Minnesota Twins 40-man in 40 days: Brian Dozier
Opening Day for the Minnesota Twins is less than a month away! Puckett’s Pond is here to keep you informed on every player currently on the Twins 40 man roster.
This is a big year for Minnesota Twins second baseman Brian Dozier. He has been one of the Twins most reliable players over the last four seasons and is set to be a free agent filling the 2018 season.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing for the Twins because they have some talented middle-infielders in the Minors on the cusp of MLB. However, Dozier has been as good as any player in baseball over the last two seasons and his presence would be missed in this lineup.
He has hit .269 with 76 home runs and 192 runs batted in since the start of the 2016 season. Dozier also has a very good .349 on base percentage while playing in 307 games for the Twins over that span. During each of the last four seasons he has played in at least 150 games, so durability has never been an issue for Dozier.
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What makes Dozier so important for the Twins?
As unorthodox as it seems to bat Dozier in the leadoff spot, he provides big power. He strikes out far too much, but the numbers don’t lie, Dozier is what keeps this offense chugging along. All but one at-bat was from the leadoff spot for Dozier in 2017, and Minnesota needs him to produce from that spot again this season.
Dozier has also quietly become one of the best defensive second baseman in baseball. That is often one aspect of his game that is overlooked and most fans don’t consider him an elite defensive player. However, Dozier has quieted his critics after winning the Gold Glove award last season.
The Minnesota Twins need Dozier to continue his elite play if they expect to reach the postseason in ’18. However, he has expressed excitement over his impeding free agency and might be wearing a different uniform in 2019.
It’s possible that Minnesota could trade Dozier in season if Nick Gordon can prove he’s ready for the Majors. However, trading Dozier now would leave this team with no clear-cut leadoff hitter and hamper any chance of making the playoffs.
Next: Checking in on Jorge Polanco
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