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For most of a decade, the Yankees were one of baseball's best teams as they relied on the services of players deemed their "Core Four." Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, and Mariano Rivera captured four World Series titles in five years. Minnesota relied on players like Kirby Puckett, Kent Hrbek, Greg Gagne, and Gene Larkin to win two championships in a five-year span. Other players fit into vital roles, but core pieces stayed the same on both of these rosters.
Few core groups can match the Yankees team's success, but every franchise is looking for the players to keep their winning window open. So, who is a current member of the Twins Core Four?
Byron Buxton
Contract Status: Signed thru 2028, 7 yrs/$100M (22-28)
Earliest Free Agency: 2029
Byron Buxton is the face of the franchise, and Minnesota made sure he would fulfill this role for much of the next decade. He certainly doesn't have the levels of playoff success associated with Jeter and Puckett, but Buxton has just six total playoff at-bats. Minnesota is in a position to make the playoffs this season, and the Twins are doing their best to ensure Buxton is healthy at the season's end. With Buxton in the line-up, Minnesota has a tremendous record throughout his professional career. Now the team and fans hope Buxton can end the franchise's postseason losing streak.
Luis Arraez
Contract Status: 1st Year Arb Eligible (Super 2)
Earliest Free Agency: 2026
Out of the players on this list, Luis Arraez is under team control for the fewest remaining years. He was awarded Super 2 status entering the 2022 season, so he qualifies for an extra year of arbitration. Minnesota may want to consider a long-term deal with Arraez, especially as other players like Jorge Polanco and Max Kepler see their deals coming closer to the end. Like Jorge Posada, Arraez may be considered somewhat unheralded, but he is key to the team's success. So far this season, Arraez has revamped his batting stance and his pre-game routine. The results speak for themselves, and now the Twins should find a way to keep him in Minnesota for the prime of his career.
Joe Ryan
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration Eligible
Earliest Free Agency: 2028
When the Twins traded for Joe Ryan, few could have imagined how good he would be during this early juncture of his career. He's also 26 years old, so the Twins have team control over him until his early 30s. He has a long way to go before getting close to the same category as Andy Pettitte. Over nearly two decades, Pettitte pitched over 275 innings in the playoffs. Ryan is also an unconventional starting pitcher who relies on his fastball nearly 60% of the time. Will he continue to succeed, or will the league start figuring him out? For now, the Twins always need pitching, and he looks like he is the most likely member of the rotation for most of the next decade.
Jhoan Duran
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration Eligible
Earliest Free Agency: 2028
During his rookie season, even Mariano Rivera didn't have as much success as Jhoan Duran. Rivera began his career as a starter but struggled before the team moved him to the bullpen. Rivera went on to a Hall of Fame career as he is widely considered the best reliever in baseball history. To reach the same level, Duran will need to continue to find success in the regular season and hope for postseason opportunities to prove his worth. After dealing with injuries in the minors, Duran also needs to prove he can have the same level of durability as Rivera. Relievers can be fickle, but Duran is already off to a tremendous start.
What do you think the ceiling is for Minnesota's Core Four? Would you put someone else in the group? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.
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