Twins up for sale: Could any local investors emerge as potential buyers?

There are several that would have the means, if they were interested in purchasing the franchise.

Miami Marlins infield Javier Sanoja (86) and the team regroups after Minnesota Twins outfielder Trevor Larnach singles in the 11th inning at Target Field in Minneapolis on Sept. 26, 2024. / Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Twins have been in the hands of local ownership for 40 years under the Pohlad family, but for the first time in four decades, that could change following the family's surprise announcement Thursday that it's exploring selling the team.

That doesn't necessarily mean the Twins will land in the hands of outside ownership, however. Ultimately, potential suitors will emerge in due time, but there are at least a few locally that have the means to purchase the franchise if interested.

There are five billionaires that reside in the state, according to Forbes: Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor, Corvel Corporation founder Jeffrey Michael, Hubbard broadcasting head Stanley Hubbard, and Cargill heirs John and Martha MacMillan.

Additionally, there are wealthy Minnesota families or those with Minnesota ties, including the Mark Davis family, which runs Davisco foods and Cambria; Bill Austin, who runs Starkey Hearing Technologies based in Eden Prairie; and Best Buy founder Richard Schulze, who was born in St. Paul and is the company's largest shareholder.

It's not immediately clear whether any of the above names have serious interest in pursuing a purchase of the Twins, but some seem more likely than others. Taylor, for example, is currently in the midst of a legal battle with Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore — who are potentially a sneaky candidate to buy the Twins — over ownership of the Timberwolves, and it would seem unlikely he'd pursue a purchase as that saga plays out.

The Cargill family is by far the wealthiest in Minnesota and would certainly have the means to purchase and run the franchise. Cargill is the largest privately held company in the U.S. by revenue. But the family has also shown a tendency to remain private; Kathy Cargill threatened to sue the Duluth News Tribune over its reporting of her mass purchasing of homes on Duluth's Park Point. Whether the family would want to pursue a public-facing venture like owning a sports team is unclear.

But some are potentially more interesting, like the Mark Davis family. Mark Davis is in the Minnesota Baseball Hall of Fame and participates in Twins Fantasy Camps. The Star Tribune reported in a profile of the family in 2014 that Marty Davis, CEO of Cambria, then had Twins tickets behind home plate and had a photo of him and Harmon Killebrew in his office. WCCO Radio's Chad Hartman recently posted that the Davis family had previously reached out about purchasing the Twins.

A potential local ownership group to watch, the Davis family. They reached out previously (years ago) and were told the club wasn’t for sale. The family loves baseball. https://t.co/vmqVuMLgQP

— Chad Hartman (@ChadHartmanShow) October 10, 2024

The Hubbard family has a loose Twins tie. From 2007-12, KSTP Radio, which is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting, was the radio home for the Twins, though the Twins have since returned to WCCO Radio, which has carried Twins games for 53 seasons.

It's all speculation as to whether anyone with Minnesota ties would pursue a purchase of the Twins, or if all the potential suitors would be from out of state. Ownership could also remain with the Pohlads if they change their mind about selling the team. But if they want to sell locally, there are certainly some potential suitors, should the Twins pique their interest.