Byron Buxton reflects on past Twins leaders: 'I'm not going to be like that'

Buxton, 31, doesn't want young Twins players to experience what he did while breaking into the big leagues.

Outfielder Byron Buxton walks to the dugout after a live batting practice session during the Minnesota Twins' first full-squad workout of spring training at the Lee Health Sports Complex in Fort Myers, Fla., on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. | Jonah Hinebaugh/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Byron Buxton was 21 years old when he debuted with the Minnesota Twins in June 2015. He played 46 games that season and he bounced between Triple-A and the big leagues in 2016 as he learned the game at the highest level.

Those were days when, despite being a consensus top prospect, Buxton didn't feel like he could easily talk to leaders in the Twins clubhouse. He didn't elaborate on the issue, but he went out of his way to mention his past when talking about being a leader for the 2025 Twins. The discussion started when WCCO radio's Jason DeRusha asked him how he deals with being a player young guys seek out for advice. .

"Go about my business. I'm not about to change just because I'm put in a new role. Like when you change, that's when things don't go your way. So I'm still the same person I was when I walked in here as a rookie," Buxton began.

"Yeah, I'm a leader, but to these guys I'm just one of one of the teammates, one of the brothers that they can come up and talk to. When you put a title on it and you have young guys that come in here, they feel different, like they can't talk to you and that's how it was when I came up. I'm not going to be like that. I want you to be able to talk, communicate, and do whatever you want to do and make yourself better as a player but also as a person because this game is going to end."

It's unclear if the leaders on the 2015 and 2016 Twins teams were standoffish or if Buxton just didn't feel comfortable approaching them, but he clearly wants things to be different for young players today.

Who were the leaders of the 2015 and 2016 Twins? That's also not entirely clear, but the veteran stars on the 2015 team were Joe Mauer, Brian Dozier, Trevor Plouffe and Torii Hunter. In 2016, it was Mauer, Dozier and Plouffe, while Hunter and had moved on.

Again, Buxton didn't name anyone, but it's an interesting thing to hear from the 31-year-old and it leaves plenty of room for speculation.