Byron Buxton

Byron Buxton

Buxton playing for the Minnesota Twins in 2016
Minnesota Twins – No. 25
Center fielder
Born: (1993-12-18) December 18, 1993
Baxley, Georgia
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
June 14, 2015, for the Minnesota Twins
MLB statistics
(through 2016 season)
Batting average .220
Home runs 12
Runs batted in 44
Stolen bases 12
Teams

Byron Keiron Buxton (born December 18, 1993) is an American professional baseball center fielder for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was the second highest rated prospect in baseball according to MLB.com and Baseball Prospectus in 2015.

Buxton attended Appling County High School in Baxley, Georgia. He was considered by some baseball analysts to be the most talented player available in the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft, and was selected as the second overall pick. He won Baseball America's Minor League Player of the Year Award in 2013.

Amateur career

Buxton started playing baseball when he was six years old.[1] He attended Appling County High School in Baxley, Georgia, where he played for the school's baseball, basketball and football teams. In his high school days, Buxton was given the nickname "Buck".[2] As a pitcher during his senior year, he had a 10–1 win–loss record with a 1.90 earned run average and 154 strikeouts in 81 innings pitched.[3] Buxton also threw a fastball that was recorded at 99 miles per hour (159 km/h).[4] His speed eventually led him to obtaining a well-above average speed rating of 70 as he left high school and readied for the draft.[5]

Scouts noticed Buxton when he was 15 years old. He was recruited to play on a traveling summer team.[6] He appeared in baseball showcases, including the East Coast Pro Showcase and Under Armour Baseball All-America Game.[1] As a senior in high school, Buxton hit for a .513 batting average with 38 stolen bases in 39 games.[7] Buxton committed to a college baseball scholarship with the University of Georgia, intending to attempt to walk on to the football team.[8] Considered a five-tool player,[6] MLB.com rated Buxton the best prospect available in the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft.[9]

Professional career

The Minnesota Twins selected Buxton with the second overall pick in the 2012 Draft.[10] Buxton signed a contract with the Twins on June 12, 2012, that included a $6 million signing bonus.[11] He made his professional debut in Minor League Baseball (MiLB) with the Gulf Coast Twins of the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League (GCL), where he batted .216 in 26 games.[12] Later in the year, he was promoted to the Elizabethton Twins of the Rookie-level Appalachian League, and batted .286 in 21 games.[12][13] He was named the top prospect in the GCL.[12]

Buxton started the 2013 season with the Cedar Rapids Kernels of the Class A Midwest League.[14] After he batted .340 with eight home runs and 32 stolen bases to start the season, the Twins promoted Buxton to the Fort Myers Miracle of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League in June.[15] By midseason, MLB.com, Keith Law of ESPN.com, and Baseball America viewed Buxton as the best prospect in baseball.[16][17][18] He represented the Twins at the All-Star Futures Game.[19] With Fort Myers, Buxton compiled a .326 average with four home runs, 22 RBIs, and 23 stolen bases.[20] After the season, Buxton was named the Midwest League most valuable player.[21] Baseball America named Buxton the Minor League Player of the Year,[22][23] and he won the J. G. Taylor Spink Award, given jointly by Topps and MiLB, as their Player of the Year.[24]

Buxton batting for the Minnesota Twins in 2015

The Twins invited Buxton to participate in spring training in 2014.[25] He injured his left wrist, spraining his pisotriquetral joint, while diving for a ball and opened the 2014 season on the disabled list.[26] He was activated on May 4, and assigned to Fort Myers.[27] After playing in five games with the Miracle, Buxton reinjured his wrist.[28] Buxton batted .240 in 30 games before receiving a promotion to the New Britain Rock Cats of the Class AA Eastern League on August 11.[29][30][31] In his first game with New Britain, on August 13, Buxton collided with fellow outfielder Mike Kvasnicka. Buxton was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with a concussion.[29][32] The Twins shut Buxton down for the remainder of the regular season,[33] but assigned him to the Arizona Fall League after the season.[34]

Despite missing the majority of the 2014 season, MLB.com and Baseball Prospectus rated Buxton as the best prospect in baseball at the start of the 2015 season, and Baseball America named him the # 2 prospect in 2015.[35][36][37] Buxton opened the 2015 season with the Twins' new Class AA affiliate, the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Southern League.[38] The Twins promoted Buxton to make his major-league debut on June 14.[39] He scored the game-winning run in his debut.[40] Buxton recorded his first hit, a triple, in his second game.[41] After playing in ten games, Buxton sprained his thumb and went on the disabled list.[42] The Twins activated Buxton from the disabled list on August 10 and optioned him to the Rochester Red Wings of the Class AAA International League, due to the strong play of Aaron Hicks.[43]

Buxton began the 2016 season as the Twins' starting center fielder. However, he batted .156 in 17 games, while striking out in 53% of his at bats, and was optioned to Rochester on April 25.[44]

Personal life

Buxton is from Graham, Georgia, where he spent his adolescent years through high school.[8] His father, Felton, owns a trucking company, and his mother, Carrie, works in a school cafeteria.[13] He has a sister.[8] Buxton's cousin, Dexter Carter, is a retired professional football player.[13]

Buxton began dating Lindsey Tillery in 2012.[45] She also attended Appling County High School, and was three years ahead of Buxton.[8] The couple have a son together named Brixton Buxton, who was born in 2013.[45]

References

  1. 1 2 Rode, Nathan. "Draft: Buxton's Tools Put Baxley On The Draft Map". BaseballAmerica.com. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Prospect Q&A: Don't pass the 'Buck' – MiLB.com News – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Byron Buxton's (Baxley, GA) Baseball Stats – MaxPreps". MaxPreps.com. April 29, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  4. ↑ Chen, Albert (May 22, 2012). "Albert Chen: Prep star Byron Buxton the most talented, intriguing draft prospect". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  5. ↑ Dykstra, Sam. "Minnesota Twins prospect Byron Buxton continues popping for Cedar Rapids Kernels". MiLB.com. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  6. 1 2 "Who's No. 1? Byron Buxton brings four tools to Draft". MLB.com. November 19, 2011. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Byron Buxton's (Baxley, GA) Baseball Stats – MaxPreps". MaxPreps.com. April 23, 2015. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Souhan, Jim (December 30, 2014). "Building a baseball star: Byron Buxton growing up fast; From humble beginnings in rural Georgia, Byron Buxton has turned into the Twins' best hope for a bright future". Star Tribune. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
  9. ↑ "MLB.com lines up Top 100 Draft prospects". MLB.com. May 1, 2012. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Byron Buxton | Byron Buxton Profile | Byron Buxton Scouting Report 2012". Mymlbdraft.com. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Twins' top pick Byron Buxton gets $6M bonus, topping Joe Mauer". CBS News. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  12. 1 2 3 Neal III, La Velle E. (June 24, 2013). "Twins promote outfielder Buxton to Fort Myers". Star Tribune. Retrieved July 22, 2013.
  13. 1 2 3 Berardino, Mike (March 7, 2013). "Minnesota Twins grooming, nurturing young prospect Byron Buxton". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
  14. ↑ Powers, Tom (June 5, 2013). "Byron Buxton's first pro season, and Twins' first in Iowa, has the attention of Cedar Rapids". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Report: Twins promote top prospect Byron Buxton to Fort Myers » Naples Daily News". Naplesnews.com. Retrieved July 22, 2013.
  16. ↑ Mayo, Jonathan (July 26, 2013). "With prospects coming to the forefront as the Deadline approaches, we re-rank the MLB.com Top 100 | MLB.com: News". Mlb.mlb.com. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  17. ↑ "Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins is the new No. 1 prospect in baseball – MLB – ESPN". Insider.espn.go.com. January 1, 2008. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
  18. ↑ Gleeman, Aaron (July 10, 2013). "Twins prospect Byron Buxton tops Baseball America's midseason rankings". MinnPost. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Twins prospect Byron Buxton among future stars blessed with poise | twinsbaseball.com: News". Mlb.mlb.com. July 14, 2013. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
  20. ↑ "Top Minnesota Twins prospect Byron Buxton promoted to New Britain Rock Cats after homering for Fort Myers Miracle – MiLB.com News – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  21. ↑ Marinis, Dan (August 30, 2013). "Buxton earns spot among MWL stars | MiLB.com News | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Milb.com. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  22. ↑ "2013 Minor League Player Of The Year: Byron Buxton". BaseballAmerica.com. August 9, 2013. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  23. ↑ Berardino, Mike (June 5, 2013). "Minnesota Twins: Byron Buxton named top minor-league player". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  24. ↑ "Buxton wins Spink Award as top player". MiLB.com. October 22, 2013. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  25. ↑ Berardino, Mike. "Twins' spring invitees: Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano, Alex Meyer". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  26. ↑ Miller, Phil. "Buxton likely to miss start of season | 6–4–3". Star Tribune. Retrieved May 5, 2014.
  27. ↑ "Buxton activated from 7-day DL, will join Fort Myers « Bollinger Beat". Bollingerbeat.mlblogs.com. June 19, 2012. Retrieved May 5, 2014.
  28. ↑ Snyder, Matt (May 11, 2014). "Top prospect Byron Buxton re-injures wrist". CBS Sports. Retrieved May 13, 2014.
  29. 1 2 "Twins' Terry Ryan confirms Byron Buxton concussion". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  30. ↑ "Minnesota Twins: Byron Buxton promotion comes without reservation". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  31. ↑ "Minnesota Twins prospect Byron Buxton in scary outfield collision – ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  32. ↑ Perry, Dayn (August 13, 2014). "Twins prospect Byron Buxton leaves in ambulance after outfield collision". CBS Sports. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
  33. ↑ "Minnesota Twins shut Byron Buxton down for the season after injury". MiLB.com. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  34. ↑ "Twinsights: Byron Buxton heads Twins contingent for Arizona Fall League". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  35. ↑ "2015 Top 100 Prospects". Baseball America. February 20, 2015.
  36. ↑ Short, D. J. (January 31, 2015). "MLB.com names Byron Buxton as baseball's top prospect for second straight year". HardballTalk. NBC Sports. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
  37. ↑ Mason, Tyler (February 9, 2015). "Byron Buxton tops Baseball Prospectus prospect list, eight Minnesota Twins named". Fox Sports. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
  38. ↑ Paschall, David (April 7, 2015). "Half of Twins' top 10 prospects opening with Chattanooga Lookouts". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  39. ↑ Baer, Bill (June 13, 2015). "The Twins are calling up Byron Buxton, baseball's #1 prospect, from Double-A". NBC Sports. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  40. ↑ Bollinger, Rhett (June 14, 2015). "'It was amazing': Buxton scores winner in debut". MLB.com. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
  41. ↑ Cobb, David (June 16, 2015). "Buxton legs out 3B for first Major League hit". MLB.com. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
  42. ↑ Gleeman, Aaron (June 30, 2015). "Byron Buxton's sprained thumb and the curse of the elite Twins prospect". MinnPost. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
  43. ↑ Berardino, Mike (August 10, 2015). "Twinsights: Twins option Byron Buxton to Triple-A". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  44. ↑ Miller, Phil (April 25, 2016). "Buxton, Kepler optioned to Rochester. D. Santana activated. Meyer called up". Star Tribune. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  45. 1 2 Berardino, Mike (January 26, 2014). "Twins prospect Byron Buxton a natural as a father, too". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
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