Prospect Q&A: Don't pass the 'Buck'
Sorry? Please? The voicemail greeting of Byron Buxton -- the Twins' No. 2 prospect now and the No. 2 overall draftee six months ago -- may be impersonal, but it sure is polite. To hear his voice and those boiler-plate words is to realize that he really is just an 18-year-old Georgian. And if his frequent use of Yes, sir doesn't reinforce that point, the etymology of his nickname does.
"I was in third grade," Buxton says on the other end of his phone, which instead of ringing plays tunes like Chris Brown's R&B hit "Don't Judge Me" and Kendrick Lamar's rap song "Swimming Pools." "My football coach, he started calling my brother 'Buck Feet,' and he started calling me 'Buck' and it stayed with me all the way."
So this is a conversation with Buck from Baxley -- his small city in the deep South -- about his future. He hopes it's pointed north, as fast as he can run there. A dozen days from his next birthday, Minnesota is already on his mind.
MiLB.com: What have you been up to this offseason?
Buxton: Working out in Atlanta, trying to get bigger, pick up on more skills and trying to get better.
MiLB.com: What's your routine like?
Buxton: I work out everyday at 10:45 a.m. and when I get done there, I go to the batting cages and work on my hitting. I'm trying to improve my bat speed and my approach at the plate. My agent, Alan Goetz -- he helps me every day.
MiLB.com: Now that two months have passed, how do you evaluate your first Minor League season?
Buxton: I did all right. It took me a little while to adjust to all the new things around me and the new pitching. I wouldn't necessarily say it was faster, but it was better pitching. They hit their spots, better breaking pitches and off-speed. So I just hung in there, and once I got it down pat, my season went up from there. The last little bit of the season, I did pretty good. I just had to work on better pitch selection.
MiLB.com: That's understating it -- you batted .400 (14-for-35) your final nine games at Rookie-level Elizabethton. How did you improve your mental approach?
Buxton: Just tell myself to hit my pitch and don't chase any of the pitcher's pitches -- just be patient and disciplined at the plate.
MiLB.com: Did your coaches tweak your physical mechanics as well?
Buxton: They changed it a little bit, but it wasn't a lot. In high school, I was more open with my stance. When I got to the Minor Leagues, they closed me up a little bit. It was to limit all the movement and go straight to the ball instead of having a long swing. I got a simple swing now, where I am closed. I see the ball much better. I sit back on breaking stuff real well because I am so balanced.
MiLB.com: How about defensively -- any adjustments to the pro game?
Buxton: I just did some work on my footwork and tried to get my arm stronger.
MiLB.com: Your arm is already pretty strong -- what'd you do strengthen it even more?
Buxton: I throw the football a lot with my dad and some people back home and my agent. It works it out. In high school, I threw a football 82 yards.
MiLB.com: What are your goals for next season?
Buxton: Just work hard, keep swinging the bat well, take advice, listen, and my performance hopefully will take me where I want.
MiLB.com: Which is where, come April 2013? Class A Cedar Rapids?
Buxton: I wish I was beginning with the Majors, but I ain't quite there yet.
MiLB.com: The challenge with athletically gifted guys like yourself is turning your tools into skills. How far along are you?
Buxton: Turning my tools into skills? I'm still working on all of 'em. I ain't got 'em all yet.
Andrew Pentis is a contributor to MLB.com and writes the Prospective Blog. Follow him on Twitter at AndrewMiLB.
Top prospects to watch at Triple-A -- one for each organization
It’s Triple-A’s turn up to bat on Friday. The regular season begins for the Minor Leagues’ highest level one day after the action starts on the Major League side. Fun fact: it’ll be the earliest start to a Minor League season since 1951 (March 27). Double-A, High-A and Single-A will
Here's where every Top 100 prospect is expected to start the season
The 2025 Opening Day prospect roster announcements began last week when the Cubs informed Matt Shaw (MLB No. 19) he was making the trip overseas to compete in the Tokyo Series. Roki Sasaki (No. 1) also received the good news, but his assignment was much less of a surprise. Now
Nationals prospect King joins MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Here are the 2025 All-Spring Breakout Teams
Fifteen games, several jersey swaps and countless highlights later, the second edition of Spring Breakout has officially concluded – and it lived up to its billing. Of the 16 contests sprinkled across four days, only one game (Dodgers vs. Cubs) was rained out. Coincidentally, the Cubs were one of two
Rox young sluggers aim to bring pop back to Coors Field
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Coors Field may provide the best run-scoring environment in Major League Baseball, but the Rockies haven’t taken advantage of it in recent years. Even without adjusting for Coors, they have fielded offenses worse than the league average the past three seasons, and they scored the fewest runs
Astros brass sees potential in consistently 'underranked' farm system
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The last time the Astros landed in the top 10 of MLB Pipeline’s farm system rankings was before the 2019 season. Since those rankings expanded to all 30 teams ahead of the 2020 season -- 11 lists in total -- they’ve never ranked higher than
Complete results and highlights from Spring Breakout
The second edition of MLB Spring Breakout is complete, and there was no shortage of highlights from the future stars of Major League Baseball over the four-day showcase. Here's a complete breakdown of the 16-game exhibition:
Southpaw Spring Breakout: White Sox future on display with Schultz, Smith
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If all goes as planned for the White Sox, left-handers Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz won’t spend much time following each other to the mound in a single game. Schultz, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 16 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and Smith, who is
In first pro game, Rainer offers pop, promise to Tigers fans
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Bryce Rainer’s pro career consisted of workouts and batting practice until Sunday.
'Me and Brady on the dirt again': House, King reunite at Spring Breakout
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The 2025 Spring Breakout was a flashback for Brady House and Seaver King. Over 10 years ago, the infielders were travel ball teammates in Georgia who shared the dream of making it to the Major Leagues. Now, they are top prospects in the same organization,
Lambert -- 'an adrenaline guy' -- hoping to be next Mets bullpen gem
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Ryan Lambert loves throwing hard. He relishes the idea of getting to two strikes and blowing hitters away. “Get me in a game,” Lambert said, “cool things will happen.”
Stewart embraces Spring Breakout: 'What's not to love?'
PHOENIX -- Sal Stewart was one fired-up Reds prospect. On Sunday in the first inning during the organization's 9-7 Spring Breakout win over Brewers prospects, Stewart lifted a 2-2 pitch that sailed over the center fielder's head to the wall. Already not known as a speedster, he stumbled running between
Prospect Peña quietly drawing raves in Brewers' farm system
PHOENIX – Jesús Made was at the top of the Brewers’ lineup for Sunday’s 9-7 loss to the Reds in the finale of MLB’s four-day Spring Breakout, a fitting perch when you consider that the 17-year-old infielder is under a bright spotlight as MLB Pipeline’s No. 55 prospect. Made could
Brecht -- in 1st outing since '24 Draft -- wows at Spring Breakout
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Sunday's Spring Breakout showcase was the perfect unveiling for Rockies No. 5 prospect Brody Brecht. A right-handed pitcher from the University of Iowa whom the Rockies selected 38th overall last summer, Brecht had a nice collegiate resume, an interesting backstory as a former wide receiver for the
Braves prospects show promise in Spring Breakout
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- As Terry Pendleton prepared to serve as the manager of the Braves prospect team that played the Tigers prospect team in a Spring Breakout game on Sunday afternoon, he said fans should be patient with John Gil and Luis Guanipa, a pair of teenagers who have
Yanks' Lagrange flashes triple-digit heat in Spring Breakout
SARASOTA, Fla. -- There was an audible “Ooh” from the crowd at Ed Smith Stadium, and Carlos Lagrange quickly glanced beyond the right-field wall, checking the velocity of the pitch he’d just thrown in Saturday’s 5-4 Spring Breakout loss to the Orioles. It had registered in the triple digits, and
Bradfield dedicates Spring Breakout performance to late friend
SARASOTA, Fla. -- It was about more than playing in the national spotlight. More than the dinner bet placed with an old college teammate earlier in the month. More than a game. As Enrique Bradfield Jr. slid home to score a run during the first inning of Saturday night’s Spring
'Hungry' Alcántara hoping to pounce on big league prey in '25
MESA, Ariz. -- The thing about jaguars is, you don’t want to see one when it’s hungry. So when Cubs legend Sammy Sosa spoke to the organization’s No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline -- and the No. 89 prospect overall -- the former slugger gave him some apt advice. “His
Rainiers broadcaster Pay talks historic role on MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Prospect Santos 'electric' in Spring Breakout start
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Malcolm Moore knew Winston Santos was locked in before he even threw a pitch. In the second annual Spring Breakout game, Santos -- the Rangers’ No. 5 prospect, per MLB Pipeline -- was throwing to Moore, the Rangers’ No. 4 prospect and highest-ranked catcher. The battery more
Switch-pitcher Cijntje deals from both sides in Spring Breakout
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Jurrangelo Cijntje knew who’d be waiting for him in the batter’s box when he emerged from the visiting bullpen on Friday evening. The Mariners’ switch-pitcher had seen Guardians infielder Travis Bazzana recently at a card-signing event, to which they each joked, “I’m going to see you soon,”
Fans in this Minor League town are hungry for ... the Spicy Meatballs?!?
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Chandler adds mix to upper-90s heat in stellar Spring Breakout start
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- In the inaugural Spring Breakout game a year ago, as he was coming out to pitch the ninth inning, Bubba Chandler slammed a Red Bull and declared “let’s do this” before pumping upper-90s heat.