With Two-Year Timeshare in Past, Can Twins Trade For Their Catcher of The Future?

[tony&rodney]

Additional spitballing - I would not trade Luke Keaschall for Dalton Rushing. Keaschall has looked too good as he advances from level to level, almost like someone who breaks out when he gets to MLB. The Dodgers tend to want a player for their roster (SP?) when they trade prospects or they want multiple guys with promise like Charlee Soto and Kaelan Culpepper. 

[bjorks]

Random opinions...

1) LAD certainly has quality depth at C and would be trading from a place of depth

2) Vasquez isn't getting traded for a prospect or utility player without prospect capital attached as I don't see the FO sending $7M cash along with him. They may as well keep him if they have to send cash. LAD obviously probably NOT in the market for a backup, defensive catcher.

3) There is a LAD prospect I'd take a flyer on if you could could get someone like Rushing/Cartaya. Cartaya IMO would not take as much to get as Rushing.

Edgardo Henriquez, 23 next June, and had a cup of coffee in playoffs.  TJ in 2023, but he throws gas and has a nasty slider (99+ MPH fastball and a 90'ish hard slider). Only problem is he doesn't always know where it's going.  Profiles a little bit as a better version of Alcala or maybe bullpen version of Edward Cabrera(?), but if he harnesses his control, he's a backend/high leverage guy with 3 year control heading into 2024. MiLB - 153.1 inn; 212k (12.44 k/9) against 99w (5.81 w/9); career 4.05 ERA/1.42 WHIP; .213 OBA; 

'25 LAD Rotation - Glasnow, Ohtani, Yamamoto, Stone, Miller (anyone here a lock for 30 starts?)

FA/RET. - Buehler, Flaherty, Treinen, Kelly, Hudon (ret.)

'25 Options - Kershaw, Knack, Wrobleski, Ryan, Frasso, Ferris would probably be late summer 2025 if that

LAD get ($5.3M in/out): Joe Ryan ($3.7), CJ Culpepper ($800K/MLB), Tanner Schobel ($800k/MLB)

MIN get ($2.4M in): Dalton Rushing ($800K/MLB) , Edgardo Henriquez ($800K), and I'd try and grab Nick Frasso ($800K) also. Frasso is a classic  bounce back guy after surgery who is cheap and still may have some upside having just turned 26. Maybe get a throw in like Pete Heubeck.

Gives another $2M on top of potentially the $17.5 in Paddock/Vasquez. Don't know if this would even be considered by either team. I'd hate to see Ryan go (rather have Ober), but it seems like both teams could deal from a position of strength.

[joefish]

I'd keep Jax. 

[Doctor Gast]

3 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

Agree. The Marlins might trade Luzardo for Jeffers though and if the Twins add some young guys to Jeffers (C. J. Culpepper, Billy Amick, Adrian Bohorquez, ?), the Marlins might send Sandy Alcantara instead of Luzardo.  

Of course, the Twins would then need a catcher ....

MIA will never trade for Vazquez even if you add players to it, They are looking only for young players

[DocBauer]

It's an interesting idea for sure. I don't know that Rushing has to be THE guy, but I like this idea in general theory, regardless of which young catcher from whatever team. I don't want the Twins to make it a habit of trading away young, inexpensive talent to fill holes. Once in a while, sure, that's part of how you build your team. What I like about this scenario is the Twins moving young, inexpensive talent but bringing BACK young, inexpensive talent. 

The Twins can, for example, trade Keaschall or barely across the rookie threshold Lee and an arm like Culpepper or Lewis for one of the young catchers brought up in the comments section, if not Rushing himself. Some team might want a move proven, veteran  player, but another team might want that young, cost controlled talent back. And that's where I can see the Twins making a deal.

NEXT, since we keep hearing that Vazquez...with only a single year left on his deal...is so well regarded that he could be traded straight up, maybe traded with a lower level prospect attached, or possibly traded with a little $ tossed in to save the Twins some payroll and gain flexibility. If you can do the first part, then it only makes sense to this second part. MAYBE you can add a decent prospect along with Vazquez and come up with a LH pen arm or a RH OF bat in the return? 

But even moving Vazquez straight up, and very possibly moving Paddack, gives the FO $17M to work with in FA...possibly a couple $M more depending on final arbitration moves/numbers...to add that RH OF bat and LHRP without having to address catcher as you've already done that.

Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself here, you've still got to find the right team to work with and right young catcher you like, all without giving up TOO MUCH in a fair deal, but if the FO could pull this one off, if Vazquez really is regarded so highly by other teams needing catching help, and if Paddack could entice a team needing rotation help and finding $7.5M to be a bargain to pay, these couple of moves could be the start of a nice re-tool for 2025.

[tony&rodney]

1 hour ago, Doctor Gast said:

MIA will never trade for Vazquez even if you add players to it, They are looking only for young players

Agree, which is why I mention Jeffers instead of Vazquez.

[tony&rodney]

While I do not  ascribe high value to Vazquez, the Twins do need two catchers and are unlikely to find a team to take his contract. Jeffers may hold value for a few teams and there are players like Carson Kelly (weak) to fill the spot for defense at least if a return from Jeffers proves worthwhile. 

Paddack and Castro should have some value to other teams, perhaps more so than to the Twins. It seems pretty likely they are both moved to new teams by March. I would not suggest Twins fans hold out much hope for free agent additions costing above those players deals though, but it opens the possibility of adding some relievers for smaller contracts.

[mrcharlie]

10 hours ago, Russ said:

Why aren't the Twins drafting or finding catching prospects.  When we hear of the Twins catcher prospects they are mostly no hit, not good defense or hitter first, not good defense.  Another example of player development and scouting lacking in the organization 

BINGO!

[Doctor Gast]

Thank you Eric for bringing our biggest problem to light. I've complained about the Twins catching situation since Garver & Rortvedt were traded. & the Twins have done nothing about drafting & developing good overall catchers so after Vazquez is gone we are going to really be hurting. Sign an expensive mediocre catcher won't fix anything. Jeffers is an above-average hitting & average-ish defensive backup catcher if asked more than that his efficiency will drop.

Rushing has been on my sights for a while. He's blocked, a good hitter, moves around pretty well, has a pretty good arm, has a good head on him & a leader. LAD has him focusing at other positions which sets him back a little on his development but he has all the tools. LAD has less needs now than they had earlier so it'd be harder to find a match.

Other teams that have great catching prospects that are blocked are Harry Ford (SEA), Jefferson Quero &  (MIL) Samuel Bassalo (BAL) to name a few off the top of my head, They are all MLB ready & will be expensive but are worth it. I really like Ethan Salas (SD) but won't be ready for next year. 

An underrated catching prospect that I've been keeping an eye on has been Drew Romo (CO). He has all the tools & characteristics to be an above average all-around catcher & Cole Carrigg both for less than any one of the other.  Carrigg can be an excellent catcher, very athletic, strong arm, good hitter & fiery.

[Doctor Gast]

2 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

Agree, which is why I mention Jeffers instead of Vazquez.

Makes more sense but even Jeffers is too old for them. Only competitive teams would be interested in Jeffers. Maybe Jeffers & Julien for Kyle Teel?

[jorgenswest]

The comments about Diego Cartaya don’t match up with his performance.

He hasn’t hit since 2022 with below league average marks in AA and AAA. He hasn’t controlled the run game allowing 195 stolen bases with 41 caught stealing over the last two years.

Rushing and Cartaya both split between AA and AAA last year. Cartaya had an OPS of .686 and Rushing .896. Rushing threw out 30% of runners to Cartaya’s 16% and was Tushing was run on less often.

In addition, Cartaya has one option year remaining and Rushing doesn’t need to be put on the 40 until after the 2025 season giving him 4 years before running out of options.

It seems like the Dodgers would be fools to trade Rushing over Cartaya. Cartaya seems more likely a 2025 DFA candidate than someone ready to take over the Dodger’s catching duties in 2025.

[Riverbrian]

22 hours ago, Bigfork Twins Guy said:

All the more reason to trade for catching.

I like this move for any player not named Jax as long as the Twins do their homework on this catcher and he is not another John Ryan Murphy type of player.

Pay the exorbitant inflated price for a catcher who will only play 60% of the time. Regardless if they trade or sign a catcher... it will be an inflated painful price to pay. If the catcher you acquire is not expensive... he will be a catcher that no one or very few teams want. 

It's the bill come due for not developing your own. 

It's paying 10 Dollars for a dozen eggs because you don't have chickens. 

You don't want to roll the dice on a John Ryan Murphy type. I don't either... he will cost you an Aaron Hicks type. Do you want better than J.R. Murphy. He will cost you more.    

 

[twinstalker]

LOL at Keaschall for Rushing.  Rushing can't catch and can't really hit.  Sure, just like Miguel Vargas and others in the Dodgers system, he'll mash at their high levels, but in those parks and air, I think I could hit 25.

[stringer bell]

Personally, I'm resigned to the reality that trading Vázquez will not improve the club in 2025. I expect the Twins to roll with Jeffers/Vázquez for a third straight season.

It is quite apparent that there is a dearth of talent in the catching position in the Twins system and acquiring someone who would project to contribute in 2026 and beyond should be a high priority. Maybe it is Rushing, maybe it is someone else.