Minnesota Twins: The Top 5 Centerfielders in Franchise History
By Otto Johnson
No. 2: Minnesota Twins’ Torii Hunter
Years with the Minnesota Twins: 1997-2007, 2015 (12 Seasons)
Key Stats with the Minnesota Twins: 1373 G, 1343 H, 739 R, 214 HR, 792 RBI, 128 SB, 354 BB, .268 BA, 26.4 WAR, 6.2 dWAR, Three Top-25 MVP Finishes, Two-Time All-Star, 7 Gold Gloves
Torii Hunter‘s stat line isn’t as good as Milan’s but his time in a Minnesota Twins uniform meant more than almost any other player. That isn’t to say that Hunter wasn’t an offensive star, because he absolutely was.
Hunter played 1,373 games and racked up 1,343 hits en route to a .268 batting average, solid numbers over twelve seasons. He could hit for power too hitting 214 homers put him in sixth place in franchise history and his 792 RBI rate him thirteenth.
When he retired from baseball in 2015 he had a 26.4 WAR, Three Top-25 MVP finishes, and two All-Star nods, and had helped the Twins reach the postseason four times with his stellar play. He grades out as the best defensive centerfielder in team history as well (give Buxton some time) with a dWAR of 6.2 and a stellar SEVEN Gold Glove awards.
Hunter’s best attribute wasn’t his defense, but what he meant to the fans. He was the superstar of the Twins when they needed a star most, when the team was facing the dreaded contraction. His return in 2015 was excellent as well, helping make a losing team watchable before he joined the front office.
Hunter helped the team come out of one of the worst periods in franchise history, and led the team with his winning smile. Torii Hunter is an essential piece of the Minnesota Twins, and one of the two players that define the Twins in the 2000s. This helps lift Hunter into the number two spot on this list.