Inside the Twins’ Catching Pipeline

[Cory Moen]

Image courtesy of © Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Depth is something every organization tries to create, whether through the draft, international free agency, or even minor league free agency. Let’s take a look at how the Twins’ system stacks up at various positions. I decided to start with catchers and work my way around the diamond.

Below is a look at the catchers in the Twins system not named Ryan Jeffers or Alex Jackson . I’ve included how and when they were acquired, along with the highest level they played this past season.

Mickey Gasper

Acquired: Trade, Boston Red Sox, December 2024
Highest Level in 2025: MLB

The Twins acquired Gasper in a minor trade with the Boston Red Sox in December 2024 for left-handed relief pitcher Jovan Moran. Gasper split time between Triple-A St. Paul and the Twins in 2025. While he is listed as a catcher, he can also play first base, second base, and has even dabbled in left field. The upside is limited, as he hit .158/.257/.232 over 110 plate appearances with the Twins.

Ricardo Olivar

Acquired: International Free Agency, 2019
Highest Level in 2025: Double-A

Olivar has slowly worked his way up the minor league ladder since signing in 2019. Playing the 2025 season with Double-A Wichita, Olivar appeared in 93 games, catching in 38 of them while playing left field and designated hitter in the others. He has been a bat-first catcher, posting a career .832 OPS over five minor league seasons. His future may be more likely as a designated hitter if he cannot stick behind the plate. If that happens, his path to a role on the major league roster will hinge on his bat.

Noah Cardenas

Acquired: 2021 Draft, 8th round
Highest Level in 2025: Triple-A

After signing for a $200,000 bonus as an eighth-round pick in 2021, Cardenas has steadily worked his way toward the major leagues, spending the 2025 season between Double-A Wichita and Triple-A St. Paul. His .245/.387/.438 slash line in 2025 is passable for a backup catcher. He does not strike out at an unreasonable rate at 19.9 percent and his walk rate is higher than average at 16.4 percent. If he continues to develop, Cardenas could carve out a role for the Twins over the next few years.

Patrick Winkel

Acquired: 2021 Draft, 9th round
Highest Level in 2025: Triple-A

Drafted one round after Cardenas, Winkel also reached Triple-A this past season, though with a very different profile. In 2025, he posted a 32.8 percent strikeout rate and a 7.2 percent walk rate over 47 games and 180 plate appearances. Winkel will look to continue improving both in the field and at the plate. At this point, he is serving as organizational depth in the upper minors, and it remains to be seen whether he can break through and carve out a role in the Twins’ future plans.

Nate Baez

Acquired: 2022 Draft, 12th round
Highest Level in 2025: Double-A

You’ll notice a trend of mid-round picks making their way into the upper minors. Prior to 2025, Baez was an above-average hitter at every level. He started the season in High-A Cedar Rapids, continued to hit, and earned a promotion to Double-A. Double-A marked the first extended stop in his minor league career where he posted an OPS below .700. Assuming he makes the necessary adjustments, Baez’s bat could move him closer to the majors this year. He also began playing more first base in 2025, raising some questions about whether he can stick at catcher defensively. Even if he does not, the hope is that his bat continues to develop.

Andrew Cossetti

Acquired: 2022 Draft, 11th round
Highest Level in 2025: Double-A

Another mid-round pick, Cossetti was drafted out of St. Joseph’s University, where he posted a 1.016 OPS over four seasons. He has spent the last two years with Double-A Wichita and has shown some power, hitting 22 home runs over 604 plate appearances. In 2025, he recorded a .374 wOBA with a .798 OPS, good for a 123 wRC+. He has also played some first base, and if he continues to hit, he could begin climbing prospect lists in the future.

Poncho Ruiz

Acquired: Non-Drafted Free Agency, 2023
Highest Level in 2025: High-A

Ruiz signed as an undrafted free agent in 2023, which can happen for a variety of reasons, especially with fewer draft rounds than in the past. He began 2025 in Single-A and was promoted to High-A after 31 games. At 23 years old, he held his own between the two levels, posting a .723 OPS. He has shown a good eye at the plate throughout his minor league career and walked at a 15.8 percent rate in 2025. While not a highly touted prospect, Ruiz can make a name for himself if he continues to grow both at the plate and in the field.

 

Eduardo Tait (#3 Twins Daily Prospect)

Acquired: Trade, Philadelphia Phillies, July 2025
Highest Level in 2025: High-A

Tait was one of two players, along with right-hander Mick Abel, acquired from the Phillies in exchange for closer Jhoan Duran at the 2025 trade deadline. He signed for $90,000 out of Panama in January 2023 and hit at every level in the Phillies’ system. Like many young catchers, Tait’s defense is still a work in progress. He has a plus arm, and the Twins are hoping he can become at least average as a receiver. Still just 19 years old, he is likely a couple of years away from his major league debut. Tait projects as a future starting catcher and is someone many Twins fans will be watching closely in 2026.

Khadim Diaw (#20 Twins Daily Prospect)

Acquired: 2024 Draft, 3rd round
Highest Level in 2025: High-A

Diaw was the highest-drafted catcher by the Twins since Ryan Jeffers went in the second round in 2018. He played his age-21 season in 2025, spending the year at High-A Cedar Rapids. A good athlete, Diaw also saw time in center field and right field. He has a reputation as an aggressive hitter who makes a lot of contact, which showed up in his .429 wOBA this past season. He is likely a few years away, but if catcher does not work out, his athleticism could allow a move to the outfield.

Enrique Jimenez

Acquired: Trade, Detroit Tigers, July 2025
Highest Level in 2025: Single-A

Another pre-deadline acquisition, Jimenez will play his age-20 season this coming year. In 2025, he spent about two-thirds of his time behind the plate and reached Single-A. He showed some power, hitting 12 home runs with a .846 OPS between the Tigers’ and Twins’ systems. While not a high-end prospect, he provides a solid floor and could eventually serve as a backup to Tait, though he is still a long way from that point.

Daniel Pena

Acquired: International Free Agency, 2022
Highest Level in 2025: Single-A

Pena signed out of Venezuela in 2022 and played with Single-A Fort Myers in 2025. He has not hit much since reaching that level, posting a .567 OPS over 55 games this past season. Still just 20 years old, he remains a developmental player to check in on periodically.

Ricardo Pena

Acquired: International Free Agency, 2022
Highest Level in 2025: Single-A

Pena appeared in a combined 22 games between the Complex League and Single-A Fort Myers, so he remains early in his development. He has also seen some time at first base, and a position change could be in the cards, though that decision does not need to be made anytime soon.

Pablo Castillo

Acquired: International Free Agency, 2025
Highest Level in 2025: Dominican Summer League

A 2025 international free agent out of Venezuela, Castillo showed promise in his first 28 games in the Dominican Summer League. At 17 years old, he posted an .885 OPS. While it is a small sample, it provides a strong starting point for a young prospect heading into his next stage of development.

Miguel Caraballo

Acquired: Trade, San Francisco Giants, December 2025
Highest Level in 2025: Dominican Summer League

Caraballo came over from the Giants in the trade that sent Rule 5 selection Daniel Susac to San Francisco. He is not currently a strong defender, but he has shown both power and on-base skills. At 16 years old, he hit five home runs and posted a .874 OPS over 41 games in the DSL. He is a long way from making an impact, but will be a name Twins fans check in on from time to time, especially if Susac makes an impact in San Francisco.

Irvin Nunez

Acquired: International Free Agency, 2023
Highest Level in 2025: Complex League

Nunez signed with the Twins as part of the 2023 international free agent class and played in 43 games in the Florida Complex League in 2025. He also saw time at first base and a handful of games at third base, so he could end up with some positional versatility depending on how he develops over the next few years.

Overall, the Twins’ catching depth is a mix of near-ready upper-minors options, mid-level organizational pieces, and longer-term developmental bets in the lower minors and international pipeline. While there is no shortage of names in the system, the group reflects the reality of building depth through many avenues, with some players closer to contributing in Minneapolis and others still several years away. As with most organizations, only a handful will ultimately impact the big league roster, but this collection gives the Twins flexibility, insulation against injuries, and multiple paths to address the position as they continue to build out the system from top to bottom.

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[DJL44]

I will take "waiver wire" over Gasper, Olivar, Cardenas, Winkel, Baez, Cosetti and Ruiz.

BTW - where's Pereda?

[arby58]

Cardenas had an OPS above .800 at both Wichita and St. Paul last year - that would play just fine as a starting catcher in MLB, let alone a backup. I'd give him a long look in spring training.

[mikelink45]

That is not a pipeline.  We traded and grabbed catchers to fill our rosters. A pipeline means a steady flow from within, not a patchwork from without.

[old nurse]

50 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

That is not a pipeline.  We traded and grabbed catchers to fill our rosters. A pipeline means a steady flow from within, not a patchwork from without.

Semantics   

[Nashvilletwin]

Kepler suspended 80 games for violating the drug program.

Say it ain’t so, Max.  Say it ain’t so.

[mikelink45]

4 hours ago, old nurse said:

Semantics   

True and that what writing is all about.

[old nurse]

1 hour ago, mikelink45 said:

True and that what writing is all about.

You are complaining someone isn’t using your definition of the word. 

[DocBauer]

I did one of these sometime in 2025. A lot has changed since then, so it's nice to do another review. The Twins haven't IGNORED the catcher position at all. One of the first things the current FO did was sign Jason Castro as a FA backstop, work with Garver, and draft Jeffers. And they've drafted quite a few catcher prospects over the years. Unfortunately, they've mostly whiffed on those selections.

But here we go:

GASPER: He can't translate his AAA bat to the ML level. Boston thought so little of his development behind the plate they removed him from that duty. I haven't seen anything from him to convince me he shouldn't be cut in favor of a RP FA signing.

PEREDA: NOT mentioned, and no FIX, at least he IS a catcher. His bat offers a little bit of hope, I hear questions about his arm. But his career CS% in MILB sits around 25%. That's not bad. I'd trust him behind the plate more than Gasper.

WINKEL: The Twins seem to like the way he calls a game and handles pitchers. But he can't hit, has limited power, and can't throw.

CARDENAS: NOW we get to talk about someone of actual interest. He plays solid defense, can call a solid game, and while he's never been much of a hitter, one very poor MILB season has brought his numbers down a bit. But he's always maintained decent contact, and has a good eye with a quality OB% in his MILB career. He doesn't have a lot of power...despite a brief eruption when he reached AAA in 2025...but he'll hit some doubles and jack a HR here and there. His 28% MILB career CS% is pretty impressive. Ideally, he gets another couple of months at St Paul to just refine his game and work a little more on his actual HIT ability. IMO, he's absolutely the Twins #3 catcher in a few months, if and when needed. I can see a solid career as a #2 receiver in his future.

OLIVAR: He's a contact, solid OB% bat with SOME XB power who is really a LF who CAN catch. He set a career high in CS % in 2025 at 16%. And he only caught about 30% of the time in 2025. After 1 1/2 years at AA, he's probably ready for AAA. But where does he play? He's just NOT a primary catcher prospect unless he suddenly makes massive improvement behind the plate. And catcher and OF at AAA is so deep we're wondering how to play everyone? Maybe he starts in AA simply because of the depth at St Paul, but he's just not a primary catcher.

COSSETTI: He was drafted as a BAT FIRST catcher who they hoped to develop. And he looked really good initially as a hitter. But his bat disappeared in 2024 and only made a small improvement in 2025. And his CS% is a poor 16%.

BAEZ: This is my biggest disappointment in the catcher position within the system. He's a really good athlete with a potentially solid bat who was never a full time catcher until 2022 at AZ State. He played almost everywhere. I thought he was a "develpment" steal. But so far, he's been better as a 1B with little power. Just a real disappointment for me.

DIAW: Here is where it gets really interesting again. He's got OF ability, and enough athleticism that he even played a little CF. There's SOME power potential, but a SOLID BAT ability. He's going to need some time to develop, and he needs to stay healthy, but he could be exciting to watch over the next couple of years. Nothing wrong with an athletic catcher. He got off to a really good start in 2025 before being hurt. Two years from now, good health, we could be talking about a really good catcher prospect. There's a lot to like here.

TAIT: There are reasons he's a TOP prospect with top 100 status. He's got BAT potential with good power, and a strong arm behind the plate. I guess, at worst, his bat plays at 1B. But IMO, as young as he is, it's about communication with a staff and just learning how to call a game and work with his staff. He does THAT with his offensive potential, he could be an All Star.

JIMENEZ: Honesty, I would just normally STOP after Tait. There's just no real reason to dip down to the Rookie league or DSL, with all due respect to the author of the OP. But the simple fact that Jimenez was part of a ML deal, and actually IMPROVED his numbers in a promotion to Ft Myers gives me pause. He's a "squaty" built kid who supposedly has a good arm, and a decent knowledge of how to call a game at his young age. He seems to have some pop and power potential. Whether his switch hitting remains is TBD. But the early results are at least intriguing, and worth mentioning. 

I'm a BIG catcher guy who believes the position still remains undervalued, surprisingly so, even today in regards to current value, and even HOF value. And when I talk about CS% for MILB prospects, I understand that MILB pitchers don't always do the best at holding runners on base. And maybe poor INF defense also affects CS% numbers. The single most important thing is calling a good game and just being solid behind the plate. However, with all of that considered, if a MILB catcher shows a good arm, that tells me he's dutiful in what he does and his defense might just translate to the ML level.

Cardenas is the best #3 catcher for the Twins in 2026 if he's just given a little more AAA time.

Diaw COULD be a stud and top prospect 2yrs from now.

Tait might be the #1 catcher 2-3yrs from now. Jimenez might be a great #2 3-4 years from now.

[twinstalker]

(I just came here after seeing the title to comment with one word followed by a question mark but read some comments)

Pipeline?  A pipeline is something that flows.  In baseball terms, the Cardinals have a catching pipeline.

I see somebody beat me to this.  It's not semantics.  It's wrong use of the word. 

Perhaps the title should simply be "Catchers in the Twins System."

[RpR]

1 hour ago, twinstalker said:

(I just came here after seeing the title to comment with one word followed by a question mark but read some comments)

Pipeline?  A pipeline is something that flows.  In baseball terms, the Cardinals have a catching pipeline.

I see somebody beat me to this.  It's not semantics.  It's wrong use of the word. 

Perhaps the title should simply be "Catchers in the Twins System."

Sewer pipe more like itl

[terrydactyls]

16 hours ago, mikelink45 said:

That is not a pipeline.  We traded and grabbed catchers to fill our rosters. A pipeline means a steady flow from within, not a patchwork from without.

A pipeline (according to Merriam-Webster) is "a process or channel of supply".  The pipeline for the Twins is having catchers at every level of the minor leagues.  There is no requirement that the product has to begin at the lowest level and progress steadily upward.  That may be what you would like to see, but to be a pipeline, it is immaterial.

[Linus]

Advice to Twins Daily writers: don’t use the term pipeline in any future articles. 

[mikelink45]

17 minutes ago, terrydactyls said:

A pipeline (according to Merriam-Webster) is "a process or channel of supply".  The pipeline for the Twins is having catchers at every level of the minor leagues.  There is no requirement that the product has to begin at the lowest level and progress steadily upward.  That may be what you would like to see, but to be a pipeline, it is immaterial.

I love it when we bring baseball into the world of literature and language - here is an AI definition from Google for a baseball pipeline: "The concept of a baseball pipeline refers to the structured system and process through which amateur players are identified, developed, and advanced to the professional Major League Baseball (MLB) level. It encompasses all the stages a player goes through from early identification to their MLB debut."

But in the long run, our semantical exchange still comes back to the question of whether the Twins have a product at the end of the pipeline or a drip.  Since Falvey has been here and ignoring Jeffers and Vasquez we have always had a catcher at every level, but regardless of origin the next Twin up we have had Gaspar and Pareda in 2025, Camargo in 2024, Sanchez, Leon, and Godoy in 2022, Garver and Rortvedt in 21. Avila and Astudillo in 20.  We have not called up Winkel or any other minor league catchers.  We have continued to reach out.  So I am waiting to see a flow from our internal pipes. 

[jorgenswest]

Looked up pipeline a few different places. from Merriam-Webster

Quote

3: a process or channel of supply

4: a state of development, preparation, or production

5: a course of individual advancement or development especially to fill organizational

Going with the idiom “in the pipeline”

Quote

from Cambridge I found “being planned” or “being developed”

Edit: just read @mikelink45 post.

I asked Google “Does a baseball organizations pipeline includes players acquired in trades for minor leaguers?”

The AI overview

Quote

Yes, a baseball organization's player development pipeline absolutely includes trades for minor leaguers (prospects). The minor league system is a critical component for acquiring, developing, and evaluating talent, and trades are a primary mechanism for moving players within the overall professional baseball ecosystem

I think it is fair to call this our catching pipeline as of today.

I am glad they added to that pipeline the acquisitions of Tait, Jimenez and Caraballo. Those are promising young players. The pipeline as it stands today does not seem adequate to fill the needs for 2027 though.

[Russ]

More of a list of Twins catching prospects.  Hopefully we are keeping track of the other teams catching pipelines

[tarheeltwinsfan]

18 hours ago, mikelink45 said:

That is not a pipeline.  We traded and grabbed catchers to fill our rosters. A pipeline means a steady flow from within, not a patchwork from without.

A pipeline may be clean and free flowing or clogged up with sludge. 

[tarheeltwinsfan]

Why did the Twins trade Susac for a 16 year old catcher? Susac, who is only 24, has hit everywhere he has played. He strikes out more than I like, but still he has high batting averages, even at AAA and has some power. The reports I read stated his arm was adequate to remain at catcher and that he ran a pitching staff well. He is 6 feet and 4 inches tall and is rated as being very athletic and played quarterback in high school, just like Twins Hall of Famer, whom we all know and love. The Twins will rue the day that they traded Susac to the Giants, whose President of Baseball operations, Buster Posey, knows a thing or two about catchers.

[terrydactyls]

1 hour ago, jorgenswest said:

Looked up pipeline a few different places. from Merriam-Webster

Going with the idiom “in the pipeline”

Edit: just read @mikelink45 post.

I asked Google “Does a baseball organizations pipeline includes players acquired in trades for minor leaguers?”

The AI overview

I think it is fair to call this our catching pipeline as of today.

I am glad they added to that pipeline the acquisitions of Tait, Jimenez and Caraballo. Those are promising young players. The pipeline as it stands today does not seem adequate to fill the needs for 2027 though.

In none of the examples (definitions) presented on both sides of the question is the fact that baseball pipelines can be either positive or negative.  The Twins' catching pipeline currently is negative but trending towards positive.  The Twins have a pipeline but it hasn't produced much.

[jorgenswest]

Susac has a wRC+ of 94 in AAA last year. You need to be a pretty good defensive player to make it to the majors with that below average wRC+ in AAA. Susac’s hit tool scouting grade in Fangraphs is 30/35. Jackson is the better defender and had a 100 plate appearance sample with a major league wRC+ of 111. His wOBA was much better than his xwOBA so there is some luck there. I doubt either will have a wRC+ better than 80 in the majors next year but I would take Jackson’s glove and experience over Susac. If the Twins could have put Susac in the minors to get a lot of playing in hopes of improving his bat he would have been a worthwhile add.

[LA Vikes Fan]

20 hours ago, arby58 said:

Cardenas had an OPS above .800 at both Wichita and St. Paul last year - that would play just fine as a starting catcher in MLB, let alone a backup. I'd give him a long look in spring training.

Agreed. Based strictly on the numbers, Cardenas looks like the one we should be looking at to make an MLB debut this year if there’s an injury. Are there some holes in his bat or defense, or other problems that make that unlikely?

[jorgenswest]

1 hour ago, LA Vikes Fan said:

Agreed. Based strictly on the numbers, Cardenas looks like the one we should be looking at to make an MLB debut this year if there’s an injury. Are there some holes in his bat or defense, or other problems that make that unlikely?

He threw out runners last year at a respectable rate. He should be considered. 

Jair Camargo was elite at this skill but Tommy John surgery probably derailed his chances. His arm was his ticket to the majors and hopefully it can return to that 40+% rate of throwing out runners. The Braves have signed him to a minor league deal.

[jorgenswest]

2 hours ago, terrydactyls said:

In none of the examples (definitions) presented on both sides of the question is the fact that baseball pipelines can be either positive or negative.  The Twins' catching pipeline currently is negative but trending towards positive.  The Twins have a pipeline but it hasn't produced much.

Concur. That is why I appreciate they added those three very young catchers to the pipeline. Relative to other teams I believe they now have a lot of depth. Tait should reach AA sometime this year. They have nothing that appears to be starting quality in 2027 short of extending Jeffers.

[mikelink45]

5 hours ago, jorgenswest said:

Looked up pipeline a few different places. from Merriam-Webster

Going with the idiom “in the pipeline”

Edit: just read @mikelink45 post.

I asked Google “Does a baseball organizations pipeline includes players acquired in trades for minor leaguers?”

The AI overview

I think it is fair to call this our catching pipeline as of today.

I am glad they added to that pipeline the acquisitions of Tait, Jimenez and Caraballo. Those are promising young players. The pipeline as it stands today does not seem adequate to fill the needs for 2027 though.

Great Post - I love these discussions with some research being conducted.  I will accept your premise.  But now I need to see someone besides Jeffers come from our ranks.

[mikelink45]

4 hours ago, tarheeltwinsfan said:

A pipeline may be clean and free flowing or clogged up with sludge. 

I don't think I have ever enjoyed the reactions to a post as much as this one.  

[old nurse]

22 hours ago, twinstalker said:

(I just came here after seeing the title to comment with one word followed by a question mark but read some comments)

Pipeline?  A pipeline is something that flows.  In baseball terms, the Cardinals have a catching pipeline.

I see somebody beat me to this.  It's not semantics.  It's wrong use of the word. 

Perhaps the title should simply be "Catchers in the Twins System."

Your last line proves it is a semantics argument on your part.  

[Cory Moen]

On 1/9/2026 at 9:35 PM, DocBauer said:

I did one of these sometime in 2025. A lot has changed since then, so it's nice to do another review. The Twins haven't IGNORED the catcher position at all. One of the first things the current FO did was sign Jason Castro as a FA backstop, work with Garver, and draft Jeffers. And they've drafted quite a few catcher prospects over the years. Unfortunately, they've mostly whiffed on those selections.

But here we go:

GASPER: He can't translate his AAA bat to the ML level. Boston thought so little of his development behind the plate they removed him from that duty. I haven't seen anything from him to convince me he shouldn't be cut in favor of a RP FA signing.

PEREDA: NOT mentioned, and no FIX, at least he IS a catcher. His bat offers a little bit of hope, I hear questions about his arm. But his career CS% in MILB sits around 25%. That's not bad. I'd trust him behind the plate more than Gasper.

WINKEL: The Twins seem to like the way he calls a game and handles pitchers. But he can't hit, has limited power, and can't throw.

CARDENAS: NOW we get to talk about someone of actual interest. He plays solid defense, can call a solid game, and while he's never been much of a hitter, one very poor MILB season has brought his numbers down a bit. But he's always maintained decent contact, and has a good eye with a quality OB% in his MILB career. He doesn't have a lot of power...despite a brief eruption when he reached AAA in 2025...but he'll hit some doubles and jack a HR here and there. His 28% MILB career CS% is pretty impressive. Ideally, he gets another couple of months at St Paul to just refine his game and work a little more on his actual HIT ability. IMO, he's absolutely the Twins #3 catcher in a few months, if and when needed. I can see a solid career as a #2 receiver in his future.

OLIVAR: He's a contact, solid OB% bat with SOME XB power who is really a LF who CAN catch. He set a career high in CS % in 2025 at 16%. And he only caught about 30% of the time in 2025. After 1 1/2 years at AA, he's probably ready for AAA. But where does he play? He's just NOT a primary catcher prospect unless he suddenly makes massive improvement behind the plate. And catcher and OF at AAA is so deep we're wondering how to play everyone? Maybe he starts in AA simply because of the depth at St Paul, but he's just not a primary catcher.

COSSETTI: He was drafted as a BAT FIRST catcher who they hoped to develop. And he looked really good initially as a hitter. But his bat disappeared in 2024 and only made a small improvement in 2025. And his CS% is a poor 16%.

BAEZ: This is my biggest disappointment in the catcher position within the system. He's a really good athlete with a potentially solid bat who was never a full time catcher until 2022 at AZ State. He played almost everywhere. I thought he was a "develpment" steal. But so far, he's been better as a 1B with little power. Just a real disappointment for me.

DIAW: Here is where it gets really interesting again. He's got OF ability, and enough athleticism that he even played a little CF. There's SOME power potential, but a SOLID BAT ability. He's going to need some time to develop, and he needs to stay healthy, but he could be exciting to watch over the next couple of years. Nothing wrong with an athletic catcher. He got off to a really good start in 2025 before being hurt. Two years from now, good health, we could be talking about a really good catcher prospect. There's a lot to like here.

TAIT: There are reasons he's a TOP prospect with top 100 status. He's got BAT potential with good power, and a strong arm behind the plate. I guess, at worst, his bat plays at 1B. But IMO, as young as he is, it's about communication with a staff and just learning how to call a game and work with his staff. He does THAT with his offensive potential, he could be an All Star.

JIMENEZ: Honesty, I would just normally STOP after Tait. There's just no real reason to dip down to the Rookie league or DSL, with all due respect to the author of the OP. But the simple fact that Jimenez was part of a ML deal, and actually IMPROVED his numbers in a promotion to Ft Myers gives me pause. He's a "squaty" built kid who supposedly has a good arm, and a decent knowledge of how to call a game at his young age. He seems to have some pop and power potential. Whether his switch hitting remains is TBD. But the early results are at least intriguing, and worth mentioning. 

I'm a BIG catcher guy who believes the position still remains undervalued, surprisingly so, even today in regards to current value, and even HOF value. And when I talk about CS% for MILB prospects, I understand that MILB pitchers don't always do the best at holding runners on base. And maybe poor INF defense also affects CS% numbers. The single most important thing is calling a good game and just being solid behind the plate. However, with all of that considered, if a MILB catcher shows a good arm, that tells me he's dutiful in what he does and his defense might just translate to the ML level.

Cardenas is the best #3 catcher for the Twins in 2026 if he's just given a little more AAA time.

Diaw COULD be a stud and top prospect 2yrs from now.

Tait might be the #1 catcher 2-3yrs from now. Jimenez might be a great #2 3-4 years from now.

Pereda was not mentioned for the same reason Jeffers and Alex Jackson were not mentioned. They are all on the 40-man roster

[Cory Moen]

On 1/9/2026 at 1:31 PM, DJL44 said:

I will take "waiver wire" over Gasper, Olivar, Cardenas, Winkel, Baez, Cosetti and Ruiz.

BTW - where's Pereda?

Pereda is on the 40-man roster. I decided to take a look at the guys not on the 40-man

[Doctor Wu]

23 hours ago, mikelink45 said:

Camargo in 2024, Sanchez, Leon, and Godoy in 2022, Garver and Rortvedt in 21. Avila and Astudillo in 20. 

So many catchers in so little time. And not much to show for it. 

[DJL44]

8 hours ago, Cory Moen said:

Pereda is on the 40-man roster. I decided to take a look at the guys not on the 40-man

Mickey Gasper is on the 40-man roster.