Sano is a power-hitter (28 HRs in 2017) and Buxton an incredible outfielder.
photo by Tim Evearitt
When Derek Falvey and Thad Levine came in to run the day-to-day operations of the Minnesota Twins in the fall of 2016, they were pleased. There was a foundation there they felt they could build on.
Levine is well aware that the Twins' return to the postseason for the first time since 2010 is unexpected to say the least. The last, and only, time a team that had the No. 1 pick in the Draft (courtesy of having baseball's worst record the previous year) and went to the postseason that same year was when the 2008 Rays made it to the World Series. The Twins are the only team ever to lose 100 games and reach the postseason the following season.
Add in the fact there was a change at the top of the organization and it seems even more unlikely. And this year, there are two teams like that, with the D-backs joining the Twins as surprising Wild Card participants.
"It's rare to have two potential playoff contenders with new regimes," Levine said. "For things to go wrong to warrant a change, then to go that right to earn a playoff berth is pretty rare."
HOMEGROWN
Player, how acquired, year, former Chattanooga Lookout (FL)
Jose Berrios, Draft, 2012 (1st round), FL
Byron Buxton, Draft, 2012 (1st), FL
Brian Dozier, Draft, 2009 (8th)
Tyler Duffey, Draft, 2012 (5th), FL
Kyle Gibson, Draft, 2009 (1st)
Zack Granite, Draft, 2013 (14th), FL
Trevor Hildenberger, Draft, 2014 (22nd), FL
Max Kepler, Int'l sign, 2009, FL
Joe Mauer, Draft, 2001 (1st)
Jorge Polanco, Int'l sign, 2009, FL
Taylor Rogers, Draft, 2012 (11th)
Eddie Rosario, Draft, 2010 (4th)
Miguel Sano, Int'l sign, 2009, FL
Kennys Vargas, Int'l sign, 2009, FL
The new regime obviously hasn't been able to add in any of its own homegrown talent to the big league roster yet, seeing that it just went through its first Draft and international signing period this year. But Levine tips his cap to former GM Terry Ryan and company. This new group certainly leaned heavily on a core of players signed and developed in house.
It can be broken into two groups.
1. There are the veterans, starting obviously with Mauer, the Twins' No. 1 pick in 2001 and the only player who was around when the team last went to the postseason. He and Dozier are two draftees who have provided the kind of leadership teams need to get to October.
2. Then there are the young kids, many of whom who have been asked to develop on the fly in the big leagues. The biggest example of that, of course, is Buxton, the No. 2 overall pick from the 2012 Draft. Initially rushed to the big leagues and slowed by injuries, things really started to click for the super-toolsy center fielder in the second half, with his .300/.347/.546 line after the All-Star break not coincidentally aligned with the Twins turning it on to reach the postseason.
"It's a blend of a very talented young group of players maturing simultaneously at the big league level," Levine said. "That's really given us a meaningful talent boost to our overall team. We did give a little more attention to interspersing players with really good character and veteran leadership, building off of guys like Mauer and Dozier."
--- Source: adapted from MLB.com
Jose Berrios was 14-8 in 2017 with a 3.89 ERA.
photo by Tim Evearitt