Byron Buxton represents the last man standing in the class of Minnesota Twins prospects who came up and debuted around him. He got the corner locker in the clubhouse, while guys like Max Kepler and Miguel Sano were essentially shown the door. In the small sample that is the 2025 season, it looks like the Twins were wise with their choice.
Buxton has been productive and, more importantly, has maintained a healthy body and mind in the first six weeks of this season. He will likely provide enough value to make his roughly $15 million salary pay off as a worthy investment by the end of the month, and could be campaigned as a worthy representative in the MLB All-Star game.
However, if there is another player from that class that emerged in the mid-2010s who should be getting an abundance of shine in 2025, it’s gotta be a revitalized Jorge Polanco.
The former Twins infielder is off to the best start of his 12-year MLB career. After signing a one-year deal to return to the Seattle Mariners, he’s exploded with a .348/.396/.707 offensive clip with nine home runs and 27 runs batted in across 28 games. While many expected further regression after a challenging year last season, the 31-year-old has been among the best hitters in the game.
So, what’s behind Polanco’s massive turnaround? It starts with good health and a normal runway into the season. Still, there’s also a technical approach that might seem simple, but is making an impact.
“Guys that start open can have a tendency to turn too much and maybe block themselves, stride in at times, and not be consistent with their direction,” Mariners hitting coach Kevin Seitzer told MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer last week. “I like simplified — when guys get in a good position when they get into their weight transfer, they get to their heel plant, they’re in a good position to fire from their body position and into their hands.”
He lauded Polanco’s commitment to this focus.
“He’s in a good place, but I think staying in line really simplifies stuff to where there’s less margin for error.”
It’s a notable tidbit from a coach who has formed a tandem with Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez to squeeze another level out of a veteran slugger on the wrong side of 30. And as nice as it is to watch Polanco’s newfound success from afar, it begs the question of what could’ve been had the Twins been able to reel him back in on a one-year contract this past offseason.
While Minnesota’s offense has done a fantastic job of recalibrating and redirecting itself in recent weeks, having someone like Polanco near the top of the lineup could’ve expedited that process tremendously at a relatively minimal cost.
Imagine Polanco and his 1.144 OPS against right-handed pitchers leading off all those games instead of Edouard Julien. Assuming he would’ve had similar production to what he’s displaying in Seattle (which certainly isn’t a given), Polanco would’ve been a perfect choice to receive the lion’s share of playing time at second base early on, especially before Royce Lewis’s return last week.
It would’ve taken production from that spot from an early misfire to a net-positive, with Polanco scoring more runs, and likely driving in more runs when the spot came back around, given his ability to hit from both sides of the plate.
The concerns regarding the former All-Star’s defense as he entered his thirties are still apparent, but not as much in the areas that could’ve helped the Twins. Polanco’s defense at third base has been north negative-two outs above average, but his admittedly limited performance at second base has been closer to league average.
But now, with Lewis back in the fold as a mostly DH/part-time third baseman and Brooks Lee establishing himself as a quality everyday option, Polanco probably wouldn’t fit into the club’s plans at the hot corner. However, when it comes to being a regular DH option, can it be filled in at a second base on a semi-regular basis? That would’ve been a fun fit for the Twins puzzle.
Instead, Polanco and his former club must keep growing, even if it means growing apart. The dream of a potential reunion must be put to bed once again.
Until the trade deadline, at least.
