Minnesota Twins fans know that Byron Buxton and Joe Ryan are the faces of the franchise. That much is known among the community, but it’s cool to see Major League Baseball taking note as well.
As we get closer to Spring Training this year, MLB and MLB Network are now unveiling the Top 100 players. And rightly so, Buxton and Ryan were both on the list.
Buxton was placed at number 42 and Ryan at number 73.
Twins’ Byron Buxton, Joe Ryan Named Top 100 Players for 2026 by MLB Network
The funny thing about this list is the timing of it. We recently learned that Buxton would not be attending TwinsFest later this month, with Joe Ryan removed from the roster shortly thereafter.
It’s just an interesting coincidence. Fans would love to celebrate these two stars being named the game’s top talents at TwinsFest, but they’ll have to settle for congratulating them online.
Hopefully these two guys will live up to their spot on the list. Buxton was an All-Star, a Silver Slugger and Top 11 AL MVP finisher in 2025 after producing a 4.9 bWAR, 35 home runs and two dozen stolen bases.
Ryan is coming off a career year that saw him make his first appearance in the All-Star Game. He made 30 starts in his career and struck out 194 batters, in addition to registering a 4.5 bWAR and a 3.42 ERA.
One “stubby” we would have liked to see on the Top 100 list was Pablo López, but making only 14 starts in 2025 is likely the reason he was left off the list. However, he was great during those outings, generating a 2.74 ERA.
Who are some other Twins who could potentially crack the roster next season? Maybe top prospect Walker Jenkins if he plays long enough and a good enough rookie season. Luke Keaschall also showed some promise last year after hitting .302 in 49 games. If Royce Lewis can finally unlock the best version of himself, he might be the best bet to land somewhere among the top 100 players.
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