The Twins have been searching for a new core of outfielders for quite some time. Between their current core and their farm system, the Twins are making a bid to have one of the best outfield cores in the sport.
Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton. Credit: Jordan Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
If healthy, Byron Buxton is a top player in the sport. In 2026, he simply was not healthy for a number of reasons. The Twins will be betting on him being healthy for a 2027 season where the Twins will look to compete.
Defensively, the Twins' outfield would be set. Buxton is one of the better defenders at his position, including being +3 Outs Above Average, according to Statcast . Buxton is the leader of not only the outfield, but also the team, and that's evidenced by how bad their offense is without him. A fully healthy Buxton will change the entire outlook of the Twins team that will have potential.
Walker Jenkin s has begun to break out, which is a great sign of things to come for the Twins. The team has a lot of work to do in the offseason to improve other units of the team. The best development is Jenkins showing he can handle being a big leaguer.
Yes, he's performed primarily when the pressure is off and the Twins have been eliminated. That does not mean that the work he's put in in the short time he's been a big leaguer is for nothing. These are important games for him, some calling them evaluation games.
With Buxton returning to the picture, Jenkins will probably be slotted to a corner outfield position, and so far Jenkins has not seen time there at the MLB level. While he might have performed well in the position at Triple-A St. Paul, playing the outfield at the MLB level is a completely different ballpark (no pun intended), which includes a third deck of seats.
Emmanuel Rodriguez was the last of the new core of outfielders to arrive at the big league level. He arrived in style, hitting a home run in his first at-bat. Since, he's struggled, hitting .195 in 44 plate appearances. He's hit just one home run since his debut.
The good news is that his xwOBA is .355, which is in the 85th percentile according to Statcast . To break that down, Rodriguez is getting unlucky at the plate to start his career. That luck should turn going forward, but he's taken some good swings to start his career. He's not going to get the same seasoning to start his career as Jenkins, simply because of when he was called up. Next season will be the evaluation period for Rodriguez, but he should earn a starting job.
The Twins have a bright future on the horizon, and their outfield core is just the start of it. With the production they could get at full health, it could make the Twins a juggernaut in the AL Central.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/twins/onsi as Twins Could Have One of Baseball's Most Exciting Outfields in 2027 .
