Article: TD Twins Top Prospects: #2 Byron Buxton

[Seth Stohs]

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php?r=1371-TD-Twins-Top-Prospects-2-Byron-Buxton

[tjsyam921]

Seth, It seems the E-Twins have a lot of success every year. What is the biggest reason behind this? Good players, coaching, lesser opponents, or what? Heres to hoping "Buck" can Buck the trend and move through the system fast and be a young MLB stud like the Upton's.

[Han Joelo]

Wow. I knew he was a great prospect, but now that I know he has the nickname of Buck, well, that is just too much. That was always the nickname I wanted people to call me.

[Seth Stohs]

Seth, It seems the E-Twins have a lot of success every year. What is the biggest reason behind this? Good players, coaching, lesser opponents, or what? Heres to hoping "Buck" can Buck the trend and move through the system fast and be a young MLB stud like the Upton's.

 

I used to think it was because they had older players, but as I've looked the last few years, their hitters have been generally younger than league average and the pitchers have been right at about league average. so, it can't be that. I would say they get good coaching and that one of their focuses is on helping the players adjust to being professional and all that entails very well. The last time the Twins had a pick as high as #2 was when they took Mauer in the 2001 draft. He flew through the system and was starting on Opening Day 2004. Different people, positions, games, etc., but the Twins won't be afraid to advance him quickly if he's ready.

[syves]

Seth, It seems the E-Twins have a lot of success every year. What is the biggest reason behind this? Good players, coaching, lesser opponents, or what? Heres to hoping "Buck" can Buck the trend and move through the system fast and be a young MLB stud like the Upton's.

 

Normally, their an older, more polished team, but I think the last couple years that the team has been younger than the league average however. The E-twins have good coaches.

 

Twins Daily - What is Average?

[gunnarthor]

Really like the new signing date that allowed him to get some time in last season instead of waiting a year like Bubba Starling did.

[Shane Wahl]

I want to see him play a full season before I project him higher than Hicks and Arcia, who have been very good at AA.

 

Is that CR OF going to be Kepler-Buxton-Walker-Williams? Good grief that makes Iowa a good destination for a change (my apologies to JC).

[ashbury]

Wow. I knew he was a great prospect, but now that I know he has the nickname of Buck, well, that is just too much. That was always the nickname I wanted people to call me.

 

Me too. "Hi, call me Buck." "Yeah, sure, Foureyes."

[Seth Stohs]

Really like the new signing date that allowed him to get some time in last season instead of waiting a year like Bubba Starling did.

 

I think this is so important to the players' development. that was a great decision.

[Pius Jefferson]

Not end of the world but I'd love to see Buxton dominate from day one of the season. Good enough that he could see time in high A.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Are we sure he's starting in Cedar Rapids?

[mnfanforlife]

Not sure, but sure he will spend a lot of time in CR. At least, he better.

[mnfanforlife]

I want to see him play a full season before I project him higher than Hicks and Arcia, who have been very good at AA.

 

Is that CR OF going to be Kepler-Buxton-Walker-Williams? Good grief that makes Iowa a good destination for a change (my apologies to JC).

 

Yep, probably gonna have to go check out the Kernels this summer. Could have Vargas too?

[Seth Stohs]

Yep, probably gonna have to go check out the Kernels this summer. Could have Vargas too?

 

Vargas needs to be playing 1B at Ft. Myers in 2013.

[mnfanforlife]

Vargas needs to be playing 1B at Ft. Myers in 2013.

 

Yeah, he is getting old

[Thrylos]

OK. Moved it to here

 

Its all "arguable". He could fall completely on his face, sure.

 

I'm not sure why you continue to talk about his lack of power. He didn't hit them as a high school senior, I get that. He did finish 2nd in the HR Derby at the UA game, not a game situation but still "power". He also hit 4 HRs in 88 at-bats in the GCL. Sano had 4 in 148 at-bats in the GCL in 2010. (Arcia had 5 in 167 at-bats at 18.) I get that Sano was a year younger, but that's his major tool. You can point to small sample-sizes. To which I would refer you back to the small sample size that you're basing this argument on. Buxton is a legit five-tool prospect. He's also only 19. Let's dream on him a little bit and continue this discussion on the Buxton thread.

 

In fairness, I didn't put Buxton #1 on my own prospect list because he's so far away from his ceiling. I think he can be a 30/30 guy that plays plus-plus D with a plus-plus arm. That's a ceiling I wouldn't have put on anyone in my lifetime as a Twins fan. Will he be that guy? Who knows...

 

That in bold tells me Marty Cordova

 

From that previous discussion, Puckett, Carew, Oliva were better. The Killer did not have any speed or much defense, but I would take the equivalent of 60+ HR a season these days-equivalent from a 1B/DH over a 30/30 guy. And 30/30 changed during the ages. A lot.

 

As far as his power and ever his hitting goes, please have a look at what Morneau did at the same age at the same leagues. OK Morneau's speed is not there and he was a below average 1st baseman and you don't need an arm if you play 1B, but this does not mean that Morneau was not a better prospect or Sano is a better prospect (they both are.) And to compare him to the 3 Twins' grown HOFers (and Oliva and Hrbek) is way premature.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

There's a difference between "these are the greatest Twins of all time" and "these are the guys who had the greatest potential at 18". I'll stand by my statement that Buxton fits into the latter category. I'll agree that some guys probably fit into both categories. Teams don't pass on guys that fit into the second category. And for every Oliva (or Carew or Puckett or whoever) there is a Brien Taylor (or 30).

 

Hindsight's 20/20. Foresight is a little better than 20/200.

[gunnarthor]

That in bold tells me Marty Cordova

 

From that previous discussion, Puckett, Carew, Oliva were better. The Killer did not have any speed or much defense, but I would take the equivalent of 60+ HR a season these days-equivalent from a 1B/DH over a 30/30 guy. And 30/30 changed during the ages. A lot.

 

As far as his power and ever his hitting goes, please have a look at what Morneau did at the same age at the same leagues. OK Morneau's speed is not there and he was a below average 1st baseman and you don't need an arm if you play 1B, but this does not mean that Morneau was not a better prospect or Sano is a better prospect (they both are.) And to compare him to the 3 Twins' grown HOFers (and Oliva and Hrbek) is way premature.

 

Marty Cordova was never a 30/30 guy, he managed 20/20 once. Buxton showed more power than Morneau at the same age.

 

I think Jeremy's point - that Buxton could be the toolsiest Twins prospect ever - is valid. It's way early to dream on him and you certainly wouldn't bet on him to have a HOF type career but if absolutely everything goes right (a big if) he could put up Oliva's offensive production while playing elite CF defense.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Minor league baseball is littered with guys who were 5 tool prospects and never made it to the show (or failed miserably when they made it). People around here are talking Buxton up like he's Bryce Harper or something like that. I don't get it. He was a top prospect in a very weak draft. In a stronger draft, he doesn't go 2 overall. He might not crack the top 10 in a strong draft. There were concerns about him when he was drafted, namely that he hadn't faced much in terms of competition and that he was incredibly raw. I get that he's a toolsy guy that could be the next Matt Kemp. He could also, as Thrylos so aptly pointed out, be the next Marty Cordova... and right now, he's got a better chance of being Cordova than being Kemp.

 

This is why I do not get the hype, especially when people are largely ignoring a guy doing everything that we hope Buxton will do. Buxton is at the very least four years out, and unless he puts up Ruthian numbers in Elizabethon/Cedar Rapids next year, he's going to get replaced by the next big name by this time next year.

 

I hope I'm wrong.

[Kwak]

True, most of us are down a bit from several months of winter, 2 consectutive losing seasons by the Twins, and an unsatisfying off-season. It is natural to grasp for "some good news", and the "prospect list qualifies". But, we do need to temper things when we are told "happy news". "Tools" they do sound great, but most have a garage full of them, but that doesn't a craftsman make (much less an artist). To say: "They are projections", and "expectations"--not formed by an extesive body-of-work. Hey, most parents have immense projections for their kids--yeah, we know things don't always work out. Is Buxton a "Top Ten Guy"? I hope so, but color me skeptical. When I heard he had only hit 2HRs in High School (small schools too!), well I wasn't too impressed--but I hope I'm wrong and he does become the next Tony Oliva.

[cmb0252]

Bubba starling went #5 in one of the deepest drafts in the past 20 years. Callis/mayo, among other spec experts, have called Buxton a better spec than Bubba. While Buxton went #2 last year he was considered by most to be the best prospect in the draft. Looking at the draft talent this year there is a good chance, if he was in it, he would be the #1 spec again. That's pretty impressive in my book.

[mnfanforlife]

25 Hr's 50 SB's per year - maybe a Gold glove or two

[cmb0252]

Some connecting the dots here but in Callis' 2/18/2013 ask BA post(link below) he indicates in a round about way that CURRENTLY Buxton would be the top spec in both 2013/14 if eligible. The first question he is asked to place the 2013, adds the top 2 2014 draftees into the mix, into his top 100 if they were eligible. Appel who is currently there top spec for 2013 would rank around 20 while Rodon, considered by most to be the top talent in 2014, would be in the teens. On both BAs overall list and Callis' personal Buxton was rated in the top 10. Clearly still lots of time before the 2013, much less the 2014 draft, but it tells you how highly he regards Buxton. Food for thought for people who keep saying the only reason Buxton went so high because of a weak draft.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/ask-ba/2013/2614738.html

[Twins Twerp]

Baseball prospectus ranked him 8th.