Yankees’ Are ‘Making It No Secret’ That They Want Ryan Jeffers

[Cody Christie]

While the Twins have remained within striking distance of contention for stretches, their inability to separate themselves from the pack has increasingly pointed toward a seller's approach at the trade deadline. If that direction becomes official, few players on the roster may generate more interest than catcher Ryan Jeffers.

According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the New York Yankees "are making it no secret" that they want to acquire Jeffers before the trade deadline.

The interest is understandable. Jeffers is playing on a team-friendly $6.7 million contract and will become a free agent after the season. Productive catchers are difficult to find at any point during the year, and contenders searching for offensive upgrades behind the plate won't find many options with Jeffers' combination of power, on-base skills, and defensive ability.

Jeffers has been sidelined since May 18 after suffering a fractured hamate bone in his left hand. The injury required surgery and has kept him out for more than five weeks, but recent developments suggest he is trending in the right direction.

The veteran catcher has resumed baseball activities and recently began taking batting practice. Speaking with reporters this week, Jeffers acknowledged that recovery from the injury has been anything but predictable.

"There's good days, there's bad days," Jeffers told reporters. "It's a funky buildup just because it's not a straight line. It's not like rehabbing from an oblique where you can kind of timetable it out, of 'Hey, a couple swings here, a couple swings there.' Because there's so much — not to get too medical on it – but there's new pathways that the nerves and the tendons have to learn that just take a little time, but we're in the swings, and we're getting to above-arm BP swings. I like where we're at."

The encouraging news for Minnesota is that most of the remaining hurdles involve hitting. Jeffers said he has experienced few issues on the defensive side of his recovery and even caught a bullpen session earlier this week. His return to game action will largely depend on how quickly he becomes comfortable swinging a bat again.

Before the injury, Jeffers was producing at an All-Star level. Through 39 games, he slashed .295/.408/.541 with seven home runs, 26 RBI, and a .949 OPS. Those numbers represented some of the best offensive production of his seven-year career and reinforced his value as one of the more productive offensive catchers in the American League.

The Yankees have plenty of reasons to pursue that type of player. While Austin Wells remains a strong defender and one of baseball's better pitch framers, New York has received very little offensive production from the catching position this season. Yankees catchers have ranked near the bottom of baseball offensively, creating a clear need for an upgrade as the club pushes toward October. Jeffers would provide exactly that. 

He would also come at a lower acquisition cost than many of the bigger names potentially available on the market. Teams are often reluctant to move catchers during the season because of the relationships they build with pitchers and coaching staffs. However, Jeffers' expiring contract and Minnesota's current position in the standings could create a rare opportunity.

Victor Caratini has shown throughout his career that he can handle a larger workload and could step into the primary catching role if Jeffers is moved. That gives Minnesota flexibility that many clubs don't possess when considering a trade involving a starting catcher.

None of that makes the decision easy. Jeffers has spent his entire professional career in the Twins organization since being selected in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft. He has developed into one of the club's most consistent offensive performers and remains a respected presence in the clubhouse.

Still, if Minnesota ultimately decides to prioritize the future over a long-shot playoff push, moving an impending free agent at peak value may be the most logical path.

The next few weeks could determine everything. If Jeffers returns before the deadline and demonstrates that his bat is fully healthy, his market will only continue to grow. The Yankees may be the most obvious suitor today, but they likely won't be the only contender calling the Twins about one of the deadline's most appealing rental catchers.

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[Linus]

They have to trade him. They cannot let a valuable asset walk and get nothing in return. Our farm system needs a shot in the arm and this is a great way to get that process started. 

[Riverbrian]

Pohlad says they are looking to add. 

 

[Mike Sixel]

27 minutes ago, Riverbrian said:

Pohlad says they are looking to add. 

 

Ugh. If they trade from the future to support this team....ugh. This team needs new owners so badly.

[DataNerd]

Jeffers is probably getting traded, but there are plenty of other teams that are WS contenders (ATL, TBR, PHI) who have less fWAR at C than the Yankees.  I'm guessing that someone overpays for him against what the value charts would suggest

[Rod Carews Birthday]

It all depends on the return.  Always.  No exceptions.  

[thelanges5]

24 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Ugh. If they trade from the future to support this team....ugh. This team needs new owners so badly.

Yes! They could do a little Milwaukee Brewers two-step. Where they do a little selling and a little a little buying. But this year should be about determining who is/are the future. 

[ziggy]

52 minutes ago, thelanges5 said:

But this year should be about determining who is/are the future. 

I agree but it does not seem like the Twins management agrees.

[mickster]

2 hours ago, Linus said:

They have to trade him. They cannot let a valuable asset walk and get nothing in return. Our farm system needs a shot in the arm and this is a great way to get that process started. 

As much as I want an extension, that time is most likely past, he has to be traded as he will now test free agency.   Caratini and Jackson look to be an ok tandem right now - earlier in the season TD was roasting both of them.

[mnfireman]

2 hours ago, DataNerd said:

Jeffers is probably getting traded, but there are plenty of other teams that are WS contenders (ATL, TBR, PHI) who have less fWAR at C than the Yankees.  I'm guessing that someone overpays for him against what the value charts would suggest

ATL just got Baldwin back from injury and should get Murphy back sometime between the ASG and the trade deadline.

MLBTR posts indicate that PHI is looking for back-end rotation and OF help, not catching. Twins may be able to help with one or the other depending on their trade deadline situation.

The team does not HAVE to trade Jeffers, but if NYY are publicly stating they want him, maybe the Twins can can get a big return despite him being just a rental (the NYY have 4-5 Top 100 prospects depending on which ranking service you look at) and they always seem ready to "go big" when it comes to winning the WS.

[Sjoski]

 A home-grown guy finally breaks out and turns into one of the best-hitting catchers in baseball, only to become the ultimate trade chip.

 That sentence is to long to fit on a bumper sticker! 

How about:

"Today's All-Stars for tomorrow's High-A projects, since 1961."

[Linus]

3 minutes ago, Sjoski said:

 A home-grown guy finally breaks out and turns into one of the best-hitting catchers in baseball, only to become the ultimate trade chip.

 That sentence is to long to fit on a bumper sticker! 

How about:

"Today's All-Stars for tomorrow's High-A projects, since 1961."

How about “ we are so shortsighted we let a quality player walk and didn’t get anything in return?”

[Riverbrian]

2 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

Ugh. If they trade from the future to support this team....ugh. This team needs new owners so badly.

I have no idea what is happening inside those walls. 

I can only go by what he Tom Pohlad has said and the actions that they have taken and the reality of currently being two games out of wild card spot and 3.5 games from the division lead. 

This is from February:

That’s my personality. But there’s only so much we can do given the timing that we were in. We tried to be aggressive on some things, those things didn’t work out, and here we are. But I also don’t want something to get lost in translation. We really like our team. We think we’ve got a good mix of veterans and really talented young people that want to make a statement. I think we’re going to exceed expectations

And then from 5 days ago:

Jim Bowden isn’t your average MLB insider. He’s a former league executive, who in that past life, held TWO general manager positions (Reds, Nationals). And on Thursday morning, after “contacting all 30 MLB teams” Bowden reported that the Minnesota Twins have no plans of selling at the trade deadline. Instead, he is extremely convinced the Twins are seeking bullpen help for the 2026 postseason. According to Bowden, the Twins believe that — if they can keep Buxton and Royce Lewis healthy — they are a couple of good relievers away from making a playoff run.

Now I'd like to remind everyone of the trade deadline potential prices of getting a couple of good relievers. 

If they have any years of service left. Duran cost X last year, Jax cost X last year, Varland cost X last year. If they are looking at rentals... everyone will be looking for rentals and there will not be a ton of sellers. 

Now here they are in contention.  

 

[Mike Sixel]

Jeffers is still 2nd in fWAR for this team.....anyone that wants him needs to pay.