The Twins became the first team in MLB history to go from a 100-loss season to a playoff berth in 2017, and while that’s skewed somewhat by the fact that the postseason field of 10 teams is relatively new, it’s nonetheless an impressive feat. Newly minted chief baseball officer Derek Falvey, general manager Thad Levine and the rest of the Twins’ front office deserve credit for both the offseason additions they made last winter and for the restraint they showed in not blowing up a young roster that wholly underperformed reasonable expectations in 2016.
Former general managers Terry Ryan and Bill Smith and their lieutenants (including assistant GM Rob Antony, who still holds that title the new-look front office) also deserve credit, as a number of the players in question were acquired under their watch.
Here’s a look at how the Twins acquired the 25 players that will comprise their roster in tonight’s Wild Card playoff at Yankee Stadium…
[Related: Minnesota Twins Depth Chart and Payroll Outlook]
- HOMEGROWN (13)
- Joe Mauer, 1B: Drafted 1st Rd (1) ’01
- Brian Dozier, 2B: Drafted 8th Rd ’09
- Kennys Vargas, 1B: Non-Drafted Free Agent February ’09
- Jorge Polanco, SS: International Free Agent (D.R.) July ’09
- Max Kepler, RF: International Free Agent (Germany) July ’09
- Eddie Rosario, LF: Drafted 4th Rd ’10
- Byron Buxton, CF: Drafted 1st Rd (2) ’12
- Jose Berrios, SP: Drafted 1st Rd (32) ’12
- Tyler Duffey, RP: Drafted 5th Rd ’12
- Taylor Rogers, RP: Drafted 11th Rd ’13
- Mitch Garver, C/1B/OF: Drafted 9th Rd ’13
- Zack Granite, OF: Drafted 14th Rd ’13
- Trevor Hildenberger, RP: Drafted 22nd Rd ’14
- ACQUIRED VIA FREE AGENCY (7)
- Ervin Santana, SP: December ’14 (ATL) — Signed to a four-year, $55MM deal
- Buddy Boshers, RP: December ’15 (Indy) — Signed to a minor league deal
- Robbie Grossman, OF: May ’16 (CLE) — Signed to a minor league deal
- Jason Castro, C: November ’16 (HOU) — Signed to a three-year, $24.5MM deal
- Chris Gimenez, C: January ’17 (CLE) — Signed to a minor league deal
- Matt Belisle, RP: February ’17 (WSH) — Signed to a one-year, $2.05MM deal
- Dillon Gee, RP: June ’17 (TEX) — Signed to a minor league deal
- ACQUIRED VIA TRADE (3)
- Eduardo Escobar, INF: July ’12 (CWS) — Acquired in the trade that sent Francisco Liriano to the White Sox
- Adalberto Mejia, SP: July ’16 (SF) — Acquired in the trade that sent Eduardo Nunez to the Giants
- Alan Busenitz, RP: August ’16 (LAA) — Acquired in the trade that sent Ricky Nolasco and Alex Meyer to the Angels
- ACQUIRED VIA WAIVERS (1)
- Ehire Adrianza, INF/OF: February ’17 (MIL)
- ACQUIRED VIA RULE 5 DRAFT (1)
- Ryan Pressly, RP: December ’12 (BOS)
Notably, the Twins announced today that slugger Miguel Sano — a major factor in their postseason berth this season — will not be a part of the Wild Card roster due to ongoing discomfort in a stress reaction he suffered when fouling a ball into his shin in late August. He’d been activated for the final three games of the season, lending some optimism that he could potentially play in the divisional series should the team advance, but he was apparently too limited to carry on the roster for this all-hands-on-deck game.
I am happy for the Twins, Buxton finally bloomed at the old age of 23 and the Twins offense can put a lot of runs on the board and Molitor did an excellent job of managing
The thing is, it will come down to pitching and the WC game is in the Bronx! However, if they win, they could be like Royals in 2014.
We’ll see
I love buxton. He could literally be the worst hitter in the league and still be a valuable asset
Buxton ate the Orioles lunch all year!
Plus, he ate other teams as well!
I find it hard to believe they only have three players through trade. They did a good job developing players and some guys really stepped up
They have both Trevor May and Hector Santiago on the 60-day DL for trade acquisitions, plus rookie reliever Gabriel Moya, who didn’t make the cut for this game, but yeah it’s been a lot of drafting and especially international free agency. Polanco, Kepler and Sano were all in the same 2009-10 international class which was a huge boon for the organization.
are you doing this for all teams?
Yep.
this is pretty cool. thanks!
love it!
looks like the majority of the core group, came from Bill Smiths time at the helm……time to feed the Yankees a big $ hit sandwich
Love the idea of the article.
Me too
I thought I saw similar article covering all teams somewhere else before. Anyways, I like seeing this kind of information. Twins are contending the ‘right way’. Good to see that. I am rooting for them tonight.
As noted, they not only had a big jump in performance this year but they did so without making any marquee additions. That means that a team and most of its players were bad one year and suddenly good the next. Something that happens all the time. Something that the people who always talk about players or teams being bad or done constantly ignore for some reason.
Gimenez didn’t do much on the field, but he was a leader in the clubhouse, very similar to what David Ross was for the Cubs last season.