Twins center fielder Byron Buxton expected to make U.S. roster for World Baseball Classic

ORLANDO – Twins center fielder Byron Buxton is preparing to play for a new team in March.

No, it’s not related to the trade rumors that swirled for the first month of the offseason.

Buxton is expected to be named to the Team USA provisional roster for the World Baseball Classic. He would join an outfield that includes three-time American League MVP Aaron Judge, Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and Arizona Diamondbacks right fielder Corbin Carroll.

It would be Buxton’s first time participating in the World Baseball Classic, which runs from March 5-17. Playing in 126 games last season, he hit .264 with 35 homers, 83 RBI and 24 stolen bases.

“It’s time for the world to see him,” said Team USA manager Mark DeRosa, who lives in Atlanta and has known the Twins All-Star since he was 16 years old. “He used to work out with us as a young kid and kind of watched him become a star. He’s been nicked up by injuries. He’s healthy now. He just hit 35 jacks. It’s kind of time for the world to see him run around in center field, in my opinion.”

Team USA hasn’t made a formal announcement confirming Buxton’s spot on the roster, but General Manager Michael Hill spoke about how much Buxton balances the roster with the lefthanded-hitting Carroll and Crow-Armstrong.

“A Byron Buxton type just checks so many boxes,” Hill gushed. “He has speed, great defender, a righthanded bat to potentially complement some of the other pieces. Definitely someone under serious consideration for us as he should be because he’s one of the great players in our country.”

The Twins intend to keep all three of their All-Star players after receiving more clarity from ownership about their payroll, and they have remained in touch with Buxton throughout the offseason. Team President Derek Falvey spoke with Buxton multiple times during their managerial search for his opinion.

Manager Derek Shelton quickly called Buxton after he received the job, and the two recently met in Jacksonville, Fla., for dinner. Buxton is the only player left from Shelton’s two seasons as a Twins bench coach.

“When he walked in the restaurant, the presence that he has, like, that’s a superstar,” Shelton said. “I got goosebumps when he walked in because this is the guy. This is a Minnesota Twin. This is what you build around. The fact that he wants to do that and we want him to do that, it was special.”

Shelton was always optimistic the Twins wouldn’t further gut their roster this winter, and he expressed as much to Buxton, Ryan and López in their chats.

“When I had the conversations with them, it was more like, ‘I’m planning on you being here, and I want you to be part of this and we’re going to build,’ ” Shelton said. “Those are three guys who are important to us, just like Royce [Lewis] is important to us. I think it was important for them to hear that from me.”

The one holdup is making sure he is fully healthy after ending last season on the injured list. He has already progressed to his normal offseason routine, and the Twins have no concerns about his readiness for spring training, Falvey said.

“He might become our starter in the quarterfinals, and he might be in the final game, too,” said Omar López, the manager for Venezuela. “I’m hoping and I’m praying that he can be with us because there is no doubt about it, if everything goes well, that Pablo López is on our team.”

Johan Santana, a Twins Hall of Famer, will serve as Venezuela’s pitching coach.

“Pablo is Pablo,” Santana said. “I talked to him [Monday]. He’s doing pretty good. His focus is to come back and be able to play in the WBC but also help the Twins. That’s his main goal.”

Former Twins slugger Nelson Cruz, who is the general manager for the Dominican Republic team in the WBC, said he has no interest in becoming an MLB manager.