Minnesota Twins: The Top 50 Players in Franchise History: 20-1
As the Minnesota Twins come up on their 120th season, we finish our look back at the fifty best players in franchise history with No. 20 through No.1.
The Minnesota Twins are one of the oldest franchises in baseball, dating back to 1901, when they were the league bottom-dweller known as the Washington Senators. Since that time, the team has won three championships, six pennants, and eleven division titles.
It has also suffered through seven 100+ loss seasons, fourteen playoff defeats, and have lost over 1100 games to the New York Yankees. The team has had some really good seasons, and some really bad seasons. Throughout it all, there have been some excellent players who have carried the team.
These players deserved some recognition. When I started this project three weeks ago, I wanted to list the top fifty players in franchise history and go over the Top 5 at each position. With a top five list at each position completed, it’s time to finally get into the big one: The Top 50 Players in Franchise History.
In order to make this list the Twins player needed to appear on one of the Top 5 positional lists, pitch in at least 150 games or hit in at least four hundred (only one player did both), perform excellently on the diamond, and mean something to the franchise and it’s fans.
We finished the Honorable Mentions and the Last Ten In (No. 55-No. 41) yesterday, and we got through the All-Stars and the Twins Greats (No. 40-No.21) earlier today, leaving us with just the Top 20 players in team history left.
This was the hardest list to put together, with the Twins featuring some truly great players. Today’s list is broken down into three pieces: The Minnesota Twins Mount Rushmore (four players), The Top Ten (six players), and the All-Time Greats (ten players). With the end in sight, let’s get into it.
The Minnesota Twins All-Time Greats
This list, is reserved for the elite players in Twins history that just fell outside of the Top 10. Two of the players are in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, five are in the Twins Hall of Fame, two are Senators greats, and the last player is Chuck Knoblauch. Let’s get into it.
No. 20: Minnesota Twins’ Chuck Knoblauch 1991-1998 (8 Seasons) 1013 G, 1197 Hits, 43 HR, 391 RBI, 276 SB, 513 BB, .304 BA, 38.0 WAR, 8.6 dWAR, Rookie of the Year, 4 Time All-Star, 3 Top 25 MVP, Two Silver Sluggers, One Gold Glove
Positional Ranking: No. 2 Second Baseman
Chuck Knoblauch was one of the Twins top young players, churning out a 38.0 WAR over just eight seasons. His yearly average of .304 BA, 49 RBI, 64 BB, and 35 steals with a 4.75 WAR is incredible. He was the 1991 Rookie of the Year and was a key piece of the 1991 World Championship team.
He was supposed to be inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame, but personal issues got in the way of that. Regardless of that, Knoblauch was a star in Minnesota before he forced his way out. And who knows, if he never leaves Minnesota, his career could’ve been very different.
No. 19: Minnesota Twins’ Jim “Kitty” Kaat 1959-1973 (15 Seasons) 484 G, 3,014.1 IP, 190-159 W-L, 3.34 ERA, 1,851-729 K-BB, 133 CG, 23 Shutouts, 30.6 WAR, 2-Time All-Star, 12 Gold Gloves, Two Top-25 MVP Finishes, 1965 AL Pennant
Positional Ranking: No. 5 Starting Pitcher
One of the greatest defensive pitchers in league history, Jim Kaat won twelve of his fifteen Gold Gloves during his time in Minnesota. A 2001 inductee to the Twins Hall of Fame, Kaat is one of the best pitchers in Twins history.
Kaat played 15 seasons in Minnesota and helped the team win the AL Pennant in 1965. He was a force on the mound and ranks second in team history in Wins and fourth in strikeouts and shutouts. Kitty Kaat is a franchise icon that belongs in the top twenty.
No. 18: Minnesota Twins’ Gary Gaetti 1981-1990 (10 Seasons) 1361 G, 1276 H, 201 HR, 74 SB, 758 RBI, 358 BB, .256 BA, 27.2 WAR, 11.3 dWAR, Three Top-25 MVP Finishes, Two-time All-Star, Four Gold Gloves, 1987 World Series Champion, 1987 ALCS MVP
Positional Ranking: No. 2 Third Baseman
Gary Gaetti was a playoff stalwart for the Minnesota Twins and was an excellent all-around player. The 1987 ALCS MVP also won four Gold Gloves and was a two-time All-Star. He was one of the most complete players in team history.
Gaetti was inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame in 2007 and was a foundational piece of the team that brought the first World Series to Minnesota. His 11.3 dWAR is fifth in team history and he only played ten years with the team, helping him lock down the eighteenth spot.
No. 17: Minnesota Twins’ Frank “Sweet Music” Viola 1982-1989 (8 Seasons) 260 G, 1,772.2 IP, 112-93 W-L, 3.86 ERA, 1,214-521 K-BB, 54 CG, 10 Shutouts, 27.0 WAR, One-time All-Star, 1988 Cy Young, Three Top-10 Cy Young Finishes, One Top-25 MVP Finish, 1987 World Series
Positional Ranking: No. 4 Starting Pitcher
One of the most dominant starters in Twins history, Frankie V was the driving force behind the team’s run to the 1987 World Series, and he deservedly won the World Series MVP that year and the Cy Young Award the next.
He became the third starter inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame, as Viola meant everything to the Twins over that two-year span and his trade helped bring back several key pieces of the 1991 Championship team. He was a true leader of the team and earned his spot at number seventeen.
No. 16: Minnesota Twins’ Johan Santana 2000-2007 (8 Seasons) 251 G, 1,308.2 IP, 93-44 W-L, 3.22 ERA, 1,381-364 K-BB, 6 CG, 4 Shutouts, 35.8 WAR, 3-Time All-Star, 2004 and 2006 Cy Young, One Gold Glove, Five Top-10 Cy Young Finishes, Two Top-25 MVP Finishes
Positional Ranking: No. 3 Starting Pitcher
Johan Santana was the pitcher responsible for the best three-year run in team history, when he went 55-19, with a 2.75 ERA, and 748 strikeouts en route to picking up two Cy Young Awards. The team won two division titles and averaging over 90 wins a season.
Santana was elected to the Twins Hall of Fame in 2018 and is considered one of the most dominant pitchers of the 2000s. The only reason he stays outside of the Top 15 is because he was traded away too early in his career.
No. 15: Minnesota Twins’ Bob Allison 1958-1970 (13 Seasons) 1541 G, 1281 H, 811 R, 256 HR, 796 RBI, 84 SB, 795 BB, .255 BA, 34.1 WAR, -5.3 dWAR, 1959 Rookie of the Year, Three Top-25 MVP Finishes, Three Time All-Star
Positional Ranking: No. 3 Right Fielder
Bob Allison is one of the Twins thought of extremely highly by Twins fans. He was an excellent power hitter, as his 256 homers sit third in Twins history and that power helped make fans love him.
Bob wasn’t that great at much else, but his likable personality makes him an easy choice for the top fifteen. He was part of the fourth class in the Twins Hall of Fame and is remembered fondly by the organization. The 1959 Rookie of the Year is a Twins star.
No. 14: Washington Senators’ Clyde “Deerfoot” Milan 1907-1922 (16 Seasons) 1982 G, 2100 H, 1004 R, 17 HR, 617 RBI, 495 SB, 685 BB, .285 BA, 40.0 WAR, -5.7 dWAR, Four Top-25 MVP Finishes
Positional Ranking: No. 3 Center Fielder
The franchise’s all-time leader in steals, Deerfoot Milan was known for two things: Getting hits and stealing bases. Milan finished his career with 495 stolen bases, which when he retired, placed him in the top five in league history.
Milan’s .285 batting average is in the top thirty in franchise history and helped him build a career WAR of 40, tenth in the team record books. This helps land Deerfoot in the fourteenth slot, with only five Senators in front of him.
No. 13: Washington Senators’ Joe Judge 1915-1932 (18 Seasons) 2084 G, 2291 Hits, 71 HR, 1001 RBI, 210 SB, 943 BB, .299 BA, 47.1 WAR, -5.3 dWAR, 4 top 25 MVP finishes, World Series Champion
Positional Ranking: No. 2 First Baseman
The second best first baseman in team history and the starter at first for the All-Time Senators team, Joe Judge could hit and run. His WAR of 47.1 is sixth in team history, but he’s ranked in the top ten of several other categories.
He is third in games (2,084) walks (943), and hits (2,291), sixth in steals (210), and tenth in OBP (.379). He also helped bring the team its first World Series in 1924 and second pennant a year later. He belongs in the top 15.
No. 12: Washington Senators’ Joe Cronin 1928-1934 (7 Seasons) 940 G, 1090 H, 51 HR, 673 RBI, 56 SB, 460 BB, .304 BA, 36.7 WAR, 11.8 dWAR, 2 Top-25 MVP Finishes, 1933 AL Pennant, Hall of Fame
Positional Ranking: No. 1 Shortstop
The top shortstop on the list, Hall of Famer Joe Cronin was a star over his seven seasons with the team. Though he played more games over his time in Boston, Cronin played for the Senators first and played better in Washington.
Cronin was a great hitter, with his .304 average ranking tying him for thirteenth in team history. He was also a great defender, with his 11.8 dWAR placing him fourth on the franchise list. His most impressive achievement is his 36.7 WAR, built over just seven seasons, showing his value to the team.
No. 11: Washington Senators’ Goose Goslin 1921-1930, 1933, 1938 (12 Seasons) 1361 G, 1659 H, 854 R, 127 HR, 932 RBI, 117 SB, 488 BB, .323 BA, 43.0 WAR, -1.4 dWAR, 1928 Batting Title, Three Top-25 MVP Finishes, 1924, 1925, 1933 AL Pennant, 1924 World Series, Hall of Fame
Positional Ranking: No. 1 Left Fielder
The next Hall of Famer and the best left fielder in team history, Goose Goslin helped lead the team to three AL Pennants and the 1924 World Series title. An excellent hitter and defender, Goslin played twelve seasons for the Senators.
His .323 batting average is third in team history, and he ranks in the top twenty of almost every single statistic, including eighth in RBI. He is one of the three best hitters in Senators history and just misses the cut for the Top 10.
Minnesota Twins Top 10
The second to last of the Top 50 Lists focuses on the Minnesota Twins (and two Washington Senators) who are franchise icons but just couldn’t crack the top four in team history. All of these players are either in the Hall of Fame, the Twins Hall of Fame, or both. We’ll start with Number 10.
No. 10: Minnesota Twins’ Torii Hunter 1997-2007, 2015 (12 Seasons) 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
Positional Ranking: No. 2 Center Fielder
Fan favorite and beloved member of the organization, Torii Hunter is one of the most recognizable faces in organization history. His trademark smile and lovable attitude made him a hero for Twins fans and a star in the league.
A defensive marvel with seven Gold Gloves as a Twin, Hunter was a consistent 20 homer-20 steal threat that was just fun to watch. He was elected to the Twins Hall of Fame in 2016 and has an outside shot to become a professional Hall of Famer when he becomes eligible in 2021.
No. 9: Washington Senators’ Sam Rice 1915-1933 (19 Seasons) 2307 G, 2889 H, 1466 R, 33 HR, 1044 RBI, 346 SB, 680 BB, .323 BA, 52.9 WAR, -3.5 dWAR, One Top-25 MVP Finish, 1924, 1925, 1933 AL Pennant, 1924 World Series Champion, Hall of Fame
Positional Ranking: No. 2 Right Fielder
The greatest hitter in Senators history (Killebrew excluded), Sam Rice earned the fourth highest WAR in Senators history of 52.9. His name is all over the record book as well. Rice is the franchise leader in at-bats (8,394), runs scored (1,466), hits (2,889), singles (2,194), doubles (479), and triples (183).
Rice also ranks third in batting average (.323), second in stolen bases (346), and eleventh in walks (680) while helping the franchise win three AL Pennants and win the 1924 World Series. The Hall of Famer is well worth the inclusion at ninth on the All-Time list.
No. 8: Minnesota Twins’ Kent Hrbek 1981-1994 (14 Seasons) 1747 G, 1749 H, 903 R, 293 HR, 1086 RBI, 37 SB, 838 BB, .282 BA, 38.6 WAR, One Time All-Star, 2 Top-25 MVP Finishes, 1987 and 1991 World Series Champ, ROY-2
Positional Rank: No. 1 First Baseman
We’ve officially reached the point where the Twins started retiring numbers, including Kent Hrbek‘s Number 14. An inaugural member of the Twins Hall of Fame class in 2000, Hrbek is another local hero here, as his run with the Twins included two World Series victories and 293 homers (second in team history).
Born and Raised in Minnesota, Herbie was and is one of our own and that made him all the more important to the team. He was a stellar first baseman, and Twins fans recognized him as such. Plus his legendary pulling of Ron Gant off the bag lives on forever:
No. 7: Minnesota Twins’ Tony Oliva 1962-1976 (15 Seasons) 1676 G, 1917 H, 870 R, 220 HR, 947 RBI, 86 SB, 448 BB, .304 BA, 43.1 WAR, -4.4 WAR, 1964 Rookie of the Year, Three Batting Titles, Eight Top-25 MVP Finishes, 8 Time All-Star, One Gold Glove, 1965 Pennant
Positional Ranking: No. 1 Right Fielder
One of the best players to not be in the Hall of Fame, Tony O is another franchise icon with his number (No. 6) retired by the team. Oliva was a skilled hitter whose .304 BA (thirteenth), and 220 HR (fifth), and 947 RBI (seventh) all rank among the top marks in team history.
Oliva was an eight-time All-Star and another inaugural member of the Twins Hall of Fame. He’s a key figure in Twins history and a large reason the team won the 1965 Pennant when Oliva should have won MVP. The three-time batting champ earned his spot at number seven.
No. 6: Minnesota Twins’ Bert “The Frying Dutchman” Blyleven 1970-1976, 1985-1988 (11 Seasons) 348 G, 2,566.2 IP, 149-138 W-L, 3.28 ERA, 2,035-674 K-BB, 141 CG, 29 Shutouts, 49.1 WAR, 2-Time All-Star, Three Top-10 Cy Young Finishes, Two Top-25 MVP Finishes, 1987 World Series, Hall of Fame
Positional Ranking: No. 2 Starting Pitcher
An easy call for the Top Ten List, Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven just had to figured out for what spot on this list he deserved. The Frying Dutchman was an excellent pitcher who ranks second in team history in strikeouts and fifth in Major League History.
He was a member of the 1987 World Series team as well, as he was an excellent secondary member of the rotation that year. The long time broadcaster has given Twins fans so many great memories and he will continue to go down as an All-Time great.
No. 5: Washington Senators’ Walter “The Big Train/Barney” Johnson 1907-1927 (21 Seasons) 802 G, 5,914.1 IP, 417-279 W-L, 2.17 ERA, 3,509-1,363 K-BB, 531 CG, 110 Shutouts, 151.9 WAR, 1913 and 1924 MVP, Six Top-25 MVP Finishes, 3-Time Pitching Triple Crown Winner, 5-Time ERA Title, 1924 and 1925 AL Pennant, 1924 World Series, Hall of Fame
Positional Ranking: No. 1 Starting Pitcher
In terms of talent, Walter Johnson belongs on top of this list. The Big Train is the greatest starting pitcher in team history and has a strong argument as the top pitcher of all time. The Hall of Famer has three pitching Triple Crowns and took home the ERA title five times.
He is the all-time team leader in WAR, Wins, ERA, Strikeouts, Complete Gams, Shutouts, and the 1913 and 1924 MVP. His total career WAR of 164.5 (he also earned 12.7 WAR as a hitter) is second behind Babe Ruth, arguably the greatest ball player ever.
Why then is Barney left knocking at the door? For the Mount Rushmore of Twins Players, you had to play in Minnesota and mean something to Minnesota. And because Johnson was long out of the league when the franchise moved here, he isn’t considered. However, his talent is the strongest in team history, so if you view that as all that matters, he is Number One.
Minnesota Twins Mount Rushmore
The Mount Rushmore for sports teams is considered the four greatest players in team history, and that’s the same rule here. Our Mount Rushmore includes the four best players in Minnesota Twins history, the four most important players to the team.
Three out of the four players are in the Hall of Fame, and the fourth has a very solid shot when he joins the ballot in 2024. All four players left their mark in Minnesota and were excellent ball players and their numbers are retired by the team. With the ground rules set, here is the Minnesota Twins Mount Rushmore.
No. 4: Minnesota Twins’ Joe Mauer 2004-2018 (15 Seasons) 1858 G, 2123 H, 1018 R, 143 HR, 923 RBI, 52 SB, 939 BB, .306 BA, 55 WAR, 2.9 dWAR, 6 Time All-Star, 3 Gold Gloves, 5 Silver Sluggers, 2009 MVP, 5 Top-25 MVP Finishes, 3 Time Batting Champ
Positional Rank: No. 1 Catcher
The Number 1 Draft Pick in 2001, Joe Mauer is the hometown boy who developed into a superstar. Mauer, the quiet kid from St. Paul ended up with the fourth highest WAR in Twins history and became the defining player of the 2000s and 2010s.
Mauer was an excellent hitter who hit for a .306 average (eleventh in team history), 143 homers (thirteenth), 923 RBI (ninth). He also produced 1,858 games played (sixth), a .388 OBP (sixth), and 2,123 hits (third).
The three-time Gold Glove winner also was a six-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger award winner, three-time batting champ, and the 2009 MVP. He embodied Twins Baseball and was beloved by almost all Minnesotans, locking him into a spot on this list.
No. 3: Minnesota Twins’ Harmon “Killer” Killebrew 1954-1974 (21 Seasons) 2329 G, 2024 H, 559 HR, 1540 RBI, 1505 BB, .258 BA, 60.5 WAR, 71.4 oWAR, -17.6 dWAR, 13 Time All-Star, 9 Top-25 MVP Finishes, 1965 AL-Pennant, 1969 MVP, Hall of Fame
Positional Ranking: No. 1 Third Baseman
By far the hardest decision on the list was which player would be second and which player would be third. Harmon Killebrew ends up going third because he played nine more seasons but he didn’t have the accolades of the player in the two-spot.
Don’t let that take away from the greatness of Harmon Killebrew. The Killer is one of the most feared sluggers of all time, and is the No. 1 power hitter in team history. Killebrew’s power was legendary, and he still ranks first in many offensive categories for the Twins.
The Hall of Famer is first in games played, slugging %, OPS, home runs, total bases, RBI, and runs created. Killebrew is a Twins icon (whose number 3 is retired by the team) and well deserving of his spot as the third best player in Twins history.
No. 2: Minnesota Twins’ Rod Carew 1967-1978 (12 Seasons) 1635 G, 2085 H, 950 R, 74 HR, 733 RBI, 271 SB, 613 BB, .334 BA, 63.8 WAR, 2.1 dWAR, 1967 Rookie of the Year, 12 Time All-Star, 1977 MVP, 8 Top 25 MVP Finishes, 7 Time Batting Champ, Hall of Fame
Positional Ranking: No. 1 Second Baseman
The only thing that prevented Rod Carew from being the best Twin of All-Time was ownership’s unwillingness to give him a pay raise. Widely considered one of the best hitters of all time, Carew was dominant over his twelve seasons with the Twins.
Carew was a star the second he joined the Minnesota Twins winning the 1967 Rookie of the Year and making the All-Star game all twelve of his years with the team. In addition, he won a team record seven batting titles and added the 1977 MVP award.
The Hall of Famer is first in WAR and batting average in team history, while also finishing fifth in steals, and sixth in hits. The former All-Star has his number 29 retired by the team and is a member of the team Hall of Fame, and the number two player in Twins history.
No. 1: Minnesota Twins’ Kirby Puckett 1984-1995 (12 Seasons) 1783 G, 2307 H, 1071 R, 207 HR, 1085 RBI, 134 SB, 450 BB, .318 BA, 51.1 WAR, Nine Top-25 MVP Finishes, Ten Time All-Star, Six Gold Gloves, Six Silver Slugger Awards, 1987 and 1991 World Series Hall of Famer
Positional Ranking: No. 1 Center Fielder
There was absolutely no question about which player would land atop the list for best players in Twins history. Kirby Puckett was the face of the franchise throughout the 80s and 90s and was beloved by his teammates, the organization, and fans.
Despite playing only twelve seasons, Puck ranks third in WAR, fifth in batting average, tenth in OPS, eighth in games played, fourth in runs, second in hits, seventh in homers, third in total bases and RBI and thirteenth in steals. He was the most well-rounded Twin ever.
Puckett was also named an all-star ten times, won six Gold Gloves, six Silver Sluggers and finished in the Top-25 of MVP voting nine times (he was robbed of the award twice). Lastly, his greatest contributions came from his clutch hitting, as he lead the team to two World Series titles with moments like this:
No one meant more to the organization than the first-ballot MLB Hall of Famer and one of the inaugural members of the Twins Hall of Fame. The Twins retired his number 34 just one year after glaucoma forced his retirement. He is the iconic Twin, and the greatest Twin of all-time.
Next. How a contender was built from the ashes of 2016. dark