Twins CF Byron Buxton discusses leadership, future in Minnesota, life outside the ballpark and more (Exclusive)

Major League Baseball seasons seemingly blend into each other, and suddenly the young prospect of yesteryear is now the grizzled veteran of today.

There are times when that process makes sense – Mike Trout, for instance, has been such a good player and so visible for so long that it’s not difficult to conceive that the Los Angeles Angels superstar outfielder is in his early 30s. He’s been in the spotlight forever.

But there are some players who sneak out of their 20s when no one is looking, who have years of service time in the game while it feels like they are still getting settled.

Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton is one of those guys. Somehow, this is Buxton’s 10th season in the big leagues – all with the Twins. He debuted in 2015 as a 21-year-old, just three years after being selected second overall in the 2012 amateur draft.

The expectations were sky-high for Buxton, given his five-tool talent and baseball acumen at such a young age. He was one of those can’t-miss prospects that the world was so eager to watch. And when he has been on the field, Buxton has often demonstrated that ability, winning the American League’s Platinum Glove in 2017 as the best defensive player in the league, placing in the top 20 in AL MVP voting twice and making the 2022 AL All-Star team.

He just hasn’t been on the field enough to consistently be one of baseball’s best players. Only once in his previous nine seasons has Buxton played in more than 100 games or had more than 400 plate appearances – that was 2017, when he hit 16 homers and stole 29 bases in 140 contests.

Buxton turned 30 in December and is under contract through 2028 after signing a seven-year, $100 million extension in 2021. There is a solid chance he will finish his career in Minnesota. For now, though, Buxton just wants to be healthy and perform the way he knows he can.

Bryon Buxton Interview (Exclusive)

Buxton recently sat down for a Q&A to discuss his career, his injury history, the athleticism in today’s game and the desire for more African Americans playing in MLB.

Editor’s note: The following has been edited and condensed.

You’re 30 now – which seems hard to believe -- and you are closing in on your ninth anniversary as a major leaguer. You now are in that “veteran presence” role. How is that different for you?

Byron Buxton:

I don’t really treat myself any differently. I’ve been around a little, but I also know, too, I haven’t played a lot. So, I’m also still learning myself and going out there day in and day out to take on that mental and physical grind. I guess with the young guys, it’s just more of making sure I am there for them, letting them know I’ve got their backs. Obviously, we’re all gonna go through hard times and I just let them know to stick through those tough times.

When you came up there were so many expectations on you as the No. 2 overall pick. What veterans did you lean on during those early times?

Byron Buxton:

I was blessed enough to play with Torii Hunter in his last year (2015). And then I got the chance to play with Joe (Mauer) for a few more years after that, and those are obviously big pieces of Twins history. And for me it was just trying to pick their brains as much as I could to realize what was the ‘Twins Way.’ I was young and still learning how to go about becoming a big-league player. So those two guys were definitely in my corner at all times.

In 2021, you signed a seven-year, $100 million deal to be with the Twins through 2028. That’s becoming more and more prevalent with younger players in the past few seasons. Why did you decide that was something you wanted to do, to stay in Minnesota long term?

Byron Buxton:

I have been hurt quite a bit in my career and so loyalty, and not just from the people here but the organization overall, you don’t find that in a lot of places. When I got drafted, I wanted to play for only one team. It’s kind of like a dream come true for me that I’m able to wear a Twins uniform for my career. And it shows how dedicated not just I am to them, but they are to me.

You mentioned Mauer, who was a lifelong Twin, and Hunter, who spent 12 of his 19 seasons with Minnesota. Did their relationship with this organization make an impact on you?

Byron Buxton:

Yeah. There was a reason they wanted to stay here for the time that they did. For me, it was ‘What was that reason?” And it was more than just me loving being here and loving playing here and putting the Twins uniform on. My family loves it here as well. If you’re comfortable and your family loves it too, that plays a big part in how I raise my kids and my wife raises our kids. It’s a little bit bigger than just myself and baseball now.

You are both an MLB player and a dad of three boys. Is it tough to balance both?

Byron Buxton:

It’s a little bit easier for me just letting go of the bad games that I have or the rough days, rough weeks, or struggles like I’m in now. It’s easier to let those things go, because at the end of the game or before the game, whatever the situation is, I’m always a dad. My kids, they are always gonna need me until I’m not here. I’m gonna make sure, each and every day, whether good or bad, I’m there for them.

You’ve discussed your injuries briefly. How frustrating has your injury situation been for you and do you think we’ve seen the best of Byron Buxton?

Byron Buxton:

No. It’s been different. If I can have a healthy season, and I know I will, it’s kind of just letting it play out. I’m not worried about whether I’m gonna have to have surgery or if this is going to hurt. It’s always something before the season that you have in your head, to where it was ‘I’ve got to be careful doing this, because I don’t want to go on the IL.’ And then I end up going on the IL anyway for that particular reason. I don’t have that thought in my head anymore, that process. It’s just more about going out there and competing every day. And that kind of relaxes me more just knowing each day you’re going out there and playing baseball again and having fun with it.

Is your goal for this season to play a certain number of games, such as 140?

Byron Buxton:

It used to be. But now it’s just making sure that I’m present and available every day. If I’m present and available every day, that means I’m healthy and I’m playing. I’m just trying to keep it a little simpler than just going, ‘Oh, I’m gonna play 140 games.’ Who knows? 140 games are a grind. So, I just try to take it one game at a time, don’t try to look too far ahead. Obviously, the bigger picture is to play as many games as I possibly can.

When you and Carlos Correa were available in the amateur draft, the buzz was about how you two were rare, five-tool talents. And it seemed like there were only a few of those available each year. Does it seem like five-tool guys are much more prevalent now?

Byron Buxton:

They’re everywhere. Everywhere. It’s different. It is. I don’t know why. I feel like now you could go a few rounds and there are five-tool guys that people passed on. Everybody’s got a chance now (no matter the round selected). It’s a little harder because everybody has five tools.

Do you think there is more athleticism among the young players today as a whole than when you came in?

Byron Buxton:

There is. One thousand percent. We’re (early) into the season, and some of the plays that have been made already is pretty crazy. You might have seen plays like that four or five times a week before, whereas you now see it every night. It’s crazy. That’s how much better the game has gotten.

What about center field play? How much better has it become since you’ve been in the game? It seems like almost every team has a standout defensive center fielder.

Byron Buxton:

A lot. And they do. To be a center fielder, you’ve got to be able to take charge and be that leader to try and get every ball you possibly can. I feel like everybody in the league’s got a guy that’s not scared to put his body on the line or do what he needs to do to catch that ball. It makes it a little bit easier for the corners to do their jobs when they know this guy has got this gap and that gap. So, I really want to focus on making sure I get my part of the field.

There are obviously some great African American ballplayers in the game today, but the percentage overall is low – 6 percent. Do you think MLB is doing enough to try and build that number?

Byron Buxton:

I haven’t communicated with MLB enough on that, but I mean the more we can get (African Americans) into it, learn the game and explore the game and understand how much fun it is, the better. I feel like that’s a big jump into trying to get more African Americans into the game. Baseball can be something that’s scary. You’ve got a ball coming at you at 90 miles per hour. But now? Me, personally? I don’t want the defensive lineman in the NFL, I don’t want them running at me. Because they run about as fast as I do now. So, it’s like we’ve just got to put baseball out there. And make it happen.

Well, you could have had that choice. You potentially could have played high-level football as a receiver or maybe as a quarterback, right?

Byron Buxton:

I could have, but I’d rather stick here. I’d rather play baseball because I don’t think I’d be playing in the NFL right now. Like I just told you, the defensive line runs like wide receivers now. I think that’s a little bit scarier.

Is it important to you to see those minority numbers increase?

Byron Buxton:

It is. I think I saw something about there only being six percent, and it’s essentially less than when I first got here. It’s a decline. Some type of work needs to be done to get those numbers up.