Editing Kirby Puckett (section)

===Draft and minor leagues===
As teams tried to save money during the [[1981 MLB strike]], only one scout watched Puckett at Bradley: [[Jim Rantz]] of the [[Minnesota Twins]], who recommended that the team take him third overall in the January 1982 MLB draft. Puckett turned down the Twins' initial $6,000 contract, signing with them for $20,000 after the [[JUCO World Series]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Twins Scout Stumbled Upon Unknown Kirby Puckett |url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/twins-scout-stumbled-upon-unknown-kirby-puckett/ |work=[[Baseball America]] |date=September 4, 2016 |access-date=September 4, 2023}}</ref> After signing with Minnesota, Puckett was assigned to the [[Rookie-level]] [[Elizabethton Twins]], where he batted .382 with three home runs and 35 RBI in 65 games,<ref name="minors">{{cite web |title=Kirby Puckett Minor Leagues Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=pucket001kir |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |access-date=September 4, 2023}}</ref> winning the [[Appalachian League]] [[batting title]] in the process.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kirby Puckett Had Top Mark In Appy |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/bristol-herald-courier/131230348/ |work=[[Bristol Herald Courier]] |page=7C |date=September 19, 1982 |access-date=September 4, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

In 1983, Puckett was promoted to the [[Class A (baseball)|Single-A]] [[Visalia Oaks]] in the [[California League]], where he hit .318 with nine home runs, 97 RBI, and 48 stolen bases over 138 games. After being promoted to the [[Triple-A (baseball)|AAA]] [[Toledo Mud Hens]] to start the 1984 season, Puckett was brought up to the majors for good 21 games into the season.