PHOTOS: How Long Until Byron Buxton Reaches Minnesota?

The cry is beginning to get louder in Minneapolis, "How long? How long." Fans are not lamenting their current Twins' team since they have been winning recently, but they are wondering how long they will need to wait before the arrival of the incredible future star Byron Baxter? 

Lookouts' manager Doug Mientkiewicz has made it clear that, although it is management's decision, he believes it's in the best interests of both the Twins and Buxton that he remains in Chattanooga. Lookouts' fans recall this was the strategy of the Reds with Joey Votto in 2006, and the Dodgers in 2013 for Joc Pederson who played the entire year in Chattanooga.

That move paid off for both teams. On the other hand, the Dodgers have admitted they rushed Dee Gordon and the move delayed his development.

If there is any pressure, that pressure is on Twins' general manager Terry Ryan. Twins' reporters had a recent conversation with Ryan that included:

Byron Buxton, coming off a scorching 10-game period at Double-A Chattanooga, did not receive consideration for the promotion (to the Twins) that went to fellow outfielder Eddie Rosario this week.

That could change, however, in the coming weeks if Buxton keeps hitting, Twins general manager Terry Ryan said.

“He’s just started to take off down there,” Ryan said Tuesday. “If we were talking later on in the year, everything being equal, I would suspect he would be in that equation. He’s just not quite to that point where we should consider him.”

Since Lookouts manager Doug Mientkiewicz gave Buxton a two-day breather on April 23-24, baseball’s No. 1 prospect was hitting .415 in his past 41 at-bats, reaching base at a .479 clip and slugging a ridiculous .805.

That includes a two-run, walk-off homer in a 2-0 win Monday night. The next night he was 0-for-4.

“All right, let’s say it’s six weeks later,” Ryan said, “ and he’s pounding it like he has been for the last two weeks. Then he’s starting to force our hand.”

While another top prosect, third baseman Miguel Sano, was still hitting just .169, Buxton seems to have taken off after an injury-marred 2014 that included issues with both wrists as well as surgery to repair a broken finger in November.

“It’s a relief for me,” Ryan said. “I get a lot of questions about him. There’s a lot of attention given to him — not just this market, but it’s national: ‘What’s wrong with him?’ He’s been struggling; he’s not struggling any longer. Now the questions are a different flavor: ‘When are you going to move him?’ ”

Buxton, 21, has been in big-league camp the past two springs and in Arizona the past two falls. Ryan has been saying since January he could see Buxton and Sano reaching the majors at some point this season.

Much work remains, but for now Buxton has silenced his doubters.

“I’m sure any human being that would bother,” Ryan said. “With the skills that he possesses, he’s used to succeeding and he’s never really had too much failure. Last year he had a lot of injuries, but he’s not failed too much. Now he’s back doing what we think is normal. His normal approach and normal results.”

Chattanooga area fans have a special opportunity to behold one the baseball's most gifted talents to come along in many years.  Barring unforeseen injuries, Byron Buxton will be a Major League superstar, not unlike Mike Trout or Miguel Cabrera.