Top 10 Best Minnesota Twins Players of All Time

He arrived in Minnesota in 1984, during a time when the Twins were considered an up-and-coming team. When he left too soon in 1995, he had made Minnesota a hotbed for baseball. He won two world championships, was a 10-time MLB All-Star (1986-1995), the 1989 American League batting champ, and the 1994 American League RBI leader. He was a six-time Gold Glove winner (1986-89, 1991-92), a six-time Silver Slugger Award winner (1986-89, 1992, 1994), and the 1996 Roberto Clemente Award Winner. His No. 34 jersey is retired, and he is a Minnesota Twins Hall of Famer and Baseball Hall of Famer.

Kirby Puckett left a legacy no Twins fan will ever forget. Yes, he had a great career batting average of .314.

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Before the Twins' glory days of 1987 and 1991, there was Harmon Killebrew, and with great reason. He was the 1969 American League MVP, a 13-time American League All-Star, a member of the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame, a six-time American League home run leader (1959, 1962-64, 1967, and 1969), and led the Twins to the 1965 World Series. He was a three-time American League RBI leader (1962, 1969, and 1971), hit the longest home run in Minnesota's Metropolitan Stadium (520 feet) and Baltimore's Memorial Stadium (470 feet), and hit 573 home runs, the most by any player born in Idaho. He has been a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame since 1984. No. 3 is retired by the Twins.

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Before he moved to California, Carew was Minnesota, and probably the only bright light for the Twins between 1971 and 1978. Better still, Carew was an All-Star from beginning to end for 18 straight years.

He was the 1967 AL Rookie of the Year, and in 1969, he stole home seven times. On May 20, 1970, he hit for the cycle, the first Twin to achieve that feat. He finished in the top 15 in the American League MVP voting from 1972 to 1978, winning it in 1977.

In 1977, Carew flirted with a .400 batting average during the summer and, in one week, appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated with Ted Williams. He eventually finished the season with an impressive .388 average. Carew will always be a great Twin.

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No doubt, a future Baseball Hall of Famer, Joe left a footprint on Twins baseball and baseball history. If he isn't in the Hall soon, there's a problem. Here's why he should be.

He is the only catcher to win three Major League Baseball batting titles (2006, 2008-2009). He was the 2009 American League MVP, played in six All-Star Games (2006, 2008-2010, 2012, 2013), was a three-time Gold Glove winner (2008-2010), and a five-time Silver Slugger winner (2006, 2008-2010, 2013). His No. 7 is retired by the Minnesota Twins.

His .365 batting average in 2009 is the highest by a Twin since Rod Carew's .388 in the 1977 season. That season, he became the first catcher to lead the American League in four different categories (batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS). He retired with a .306 career batting average, 2,123 hits, and a .996 fielding percentage.

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Bert had a great arm and was one of the best Twins pitchers of all time. He was called up to the majors at age 19 on June 2, 1970. In his rookie campaign, his sharp curveball helped him win 10 games as the Twins repeated as American League West Champions. Bert was named American League Rookie Pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News.

In 1973, he pitched nine shutouts, the most by any American League pitcher, and played in the All-Star Game that year. In 1985, after eight years, he returned to the Twins, where he struck out his 3,000th batter and in 1987 led the Twins to the World Championship. His No. 28 jersey is retired.

Blyleven is a member of the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame and the Baseball Hall of Fame.

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For eight years, Tony was the best in baseball (1964-1971). He was the 1964 AL Rookie of the Year, played in eight straight All-Star Games, and led the American League in hitting three times. He played in the 1965 World Series and later played in two straight American League Championship Series. In 1966, he won the Gold Glove in right field before leg injuries slowed him down. Tony still finished his career with a .304 batting average and will surely one day be in Baseball's Hall of Fame.

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Kent was born, of all places, in Minnesota. He lived in a house only a few blocks away from where the Twins once played outdoors at Metropolitan Stadium. In his first full rookie year in 1982, he became the lone bright spot in the Twins' 60-102 season, even appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated that year. He also played in his only All-Star Game.

Kent stayed with the team and was part of two World Championship teams. In his career, he belted 293 home runs and recorded a very respectable 1,086 RBIs. His No. 14 was retired by the Twins, but he'll always be No. 1 in the hearts of Twins fans.

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As a member of the Twins, Torii played in two All-Star Games (2002 and 2007) and made that great 2002 All-Star Game catch, robbing Barry Bonds of a home run. He was a Gold Glove winner from 2001-2007 as a Twin, leading the Twins to four division titles in five years (2002-2006). In 2007, he had a 23-game hitting streak and three grand slams, and he is a member of the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame.

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From Canada comes Justin Morneau, and he made his Twins debut in 2003, playing first base. In 2007, Justin became the first Twin since Greg Gagne to hit 30 home runs in two consecutive seasons. He played in the All-Star Game from 2007 to 2010. In 2006, he hit .321, slugged .559, with 34 home runs and 130 RBIs, good enough to earn his only American League MVP and the distinction of being the first Canadian to win that award in the American League.

Morneau also won the 2008 All-Star Game Home Run Derby, becoming the first Canadian to earn that honor. He won the 2008 Lionel Conacher Award as Canada's athlete of the year, was a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner (2006, 2008), and is a member of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. He is one of the Twins' all-time greats.

1987 was his year, and so it was for the Twins. In the regular season, he had a 17-10 record, a 2.90 ERA, and 197 strikeouts. In the postseason, he had a 3-1 record, including Game 7, which brought the Twins the World Championship and himself the World Series MVP.

1988 was his best year. That year, he threw his signature circle change with skill, resulting in a 24-7 record with seven complete games, two shutouts in 255 innings, a career-low 2.64 ERA, and the American League Cy Young Award. Viola is a member of the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame.

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Joe arrived in Minnesota in 2004 and became one of baseball's top closers. He appeared in four All-Star Games and achieved 246 saves. He was a contender for the American League Cy Young Award in 2004 (finished fourth) and 2006 (finished fifth). In 2009, he had a 2.10 ERA and 47 saves and was rewarded with the AL Rolaids Relief Man Award.

After being sidelined in 2010 with a season-ending injury, he came back in 2011. On August 10, against the Boston Red Sox, he registered his 255th save, the most ever for a Twin. Joe Nathan, a true Twins Hall of Famer.

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He was here for one year, but that one year was special. In his lone Twins season in 1991, he won 18 games with an ERA of 3.43 as the Twins won the American League West. In the American League Championship Series, he won two games against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Then came the World Series. After winning one game, it was Game 7, featuring one of the best pitching performances in World Series history. Morris, who earlier that year played in the MLB All-Star Game, played like an all-star as he shut down the Braves for 10 innings, allowing no runs. Gene Larkin then delivered a 10th inning single to bring home Dan Gladden, and the Twins became World Champions.

For Morris, his epic Game 7 performance earned him the World Series MVP, and in 2018, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

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Already established as a six-time MLB All-Star, Cruz came to the Twins on January 2, 2019, with star power to help the Twins recapture the glory days. In his first year as a Twin, Cruz hit .311 with 40 home runs and 108 RBIs as a designated hitter. No doubt Cruz's time with the Twins has arrived, and fans hope for more great years.

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When Twins fans think of Zoilo, they think back to 1965, the championship year. Under the tutelage of Twins' third base coach Billy Martin, Zoilo led the American League in plate appearances (728), at-bats (666), runs scored (126), doubles (45), triples (12), extra-base hits (76), and total bases (308), en route to his MVP award. Zoilo played in two All-Star Games (1963 and 1965), was a great fielder who won Gold Gloves in 1963 and 1965, and is a member of the Twins Hall of Fame.

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Gary made his debut as a Twin in 1981, as the Twins' home, The Metrodome, was under construction. When he left in 1990, the Twins and the Metrodome were winners and had a 1987 Championship. Gaetti's excellent fielding earned him four straight Gold Gloves (1986-1989).

He made baseball history in Game 1 of the 1987 American League Championship Series, hitting two home runs in his very first two postseason at-bats. He played in two straight All-Star Games (1988 and 1989). In one game, he helped the Twins make two triple plays against the Boston Red Sox on July 17, 1990. Gaetti is a member of the Twins Hall of Fame.

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Kaat played 25 years in baseball, 15 of those years were the best all because he wore a Twins uniform. He was the best fielding pitcher in American League history, winning 16 straight Gold Gloves (1962-1977).

He was one of only two players in AL history to pitch a complete game and hit a home run. Kaat did it twice, on July 24, 1963, and October 1, 1970. His best year was 1966 when he won 25 games and was named The Sporting News American League Pitcher of the Year.

In 1967, Kaat almost led the Twins to the World Series (he was in the 1965 World Series) by going 7-0 in September with a 1.51 ERA. He struck out 65 batters in over 65 innings pitched before suffering a season-ending arm injury in the next-to-last game of the season.

Kaat is a member of the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame.

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The Twins, of course, would never have been 1987 and 1991 World Champions without some defense, and Gagne was the best from this team. He could also provide some offense and speed, like the day on October 4, 1986, when he hit two inside-the-park home runs in a 7-3 Twins win over the Chicago White Sox. In two Twins championship teams, Gagne hit four home runs and showed leadership that would eventually put him in the Twins Hall of Fame.

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After struggling as a member of the Chicago White Sox, Earl joined the Twins (who were the Washington Senators when he joined the team in 1960) and blossomed as a catcher. In 1961, Earl had his first .300 season, batting .302. In his first three seasons as a Twin, he was a Gold Glove winner.

From 1962 to 1966, he played in five of the six All-Star Games. He hit 26 home runs in 1963 and played in the 1965 World Series. Defensively, Battey was one of the most dominant fielding catchers in baseball history. He threw out 43.44 percent of the runners trying to steal a base. He had a career fielding percentage of .990.

Battey was named to the Twins' 40th Anniversary All-Time Team and is a member of the Twins Hall of Fame.

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No, this is not the Jim Perry of TV game show fame. This is the Jim Perry Twins fans will remember. He was a great pitcher, often forgotten, but Twins fans know better. In 1960, he won 18 games, and in 1969, he won 20 games for the first time in his career. Then, in 1970, he posted a 24-12 record, played in the MLB All-Star Game, led the Twins to the AL West Title, and was named the American League Cy Young Award winner. Perry is a proud member of the Twins Hall of Fame.

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How great was Camilo? In three seasons (1961-63), he struck out more than 200 batters. How great was Camilo? Put him in the Twins Hall of Fame. That's how great he was.

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Johan was a rising star when he arrived in Minnesota in 2000. During the next eight seasons, he brought Twins fans to their feet with his excellent pitching. His list of awards is long and impressive. He played in three All-Star Games in a row as a Twin (2005-07), won the American League Cy Young Award in 2004 and 2006, and achieved a pitching Triple Crown in 2006. As an excellent fielder, he won the Gold Glove in 2007.

He won 19 games in 2006, led the MLB in ERA in 2004 and 2006, and led the American League in strikeouts three years in a row (2004-2006).

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He wasn't a good player in his first few years as a Twin, but in 2009, he finally broke through as a major player. On May 22, in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers, he hit for the cycle. Then on August 23, in a game against the Kansas City Royals, he hit two home runs in the seventh inning, becoming only the 53rd player in Major League Baseball history to hit two home runs in an inning.

In 2011, he became an All-Star for the first time in his career. Later that season, on July 25, he became the first Twins position player to pitch in 21 years. Michael was also a great guy who gives back to the community, which is why he's in the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame.

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Rick came to Minnesota in 1989, three years removed from his championship season with the New York Mets. In 1990, he transitioned from starting pitcher to closer, which paid off with 32 saves. But he was just warming up.

In the 1991 season, the Twins captured the American League West Title, and Rick played a big part, registering 42 saves with a 2.35 ERA. In the postseason, he saved three of the four games won by the Twins in the American League Championship Series. He went on to save two more games in the first two games of the World Series and was the first pitcher to pinch-hit in the World Series since 1965.

Aguilera played in three straight All-Star Games (1991-1993) and was the top reliever for the Twins during the 1990s, truly one of the game's best stoppers.

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Yeah, I know. Brad Radke once appeared in that SEGA video game commercial where he gave up a lot of home runs and saw a conga line of people circling the bases. But Twins fans know Radke as one of the most consistent pitchers in the Twins organization in the 1990s. He was a great control pitcher.

In 1997, he had a great season, winning 20 games, including 12 straight wins in 12 straight starts. He finished third in the American League Cy Young Award voting. He played in the 1998 MLB All-Star Game and was inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame in 2009. Radke was truly a great pitcher.

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