In the 17th feature of an extensive series, we will take a look at the top 10 home run hitters of every Major League Baseball franchise. Here we feature the Minnesota Twins. The list includes the Washington Senators from 1901 to 1904 and from 1956 to 1960, and the original Washington Nationals from 1905 to 1955.
10) Brian Dozier
The middle infielder from Tupelo, Mississippi had 167 home runs with the Twins from 2012 to 2018. He had 28 home runs as an All-Star in 2015 and a career-high 42 home runs in 2016. That year he became the first American League second baseman to hit 40 home runs in a season. Dozier is also the only Twins second baseman to have 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in the same season. In 2014, he had 23 home runs and 21 stolen bases.
9) Roy Sievers
The first baseman and leftfielder from St. Louis, Missouri had 180 home runs with Washington from 1954 to 1959. He had 29 home runs as an All-Star in 1956, led the American League with a career-high 42 home runs in 1957, and 21 home runs as an All-Star in 1959. The 42 home runs Sievers hit in 1957 was a Washington Senators record.
8) Gary Gaetti
The corner infielder from Centralia, Illinois had 201 home runs with the Twins from 1981 to 1990. He hit 28 home runs as an American League All-Star in 1988 and 19 home runs as an American League All-Star in 1989. When the Twins won the 1987 World Series, Gaetti was the American League Championship Series Most Valuable Player. In the five games against the Detroit Tigers, he hit two home runs which came in game one of the series, an 8-5 Twins win. Gaetti became the first player ever to hit two home runs in his first two postseason plate appearances. Then, he hit another home run in the 1987 World Series. That came in game two, an 8-4 Twins win over the St. Louis Cardinals.
7) Kirby Puckett
The Hall of Fame centerfielder from Chicago, Illinois had 207 home runs with the Twins from 1985 to 1995. The 10-time American League All-Star hit a career high 31 home runs in 1986. In the 1987 postseason when the Twins won the World Series, Puckett hit a home run in a 5-3 Twins win over the Detroit Tigers in the fourth game of the American League Championship Series. In the 1991 postseason, a playoff where the Twins also won the World Series, Puckett was named the ALCS MVP. He hit two dingers. The first came in a 9-3 Twins win over the Toronto Blue Jays in game four of the series, and the second came in an 8-5 Twins win over the Blue Jays in the fifth game of the series. Puckett’s most memorable home run with the Twins came in the sixth game of the 1991 World Series. He hit a game winning jack in the 11th inning, in a 4-3 Twins win over the Atlanta Braves.
6) Torii Hunter
The outfielder from Pine Bluff, Arkansas hit 214 home runs with the Twins from 1999 to 2007. He hit a career-high 31 home runs with the Twins in 2006. With the Twins, Hunter was an American League All-Star twice. The first time came in 2002 (29 home runs), and the second time came in 2007 (28 home runs).
5) Tony Oliva
The Hall of Fame right fielder from Pinar del Rio, Cuba hit 220 home runs for the Twins from 1964 to 1976. As the American League Rookie of the Year in 1964, Oliva hit a career-high 32 home runs. It would be the first of eight straight seasons Oliva was an American League All-Star.
4) Justin Morneau
The first baseman from New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada hit 221 home runs with the Twins from 2003 to 2013. He hit 34 home runs in 2006, the year Moreau was named American League MVP. The next four seasons from 2007 to 2010, Morneau was an American League All-Star. In that time, he reached 30 home runs twice–31 home runs in 2007, and 30 home runs in 2009.
3) Bob Allison
The outfielder from Baytown, Missouri hit 256 home runs with the Twins organization from 1959 to 1970. As the American League Rookie of the Year in 1959, Allison hit 30 home runs for Washington. He then hit a career-high 35 home runs as an American League All-Star in 1963, and 32 home runs as an All-Star in 1964.
2) Kent Hrbek
The first baseman from Minneapolis, Minnesota hit 293 home runs with the Twins from 1981 to 1994. He hit 23 home runs as an All-Star in 1982, and lost out to Cal Ripken Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles for the American League Rookie of the Year. Hrbek then had 27 home runs in 1984, and lost out to Detroit Tigers closer Willie Hernandez for the American League MVP award. Then in 1987, the year the Twins won the World Series, Hrbek hit a career high 34 home runs. He hit a home run in game two of the ALCS, a 6-3 Twins win over the Detroit Tigers, and a grand slam in game six of the World Series, an 11-5 Twins win over the St. Louis Cardinals. Then when the Twins won the 1991 World Series, Hrbek hit a home run in game one, a 5-2 Twins win over the Atlanta Braves.
1) Harmon Killebrew
The Hall of Fame corner infielder from Payette, Idaho hit 559 home runs with the Twins organization from 1955 to 1974. The 11-time All-Star led the Major Leagues in home runs four times. He had 45 home runs in 1963, a Twins single season record 49 home runs in 1964, 44 home runs in 1967, and 49 home runs again in 1969. Killebrew also led the American League with 42 home runs in 1959 and with 48 home runs in 1962.
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