No guarantees for stardom

Here are a few reasons why Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton could — or could not — be headed toward stardom in the majors.

• Sano's 2015 results — .268, 18 homers and 52 RBI in 80 games — caused the league to take notice.

• Sano was considered the top slugging prospect in the minor leagues. Totaled 105 homers in five seasons.

• Buxton was the consensus No. 1 prospect in baseball for each of the past two seasons. Could so many be wrong?

• Buxton is a tremendous athlete, a superb center fielder with speed and power who, at the two highest minor league levels last year, batted .305 with 13 triples and seven homers in 72 games.

• Remember Kennys Vargas? Many players have had similarly strong first seasons like Sano's, only to falter in Year 2.

• Sano's strikeouts are a concern — 119 in 279 at-bats last season. Plus, he is moving to a new position.

• Buxton has yet to show he can hit major league pitching; .209 with the Twins last season with 44 strikeouts in 129 at-bats.

• Buxton also has been injury-prone throughout his career, suffering shoulder, wrist and thumb injuries and a concussion.