Byron Buxton, baseball's top prospect, suffered a concussion in his first start in Double-A tonight, playing center field for the New Britain Rock Cats. In the fifth inning he collided with right fielder Mike Kvasnicka and remained motionless, in a heap for several minutes immediately after.
It looked like Buxton's shoulder slammed into Kvasnicka's leg, but the team reported that he suffered a concussion on the play. The game was delayed, and players left the field, for over 30 minutes as Buxton was tended to and eventually put into an ambulance and taken to the hospital.
Twins general manager Terry Ryan was at the game and accompanied Buxton in the ambulance.
"He's alert. He has a concussion, so we'll have to take the normal procedures and protocol for concussion symptoms," said Ryan. "He'll certainly be watched."
Ryan said Buxton has no broken bones, neck or shoulder injuries. Ryan said Buxton was unconscious for 10 minutes.
Kvasnicka was able to walk off on his own, but he went to the hospital with Buxton anyway. Buxton was just promoted from single-A yesterday, after missing significant time with a wrist injury.
[MiLB]