15 for 15: Ranking the Top 15 Minnesota Twins from the Last 15 years
By Otto Johnson
Top 15 Minnesota Twins from the Past 15 Years: No. 15-No. 11
No. 15: Denard Span (2008-2012)
From 2008-2010 Denard Span played a key role in teams contending for division titles. He was an extremely exciting player with game-changing speed. When the Twins officially started rebuilding, Span was one of the first pieces moved after back-to-back losing seasons. He may not have been here as long as others on this list, but his defense and running ability earn him a spot.
No. 14: Jason Kubel (2007-2011, 2014)
For five seasons in the late 2010s, Jason Kubel was one of the most underrated offensive players in baseball. Slashing .273/.339/.466, Kubel was the perfect sixth man to follow the Mauer-Morneau-Cuddyer meat grinder. Kubel averaged 19 homers and 79 RBI during his first stint here, and with not many options to choose from, he stands out well.
No. 13: Eddie Rosario (2015-2020)
Believe it or not, Eddie Rosario was a very productive player over his time with the Twins. Slashing .277/.310/.477 and hitting 20 homers a year is really solid for a corner outfielder. With this being said, the Twins made the right call in moving on from him, as his defense and ill-advised base-running kept him from being a key part of the team.
No. 12: Max Kepler (2015-Present)
Though Max Kepler’s recent struggles have brought up major questions, his defense gives him the edge over Kubel and Rosario (whose Minnesota offensive numbers are similar). On top of being a good defender, his overall likeability help land him in this spot, though there’s no telling what comes next for him.
No. 11: Miguel Sanó (2015-Present)
Defensive woes and personal opinions from some fans aside, Miguel Sanó‘s first seven seasons with the team have been good. He has a career 119 OPS+ and even though some fans bemoan his constant strikeouts, he’s still provided countless memories like this:
He’s an easy call for this list.