Minnesota Twins fans know that Byron Buxton and Joe Ryan are the faces of the franchise. That much is known among the community, but it's cool to see Major League Baseball take notice of it, too.
As we inch closer to Spring Training this year, MLB and MLB Network are unveiling the Top 100 players right now. And deservingly, Buxton and Ryan each made the list.
Buxton was slotted in at No. 42 and Ryan was placed at No. 73.
Twins' Byron Buxton, Joe Ryan named Top 100 players by MLB Network for 2026
The funny part about this list is the timing of it. We have learned recently that Buxton was not going to be in attendance for TwinsFest later this month, and then Joe Ryan was removed from the list of players appearing soon after.
It's just an interesting coincidence is all. Fans would love to celebrate these two stars being heralded among the game's best talent at TwinsFest, but they'll have to settle for congratulating them online.
Hopefully these two guys will live up to their spots on the list. Buxton was an All-Star, a Silver Slugger, and Top 11 AL MVP finisher in 2025 after producing a 4.9 bWAR, 35 home runs, and two dozen stolen bases.
Ryan is coming off a career year that placed him in the All-Star Game for the first time. He made a career-high 30 starts and punched out 194 batters, alongside registering a 4.5 bWAR and a 3.42 ERA.
One "snub" we would have liked to have seen within the Top 100 list was Pablo López, but making only 14 starts in 2025 probably is the reason he was not included. He was magnificent in those outings, though, generating a 2.74 ERA.
Who are some other Twins that can potentially crack the list next season? Maybe top prospect Walker Jenkins if he plays a long enough and a well enough rookie season. Luke Keaschall also showed some promise last year after batting .302 in 49 games. If Royce Lewis can finally unlock the best version of himself, then he may be the surest bet to land somewhere among the 100 best players.