Byron Buxton's overall numbers in Class AAA Rochester this season are still quite good (and encouraging), as the 22-year-old Twins prospect is hitting .315 with a .944 OPS.
But Buxton, who was demoted in August while hitting just .193 in the majors and while in the midst of a 6-for-46 slump that included 19 strikeouts, has struggled to make contact in his stint in Rochester since being sent down.
In fact, he's struck out just as frequently at the lower level, albeit with better overall results. Buxton is hitting .261 (12 for 46) since being sent down, but he has 19 strikeouts in that span. Even during a modest four-game hitting streak in his last four games (6 for 19 in that span, including a home run), Buxton has piled up nine strikeouts.
I'm not here to read too much into a small sample size, but that's a very high rate — even for Buxton, who hasn't been afraid to strike out even while posting great numbers throughout his minor league career. It bears watching as his season progresses and the Twins consider September call-ups when rosters expand in a week.
