Question of the week: name your trade target

[Brock Beauchamp]

A little different format for the question of the week. Within reason, who is your #1 trade target in the next six days? The guy who, if acquired, would make you give the Twins a B or higher grade at the trade deadline if that's all they did at the deadline.

This could be a prospect, a young major leaguer, just the guy you want the most, and is reasonably considered to be available on the market.

I've kind of sold myself on Moises Ballesteros.

[Mike Sixel]

Ballesteros is a great get. That would be very good.

Jonah Tong or Nolan McLean of the Mets.

I don't think Painter is realistic! But that would be an A+.

[Rigby]

Hope, DePaula, Arias

[Mike Sixel]

Or Ford from Seattle. 

[LA Vikes Fan]

Jonathan Long of the Cubs AAA team first. Blocked by Busch, hitting .312/.397/.503(.900) in AAA. Second, an MLB ready Catcher blocked by someone good - Samuel Basallo (Orioles), Dalton Rushing (Dodgers), or Jeferson Quero (Brewers). I also really like Ballesteros, Mclean and Tong. DePaula of the Dodgers is off limits. The Dodgers are not willing to trade him but would love him if they change their mind. 

All of these guys are likely to cost us Jax at the least. Castro plus a prospect won't be enough. I would be willing to trade Jax for one of these guys plus a 45+ FV type prospect. 

 

[lecroy24fan]

Mick Abel is the name I like that I've seen floated out there. But will the Phillies look for more RP after signing Dave Robertson?

[jorgenswest]

A catcher that they know will stick at catcher and be on the roster next year in place of Vazquez. In two years I would hope they step up to #1 catcher.

Last year the Marlins received one of the best catchers on the board in Agustín Ramirez. It turns out he can’t throw out runners and is a passed ball machine. The bat is solid with a 103 wRC+ as a rookie. He plays more DH than catcher. I want the Twins to avoid that kind of catching prospect. Ballesteros looks very questionable to me. He gives up a high rate of stolen bases both per inning as well as success rate.

I suppose we can’t be sure of any prospect catcher. I think we can’t be pretty sure that if a catcher is giving up stolen bases at a high rate in the minors they will do so in the majors. If they can’t block balls in the dirt in the minors they won’t do so in the majors. I shouldn’t be so definitive. Perhaps they need two more years in the minors to be an acceptable catcher in the majors. I don’t want to wait. I can wait on the bat to improve in the majors. The glove has to start at minimally a mediocre level with an expectation that it will be average soon. I think it will take average minor league play behind the plate in order to get to a passable level in the majors.

 

[Vanimal46]

Dalton Rushing, Drake Baldwin, Harry Ford

[tony&rodney]

Jeferson Quero and Harry Ford as best catchers with Rushing and Basallo as guys who can be C/DH/1B. The price in players and availability is unknown.

[Mike Sixel]

On 7/25/2025 at 1:26 PM, Mike Sixel said:

Or Ford from Seattle. 

This is the guy I want most of the realistic guys. 

[SteveLV]

Mentioned Janek in the Astros system in another thread as a C trade target.

[Derojo]

Twins need a catcher that is better than Jeffers, so that position is a strength. We don't have an apparent replacement in our farm system. We also need improvement at 1B and DH. As for Wallner and Larnach, Rodriguez and Jenkins are in the wings. Emmanuel Rodriguez hopefully will come up in September and never leave.

[Mike Sixel]

25 minutes ago, Derojo said:

Twins need a catcher that is better than Jeffers, so that position is a strength. We don't have an apparent replacement in our farm system. We also need improvement at 1B and DH. As for Wallner and Larnach, Rodriguez and Jenkins are in the wings. Emmanuel Rodriguez hopefully will come up in September and never leave.

Rodriguez can't stay healthy......I wouldn't count on him. I wish we could. I agree they need a catcher. Three years since they overpaid Vazquez, and they don't even have a guy in AA .... Let alone AAA or the majors. 

[lecroy24fan]

On 7/25/2025 at 3:51 PM, lecroy24fan said:

Mick Abel is the name I like that I've seen floated out there. But will the Phillies look for more RP after signing Dave Robertson?

What do I win?