Before he saw him step foot on a baseball field, Taylor Rogers remembers hearing about Byron Buxton.
A group of draftees from the Twins’ 2012 class had gathered in Fort Myers, Fla., at the team’s complex to go through their physicals and start their professional careers. Buxton, the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, was not yet there. The group congregated for a workout with some outfielders heading out to center for drills.
Minnesota Twins’ Byron Buxton runs to first base during the third inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
They were quickly redirected by coaches to the corner outfield spots.
“They said, ‘Well that’s Byron’s,’ ” Rogers remembered. “And I was like ‘Damn, this guy’s got center field? He’s not even here.’ ”
It’s been almost 14 years since they were drafted. Buxton debuted on June 14, 2015. On Sunday, he hit another milestone, reaching 10 years of service time in the major leagues. He’s still has center field for the Minnesota Twins.
That was a point Rogers made sure to note during a pregame celebration of the two-time all-star’s achievement on Sunday morning before the team took on the Tampa Bay Rays at Target Field.
“You don’t get 10 years in the big leagues without being really good,” manager Derek Shelton said. “Buck has grinded through it. He’s dealt with some injuries, he’s persevered … but I think the most important thing for me is just watching the maturation that he has, from a young player to being a superstar-type player, 10-year major league player.”
Reaching 10 years of service time is a major accomplishment for players. Less than 10 percent of those who have ever worn a major league uniform have done it, and Buxton is just the 14th player to reach the mark strictly with the Twins, joining players like Harmon Killebrew, Rod Carew, Kirby Puckett and former teammates Joe Mauer and Glen Perkins.
Doing it all in a Twins jersey made the achievement even more special to the fiercely loyal center fielder.
“That was a goal I made when I first got up here,” Buxton said. “It’s still a goal. It’s good to have that goal still intact. There’s nothing like wearing this uniform across my body. All it says is ‘Minnesota Twins.’ ”
Though he debuted in 2015 and has played in parts of 12 major league seasons, a player must be on the active roster or injured list for 172 days during the season to accrue a full year of service time.
When he was younger and he saw Mauer reach the milestone, people used to tell him he was next. He was skeptical. As his career progressed and he dealt with a myriad of different injuries, he admitted he wasn’t sure he would get to the round number.
“When you’re 18, 19, 20, you don’t believe half the stuff people tell you,” Buxton said. “Then when it finally gets here, it’s that ‘I told you so,’ moment. It’s surreal.”
To mark the occasion, Buxton’s corner locker was adorned with balloons, including a “1” and a “0.” Rogers, Shelton, Justin Topa and executive chair Tom Pohlad spoke to the group before Buxton wrapped it up by saying a few words. Buxton’s wife, Lindsey, sister, Keva, and two older sons, Brixton and Blaze, were on hand for the celebration, which lasted about 15 minutes.
As part of the ceremony, he received a bottle of Ace of Spades champagne autographed by his teammates and an engraved Rolex watch from team ownership. He also received a custom painting, an idea which was spearheaded by Topa.
This spring, Topa mentioned to starting pitcher Bailey Ober that nobody had really been talking much about Buxton’s impending milestone. He wanted to come up with something unique that would commemorate Buxton’s career. Topa reached out to local artist Ben Labuzzetta, who created a painting for Buxton that featured images from some of his major career moments, ranging from his debut to his first All-Star Game to last year’s Home Run Derby and his cycle against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Topa worked with team photographer Brace Hemmelgarn and Labuzzetta on the concept and then the latter executed it, painting the images within the outline Buxton’s No. 25. Buxton said he was particularly touched by the thought process behind the artwork.
At the end of the presentation, as he began his speech to his teammates, Buxton lifted his shirt to wipe tears from his eyes, overcome with emotion.
“It’s just special,” Buxton said. “To be able to have this jersey and to wear this jersey only for those 10 years and counting, that probably means more to me than anything else. It’s hard to put into words.”
Minnesota Twins’ Byron Buxton (25) acknowledges the crowd during a curtain call after hitting a solo home run for the cycle during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Saturday, July 12, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)