This story was excerpted from Do-Hyoung Park’s Twins Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
The Twins already used the “Nothing Falls But Raindrops” catchphrase to describe the 2018 outfield, so their marketing department will have to figure out how they want to brand this group — because this season’s primary four-man outfield mix has the potential to be an even more elite cadre of defenders.
When the Twins made their under-the-radar trade for Michael A. Taylor to serve as a reserve outfielder, they added the former Gold Glove center fielder to a group that already features Byron Buxton, Joey Gallo and Max Kepler. Let’s walk through their defensive résumés:
• Gallo: 2020 and ’21 Gold Glove Award winner, 90th percentile or better in arm strength in every season since ’20
The Twins haven’t yet committed to what their primary outfield alignment could look like — or if they’ll even use something that could be considered a “primary” alignment — but in any configuration, this group should be pretty darn good. Even if Buxton gets injured or has to take a day at designated hitter, they’ve got another one of the game’s elite defensive center fielders lined up behind him in Taylor.
It’s tough to imagine the Twins moving Kepler from right field (if he isn’t moved in a trade by Opening Day, that is), since that’s been his primary position throughout his career and he understands the nuances of playing the tricky multitextured wall in right field with the limestone overhang.
That leaves Gallo in left field and, perhaps, at first base, where the Twins feel he also has the potential to provide top-tier defense. Alex Kirilloff is expected to factor heavily at first, while Trevor Larnach and Nick Gordon should also be available as reserve outfielders.
“It’s shaping up to be pretty good,” Gallo said. “I hope Buxton doesn’t steal too many of my balls. I like to run and catch some. I’m going to tell him, ‘Let me catch a few balls.’ Yeah, it’s exciting. Just to play next to a guy like Buxton is an honor. I’m glad I don’t have to hit against him anymore because he catches every ball in the gap.”
This stands to help starters on the Twins’ roster like Joe Ryan, Bailey Oberand Tyler Mahle, who all generated ground balls at below-league-average rates, which means that more of the contact against them should reach the outfield.
“We know that we have an elite outfield defense, and hopefully, if we can maximize on that and keep guys healthy and be in the outfield and play the way we think they can play, it should be a value add and a competitive advantage for us,” president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said. “But it was on our minds as we thought about some of the other acquisitions towards the end of this offseason.”
And don’t forget that the Twins’ defensive prowess isn’t limited to the outfield; they’ve got a pretty darn good shortstop back in the mix with Carlos Correa anchored at the position for the future — and the pitching staff is already looking forward to what that could look like behind them.
“That’s a defense that makes you just want to throw strikes and let the hitters put balls in play,” said Pablo López.
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