It’s not a surprise that Byron Buxton was named the No. 1 prospect in Major League Baseball by MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo, but it’s another reason to get excited about the future of the Minnesota Twins.
Mayo and his counterpart Jim Callis released their annual top 100 prospect report on Friday and Buxton was their clear choice for the top spot.
Buxton took the Minor Leagues by storm in his first full professional season, showing why many evaluators had rated him as the top talent in the 2012 Draft class. He excelled in the Midwest League and the Florida State League, and he finished the year by getting a taste of more experienced competition in the Arizona Fall League.
Everywhere Buxton went, he stood out as the top talent on the field and a legitimate five-tool player. He has a simple, direct swing and creates excellent bat speed. Buxton’s power has already been better than expected and scouts expect it to improve more as he grows. His speed grades out at the top of the scale and he knows how to use it on the basepaths. Defensively, Buxton covers plenty of ground in center field and has good instincts in the outfield.
Buxton was the No. 2 pick in the 2012 amateur draft. When Mayo and Callis say Buxton “took the Minor Leagues by storm” they’re referring to his incredible numbers. At just 19-years-old he hit .334 with 12 home runs, 77 RBI, 18 triples, 19 doubles, 55 stolen bases, 76 walks and 109 runs scored in 125 games played.
Close behind Buxton was fellow Twins prospect, third baseman Miguel Sano, who came in at No. 4. The report on him says he has “prodigious raw power and knows how to use it in games.” Sano hit 35 home runs last season.
