FORT MYERS, Fla. -- During the fifth inning of the Twins' 7-4 win over the Red Sox in their Grapefruit League finale on Thursday, center fielder Byron Buxton demonstrated why he's listed as Minnesota's top prospect and the No. 2 prospect in all of baseball.
Leading off the inning, with the Twins trailing, 3-1, Josh Rutledge sent a fly ball toward the wall in straightaway center field. Buxton turned, sprinted back to track the ball and caught it over his shoulder while leaping before falling on the warning track.
"The ball was really carrying today, center and left particularly, and it just probably got out there a little farther than he -- I thought he had a pretty good gauge on it, but it just kind of fooled him a little bit," manager Paul Molitor said. "But he had the athleticism to make the adjustment at the last second to make the catch.
"Just one of those things that shows what his capabilities are out there. It's pretty special. And he had good at-bats today, too."
Buxton went 1-for-3 while batting at the top of the lineup. He finished Grapefruit League play with a .245 average in 17 games.