Who is Byron Buxton? Why is he in the discussion amongst the best baseball players in the world?

Byron Buxton was quick to establish himself as not only the face of the Minnesota Twins, but the face of MLB this season.

The Twins outfielder broke out in the 2021 season with a stellar campaign that saw him slug .647 in just over 60 games. This was enough to convince the Twins to sign the centerfielder to a seven-year contract extension for $100 million.

Buxton hopes to assume his place among a long line of prestigious centerfielders in Twins history. Time will tell if Buxton ends up being as good or even better than Minnesota legends Kirby Puckett and Tori Hunter. However, Buxton is just starting what fans hope is a long journey at Target Field.

Who is Byron Buxton?

Buxton was taken as the second overall pick in the 2012 MLB amateur draft out of Appling County High School in Georgia. Ironically he was taken one pick after the Houston Astros selection, shortstop Carlos Correa, who is now Buxton's teammate. Buxton was heralded as a true five-tool player patrolling centerfield using his athleticism and speed. His hand-eye coordination and muscle twitch let him hit for average and for power.

Texas Rangers v Minnesota Twins

While Buxton found success on the field during his time in the minors, he had trouble staying on the field. The young outfielder succumbed to a wrist injury that ended his sophomore season in professional baseball. Buxton would eventually make the Major League roster in 2015 at the age of 22.

However, since 2015 Buxton has only exceeded 100 games played in one season (2017) largely due to his fragility. This season alone has seen Buxton miss significant time due to a knee injury.

However, when healthy, Buxton commands the same respect of the game's greatest players. Over his last 170 games, Buxton seems to have put the pieces together at age 28. He is slugging .553 over that time with 48 home runs and 26 stolen bases while playing elite defense. The only thing that can stop Buxton from being one of the greatest Twins to ever play the game is his own body.

"If you’re facing a healthy Byron Buxton, you’re facing a man who is capable of winning an MVP on an annual basis." - Jared Carrabis