It's Time to Move Byron Buxton to a Corner Outfield Spot

[Cody Schoenmann]

Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

In 6,721 defensive innings over his 11-season major-league career, Byron Buxton has only ever played center field. The last time he played a position other than center in affiliated ball was in 2014, when he notched 14 innings in right field at High-A. This development shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who follows the Twins—or baseball, for that matter. Buxton has long been a world-class athlete, with elite sprint speed and a feel for making late adjustments when needed.

That athleticism resulted in him winning a Platinum Glove Award in 2017, when he was arguably the rangiest center fielder of the 2010s. Nine years later, however, the 32-year-old is no longer one of the sport’s best center fielders. That's no knock against Buxton; him still being one of the fastest players in baseball 11 seasons into his career is a remarkable feat. Despite maintaining that speed on the bases, though, Buxton has regressed in multiple defensive metrics over the past two seasons. He still makes all the routine plays, but he no longer takes away should-be hits.

 

Of course, Buxton doesn’t have to be an elite defender to remain at center field. He's still playable there, with 3 Outs Above Average (OAA) over 193 attempts this season. Cracks are still forming beneath the surface, however. He’s remained elite at tracking balls hit in front of and behind him this season. However, his ability to reach balls on which he has to range far to his left or right has steadily regressed over the past couple of seasons, with 2026 as a low point.

 

Moving toward third base, Buxton has generated 1 OAA. At the same time, he has manufactured 0 OAA moving toward first. His combined 1 OAA while moving laterally would be the lowest mark of his career (save his 2018 campaign, when he played only 28 games). Can you guess his second-worst season getting to balls hit laterally? Great job, valued reader! You’re correct. It was 2025. Buxton has steadily regressed in his ability to reach balls hit in the gap over the past two seasons, and at this point in his career, it's extremely likely that he'll continue to fade.

 

Again, nobody is holding Buxton to the same standard as Pete Crow-Armstrong or Ceddanne Rafaela. Twins decision-makers would be more than justified in finishing the 2026 season with Buxton as the club’s primary center fielder; his regression doesn’t require immediate attention. Still, Minnesota would be wise to have a succession plan in place for 2027. Luckily, the organization’s top solution is knocking on the door of the majors in Triple-A: first-ranked prospect Walker Jenkins.

 

I’m not advocating that Minnesota call up Jenkins right now. He's a 21-year-old enjoying his first extended success against Triple-A pitching. He is still a platoon liability against left-handed pitching, netting a .277 xwOBA over 80 plate appearances at Triple-A. He is undeniably at the parent club’s door, preparing to rush through, with intentions of immediately becoming one of Minnesota’s best position players. That time will come, but there’s a strong chance it won’t be until 2027. Whenever Jenkins does get his contract selected from Triple-A St. Paul, the Twins should make him their primary center fielder, moving Buxton to the corner outfield.

 

Jenkins has played center field in most of his appearances at Triple-A, with 370 innings at the position. He's been solid, with no errors and good range. Right now, Buxton is probably as good or better in center than Jenkins is. However, by this time next year, that won't be true. What separates Jenkins from Buxton now is the top prospect’s elite arm value, an area in which Buxton has declined more obviously and sharply.

 

Buxton sports a -1 Arm Value over 168 advancement attempts in 2026, placing him in the bottom third of the league. Runners have been able to take extra bases on him, a trend that has become significantly worse since 2024, when Buxton was toward the top of the league. Jenkins, however, has one of the best arms in the minors.

 

Whether Buxton moves to left or right field is largely inconsequential. Right field is higher on the defensive spectrum, with clubs often placing stronger-armed fielders there in order to reduce a runner’s likelihood of advancing from first to third on a single or tagging up from second to third on a flyout to right. Buxton is probably better-suited to left, particularly given that left-center is deeper than right-center at Target Field. One way or another, though, it's time to start making a succession plan—which, in this case, is also a relocation plan.

View full article

[dxpavelka]

I'm fine with such a move as long as Jenkins becomes the CF.  If it entails, Keashall, Clemens, Martin, Kreidler in CF, I'm out.

[DJL44]

They can share the spot next season with Jenkins getting the games Buxton inevitably misses (and vice versa - Jenkins gets injured a lot as well).

It is perfectly okay to have two good fielders in the outfield at the same time. Some teams have three of them.

[Whitey333]

Another in a long line of Byron Buxton articles.  He sure gets a lot of coverage for a part time player.  Moving him to a corner outfield makes a lot of sense.  That way he can miss a lot of games at a new position.  

[PuckettPond]

If the Twins do not move him his future injuries will. Keaschall in time will be great in the outfield as like Lewis are learning on the fly.

[Jeff K]

I do think that next season he should become the 2nd choice for CF and first choice for a corner outfield position.  And I definitely feel the Twins should call up Jenkins now.  He should be in the lineup daily.

[HrbieFan]

6 minutes ago, PuckettPond said:

If the Twins do not move him his future injuries will. Keaschall in time will be great in the outfield as like Lewis are learning on the fly.

Keaschall doesn't have an OF arm! He is serviceable in the OF. Love his bat potential and wish he could have mastered 2B 

[bean5302]

28 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

They can share the spot next season with Jenkins getting the games Buxton inevitably misses (and vice versa - Jenkins gets injured a lot as well).

It is perfectly okay to have two good fielders in the outfield at the same time. Some teams have three of them.

Good or adequate? I'd still consider Buxton good. Jenkins has some of the best range factors in the IL for Center Field, solidly behind Petey Halpin who moved up to the Guardians this year and has been above average.

[jimbo92107]

Buxton to LF, Walker Jenkins to CF, Emmanuel Rodriguez (Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 55 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50) to RF. Larnach can sub in LF, or be trade bait.

Also: Whatever happened to Byron Buxton's arm? He used to be able to fire a strike to home plate from medium center. Now, he just seems to loop an easy throw to the cutoff man. Did he screw up his arm?

[jimbo92107]

31 minutes ago, HrbieFan said:

Keaschall doesn't have an OF arm! He is serviceable in the OF. Love his bat potential and wish he could have mastered 2B 

I see videos of a big facility where they teach pitchers to reach the high 90's. Can't Keaschall do something like that? He's an excellent, strong athlete with plenty of twitch. He should be able to fire a ball at least 92 mph with a running start. What I can't believe is how INNACURATE the throws are from outfielders all over the league. I see guys missing home plate by twenty feet. WTF??

[arby58]

50 minutes ago, Whitey333 said:

Another in a long line of Byron Buxton articles.  He sure gets a lot of coverage for a part time player.  Moving him to a corner outfield makes a lot of sense.  That way he can miss a lot of games at a new position.  

He leads the team in WAR, HRs and slugging percentage, and is second in  second in runs scored. Pretty good for a ‘part time player.’

[Bangkok Twins Fan]

3 minutes ago, arby58 said:

He leads the team in WAR, HRs and slugging percentage, and is second in  second in runs scored. Pretty good for a ‘part time player.’

As long as he's healthy --- and I agree, that is often a big IF --- I'd prefer to keep Buxton in center field. That's still the best place for him to play. Maybe Jenkins MAY become the starter at that position, but that is still speculation at this point. 

[TopGunn#22]

I would agree that the Buxton we are seeing in CF, while still pretty good, is not the Buxton we've seen in years past.  This kind of thing is inevitable and happens to practically every really good CF from Willie Davis to Kirby Puckett.  So I have no problem moving Buxton, or even having him play CF some games and LF others throughout 2027.  The more stress you remove from him (and CF is a very high stress position) the fresher and hopefully injury free you keep him.

I remember reading that Emmanuel Rodriguez was also above average in CF and could play all 3 OF positions.  Maybe that's not the case anymore, and E-Rod's constant injuries have robbed him from some range.  I've read Jenkins has a rifle for an arm, but don't recall ever reading that E-Rod does.  But it does appear that the Twins DO need to at least start tapering Buxton's innings in CF.  Both Jenkins and E-Rod should be able to help in that process.

But this off season will once again be very interesting to see how the FO shapes the roster.  The last several years have been disappointing despite the massive changes in the bullpen in the 2025 sell-off and failures to make deals in the winter.  It's nice when you have a couple guys with cannons for arms in your OF.  The 1971 Pirates-Stargell LF and Clemente RF comes to mind.  But they also had guys like Gene Clines, Vic Davalillo and Al Oliver in CF who had noodles for arms.  Keaschall has the athletic  ability to get to balls even if his arm is sub-standard.  I love his hit tool and think it will only get better.  A future projected OF of Buxton, Jenkins, Keaschall and E-Rod is good for me.  But where will Larnach, Roden, Wallner etc...be in 2027?  

[HeresWaldo]

Personally I value speed over arm in center, and health permitting I'm pretty sure Buxton will be faster than Jenkins even a year from now. Candidly I don't think the next quality center fielder is in the organization right now, so I'd say stick with Buxton until it really becomes a problem or a more obvious candidate arrives. Now, if Buxton shows up to spring training next year with 75th percentile sprint speed that would be different, but at least for now I'm pretty confident he's faster and has more range than Jenkins or Rodriguez.

Buxton also has the advantage of being a sprint speed outlier. There are too few of them in the Statcast era for super compelling conclusions to be drawn yet, but there is some evidence that the player type Buxton is a part of really do age better (at least as runners) into their mid-30s, so I wouldn't be super confident that Jenkins will surpass Buxton next season. Downside is if this research is right, once it starts to go for Buxton it'll go quickly, but he may very well be able to put up similar numbers to his current ones in center 2 years from now, again health permitting.