No. 3: Greg Gagne
Years: 1983-1992 (10 Seasons)
Key Stats: 1140 G, 844 H, 69 HR, 335 RBI, 79 SB, 188 BB, .249 BA, 17.9 WAR, 12.4 dWAR, 1987 and 1991 World Series Champion
Greg Gagne was a key member of the Minnesota Twins during their most successful period in franchise history, a six-year span from 1987-1992, when the Twins won 515 games, four playoff series, and two World Series titles.
Gagne was the primary shortstop over those six years, playing 841 games at short over that time and earning a 17.9 WAR over his entire career in Minnesota. He totaled 844 hits, 335 RBI, 79 stolen bases and a decent batting average of .249.
Similar to McBride, Gagne’s best skill was his defense, earning a 12.4 dWAR over 1140 games. He is now tied for second in team history behind McBride, and he did it in three hundred fewer games. Gagne’s fielding percentage of .971 was excellent and he never had more than 26 errors in a season.
The most important contribution Greg Gagne made and the reason Gagne is third on this list are the two titles the Twins won during his tenure. Gagne was a key contributor on the two most recent title-winning squads in Minnesota professional sports (the Minnesota Lynx not included).
Gagne helped the Minnesota Twins win two World Series titles. That, coupled with his excellent defense help him earn this spot on the list. Gagne is the most recent Twins’ example of a shortstop that could make a ton of plays on defense.