Victor Caratini Has Changed the Twins' Trade Deadline Outlook

[nicksaviking]

12 hours ago, arby58 said:

Then who catches in 2027? We can’t only be concerned about the future.

Some free agent? Caratini hasn't been a full time catcher in a half decade. Even if he's here next year, I'd guess there's going to be someone else brought in to platoon with him.

After initial reports regarding the CBA, it certainly sounds like the Twins are going to be FORCED to spend way more money next year than they'd like to. Could spend it on Jeffers. Could spend it on somebody else.

[nicksaviking]

Also, with the CBA approaching and the ABS system getting significantly less push back from the staunch baseball purists, robo-umps have a significant chance of taking over next year. What is listed above as Caratini's best value may evaporate after one season.

[D.C Twins]

10 hours ago, howeda7 said:

Sign Joe Ryan (4 years $92 million) and Pabo (2 years/$40 million) to extensions. Trade Jeffers. Add two relievers, at least one with 2027 control. 

Ryan ain't signing that extension unfortunately

[D.C Twins]

It was always the plan to trade Jeffers at the deadline... now it is just even more comfortable to do so.... 

[arby58]

35 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Some free agent? Caratini hasn't been a full time catcher in a half decade. Even if he's here next year, I'd guess there's going to be someone else brought in to platoon with him.

After initial reports regarding the CBA, it certainly sounds like the Twins are going to be FORCED to spend way more money next year than they'd like to. Could spend it on Jeffers. Could spend it on somebody else.

I’ve never heard of him. Pretty glaring hole to fill if this guy doesn’t materialize. The kind that would cause anguished posts on this website about their lack of vision.

[nicksaviking]

5 minutes ago, arby58 said:

I’ve never heard of him. Pretty glaring hole to fill if this guy doesn’t materialize. The kind that would cause anguished posts on this website about their lack of vision.

Nobody heard of Caratini before this year either. 

The Twins ALWAYS have a catcher problem in the offseason, then we get to July and we realize they don't. It's a defensive position that's about to become largely obsolete too.

[Andy MacPhail]

HOU has done a great job of coming up with great catchers. '25 Diaz, Caratini & Salazar had one of the best MLB depth in catching. For years I've been shopping for catchers & Caratini has been on my radar. Coming to a new organization & learning new pitchers Isn't easy, so what Caratini is doing is admirable. Being a backup for many years, he's hungry & has something to prove. & being mentored by Maldonado & Diaz is big.

I really like Jeffers but the Twins won't be able to afford his top catching salary. Can Caratini step up & catch fulltime for a full season? Can Jackson be backup fulltime for a full season? We'll see.

[Coach JT]

Trade Jeffers and Larnach and Gray for as many left handed pitchers you can get . 

[Alien]

All season long, I've been in favor of extending Jeffers for 3-4 years, but my mind has changed, thanks to Caratini exploding and Jackson showing to be more than competent. Now, I'll posit the Twins should flip Jeffers for a bullpen arm, (and try to get a prospect thrown in), then, in the off-season, sign Jeffers back for 3-4 seasons. This could be a 4-D chess maneuver...

[mickster]

13 hours ago, Dman said:

Seemed pretty unanimous on the board that people liked the Caratini signing as it seemed like Jeffers would be gone at the deadline or at least end of the season.  The surprising part was that the Twins won the bidding war for him and then had too many catchers and luckily slipped Jackson through Waivers.

He was pretty bad at the plate in April and May so even after his amazing 1.050 OPS in June his current OPS sits at .704 which is a shade under what I'd hoped he be at for the season. Was hoping he would more consistently be a .750 OPS bat.  Still time to get there, but he has been what the Twins needed and I bet there are teams out there that wish they had him now.

Jackson has been fine in a SSS as well.  The Twins can't carry three catchers for long so I wouldn't be surprised to see an early trade not long after the draft for Jeffers.

three catchers can work as Caratini can do some DH and 1B, Jeffers can DH as well

[Dman]

1 minute ago, mickster said:

three catchers can work as Caratini can do some DH and 1B, Jeffers can DH as well

It can, but you are hurting your bench flexibility quite a bit.  There is a reason teams don't carry three catchers.

[arby58]

44 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Nobody heard of Caratini before this year either. 

The Twins ALWAYS have a catcher problem in the offseason, then we get to July and we realize they don't. It's a defensive position that's about to become largely obsolete too.

There’s a huge difference between finding a back-up catcher and finding a starting catcher. I’m also missing the rationale behind catcher obsolescence - they still take 11% of the at bats and haven’t been replaced by ball return robots.

[mickster]

1 hour ago, Dman said:

It can, but you are hurting your bench flexibility quite a bit.  There is a reason teams don't carry three catchers.

I understand that - but Jackson won't pass through waivers, so they will need to trade someone when Jeffers is ready to play

[HarmonK03]

I will make a similar comment I made in today's game thread.  It doesn't matter which player or prospects you want to discuss, the fact remains do we trust Zoll to lead the team thru this process.  He helped Falvey get us into the mess of roster construction and lack of bullpen, so can he really come up with a plan for this team.  Or will he make trades just to make trades.  I think people are giving him a pass for how this roster was constructed and even for the trade deadline moves last year, both good and bad.

I don't want him making moves that could potentially hurt this organization and if he doesn't have a plan that could easily happen.  And if he has a plan, while he doesn't have to share it in detail you usually see some idea of a plan based on their moves.  And I sure don't see any idea of a plan.

[h2oface]

22 hours ago, mnfireman said:

$7 MM...

Nope. 10 in 2027. 4 this year

Victor Caratini is playing under a two-year, $14 million contract with the Minnesota Twins.

The veteran switch-hitting catcher finalized the deal with the club in January, marking a significant multi-year free agent addition for the front office.

 

Contract Structure & Financials

The agreement spans the next consecutive seasons:

 

Metric	Details
Total Contract Value	$14,000,000
Average Annual Value (AAV)	$7,000,000
2026 Base Salary	$4,000,000
2027 Base Salary	$10,000,000
Guaranteed Money	$14,000,000

[mnfireman]

How about we're both wrong 😉

 

[tony&rodney]

There is almost no chance the Twins sign Ryan Jeffers to a long term contract and the idea that the club will push a QO of $23 million towards Jeffers is absurd. The reality is that Ryan Jeffers is in his last season with the Twins. The decision is whether the club benefits more from a trade by August 3 or by keeping Jeffers to provide help towards winning games.

Keeping Jeffers creates a difficult roster decision with Alex Jackson. The Twins can roll with three catchers until August but playing short a position player might be tougher for an entire month. Right now, the Twins are using Bell at DH and Lewis at first base. Any shifting of playing time creates questions and one has to wonder if the results would create more runs. The recent moves done by the Twins to strengthen their defense have paid large dividends in wins and less stress on the pitchers. Currently, the club is putting a better set of gloves in the field. Moving pieces risks that situation. The goal should be to improve the overall product. 

The needs are most pointedly in the bullpen. Any addition that clearly improves the pen is a plus. Thus it would seem rather obvious that the Twins must find the best offer of pitching for Ryan Jeffers. Another way to improve the bullpen would be to make an attempt to pry Sonny Gray away from Boston with a similar offer to the last transaction that brought him to Minnesota; offer Dasan Hill or Charlee Soto for Gray. 

We shouldn't expect any moves until late July or at the deadline unless a team or two get edgy and decide they need a catcher like Ryan Jeffers right now. We will almost certainly see Jeffers versus the Angels. Watching the Saints, Jeffers looks like he is ready today. 

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

[h2oface]

14 hours ago, mnfireman said:

How about we're both wrong 😉

 

How about that is still 10 mil guaranteed next year!  It certainly isn’t 7 mil guaranteed next year. 
 

“I’m not always right but I’ve never been wrong.”

[ashbury]

Crap.  Wrong thread.  

[h2oface]

.

[mnfireman]

23 minutes ago, h2oface said:

How about that is still 10 mil guaranteed next year!  It certainly isn’t 7 mil next year. 
 

“I’m not always right but I’ve never been wrong.”

Right, it's $6.5 MM for '27, $3.5 for '28....

"I never made a mistake in my life. I thought I did once, but I was wrong"