The non-waiver trade deadline is only a month away and it’s still unclear whether the Minnesota Twins will be buyers or sellers.
Regardless of whether the Minnesota Twins buy or sell at the deadline, they should consider acquiring Keon Broxton. The Milwaukee Brewers outfielder has been recently recalled to MLB after starting this season playing in Triple-A.
Broxton is a classic boom or bust hitter with a relatively high strikeout rate. However, Broxton is more than just a power bat, he also possesses game-changing speed. He uses his speed well in the outfield and can change the complexion of a game when he’s on-base.
Broxton provides above-average defense at all three outfield positions and is a natural centerfielder. He’s not a big name on this year’s trade market like Manny Machado. However, all that really means is he won’t be nearly as expensive for the Twins to acquire.
What impact could Broxton have?
With Byron Buxton on the disabled list, and not hitting well when healthy, Broxton can help fill that void. He’s not on the same level as Buxton defensively, few players are, but Broxton makes his fair share of plays in the outfield.
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The Minnesota Twins played at a superior level defensively en route to making the playoffs during the 2017 season and Broxton can help them get back on track. Twins fans wouldn’t have to endure seeing Robbie Grossman trot out to the outfield anymore and that’s a good thing.
Looking at his numbers
Broxton hit only .220 with a whopping 175 strikeouts for the Brewers during the 2017 season. However, he also hit 20 home runs while stealing 21 bases across 463 plate appearances. He shows a lot of room for improvement but is still a young player trying to find his niche in MLB.
The 28-year-old speedster has already surpassed 100 strikeouts in less than 300 plate appearances while playing in Triple-A during this season. However, he also has 24 stolen bases and nine home runs through 72 games.
The biggest draw with acquiring Broxton is that he isn’t eligible for free agency until after the 2022 season. It’s impossible to predict when or if a player will put it all together at the MLB level. However, if Broxton figures things out he could be a special player.
Trading a low-mid level prospect for the chance that Broxton puts it all together in the Twin Cities is well worth it. At worst, Broxton will be arguably the best fourth outfielder in MLB. However, if he can stop swinging and missing at such a high rate, he could push Max Kepler for playing time in right field.
Next: An early look at the Twins trade deadline options
The Twins lineup needs more right-handed power, especially with Miguel Sano struggling during the 2018 season. Broxton would be a difference maker for Minnesota and could help boost the offensive production as a whole.