Best Minnesota Twins Players of All Time

It wasn’t easy deciding on the best Minnesota Twins players of all time. Some are obvious locks, while there was significant competition for spots further down these rankings. 

Does it matter if the player was on a team with poor MLB odds to win the World Series that year? How much should I care about individual awards compared with overall production? 

Let’s find out.

Best Minnesota Twins Players of All Time

1. Walter Johnson

Having played between 1907 and 1927 for the Washington Nationals, it’s perhaps pushing the rules a bit to have Walter Johnson in these rankings. The Nationals then became the Senators and then the Minnesota Twins, though, so Johnson did play for the same franchise as the other players in contention. 

Legendary Pitchers Coaching:

Walter Johnson 🚂
Smoky Joe Wood 🌬️
Grover Cleveland 'Pete' Alexander pic.twitter.com/Or9wryQgWa

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) December 15, 2023

With 165.1 bWAR and the most shutouts in MLB history, Johnson’s case for the top spot is rock-solid. He has over 100 bWAR more than any other player in franchise history, plus he won five ERA titles, two MVPs and three Triple Crowns. 

2. Harmon Killebrew

Harmon Killebrew leads the franchise in several categories. Comfortably clear by OPS+, Killebrew is top in OPS, games played, homers, total bases, sacrifice flies and win probability added.

His 13 All-Star selections reflect what a consistent performer he was from his breakthrough year in 1959 to the early 1970s. Killebrew was named MVP in 1969 and had five other top-four finishes. 

3. Johan Santana

Maybe it’s controversial having Johan Santana in third. After all, he pitched under 1,400 innings across eight years with the Twins. 

This selection, though, is all about Santana’s peak. He is second to Johnson in ERA+, and first in strikeouts per nine. Between 2004 and 2006, he was unquestionably the best pitcher in the majors, collecting two Cy Young awards and leading the big leagues in FIP in three straight seasons.

Utterly unhittable in the mid-2000s, the Tovar native also led the team in bWAR in four consecutive campaigns. 

4. Rod Carew

Owning the best batting average and tied for the best on-base percentage in franchise history, Rod Carew’s rate statistics are exceptional. Only two players have a superior OPS+.

Carew was also an All-Star in all 12 of his seasons with the Twins. He added an MVP in 1977 and won seven batting titles. 

While an argument can be made to move Carew up a place or two here, I feel comfortable placing the Panamanian in fourth. Killebrew edges Carew’s longevity, while Carew’s peak was not as dominant as Santana’s. 

5. Joe Mauer

Not only a former MVP, Joe Mauer also won three Gold Gloves and five Silver Sluggers. His peak was relatively short-lived like many catchers, with his 2009 MVP campaign being comfortably the best season of his career, but Mauer also won three batting titles and had six seasons with an OPS+ of 134 or better.

Only three players in franchise history can better Mauer’s bWAR. He also had four seasons leading the team in that metric.