Twins Daily Hitter of the Month: July 2024

After a 2023 season in which the Minnesota Twins leaned on their pitching, Rocco Baldelli has seen his lineup show up in a big way. Although players like Royce Lewis and Carlos Correa have missed time, other players have stepped up. The lineup has especially done damage against left-handed pitchers, and if the group is going to make noise in the postseason, multiple contributors will need to get the job done.

Looking at the month of July, a couple of bats stood out for the Twins. Before revealing the hitter of the month, here are a few honorable mentions:

#4 Max Kepler - 24-75, 11 R, 3 2B, 3B, 8 RBI, 6 BB, 14 K
In the final year of his contract, and having been the subject of trade discussions for some time. Max Kepler made the most of his July. The Twins right fielder batted .320, with a .760 OPS. He got on base at a solid .373 clip, but there was little power to be found. Always playing strong defense in right field, Rocco Baldelli could have asked for a bit more thump at the dish.

There may have been a chance that he was a New York Yankee by the deadline. There may be a chance that he could be tendered a qualifying offer this offseason. No matter what happens, his performance down the stretch will be imperative to whatever amount of noise that Minnesota can make in the postseason.

#3 Christian Vázquez - 13-41, 7 R, 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 2 BB, 7 K, SB
Arguably the most surprising statistic of Vázquez’s July was his stolen base. You wouldn’t expect a squatty catcher to grab an extra 90 feet, but here we are. He also launched a trio of home runs, and his .910 OPS was beyond impressive.

Despite struggling through the first half of the season, Vázquez has been an incredible contingency plan for Ryan Jeffers. Baldelli has rotated catchers on a daily basis, but Vázquez has helped to substantiate that plan. As a player with ample postseason experience and a pair of World Series rings to his credit, the presence could be massive the rest of the way.

#2 Matt Wallner - 16-44, 8 R, 5 2B, 5 HR, 9 RBI, 5 BB, 19 K
After making the big-league roster to start on Opening Day, Wallner quickly found himself sent back to Triple-A. He got hot and earned a trip back to the majors in short order, and the scorcher continues. Wallner batted .364 in July and posted a team-leading 1.269 OPS. He hit for power and average, while also controlling the zone. It was an approach that was impressive to see come together.

Seen as something of a straight power hitter, Wallner is a good reminder that the Joey Gallo profile is viable, when attached to a player still in their prime. Defensively, he is limited, but has a huge arm (don’t let the relief appearance fool you). At the dish though, he not only bops, but draws walks and forces the hand of opposing pitchers. It has been great to see him rebound in such a positive way, and combined with Trevor Larnach, Wallner, and others, the Twins have a few corner outfield options.

Hitter of the Month Byron Buxton - 22-66, 15 R, 8 2B, 5 HR, 10 RBI, 5 BB, 20 K, SB
There has been no more polarizing player over the duration of their Twins career than Buxton. After being a shell of himself that never played the field last year, he has returned on a trajectory that has him eyeing career-best marks. July was an exceptional month for the fan favorite, and it’s something he can build on the rest of the way.

This offseason Manuel Margot was brought in as Buxton insurance, and as a replacement for Michael A. Taylor. He has been fine, but not needed in that vein. The way Minnesota can handle health and production the rest of the way remains to be seen, but Buxton’s availability is a key piece of the puzzle. He was Minnesota’s best hitter in July, and the team has to hope that can continue.