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Minnesota Twins: The 40 Best Players In Team History (No. 1-5)

By Jackson Bruce

Apr 11, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins hall of fame player Rod Carew (center) holds out a ceremonial first pitch brought to him by former teammate Tony Oliva that he threw to first baseman Joe Mauer (7) before the game between the Twins and the Chicago White Sox at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 11, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins hall of fame player Rod Carew (center) holds out a ceremonial first pitch brought to him by former teammate Tony Oliva that he threw to first baseman Joe Mauer (7) before the game between the Twins and the Chicago White Sox at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports /
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MLB: Oakland Athletics at Minnesota Twins
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. 2: Harmon Killebrew (60.5 WAR)

Not many players could hit the ball as hard, or as far, as Minnesota Twins legend Harmon Killebrew. Killebrew made a living from smashing home runs, and he did it often. Although his reign in Minnesota was during the 1960s and 1970s, he is still the greatest slugger in Twins history to this day.

During his career in a Twins uniform, Killebrew hit 475 home runs (a franchise record), was a 12-time All-Star and collected an American League MVP. He also helped the Twins win the 1965 American League pennant. He was their first true superstar.

While he won many honors and filled the stat sheet, his value can be seen in a statistic that doesn’t show up there. His 60.5 wins above replacement is a sign of his value during his time with the Twins. He posted eight seasons in which he had WAR numbers above four.

His best season, according to WAR, came in 1967 when he put up 6.4 wins above replacement. His second-best season came in 1969 when he tallied 6.2 WAR and won the American League MVP. He finished second in that race in 1967.

Killebrew would be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984, and his plaque depicts him as a member of the Minnesota Twins. He was the greatest slugger to put on a Twins uniform, without a doubt. According to the WAR statistic, he was the second-greatest player in club history.

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