The 'good' wrist troubles top Twins prospect Buxton

Top Twins prospect Byron Buxton can't get a break — which is both good and bad.

The good news — he hasn't actually broken any bones. The bad news — his wrists still are magnets for injuries.

The consensus No. 1 prospect in baseball, Buxton, a center fielder for Class A Fort Myers, injured his right wrist when he was hit by a pitch in the eighth inning of Friday night's 11-7, 17-inning loss to Daytona.

And although he fought through the pain to finish all 17 innings, going 4-for-6 with a home run and two walks, he hasn't played since. Twins General Manager Terry Ryan said the staff gave Buxton a day off Saturday because the wrist was stiff. But Buxton also was left out of Sunday's 7-4 victory against Brevard County.

Brad Steil, Twins director of minor league operations, said Buxton's wrist still is sore, and he most likely will sit out Monday's game. Steil is hopeful Buxton can test the wrist on Tuesday.

Buxton injured his left wrist on March 16 while diving for a ball in a spring training game, an injury that sidelined him for much of the season. He returned May 4 only to reinjure it again four days later while sliding into a base.

Buxton had just come back from that disabled stint on July 6 and after a slow start, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 draft was 11-for-22 in five games last week.

Ryan said he felt bad for the 20-year-old's unending spiral of wrist injuries.

"We just get him rolling, and he gets hit in the wrist again," Ryan said. "He had a good week. And then he got hit in the wrist."