Miguel Sano establishing himself as offensive star at third base

Miguel Sano has taken his offensive game to the next level for the Minnesota Twins.

The Minnesota Twins have been one of the better surprises in baseball this season as they lead the AL Central. One of the big reasons for their success has been the emergence of third baseman Miguel Sano.

Sano was a highly regarded prospect in the Twins system who made his Major League debut in 2015. Sano was expected to provide plenty of power, and he didn’t disappoint as he hit 18 home runs in only 80 games. He was expected to struggle with his batting average, but he posted a respectable .269 average that season.

Entering the 2016 season, big things were expected from Sano. However, the Twins moved him between the outfield and third base, which may have impacted him at the plate.

The power was still there as he hit 25 home runs in only 116 games, but he batted an ugly .236 with a .319 on-base percentage. He also racked up a whopping 178 strikeouts.

The Twins committed to playing him at third base entering 2017 and that appears to have had a positive impact on his bat as well. The power numbers continue to be great, as he already has 11 home runs and 37 RBI. However, the big difference is that he is batting .310 with a .429 OBP.

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One encouraging sign is that he already has 30 walks in 41 games this season after only walking 54 times in 2016. The strikeouts are still there as he has 62 so far, but they are easier to swallow with the increased walks.

Stability is often times a major factor in a young players development. Not only is Sano becoming more familiar with Major League pitching, but locking in to one position is also a big step. While it’s still early in his career, he is quickly establishing himself as one of the best offensive third basemen in all of baseball.