Minnesota Twins: A look at the Twins Top-5 prospects
The Minnesota Twins Minor League system has produced more Major League players than most. From Joe Mauer to Brian Dozier to Byron Buxton, the system keeps chugging along.
MLB.com has recently released the Minnesota Twins Top-30 prospects and Puckett’s Pond is here to break down the Top-5 prospects in the system. However, first we’ll take a look at one of the more recent graduates of the Twins Minor League system.
Byron Buxton
Byron Buxton has been everything he was advertised to be. Speed? Check. Tremendous range defensively? Check. About the only thing he is missing is Giancarlo Stanton-esgue power. However, Buxton has the kind of speed that makes even Billy Hamilton jealous.
Buxton has 41 stolen bases in 278 games during his Major League career. Even better, he has a 91.8% success rate, and is a nuisance every time he reaches base.
However, his speed is more evident in the outfield than it is on the base paths. Buxton has quickly become one of the best centerfielders in Major League Baseball. Although he has a pedestrian .988 fielding percentage during his career, it’s not about the plays Buxton fails to make, but rather the plays he improbably does make.
If the ball is hit to the outfield in the air, an out is always possible with Buxton in center. He brings back memories of watching Torii Hunter tracking fly balls for Minnesota Twins fans. The future is bright for Buxton, and in turn, that means the future is bright in the Twin Cities.
He hit 16 home runs while slashing .253/.314/.413 last season for the Twins. He strikes out far too much but his upside is through the roof. Buxton reaches base enough that manager Paul Molitor can bat him anywhere he wants in the lineup, and that’s a major advantage while filling out the lineup card daily.
He has already shown that he’s a future star in Major League Baseball. The Minnesota Twins will need him to continue to progress in order to continue to contend in the American League.
The Twins have a depth of talent in Minor Leagues that is on the cusp of making an impact in the Show. First up in the Top-5 is Wander Javier.