970. While his future was bright, he couldn’t produce at the same level after the incident.

Next: Grading Every Aspect of the Twins

Even though his career in Minnesota was short, Hall played incredibly for those years. He was a young star on a great team and that showed his value. Unfortunately, his career wouldn’t continue like that for very long.

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