The Twins equation: Miguel Sano, Byron Buxton = mass × speed

Story by JIM SOUHAN • Photo by CARLOS GONZALEZ • Star Tribune

After four years of orbiting each other as they rose through the Twins' farm system, Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano are preparing to play next to each other for the first time. Each is in his own way out of position.

Buxton is trying to justify his status as the best center-field prospect in the game. Sano is learning to play right field for the first time. Both 22-year-olds were expected to be at different places in 2016.

Buxton became a superstar in the making in 2013, mimicking Mike Trout's numbers in the Class A Midwest League, but injuries and what the Twins admit was an untimely promotion to the majors last year have left his bat lagging. He was supposed to be further along in his development by 2016.

Sano was a shortstop in the Dominican Republic and a third baseman in the minors before becoming a remarkably powerful designated hitter for the Twins last summer. With Trevor Plouffe securing the third-base job, Sano is now preparing to play out of position, facing the challenge of lugging about 260 pounds around the outfield.

The president and vice president of the United States are not allowed to be in the same plane, yet the Twins are placing their two best prospects since Joe Mauer in the same flight pattern.

What will happen when the hulking Sano pursues a fly ball near the fleet center fielder who has injured himself in collisions before?

"No problem," Sano said. "I'll let him catch it."

While both have much to prove, their new alignment tentatively signals the arrival of the Twins' new era. The last time this franchise made the playoffs, in 2010, its roster featured in-their-prime All-Stars Mauer and Justin Morneau. If Buxton and Sano are as good as the Twins think they are, the franchise once again will be able to market, celebrate and build around two of the best players in the majors. If they fail, five years of rebuilding will be for naught.

"The fan part of me is really excited that we have two of the younger and more talented players," manager Paul Molitor said. "There's a lot more around, but we are happy we have a couple of them. The caution you have is that you know it is not an easy game.

"They don't have a very long track record in the big leagues right now. Miguel and Byron learned, certainly, that it is tough up here. Their health is a concern. We've got to try to find a way, if they both are ready, to keep them on the field as much as we can."

Two summers ago, Buxton and Sano required a third party to play catch. Sano was recovering from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow and Buxton wasn't allowed to wear a glove while a damaged left wrist healed. Sano would catch the ball from a third person and flip it to Buxton to throw.

While they have been so often linked, they are at this stage of their careers opposites. Sano is brash, expecting to hit .300 and win the World Series this year. Buxton is quiet and polite. Buxton might be ready to win a Gold Glove but has to prove he can master a big-league at-bat. Sano showed patience and hitting intelligence beyond his years but has to prove he can play the outfield.

"I'm a little on the fence with it," former manager Tom Kelly said of Sano's move. "He's going to make a mistake or two. That's going to happen. There's no way around it. Hopefully it doesn't burn you too bad."

Kelly spoke recently with former Twins outfielder Randy Bush, who works in the Cubs' front office. Bush told him about the Cubs moving catching prospect Kyle Schwarber to the outfield last season. Schwarber misplayed two balls in left field in a loss to the Mets in Game 4 of the NLCS. "The ball found him," Kelly said. "And he killed them. That's what worries you."

Twins front office members will counter that Sano is a better and fleeter athlete than he appears to be, has worked hard at the transition, and has one of the strongest arms in the game. They project him to be an average fielder who will throw out runners and defer the right-center gap to Buxton.

Sano, Buxton and Eddie Rosario could form one of the best-throwing outfields in Twins history. Sano takes that a step further.

"It's a great moment, a great chance for us to play together," Sano said. "We can be the best outfield in the world."

That would require a tremendous season from Sano. "My goal is to be on the All-Star team, try to hit .300, hit a couple of homers and put my team in the playoffs," he said. "And win the World Series."

Buxton's goals are more modest. "I want to take better at-bats and use the whole field," he said.

As doubtful as Kelly is about Sano playing right field, he's sold on Buxton's ability.

"Two years ago I went up to Buck and said, 'How about you and me trade places,' " Kelly said. "He looked at me and said, 'No, I don't think so.' You can't get over the talent he has, the speed, the strong arm. He can go get the ball and make plays you don't think can be made, and he catches them without diving.

"He's quite an athlete. I think once he gets the program right in his own mind about what he wants to do at the plate, he'll be fine."

Kelly noted that Buxton began his time in the big leagues swinging at bad pitches early in the count, and overreacted to his struggles by taking too many pitches and falling behind in the count.

"At the end of last season I thought he was figuring it out," Kelly said. "If the season had gone another month, it would have been good for him."

Buxton and Sano seem to be good for each other. They are friends who used to fish together in a roadside ditch in Fort Myers. Now they favor local restaurants, where Sano will consider a second round before remembering a certain message: "No mas hamburguesas."

After the Twins signed Sano, he ate lunch with Kate Townley, Twins senior manager of minor league administration. Sano ordered a cheeseburger, fries and a milkshake, inhaled once, and ordered another round. Townley, aware that Sano tends toward thickness, admonished him, saying, "No mas hamburguesas." Sano will yell that to her when he sees her around the Twins minor league complex.

After years of injuries and tentative steps forward, Sano and Buxton are preparing for their first big-league Opening Day. The Twins are desperately hoping both are ready to feast.