Buxton opens up about the team's new ownership and what it means going forward.
A 70-92 finish in 2025, a massive trade deadline selloff and months of ownership uncertainty left the Minnesota Twins in a tough spot heading into the offseason.
But amid all the frustration and noise, one thing caught Byron Buxton's attention in a good way, and it came straight from the top.
New controlling owner Tom Pohlad flew to Atlanta during the offseason to sit down with Buxton and lay out his vision for the organization.
That visit stuck with Buxton, who spoke to Bobby Nightengale of the Minnesota Star Tribune this past weekend at spring training in Fort Myers.
"I ain't ever known no other [owner] that came down and wanted to talk," Buxton said. "Nevertheless, come in the clubhouse and want to talk. That's a big change in getting where we want to get to."
A New Face at the Top
Tom Pohlad officially took over as the Twins' executive chair in December, replacing his brother Joe.
The Pohlad family had explored selling the franchise for over a year before deciding to keep the team and bring in minority investors.
Tom had no prior experience running the baseball side of the business, but he has been hands-on from the start, visiting both Buxton and pitcher Joe Ryan during the offseason while also sitting down with Pablo Lopez at TwinsFest.
Buxton Coming Off a Career Year
The visit comes at an important time for Buxton's relationship with the organization. Despite putting together the best season of his career in 2025, he spent the entire winter watching his name pop up in trade rumors that the front office never shut down.
He hit .264 with 35 home runs, 83 RBI and 24 stolen bases across 126 games while earning his second All-Star selection and his first Silver Slugger Award.
Buxton holds a full no-trade clause, so he always had the final say on any deal, but the fact that nobody stepped up publicly to kill the rumors wore on him throughout the winter.
Looking Ahead to 2026
The Twins enter the 2026 season with a new manager in Derek Shelton, a revamped bullpen featuring several minor league signings and a roster that still has questions.
The payroll sits well below recent years, and Minnesota is not expected to contend right away.
But keeping core pieces like Buxton, Ryan and Lopez together signals the organization is not heading into a full teardown.
Buxton talked about how the veteran players need to lead the younger guys coming through the system, including top prospect Walker Jenkins, who could make an impact sooner rather than later.
With three years left on his deal at $15 million per season, Buxton is not going anywhere.
For now, the simple act of an owner showing up and wanting to talk has already made a difference.