Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton has been on the cusp of super stardom for a few years now.
Always a threat with his glove, the 28-year-old out of Georgia has recently showcased some notable development at the plate despite injuries costing him a chance to get into a real rhythm. Buxton played in just 215 games from 2018-2021 as various ailments kept cropping up. It’s the only thing that’s kept him out of a legitimate MVP discussion—though he’s been a dark horse favorite for quite some time.
The Twins certainly believe in his abilities and rewarded him with a seven year, $100 million extension before this season. On Saturday, his second game of the 2022 campaign, he showed why he’s worth every cent on a home run that, generally speaking, should not be possible.
101 mph?! NO problem for @OfficialBuck103 🤯 pic.twitter.com/9IKXYLsG1W
— MLB (@MLB) April 9, 2022
I mean, just look at that thing. And that batflip. Buxton knew the moment he made contact that ball was obliterated and rightfully admired its flight before disposing his bat.
Let’s start with the fact the pitch was barely—if at all—in the strike zone. Buxton was swinging at a ball that was level with his neck. Oh, and it was coming in at 101 miles per hour. We have to stop and acknowledge this before remembering that he planted that fastball into the third deck at Target Field.
On a 50 degree day.
So of course baseball fans went wild.
!!!
Byron Buxton's HR came on a 100.5 mph pitch (rounds to 101 on tv ofc!!), the 2nd-fastest pitch a Twins player has homered off in the pitch-tracking era (since 2008)
Kurt Suzuki homered off 102.6 mph from Aroldis Chapman in 2016 https://t.co/cDDjLc83yx
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) April 9, 2022
BYRON BUXTON
112.3 mph HR
His 2nd-hardest hit HR of his career pic.twitter.com/FtSOzNkdD5
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) April 9, 2022
what did i just see
101 MPH top of the zone 🔥
Byron Buxton hits it 436 feet! 💣 pic.twitter.com/hqEQ9se6GI— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) April 9, 2022
IDK what that ball did, but it's guilty as hell and deserved it. https://t.co/JGcSB5bKi3
— Andrew Hammond (@ahammFreePress) April 9, 2022
70 percent of hitters don't catch up to this. 29.9 percent pop it up if they do. 0.1 percent of people are Byron Buxton. pic.twitter.com/no4nEgXg4V
— Christopher Crawford (@Crawford_MILB) April 9, 2022
Dugout is fired up after that Buxton blast! Love the celebration with Gordon at the end 😂🔥 pic.twitter.com/8022PSrxg0
— Audra Martin (@Audra_Martin) April 9, 2022
Byron Buxton vs Andres Munoz#MNTwins
Home Run 💣
Exit velo: 112.3 mph
Launch angle: 35 deg
Proj. distance: 436 ftNo doubt about that one 🔒
That's a dinger in all 30 MLB ballparksSEA (2) @ MIN (3)
🔻 8th pic.twitter.com/yrQ5zjoZvL— Would it dong? (@would_it_dong) April 9, 2022
Buxton to win American League MVP opened around 40-1 at most sportsbooks ahead of the season. He should still be hovering near that number now—despite the Twins starting the year 0-2.
The only thing that can stop him from playing his way into contention is his own health. Saturday was just another reminder.
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