Ryan Jeffers Nearing Twins Return, But Will He Be Traded Before Long?

Had Ryan Jeffers never gotten injured, he might've been headed to the All-Star Game in Philadelphia next week. That's how well the Twins' catcher was playing before he was sidelined by a fractured hamate bone in his left hand on May 18.

Now healthy, Jeffers could be back in Minnesota's lineup as soon as Tuesday night at Target Field. He began a rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul this weekend and went 5 for 11 with a double and a home run across three games, including a solo shot off of former battery mate Simeon Woods Richardson at CHS Field on Saturday night.

It'll be a big boost for the Twins when Jeffers returns. But how much longer will he play for the organization that drafted him in the second round in 2018? A pending free agent, Jeffers has been widely speculated about as a trade candidate ahead of the August 3 deadline, with the Yankees looming as an obvious potential suitor. The Twins have a big decision to make, and the way their current catching duo has played during Jeffers' absence could increase their willingness to part with him while his value is perhaps higher than it's ever been.

Through 37 games before his injury, Jeffers hit .295 with seven home runs, as many walks as strikeouts, and a .949 OPS. Given that he has a .790 OPS since 2023, he almost certainly isn't going to sustain that level of elite production. But it's worth noting, even though sample size should be factored in, that no other catcher with at least 100 plate appearances this year has an OPS above .870 (Colorado's Hunter Goodman).

Ryan Jeffers | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jeffers should generate plenty of deadline interest as a rental. No team needs him more than the Yankees, who just lost a home series to the Twins for the first time in 12 years. Led by a brutal slump from Austin Wells, Yankees catchers have a collective .504 OPS this season, which is easily the league's worst. It's no secret that New York has interest in the Twins' backstop. Even with just a couple months of team control, the price could be a high-level prospect or two.

At 44-47, the Twins are just 1.5 games back in the AL Wild Card race and four games back in the AL Central. But even if they don't shift into full sell mode, they could consider trading Jeffers. Why? Because Victor Caratini has done a pretty strong Jeffers impersonation since the end of May.

Prior to May 28, Caratini was hitting .179 with a .518 OPS in 149 PAs. In 103 PAs since then, the switch-hitting veteran has hit .322 with a .971 OPS and five of his seven home runs this year. Like Josh Bell, the Twins' other notable offseason addition, Caratini has completely turned his season around and been a big part of a Minnesota offense that leads the AL in runs scored. He's also under contract next season.

Also worth noting is that Alex Jackson, the Twins' current backup catcher, has hit .300 in 52 plate appearances (albeit with 15 strikeouts and 0 walks) after having an .806 OPS with St. Paul earlier this year. The Twins may have to carry three catchers when Jeffers is back, because Jackson is out of minor-league options and would likely get claimed if subject to waivers.

Looking long-term, the Twins' No. 3 prospect is catcher Eduardo Tait, who has 15 home runs for High-A Cedar Rapids this year and turns 20 in August. There's also a very real chance Minnesota could add a big-time catching prospect in Georgia Tech's Vahn Lackey with the No. 3 overall pick in this Saturday's MLB Draft.

An argument can be made that the Twins should keep Jeffers, try to push for the playoffs, and potentially get a compensatory draft pick if he leaves in free agency this winter. But with their catching depth looking solid, the smarter move might be to capitalize on his value and trade him to the Yankees for a couple prospects sometime between now and August 3. And if Caratini and Jackson can keep producing, a Jeffers trade doesn't have to mean the Twins are giving up on 2026.

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