Meet Byron Buxton. Future Major League Superstar Playing With Lookouts

Follow Buxton As He Triples In Sunday's Game

  • Monday, May 4, 2015
  • Tim Evearitt

The Southern League Announced Monday that Byron Buxton was selected as the most recent  player-of-the-week.

Scouts everywhere tout the Georgia native as one of the most talented players in recent years. 

Buxton, who was born and raised in Appling County Georgia, remembers growing up as a fan of the Atlantic Braves. His favorite Brave was Chipper Jones. His 28-year brother is in the Navy and his 11-year old sister, his fiance, and his mother travel with him to all games, home and away.

An athletic youth, he played basketball, football, as well as baseball.

Asked when he realized that he had a special gift for playing baseball, he said it was his junior year of high school. Buxton heard from his high school coaches that he had great ability and about a 1 ½ years later, his coach told him he was an exceptional player. In his senior year there were Major League scouts around all the time. He was the first draft choice of the Minnesota Twins in the 2012 Major League draft.

Buxton chuckled when asked if there was any pressure on him to sign. “No pressure. Shouldn't worry about that. Should come out a play the game.” I laughed to myself when I remembered he had received  a six million dollar bonus for signing. I wouldn't worry either!

Buxton told me he signed to play football with Georgia during his sophomore year and would have studied sports medicine.

He stated that before arriving to begin the 2015 season with the Lookouts, he had never been to Chattanooga before. Since he travels with his family, he stated the were looking forward to sight-seeing in the area.

When asked about having manager Doug Mientkievicz again, he said he was glad. “He know us. He's up front. 

"I feel like this is my first full season again. I'm just glad to be back out here with my teammates and just helping us win a game," Buxton said. "I feel much better this year than I have the last three years."

He was limited to 31 games last season, followed by an injury-shortened Arizona Fall League campaign. Then the outfielder went back home and met up with his former Appling County High School coaches.

"After the injuries last year, I went into the offseason, not trying to overdo it, but I went in and I worked out hard and I put in a lot of work in the cage and even at my high school field," he said. I asked my coach, [Jeremy Smith], "Can I go out there," and he'd tell me 'whatever [you need]' and sometimes he'd come out there when I needed him to. I'm just humbled and blessed that I have people like that to allow me to do things like that and just keep making adjustments and getting better."

The 21-year-old practiced with his old high school team and kept going when spring began. Now Buxton's putting in the extra work with his Chattanooga teammates, most of whom show up to the park early together.

"I just really, really want to be out here on the field ... so when I got the chance to go in the cage and go on the field and hit or throw, I took advantage of that and tried to make the most of it," he said.

The results weren't there at first. The right-handed hitter collected three hits in his first three games, and a couple weeks later, went hitless in four straight.

"He was putting too much pressure on himself and the game was way too fast for him. Now I think, us probably getting home, playing a couple games at home in Chattanooga has probably helped him out," Lookouts manager Doug Mientkiewicz said. "He's one hell of a ballplayer, but we're trying to keep [the hype] quiet, so to speak. As quiet as the No. 1 prospect can be. He's got a lot on his plate. It's a lot on his plate for anybody, let alone somebody who's 21 years old, who missed the whole year.

-- Portions included article on MiLB.com.

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