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It’s hard to believe we’re nearing the 10 year anniversary of the Twins selecting Byron Buxton with the #2 overall pick in the 2012 draft. But, at the same time, considering the journey of Buxton’s career and the crazy times we’ve lived through recently, it also seems like it was forever ago. With the draft season just starting to get going, we’re going to take a week to look back to 2012 (and before) and pull back the covers on what all went into making Byron Buxton a Minnesota Twin. Twins Daily had a chance to talk recently with Jack Powell, the area scout responsible for signing Buxton. Powell gives us a front-row seat to everything that happened. “I first saw Byron at East Cobb during the summer going into his junior year of high school and didn’t know who he was,” Powell explained. “But I noticed his body and the way he threw the ball in long toss. Then warming up and running sprints. The way he swung a bat and got out of the box. I knew this kid was going to be special.” That first look put Buxton on the Twins' radar, but due to the lack of draftable talent in his area, Powell didn’t get to see Buxton at all during his junior baseball season. It was also known that Buxton was being recruited to play football and baseball at the University of Georgia and, at the time, it wasn't clear that Buxton would choose the diamond. “Then I saw him again at East Cobb Pro with (Twins scout Tim) O’Neill going into his senior year. For as good as he looked the year before, this time he looked even better. Byron could just dial it up.” “We went back to watch him play football that fall, and he switched between playing quarterback and wide receiver. I think his first three catches went for touchdowns,” Powell chuckled, “Who knows, he would probably have made the NFL if he wanted to.” A contingent of Twins personnel, including Powell, O’Neill, and former scouting director Deron Johnson, met with Buxton and his parents and Powell left that meeting impressed. “There was just something different about him. He had great parents, very supportive. He was so quiet and unassuming. It definitely took him a while to get to know people and open it. But I’ll never forget during that first meeting, I watched him out on the driveway playing pickup basketball with a big group of neighborhood kids. They were probably 8-12 years old. He was so great with them. He’d let them score and then tell them, ‘I’ll remember that.’ He made those kids feel great.” Unlike the previous year, Powell spent “all spring” watching Buxton play. “I’ll never forget at one of his games, I was taking video and Byron hit an absolute missile. I sent it to DJ and he called me right away and said, ‘Are you trying to kill me!?’ I didn’t know what he meant and he says, ‘I watched that video and almost wrecked.’” The excitement of potentially adding Buxton had spread throughout the organization. “We saw him at least a half dozen times. We were sold. (General Manager) Terry (Ryan) was sold.” The last day of Buxton’s high school career came as a doubleheader in the state championship. “Byron pitched the first game. He was 94-98 mph off the mound and am pretty sure he hit a home run. In the second game, he was in centerfield, catching everything and making highlight plays. He hit a line drive so hard past the second baseman, the kid didn’t even have time to put his glove up. He absolutely dominated that day.” But there was still time to go before the draft and, of course, the Twins were drafting second and didn’t know if Buxton would still be available. “We knew the Astros were considering Byron and Carlos Correa. We didn’t know who they would take. We knew that we would take Byron if he was available. We, the Twins, have a good working relationship with Byron’s agent, Al Goetz, and felt that we could get the deal done if he got to us. Al has been so great for Byron and his family.” The Twins got their wish. The Astros took Correa. “It’s been fun watching Byron now and seeing how much he’s improved his game. Injuries and luck are part of baseball and Byron hasn’t had great luck, but we’re going to see peak Byron Buxton this year. As guys mature they learn their limits. Rocco has done a great job helping Byron understand that he doesn’t always have to try to move the outfield wall. As Byron ages, his game may change, but he’s going to be better from this point forward.” When asked about Buxton’s names being in trade rumors over the past year, Powell said, “I never had the first feeling we’d trade him…unless someone was offering the ‘27 Yankees. Everyone understands how impactful Byron is.” And not only did the Twins hold onto Buxton, but they also wrapped him up for the next seven years with a $100 million contract. Buxton invited Powell to Target Field to celebrate that moment with him. “I’m so grateful that Byron and Derek (Falvey) and Thad (Levine) made that happen. He’s come so far since being the best high school player I’ve scouted since Josh Hamilton.” There were a few players that Powell mentioned as comparisons for the then-high school phenom: Eric Davis, Andruw Jones, and Hamilton. “They were all players with phenomenal tools who could carry teams. Davis took the Reds to the World Series. We saw Hamilton do it in Texas and Cincinnati. And it’s a shame that Jones isn’t in the Hall of Fame.” Speaking of Andruw Jones, Powell mentions his son, Druw as one of the “impactful players” that he hopes to see available when the Twins are on the clock, picking 8th in the 2022 draft. There are other prep players that he has seen in his area. “Druw reminds me of Buxton. Elijah Green has a little more swing-and-miss in his game right now than Buxton did in high school. Termarr Johnson is another one. They’re all going to be impactful players.” Like with Buxton, it’s going to be a wait-and-see when it comes to who’s available when the draft eventually happens. “I’ll see a couple hundred games between March 1 and July 1. Practices. Workouts. I’m not sure any of those three (mentioned above) will be available, but anything can happen between now and the draft.” And a lot of things will. For now, though, we’ll keep our fingers crossed that we get to see Byron Buxton patrolling Target Field again soon… and a lot over the next seven years. View full article

Deron (Twins Scouting Director, 2007-16) and Sean (Scouting Director, 2016-Present) are not related by blood, but their similar histories in baseball and with the Twins serve not only as ties that bind them but also as beacons for the Black community. Growing up in Vallejo, California, now a bustling metropolis just south of Napa Valley and across the bay from San Francisco, Deron Johnson always thought of himself as more of a basketball guy. That is until he got to high school. “My basketball skills weren’t where I thought they would be,” Johnson said with a wry smile, perhaps the heartache still a little raw. But even then, reality didn’t sit in until after his junior year, one in which he stopped playing baseball entirely. “I had aspirations of playing point guard in the PAC10. That didn’t happen, obviously.” Johnson picked up baseball again his senior season, a decision that would profoundly impact his life moving forward. He eventually walked on at St. Mary’s College in Moraga, California, and earned a partial scholarship before signing with the Pittsburgh Pirates during his senior season in 1988. Johnson’s life as a professional athlete was short-lived, having been cut by the Pirates in 1990 after posting a .225/.292/.370 slash line across rookie ball, Low-, and High-A. What followed was another period in which the game of baseball had lost its luster in Johnson’s eyes. But once again, a moment of serendipity occurred. Johnson was hired as a full-time assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of San Francisco in 1992 and in no time fell in love with the process of scouting and recruiting. (He didn’t really care much for the on-field aspect of his job, he was quick to point out.) After yet another moment of what can only be described as divine intervention — the story involves a menagerie of scouts wanting and finding new jobs — the Twins’ Northern California Area Scout position opened in 1994, and Johnson was brought on. He eventually worked his way to earning a promotion to serve as the team’s Director of Scouting in 2007, a position he held for nine seasons. In 2016, he transitioned to a senior advising role. * * * Sean Johnson’s path took a slightly different route. Sean, a catcher who had a mind for the game and unparalleled work ethic, appeared in only 20 games during his four years as a member of the Wichita State University Shockers baseball team during the mid-1990s. He wasn't an elite athlete, nor did he have the defensive chops to warrant more playing time, but that didn't stop Sean from trying to have a positive impact on this team. “I always loved throwing to him,” former MLB pitcher Nate Robertson told The Wichita Eagle in 2016. “He always tried to get things as close to perfect as possible. He could read hitters. He knew how to set up a sequence of pitches.” While his production for the Shockers was not enough to earn him a spot in an MLB farm system, his experience in Wichita was exactly what eventually led him to Major League Baseball. “Being able to be a product of the Wichita State baseball program gave me a ton of exposure to being around scouts since we had a good amount of [draft picks] every year when I was there,” Sean said. “I was very fortunate that [former Miami Marlins scout and current assistant general manager for the Detroit Tigers] David Chadd also lived in Wichita, was very close to the coaching staff at WSU, and offered me a scouting opportunity with the Marlins.” Unfortunately, soon after his arrival in Florida, the Marlins went through an ownership change, and Sean was let go. However, he did not remain a free agent for long. “Long story short, I’m grateful that Deron Johnson and Mike Radcliff gave me an opportunity 20 years ago to join the Minnesota Twins as an area scout.” The Twins brought on Sean to serve as the area scout in the Four Corners region, a post he held for five years before being promoted to West Coast Supervisor in 2007. In 2016, he was promoted to Scouting Director. “I’ve been blessed and fortunate the entire way to have had the opportunity to have amazing mentors and teammates who have shaped me as a scout and also as a leader. It has been an amazing ride so far, and I have loved every second of it.” * * * Both Deron and Sean are Black men who have risen to prominent positions in a sport and league that is predominated by those who are white. While he is proud of what he has accomplished, Deron stated that when he first began working in baseball, it was not necessarily his goal to function as a beacon for the Black community. He simply wanted to do the best job he could. “I just wanted to be a good scout. I soaked up all the information from Mike Radcliff, Terry Ryan, Vern Followell. I just tried to be the best I could be. I was fortunate enough to get promoted, and I owe everything to Bill Smith. He gave me the job of Scouting Director back in 2007,” Deron said. However, his perspective shifted upon being named Scouting Director. “When I took that job, you want to do well. You want to draft All-Stars, you want to draft a ton of big leaguers, you want to put your stamp on it. But as I grew into that role, I wanted to do the best job I could do so the next African-American could have a shot, and hopefully, I did the job well enough that the Sean Johnson’s of the world can get a chance at that job. I’m proud. I thought our group did a pretty good job during my nine years. We signed some pretty good players. I’m very fortunate and thankful and blessed to have that opportunity.” The game of baseball is often discussed as a dying sport among Black youth in America, a sentiment that was backed by both Deron and Sean. The explanations for why baseball is in “a critical state” in the Black community, according to Sean, are myriad, ranging from the price of travel ball to the lack of opportunities to play in a little league to the lack of scholarship availability at the NCAA Division I level to the ever-increasing popularity of basketball and football. However, Deron offered yet another explanation in the form of a challenge to Major League Baseball. “I’ve always said that Major League Baseball needs to step up and be better at marketing the few African-American players that are in the Major Leagues in each city. I remember growing up, and you would see signs, billboards with Vida Blue and Bobby Bonds. I mean, we knew who the Black players were. Major League Baseball could do a better job at marketing the players.” Sean largely concurred, though, despite the challenges facing Black youth in incorporating the game of baseball back into their communities, he remains largely optimistic about the long-term prognosis. “But there is still some hope left for the future. I think the urban MLB academies that have been built around America are a good thing, and we’ve seen those start to bear fruit. There have been Black players showing up at the very top of the draft boards of late. We might see three African-American high school players go in the first ten picks of this draft — another good signal. But overall, I think there’s still much work to do to keep Black teens playing our sport.” MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook, or email — Read more from Lucas here View full article

In 2015, first-year manager Paul Molitor led the Minnesota Twins to an 83-79 win, the team’s first .500 season since 2010. Because of that, they did not make their first draft pick in 2016 until pick #15. However, they had four of the first 74 picks in that 2016 MLB draft. It is very early in their development, just over two years since they were drafted, but to this point it should be deemed a very strong draft for the Twins, full of potential big leaguers. Recently, I caught up with former Twins scouting director Deron Johnson to discuss his final draft picks. Find out a little more about what the Twins’ scouts saw in their draft picks. Today, we’ll look at those first four picks (Alex Kirilloff, Ben Rortvedt, Jose Miranda and Akil Baddoo) and, coming soon, we’ll dig a little deeper into the other players selected that year that have developed well so far. “I don’t know about other organizations, but it’s unprecedented in our history of the way we’ve drafted over the course of years. To take four high school position players with consecutive picks, I don’t think a lot of teams have done that.” Deron Johnson, Twins Senior Advisor to Scouting, continued, “I’m proud. It’s a bold move, I think.I don’t know many teams that have done that in the past. So far so good with the results.” Johnson, as you recall, became the Twins scouting director in 2008 and held the position through the 2016 season when he received his promotion to the Senior Scouting Advisor role. Alex Kirilloff has been one of the most impressive hitters in all of minor league baseball in 2018. Ben Rortvedt’s development both at the plate and behind the plate has been noticed by the organization. Jose Miranda’s 2018 season started slow in Cedar Rapids, but he’s been raking since and recently earned his promotion to Ft. Myers. Akil Baddoo remains in Cedar Rapids at this point, but he’s been very impressive at the plate and in center field and continues to improve. Deron Johnson insists that the plan coming into the draft wasn’t necessarily to take four high school kids right away. “You have a plan, but being able to watch our system over the years, I knew that we were in need of some position players. It just so happened.” Here is a quick look back at the top four Twins draft picks in 2016 through the eyes of Deron Johnson. ALEX KIRILLOFF “He hasn’t missed a beat since he had that layoff.” That layoff, of course, was missing the 2017 season due to Tommy John surgery. As you know, Kirilloff has not only been arguably the top hitter in the Twins minor leagues this year, but maybe one of the best in all of minor league baseball. He spent the first 65 games of his 2018 season in Cedar Rapids. He hit .333/.391/.607 (.999) with 20 doubles, five triples, 13 home runs and 56 RBI. He played in the Midwest League All-Star Game and then immediately was promoted to Ft. Myers. He represented the Twins on Team USA at the Futures Game, and went 2-for-2. In his 47 games with the Miracle, he has hit .365/.385/.547 (.932) with 19 doubles, two triples, four home runs and 37 RBI. The Twins used the 15th overall pick to take Kirilloff who played high school ball for Plum High School near Pittsburgh. While they drafted him in 2016, they had known about him for a couple of years already. He made a major impression on Johnson at Petco Park in San Diego a year before the draft. Johnson, recalled, “He hit a ball during the Perfect Game All-American Game in Petco. I mean, it was an absolute bomb. Left-handers don’t hit balls out a lot at that park. Mostly right-handers because the ball kind of travels there. That showed me that this guy’s got power.” Johnson saw him again early in the 2016 season. “I saw him a couple of times. I saw him two or three games in Florida early in spring and we identified him as a guy going into the draft.” Shortly before the draft, Johnson traveled to Pittsburgh to see Kirilloff play. Unfortunately, the game was rained out. It ended up creating a great opportunity for the scout. “ I got a chance to see him practice. A lot of times, it’s better than seeing the games. I got a chance to speak with the kid, see how he goes about his business, see how he interacts with his teammates, and that was great. Plus we had a lot of looks on him too.” BEN RORTVEDT There is this perception that players from northern states can’t get seen by scouts as easily as players from southern states. There is some truth to that, but the top prep players now are playing in the summer baseball circuit across the country, and they are the showcases necessary if players want to get drafted. That is where Rortvedt was first seen. Johnson pointed out, “We got a lot of looks in the summer. He played against the best guys. He was on that Perfect Game tour, played in the All-America Game. We definitely relied on Mike Ruth, Mike Radcliff, and Mark Wilson, the scout that had the area at the time. We had a lot of coverage on him. We had a lot of looks.” Rortvedt was the Twins second-round draft pick, the 56th overall pick in the draft, out of Verona High School in Verona, Wisconsin. He split that season between the GCL and Elizabethton. He made the jump to Cedar Rapids in 2017, and admittedly he struggled with the bat. But he was gaining experience and making improvements. He returned to Cedar Rapids to start the 2018 season. In 39 games, he hit .276/.325/.386 (.711) with 12 extra base hits. He has now played 39 games since being promoted to Ft. Myers. He has hit .244/.342/.351 (.693) with eight extra base hits (including a two home run game). Behind the plate, he is blessed with a very strong arm and has gained a reputation for working well with his pitchers. But there is a thought, a hope that he will be able to continue making strides offensively as well. Johnson believes in Rortvedt’s offensive potential. “I think he can. I think he’s strong. For him, I think it’s all about approach .He’s got a nice swing. He’s a very strong young man. A lot of that’s been addressed. Drive the ball. If he can consistently learn to and want to drive the ball, the sky's the limit for him. He’s one of the younger guys again in the Florida State League. He doesn’t strike out much, makes contact. He’s got raw power. There’s no question about that. Is he going to be a 25-home run guy? Well, I’m not going to say he can’t.” But again, his defense is where he can really affect a game. “His defense has improved immensely. He can really throw. He can stop a running game. He’s athletic behind the plate. Someone quoted me after the draft where I said that he looks like he was born to catch. I truly believe that He looks like a catcher. He looks like one of those old school catchers from the ‘50s. The big forearms, the squared jaw. The real strong face. He’s young. He’s still got some immaturity. He’s not grown up yet. It’s going to take some time, but he works at it. He really gives a good effort. His game-calling has really improved. I think all aspects of his game have gotten better.” JOSE MIRANDA The Twins added the 73rd overall pick in the 2017 as part of the compensation round. Miranda was another guy that the Twins had seen quite a bit of, including at a Perfect Game event. Miranda actually grew up in Florida. According to Johnson, “He had played in the States. His mom is a flight attendant located in Florida. He went to high school in Florida his freshman and sophomore years, and then he moved back to Puerto Rico.” He started out this season at Cedar Rapids and like the weather conditions, he was cold. As the temperatures, Miranda’s bat heated up. In 104 total games with the Kernels, he hit .277/.326/.434 (.760) with 22 doubles, 13 home runs and 72 RBI. He has now played in eight games since being promoted to the Ft. Myers Miracle. He had his coming out party, of sorts, at Perfect Game. “We didn’t know who he was. (Delvin) Perez was the main guy. (Long-time Twins scout) Freddie Thon said, let’s take a look at this guy. I kind of like this guy.” “We saw him, and we like everything about him. We’ve always liked his bat. His defense is getting better. He’s found a home at 3B. He’s going to be a big man.” Miranda was drafted as a shortstop, but it was known that he wouldn’t stay there, though he did make one start there since joining the Miracle. He split much of his time in Cedar Rapids between second base and third base. AKIL BADDOO In the 2015 draft, the Twins used their second round pick (73rd pick) on right-handed pitcher Kyle Cody, a Wisconsin native who had spent three years at the University of Kentucky. For a few reasons, Cody did not sign with the Twins. Because they did not sign him, the Twins received the 74th overall pick of the 2016 draft. The Twins went to a familiar place for this selection. They signed a tremendous athlete out of high school in Georgia. In 2010, they drafted Niko Goodrum out of Fayette County High School in Georgia. In 2012, the Twins used the second overall pick in the draft on Byron Buxton who went to Appling County High School in Baxley, Georgia. Akil Baddoo continues that line of Twins great athletes selected by the Twins out of Georgia. Johnson noted, “Akil is coming into his own. He always kind of knew the strike zone as a high school kid. He’s from Georgia and he plays some really good competition. Georgia is one of the few areas in the country, along with Southern California and Florida and Texas, they play a lot of good baseball. It’s been a hotbed, not just for us, but for the industry.” Georgia Tech and Kennesaw State are a couple of powerhouse colleges, but the prep ranks are loaded with great talent. In fact, when the Twins used the 74th overall pick in Akil Baddoo, he became the seventh Georgia high school kid drafted in 2016. Josh Lowe was the 13th overall pick by the Rays. With the 14th pick, Cleveland’s selection was Will Benson. Carter Kierboom was the 28th overall pick by the Nationals. Taylor Trammell went to the Reds with the 35th pick. The Angels selected Brandon Marsh with the 60th overall pick. Alex Speas went #63 to the Texas Rangers. Johnson saw all of them, but he wondered why Baddoo wasn’t always mentioned in the same breath as some of those top picks. “He’s from out in the country, a little town called Conyers. Akil, everyone knew him, but he was the second tier of that group. Taylor Trammell came out that year. Three or four first-round picks come out of Atlanta that year. I was always curious why people weren’t talking about Akil more. We got a lot of looks at him.” He was seen a lot the summer before he was drafted. But it was very late in the summer when Baddoo took another step forward in the eyes of the Twins scouts. “We saw him at a Puerto Rico event the winter before the draft. The Mets put together a showcase where they bring a team from the States, and they play against Puerto Rican kids. It’s a great event. It’s after other events so you don’t get a lot of kids to show up. They’re tired. But Akil was there. He showed his passion for baseball. We liked him during the summer and were excited to see him show up. He went off there. He hit the ball hard, drove some balls, ran hard.” Baddoo was the Twins Daily choice for short-season Minor League Hitter of the Year in 2017 when he split the season between the GCL and Elizabethton. He has now played in 101 games this season for the Cedar Rapids Kernels. He has hit .241/.354/.413 (.767) with 19 doubles, nine triples and ten home runs. He also has 21 stolen bases in 26 attempts. Baddoo is a great athlete and has the built of a football player. “He’s strong. He’s like a running back. For me, he’s running better than when we drafted him. He’s a 70 runner. He’s playing way better defense. Mike Quade’s done a really good job with him defensively. He was a little raw defensively, but he’s got a different throwing action, but he can throw the ball. That’s maybe the one negative, the throwing. He’s getting much better. He’s got a chance to be a plus base runner.” ----------------------------------------------------------------- It is certainly not normal for a team to use four draft picks in the top two rounds and use each of them on high school hitters. To this point, the Twins front office has to be thrilled with all four picks. Each has experienced success and advanced up the organizational ladder appropriately, maybe even aggressive in some cases. 2016 was Deron Johnson’s final draft as scouting director, replaced by Sean Johnson. He says he is enjoying his new role where he gets to scout in many places. He was involved in the amateur scouting, the pro scouting and has had a chance to do some work internationally as well. But he has the right to be proud and excited about what the future might hold for his final draft. “I got a chance to see all those guys this summer, and it was fun to see. I got to see Alex. He’s done tremendously. Ben has been doing really well. He’s really improved defensively and his bat is coming on, so that is encouraging. Baddoo, despite his batting average, his peripheral numbers are really good. He’s hitting for some power, a bunch of doubles and stolen bases. And Miranda, I was there when he started heating up too.” Johnson continued. “It’s encouraging seeing those kids play well. I think Alex Is the oldest at 20-years-old. Akil won’t be 20 until the end of the year. It’s awesome seeing those guys have that kind of success this early in their career. ” But what is just as exciting as the top four picks, there are several other players that the Twins drafted in 2016 who remain in the organization and also have a chance to reach the big leagues. Will they? There’s no way to know that yet, of course, but several are on the right path. Soon, we will continue the conversation with Deron Johnson and discuss the rest of the Twins 2016 draft. It is a draft class that the Twins and their front office should be excited about. 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As the Minnesota Twins are evaluating their front office, I would like to take the opportunity to evaluate the performance of certain parts of their front office for which there might be appropriate objective evaluation criteria. Deron Johnson, the Twins scouting director since 2008, has been primarily responsible for the Rule 4 amateur draft. There is a feeling that the Twins do not draft and develop players well. But drafting and developing are two different things. It's hard to evaluate drafting departments without comparing them to the rest of the league. How has Johnson done against the league?----------- Here is the data: I looked at the overall WAR for each team for each draft for all players selected by that team in the first 10 rounds of that draft. Calculated the average WAR for each draft and the better teams are indicated with green. The teams are listed alphabetically and the Twins are bolded. Averages in yellow indicate small sample size, because simply not enough players made it to the bigs in the last few seasons to make any conclusions, but the ones who made it, count to the total team WAR numbers. Long story short: During the time that Johnson has been in charge of the Twins draft the Twins did better than only six other teams in the league: The Red Sox, Yankees, Phillies and the Rangers and Dodgers who all are willing to open their wallets and buy players drafted and developed by others and, surprisingly, the Rays, who are more than willing to sell everyone high to restock their system with players that other teams drafted to develop. The Twins do neither, so that it a pretty big problem. By this criteria, Deron Johnson has been performing way below average, and D students should go home... Few notes: This is pretty interesting data about where the Twins can look to stock their front office. Surprisingly, the Diamondbacks', Padres', Jays', White Sox', and Nationals' systems might be good sources of scouting talent to replace at least Deron and some of his scouts.If it were not for 2009 where Dozier and Gibson account for most of the Twins' WAR, the numbers would be really pathetic.If you look at teams like the White Sox that have had the fourth best draft WAR in the period and really nothing to show for it in the majors, you can make easy conclusions about problems with their development and management systems.Yes, there are up and downs in most teams, but with the Twins, other than 2009, it has been mostly downs, and the other teams have done something about it (replacing under-performing front office pieces.) Will the Twins do the same?Originally published at The Tenth Inning Stretch Click here to view the article