Byron Buxton named Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America

Cedar Rapids, IA - Former Kernels outfielder Byron Buxton has been named the Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America. Buxton played for the Kernels this past season, hitting .341 with eight HR and 55 RBI in 68 games and was promoted to the Fort Myers Miracle in late-June.

Buxton hit a combined .334 this season with 12 HR and 77 RBI in 125 games. He led the minors with 18 triples and was named the MVP and Prospect of the Year in the Midwest League. The Twins selected Buxton in the first round (second overall) of the 2011 First Year Player Draft out of Appling County HS in Baxley, GA.

Buxton joins Mike Trout (2010) as former Kernels who have won Baseball America's Minor League Player of the Year and is the second Twins player (Joe Mauer - 2003) to win the award since it was first presented in 1981.

2014 Kernels season ticket packages are on sale now at the stadium by calling the Kernels at (319) 363-3887. Individual game tickets go on sale Monday, March 10^th at 10 am. The Kernels open the 2014 MWL season at home at 6:35 pm against Clinton on Thursday, April 3^rd.