Report: Twins to take Buxton

[travistwinstalk]

According to Jon Heyman the Twins are preparing to take Georgia HS OF Byron Buxton at 2 after Houston takes SP Mark Appel at 1. Report is unconfirmed but should not be a surprise. Thoughts?

[nicksaviking]

It seems inevitable. I still don't know why there haven't been any comparasons to Donavan Tate, they seem so comparable, same size, position and stats; both are "5 tool" guys from rural Georgia devoid of real compition. Tate has been such a bust, it worries me. It just seems like there was a vacuum caused by a lack of big name bats this year and Buxton is the name who got pushed to fill the void.

[twinstalker]

Repost from another thread:

The best player in the draft is Carlos Correa. John Sickels, a Twins fan, is almost beside himself with the possibility the Twins will pass on him. (Note: you'll find a mock draft where John takes Appel, but the draft where he got to choose who he wanted, he took Correa).

[IdahoPilgrim]

The best part about this is this is a debate that we can relive over and over for the next 3 years, as we watch how the #2 pick (whoever it is) develops and as we watch how the other options fare on their journey to the bigs.

[Yoshii]

Any chance of Buxton being called up to play this year? He could play off the bench as our 4th OF!

[Einstein]

  Yoshii said:

Any chance of Buxton being called up to play this year? He could play off the bench as our 4th OF!

Seriously?

[Einstein]

  nicksaviking said:

It seems inevitable. I still don't know why there haven't been any comparasons to Donavan Tate, they seem so comparable, same size, position and stats; both are "5 tool" guys from rural Georgia devoid of real compition. Tate has been such a bust, it worries me. It just seems like there was a vacuum caused by a lack of big name bats this year and Buxton is the name who got pushed to fill the void.

Might be a fair comparison if not for Tate's drug issues.

[CwK]

  Yoshii said:

Any chance of Buxton being called up to play this year? He could play off the bench as our 4th OF!

Trolling...

[Mike Sixel]

Plus we will get to watch gausman strike out twins hitters while Buxton is in a ball after Kansas city drafts him.

[PMKI]

Right now my order of who I want the Twins to draft is 1. Correa 2. Giolito (won't happen) 3. Gausman 4. Buxton

[bird]

I've never wanted a Twins choice to suceed more than this pick. Why? Because I'm so tired of hearing how the Adam Johnson pick proves the Twins are bad talent evaluators by fans who conveniently ignore that NONE of picks#2-10 that year panned out.

 

I have to admit Buxton makes me nervous, given the "hit tool" is the one in question, especially the power potential. But something else tells me they will, and SHOULD take him or Correa at #2. I'm even MORE nervous about these college pitchers.

[nicksaviking]

  Einstein said:

Might be a fair comparison if not for Tate's drug issues.

That's true, but I don't think it would be fair to say the issues are the reason for his problems on the field.

 

Like Buxton, everyone said he had the frame to develop power, but Tate has yet to hit a HR outside of rookie league. Denard Span is 6'0" 210 lbs, Joe Mauer is 6'5" 230 lb, both were drafted out of high school and have the size for power but did not develop any mostly due to their swings and approach at the plate. We can't possibly think a guy who doesn't have high school power is going to suddenly develop it when the Twins hound him to constantly go the other way.

[Shane Wahl]

  birdwatcher said:

I've never wanted a Twins choice to suceed more than this pick. Why? Because I'm so tired of hearing how the Adam Johnson pick proves the Twins are bad talent evaluators by fans who conveniently ignore that NONE of picks#2-10 that year panned out.

 

I have to admit Buxton makes me nervous, given the "hit tool" is the one in question, especially the power potential. But something else tells me they will, and SHOULD take him or Correa at #2. I'm even MORE nervous about these college pitchers.

Just because none of the later picks in the first ten panned out, does not mean that one of them wouldn't have in the Twins organization.

[J-Dog Dungan]

My order for the Twins to draft would be 1)Gausman 2) Buxton 3) Some guy that none of us have heard of

[StormJH1]

  nicksaviking said:

That's true, but I don't think it would be fair to say the issues are the reason for his problems on the field.

 

Like Buxton, everyone said he had the frame to develop power, but Tate has yet to hit a HR outside of rookie league. Denard Span is 6'0" 210 lbs, Joe Mauer is 6'5" 230 lb, both were drafted out of high school and have the size for power but did not develop any mostly due to their swings and approach at the plate. We can't possibly think a guy who doesn't have high school power is going to suddenly develop it when the Twins hound him to constantly go the other way.

This is a great take. You have to look at "frame" to some degree, obviously, because if a guy is 5'9" 160lb, I'm sorry, but he's never going to be a 15-HR guy. Ben Revere, for example, is a guy that had a ceiling from the moment he was drafted.

 

But that doesn't mean that 6'3" 220lb behemoth will necessarily become a power hitter either. Mauer murdered that ball this weekend for his 3rd HR, but that just isn't his approach. He either can't or won't be that guy, so he is what he is.

 

I hear all this talk about the "toolsy" outfielders and I instantly think of the Upton brothers and a lot of the guys the Rays have drafted. But there's an interesting thing going on with (6'4", 190 lb) Dexter Fowler right now. He's 26 and it was basically presumed he was a decent leadoff-type hitter, and suddenly he has his career high in HR's (8) after only 168 plate appearances. Bat speed and technique can generate power just the same that sheer brute muscle can. Alfonso Soriano is one of those guys who never looked that strong but can absolutely kill a baseball with whatever weight he does have on his frame.

 

I'd rather pick Buxton here and be wrong about it, than take a pitcher (even one who could be decent in the majors) and have to watch 4 years ago if Buxton blows up somewhere.

[Thrylos]

  StormJH1 said:

if a guy is 5'9" 160lb, I'm sorry, but he's never going to be a 15-HR guy. .

Two words: Kirby Puckett. He was actually under 160 lbs when he broke in. "Never" is way too fatalistic a word

[Mike Sixel]

I'm ok with the pick, I'd just prefer a pitcher, given what we know about all the players and the Twins' minor league system (and its utter lack of pitching depth). I think I might prefer Correa also.

[SEC]

I prefer Correa and Gausman over Buxton so I kind of hope this one of those "leaked" rumors that never end up true. Two positions, SS and Pitchers, that I value over OF and I think position factors into best player available. Lets just hope that if it is Buxton, he isn't a bust

[mlhouse]

Correa and Buxton are no sure shots even if they have the highest "upside". But the Twins organization simply cannot wait 6 years for them to develop. THey need pitching help now, and that means a college arm.

[nicksaviking]

Dustin Pedroia is 5'8" 165lb's and has more HR than 6'+ 200lb+ Mauer and Span combined. I just don't see Buxton suddnely finding his power in this organization, there is just such little track record for it. In the last 30 years you can count the consistant and legit power hitters the Twins drafted and developed on 1 finger. Chris Parmelee was even transitioned away from being a slugger, it might have been the right move, but I don't think the Twins have a very good template as to how to develop power while keeping the other 4 "tools." Maybe Buxton is the exception, and I know I'm in the minority, but I think the odds that he develops MVP credentials are no better than any of the hard throwing pitchers.

[Gernzy]

I want a pitcher as well, but after Appel there is no one who truely stands out. Even Appel might not be a stud. Buxton is probably the safest pick.

[tpb8]

  mlhouse said:

Correa and Buxton are no sure shots even if they have the highest "upside". But the Twins organization simply cannot wait 6 years for them to develop. THey need pitching help now, and that means a college arm.

By "now" do you mean 2014? Are you expecting this amazing college pitcher to step right into the rotation?

[ashbury]

  J-Dog Dungan said:

My order for the Twins to draft would be 1)Gausman 2) Buxton 3) Some guy that none of us have heard of

I'm curious why you believe some player has flown under the radar after all this time and be worth a #2 pick. If it's purely a joke, I apologizing for letting it whoosh past me.

[nicksaviking]

  Gernzy said:

I want a pitcher as well, but after Appel there is no one who truely stands out. Even Appel might not be a stud. Buxton is probably the safest pick.

Safe isn't the same as sure thing and Buxton is no sure thing. Regardless, safe doesn't win the World Series, no one gets to the top without taking some risks, something the Twins have always been frightened to do.

[Gernzy]

  nicksaviking said:

Safe isn't the same as sure thing and Buxton is no sure thing. Regardless, safe doesn't win the World Series, no one gets to the top without taking some risks, something the Twins have always been frightened to do.

None of them are sure things. That is the biggest problem with this draft. Typical we have a high draft pick and the field is weak.

[bird]

shanewahl, this is not a criticism, just an observation about your take on the Adam Johnson draft year, where all of picks #2-10 were busts. So, if the Twins had drafted one of the eight others who busted instead of Johnson, that pick may have succeeded in the Twin's system? This logic is so very contrary to what most people seem to think, which is that being subjected to the Twin's development prowess greatly reduces a pick's chances for success.

 

My belief is that these players succeed or fail on their own merits for the most part.

[travistwinstalk]

i dont know what safe is as there is not a safe pick in Baseball. Ill take the guy with the most upside and that is Buxton. He is a 5 tool talent who has a chance to be in the Matt Kemp, Justin Upton range. Will he get there probably not, but he has the most god given talent and I would have no problem if the Twins took the guy with the most talent that is left on the board every year. This year it is Buxton so they should take him and not worry because he doesn't fill a need right now. The thing about that is even a college pitcher wouldn't be ready for 2-3 years and who knows what the Twins will look like in 3 years. So the bottom line is take the best athlete available and worry about where he fits in later.

[darin617]

The question I have about Byron Buxton is, does he have a stronger arm than Ben Revere? hahahahhaha

 

Also, to slam on little Ben one more time was he know as a 3 tool player when he was drafted?

[righty8383]

  tpb8 said:

By "now" do you mean 2014? Are you expecting this amazing college pitcher to step right into the rotation?

Not right away but next year would be a safe bet. Also mlhouse suggesting Correa or Buxton would take 6 years is quite extreme. Even the Twins wouldn't take nearly that long to get such a high pick through the minors unless something goes wrong. 3or 4 years would be more accurate.

[Shane Wahl]

  birdwatcher said:

shanewahl, this is not a criticism, just an observation about your take on the Adam Johnson draft year, where all of picks #2-10 were busts. So, if the Twins had drafted one of the eight others who busted instead of Johnson, that pick may have succeeded in the Twin's system? This logic is so very contrary to what most people seem to think, which is that being subjected to the Twin's development prowess greatly reduces a pick's chances for success.

 

My belief is that these players succeed or fail on their own merits for the most part.

All I mean is that it isn't set in stone that all of those players would have failed if drafted elsewhere (anywhere). I am not sure about individual cases, but if injuries impacted any of them, then clearly such injuries may very well have not happened if in a different environment. And different coaches matter, different development timeframes . . . maybe some of those players were rushed too fast? In any event, this kind of "set in stone" mentality reminds me of when I hear announcers talk about "if only" as in "if only he wouldn't have attempted to steal second base and get thrown out, that would have been a two-run homer" (for example). That ignores that a man on first vs. no one on is a completely different situation with different pitches, throwing from the stretch, etc. etc.