A Buxton & Sano cautionary tale
(Author’s Note: I pinky-promise this piece is not a direct response to Ben’s great top prospect outlook. As you’ll read, I’m fine with prospect excitement—so long as dreaming on the future doesn’t mean punting on the present)
I’ve never been a big “prospect guy”. Sure, I get excited/hopeful when I see the Minnesota Twins organization at-or-near the top of MLB farm systems, but I’m not one to dream on young talent until I see it with my own peepers at the big league level. A big reason for this approach: the Byron Buxton & Miguel Sano “cautionary tale”, of sorts, from 10 years ago.
In 2009, the Twins signed Sano out of the Dominican Republic. In 2012, they drafted Byron Buxton with the #2 overall pick (right after Carlos Correa went #1 to the Houston Astros). From 2012 through 2014—rough years in Twins Territory—Buxton & Sano were touted as “saviors of the franchise”. The Twins didn’t necessarily rush them through the minor leagues, but I remember the strong vibes being that presumably when those two made it to The Show the Twins would rise out of the cellar and back to competitive prominence.
Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images
For a little while, the plan looked to flower right off the vine…
- Buxton debuted in June of 2015 and while the offense was rough (57 OPS+) & injuries limited him to 138 PA (imagine that), the game-changing speed and OF defense were immediately impressive.
- Sano clambered aboard the big club a month later and had no such freshman struggles—often making Target Field look like his own personal playpen (335 PA, 18 HR, 149 OPS+).
Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images
As I’ll chronicle throughout the upcoming summer, the ‘15 Twins certainly did make some noise towards becoming relevant again. Alas, we know how this all ultimately turned out. In eight seasons together—2015-2022—Buxton & Sano did not manage a single playoff victory.
It would of course be foolish to lay all (or much) of that blame at the feet of MN’s dynamic duo. About as foolish as, say, expecting two players to double-handedly restore a franchise.
I have no quarrel with anyone who enjoys watching MiLB or chronicling prospects as a matter of R&D, so to speak. It’s fun to catch of glimpse of “the next generation”, who somehow always manage to be more athletic than the cohort before them.
Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images
But this offseason, I’ve picked up a few rumblings of Walker Jenkins & Emmanuel Rodriguez being the talents that could push this roster over the top this year or the next. It certainly doesn’t help when ownership gives the fanbase nothing else to feel hopeful about. I sincerely do hope those youngsters pan out in the best possible way.
Yet, until I see them from my 3B-side perch at 1 Twins Way for some time, I’ll as much continue to live in the present as hope for the future.