Byron Buxton, Joe Mauer, and a Dying Breed Across Baseball

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of ©Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

 

Baseball’s loyalty landscape has transformed dramatically since the mid-1970s, when true free agency emerged, empowering players to test the open market. At the same time, the absence of a hard salary cap has allowed payrolls to diverge widely, with franchises like the Dodgers and Mets outspending smaller-market clubs by hundreds of millions annually. Today’s stars are often nomadic, chasing opportunities and record contracts across multiple cities, a stark departure from the days of career-long, one-club heroes who could be the face of a franchise.

Generational talents now have less reason to stay put. Juan Soto began the 2025 season with his fourth MLB organization before turning 27. He debuted with Washington (2018–22), then moved to San Diego, New York (Yankees), and now the Mets. He's not the only superstar to bounce between franchises.

MLB Network’s “Top 100 Players Right Now” list, unveiled in mid-February, highlights how common multi-team resumes have become. Remarkably, six of the top-12 players on that list have donned multiple uniforms: Shohei Ohtani (Angels, Dodgers), Mookie Betts (Red Sox, Dodgers), Juan Soto (Nationals, Padres, Yankees, Mets), Francisco Lindor (Guardians, Mets) Freddie Freeman (Braves, Dodgers), and Bryce Harper (Nationals, Phillies).

Joe Mauer: A Hall of Fame Hometown Hero
Mauer's career is a testament to the possibility of long-term player-team relationships. A St. Paul native, Mauer was the Twins' first overall pick in the 2001 MLB Draft. His 2009 season was historic, earning him the American League MVP award after leading the league with a .365 batting average. Retaining Mauer became a priority as the Twins prepared to move into their new home, Target Field, in 2010.

In March 2010, the Twins signed Mauer to an eight-year, $184 million contract extension, making it the fourth-largest contract in MLB history at the time. The deal included a full no-trade clause, ensuring that Mauer would remain with the team through the 2018 season. This move secured a franchise cornerstone and energized the fan base as the team opened a new ballpark.

Many fans will focus on the end of Mauer’s career when concussions forced him to move from catcher to first base. However, FanGraphs pegged his value to the Twins throughout his career at over $330 million, and he was paid just over $218 million. He entered the Hall of Fame on the first ballot, and his candidacy was likely boosted by his story of a hometown hero who played his entire career in Minnesota. 

Byron Buxton: A Different Path
Buxton's journey with the Twins has been marked by immense potential but tempered by injuries. Drafted second overall in 2012, Buxton's athleticism and defensive prowess quickly became evident. However, injuries limited his playing time, preventing him from consistently showcasing his talents.

Recognizing his potential, the Twins and Buxton agreed to a seven-year, $100 million contract extension in November 2021. The deal was structured to account for Buxton's injury history, featuring significant performance-based incentives. These include bonuses tied to finishing in the top 10 of MVP voting and additional bonuses for reaching specific plate appearance thresholds.

This contract reflects a mutual commitment: the Twins' belief in Buxton's abilities and Buxton's desire to remain with the organization that drafted him. It's a strategic move that balances financial prudence with the potential for high rewards should Buxton stay healthy and perform at an elite level.

Some fans will continue to view Buxton as not worth his contract because of his lengthy injury history. But it’s important to note that his $15 million per season is a total that a player of his skillset can easily reach. In 2025, FanGraphs already pegs him as providing the Twins with $12.4 million in value. Last season, Buxton was worth $29.7 million. Since signing his extension, he has been worth $18.65 million per season even with a terrible 2023 campaign ($4.7 million) and only a quarter of the 2025 season on the books. 

The Twins' Commitment to Homegrown Talent
The decisions to retain Mauer and Buxton underscore the Twins' dedication to building around specific homegrown players viewed as generational talents. In an era where player movement is rampant, Minnesota's approach emphasizes stability and continuity. By investing in their own talent, the Twins foster a strong organizational culture and maintain a connection with their fan base.

While some may question the financial wisdom of such long-term commitments, especially given the uncertainties of player health and performance, the Twins' strategy offers a counter-narrative to the prevailing trends in MLB. It highlights the value of loyalty from the organization and the players and the importance of cultivating a team identity rooted in homegrown success.

As MLB continues to evolve, with players frequently changing teams in pursuit of new opportunities, the Minnesota Twins' commitment to retaining their homegrown stars like Mauer and Buxton stands out. The Twins offer a compelling example of how teams can navigate the modern baseball landscape while staying true to their roots.

Did the Twins make the correct decision to keep Mauer and Buxton? Leave a comment and start the discussion. 

 

 

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[Guest]

I believe it was the correct decision to keep them both. I have no problem with Mauer's "overpay" due to the previous "underpay" during the earlier part of his career.  With regards to Buxton, I'm just having a great time enjoying his play this year, hope he earns lots of bonus $$.

[Whitey333]

Yes for sure on Mauer.  He was awesome plus being home grown talent.  The Twins didn't have much choice.  They HAD to sign him.  Buxton not so much.  He's having a great year NOW but essentially it took 10 years for this to happen.  The estimates of FanGraphs has always been a joke.  Over estimating a players worth and contributions.  FanGraphs is the LAST baseball source for me.  Must be put out by the players association lol

[bean5302]

Mauer's a pretty unique example. Home town kid, first overall pick, first ballot HoF career with a brand new stadium hitting just as he was going to become a free agent. Even took a bit of a home town discount as I think the league estimates were more like $200MM+ for Mauer. The Red Sox were still willing to trade and take the entirety of Mauer's contract even after 2011. The contract is honestly from a different era of the game already as it's been 16 years now.

The Twins tried to trade Buxton, they just didn't find any takers, and while his contract was lengthy, it was only $15MM/yr. There have been quite a few contracts similar to Buxton's before guys even start their MLB careers to immediately after their first season or two.

Since that's happening, we haven't really seen what happens as those first contracts often buying out a couple years of free agency wind down. Will the teams try to keep their players or will they all sign with the Dodgers?

 

[twinstalker]

59 minutes ago, Whitey333 said:

Buxton not so much.  He's having a great year NOW but essentially it took 10 years for this to happen.

No, he's had great starts before.  Remember, this is May 10.

[Jocko87]

4 hours ago, bean5302 said:

The Twins tried to trade Buxton, they just didn't find any takers

[Jocko87]

My quick count of the MLB top 100 list cited had at least 50 players with their original organization.  Several arb players for sure but at least two dozen long term contracts.  

What is even the premise of this article?  Is there an editor on this site? 

Take it to the comments section, as they say.  Keep this crap out of articles. 

[Bodie]

14 hours ago, bean5302 said:

Mauer's a pretty unique example. Home town kid, first overall pick, first ballot HoF career with a brand new stadium hitting just as he was going to become a free agent. Even took a bit of a home town discount as I think the league estimates were more like $200MM+ for Mauer. The Red Sox were still willing to trade and take the entirety of Mauer's contract even after 2011. The contract is honestly from a different era of the game already as it's been 16 years now.

The Twins tried to trade Buxton, they just didn't find any takers, and while his contract was lengthy, it was only $15MM/yr. There have been quite a few contracts similar to Buxton's before guys even start their MLB careers to immediately after their first season or two.

Since that's happening, we haven't really seen what happens as those first contracts often buying out a couple years of free agency wind down. Will the teams try to keep their players or will they all sign with the Dodgers?

 

C'mon, man!  This is MLBaseball!  

The Yankees will always get thier man.  And Kansas City's!

[nclahammer]

A win-win for both Buxton and the Minnesota Twins IMO.

[Linus]

Buck gets the credit for staying. He took less to stay with the club. 

[Russ]

The dying breed doesn't have to die.  The Twins need to find and develop their own talent (improvement needed), but also create an environment to have players wanting to stay (really need improvement)

[mluebker]

Paying for potential hasn’t really paid off, at least in terms of the team’s success. Having hometown guys out there is a good strategy to put butts in seats—which is great for the Pohlads—but it hasn’t won any championships. And my guess is fans are more interested in the latter.

[Road trip]

Glad the Twins kept them both, even if it could be argued that neither contract has worked out as fans and management would have hoped.

Like others, I question the premise though.  Take a look at the top 25 all time WAR leaders at Baseball Reference.  Stars have been moved or traded from the beginning of MLB, with very few staying with one franchise.  Among the Top25 traded from before the free agent era: Babe Ruth, Cy Young, Tris Speaker, Honus Wagner, Rogers Hornsby, Eddie Collins, Grover Alexander, Frank Robinson, Nap Lajoie,  Lefty Grove.  

Great players who stayed with one franchise have always kind of been an anomaly.  Most of them were Yankees, Dodgers, Cardinals, or members of other relatively wealthy franchises.  Even all time Twin Harmon finished with the Royals.  

[T.O.]

Buxton is fun to watch when he has it all going. When it's not going he's awful to watch at the plate.

I can't think of any player that is so easy going back and forth on attitude towards.

Enjoying him now. His all out approach can be a catalyst.

[Taildragger8791]

On 5/11/2025 at 7:39 AM, Linus said:

Buck gets the credit for staying. He took less to stay with the club. 

I'm not convinced he took less. I think that is just what the market would bear for a guy who had not shown he could stay healthy, nor had he put together a full season of consistent production. He'd also have risked that chronic knee issue coming up in a physical exam and getting red-flagged like Correa was with his ankle/foot. He got a fair deal that balanced the upside and downside of his unique situation.