Byron Buxton turned 21 on Thursday, and a day later, the Twins gave him a birthday present.
Buxton, the Twins' top minor-league prospect, was invited to the team's major-league spring training camp for the second straight year, the Twins announced on Friday. Buxton is one of 18 minor-league players who will spend February and March with the big leaguers, along with Class AA pitching prospect Jose Berrios and St. Paul native Mark Hamburger.
Training camp in Fort Myers, Fla., opens on Feb. 22.
Hamburger, a righthander who appeared in five games for the Texas Rangers in 2011, is one of four invitees with major-league experience, joining former Cardinals outfielder Shane Robinson, former Pirates shortstop Argenis Diaz, and infielder Doug Bernier, who has spent the last two Septembers with the Twins.
The other invitees: pitchers Tyler Duffey, Ryan O'Rourke, Taylor Rogers and Adrian Salcedo; catchers Tyler Grimes, Dan Rohlfing, Mitch Garver and Stuart Turner; infielders James Beresford and Heiker Meneses; and outfielders Danny Ortiz and Eric Farris.
Buxton went 3-for-19 with a home run in seven spring training games with the Twins last March.
