Report: Rival Teams Expect Twins To Trade Ryan Jeffers

[Matthew Taylor]

According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, rival executives are increasingly expecting the Minnesota Twins to move catcher Ryan Jeffers before the trade deadline.

In his latest report, Nightengale wrote, "Rival teams now believe that the Minnesota Twins will trade catcher Ryan Jeffers, with the Yankees the leading candidate to sign him."

The report lines up with what has seemed like the most logical outcome for weeks. Jeffers is set to become a free agent after the season, meaning the Twins risk losing him for nothing this winter. Even if Minnesota decides to make a modest buy at the deadline instead of becoming outright sellers, dealing Jeffers could still make sense if it allows the organization to add long-term value while replacing his production internally.

The timing of the report is also notable because the catching market changed dramatically on Sunday morning. Athletics All-Star Shea Langeliers suffered a torn meniscus in his knee and could miss the remainder of the season. Langeliers was widely viewed as the premier catcher available at the deadline thanks to his offensive production and team control through the 2028 season. With him now likely off the market, Jeffers becomes the clear top catching option available to contenders.

That shift in the market only increases Jeffers' value and could make it even more difficult for the Twins to justify holding onto him through the end of the season. If multiple contenders are searching for catching help and the best alternative is no longer available, Minnesota could find itself in an excellent position to maximize Jeffers' trade value.

Do you think the Twins should capitalize on Jeffers' value and trade him before the deadline, or should they keep him for a postseason push? Leave a comment below and start the conversation!

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[JDubs]

Even before the injury I feel like it made sense to move Jeffers. They need help elsewhere and the Carratini/Jackson pairing did fine enough in his absence to make this palatable. If they can get some real value out of it now it would be crazy not to.

[LA Vikes Fan]

I'm going to keep saying it to try to will this into existence: Don't trade Jeffers to the Yankees, trade him to Seattle! here's the trade:

Twins get - Emerson Hancock and Jose Ferrer or Gabe Speiers

Mariners get - Ryan Jeffers and Alan Roden, Emma, or Gabriel Gonzalez.

Jeffers and Emma is an even trade according to BTV for Hancock and Ferrer, Jeffers and Roden or GG works for Hancock and Speiers if the Twins throw in a 20-30 guy. 

Alternative trade-

Twins get - Emerson Hancock

Mariners get - Ryan Jeffers, their choice of Henry Mendez or Ryan Gallagher

i say let's do it. 

[ashbury]

I don't trust Alex Jackson any farther than I can throw him, to maintain the hitting pace he's established so far. 

But if a really strong offer for Jeffers comes in, IMO the FO has to take it - losing Jeffers compromises the rest of the season (if it's still thought a playoff berth is attainable) less than at any other position on the field than corner outfield.

If that strong offer doesn't materialize, and the coming few games leave the Twins in position to make a post-season push, I'm also okay with reaping the value of Jeffers's final two months of team control.  "Losing a free agent for NOTHING" doesn't hold water for me by itself - there is value also in what the player brings to the team while he's with us.

If that's fence-straddling, so be it.  The coming few days will hold much meaning.

[Mike Sixel]

34 minutes ago, LA Vikes Fan said:

I'm going to keep saying it to try to will this into existence: Don't trade Jeffers to the Yankees, trade him to Seattle! here's the trade:

Twins get - Emerson Hancock and Jose Ferrer or Gabe Speiers

Mariners get - Ryan Jeffers and Alan Roden, Emma, or Gabriel Gonzalez.

Jeffers and Emma is an even trade according to BTV for Hancock and Ferrer, Jeffers and Roden or GG works for Hancock and Speiers if the Twins throw in a 20-30 guy. 

Alternative trade-

Twins get - Emerson Hancock

Mariners get - Ryan Jeffers, their choice of Henry Mendez or Ryan Gallagher

i say let's do it. 

That's way too light for Seattle. Way too light. Also, Seattle is fading.... They might not buy. But I'm all in on your general idea. 

[AbsolutelyRanched]

If they don't trade him I'm confident they'll still get a comp pick. He'll reject the QO. So it won't be "for nothing." 

[Brock Beauchamp]

37 minutes ago, AbsolutelyRanched said:

If they don't trade him I'm confident they'll still get a comp pick. He'll reject the QO. So it won't be "for nothing." 

There's a better than 50-50 chance the qualifying offer is gone with the coming CBA. They almost got rid of it with the last CBA, but couldn't agree to terms on an international draft.

[Mike Sixel]

40 minutes ago, AbsolutelyRanched said:

If they don't trade him I'm confident they'll still get a comp pick. He'll reject the QO. So it won't be "for nothing." 

That pick will be 3-5 years away, vs a guy that will likely be ready next year. That's a big delta. 

The QO may go away. It may not. You also assume they will offer it, and that he'll decline..

[terrydactyls]

51 minutes ago, AbsolutelyRanched said:

If they don't trade him I'm confident they'll still get a comp pick. He'll reject the QO. So it won't be "for nothing." 

Decline the QO?  Why would anyone turn down $23M for a one year deal?  He can be a free agent after 2027, can't he?  And because there may be a work stoppage during the 2027 season and you may be without an income, why not get paid as much as possible before you have to sit on your butt for a couple months?

[East Coast Twin]

30 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

There's a better than 50-50 chance the qualifying offer is gone with the coming CBA. They almost got rid of it with the last CBA, but couldn't agree to terms on an international draft.

Presumably there will be players accepting qualifying offers prior to a December 1 shutdown.  I can't imagine a new CBA would negate such agreements.  Seems more reasonable that a new CBA would only remove the QO and compensation draft picks beginning with the 2027/28 offseason.

 

[Cory Engelhardt]

A deal that is good enough to deal our (arguably) best hitter, while the team is apparently going for it for the next 2 months, had better be meaningful for both the rest of 2026 as well as 2027 ongoing. Or they better also make some other moves to help the lineup. 

Almost whatever it is, IF THEY DON'T MAKE OTHER MOVES, trading Jeffers or someone who won't be up until 2028 won't be looked at kindly.

[Mike Sixel]

2 minutes ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

A deal that is good enough to deal our (arguably) best hitter, while the team is apparently going for it for the next 2 months, had better be meaningful for both the rest of 2026 as well as 2027 ongoing. Or they better also make some other moves to help the lineup. 

Almost whatever it is, IF THEY DON'T MAKE OTHER MOVES, trading Jeffers or someone who won't be up until 2028 won't be looked at kindly.

Why are they trading him for a guy that far away? I doubt they do that. 

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

He will be sorely missed. If Tom P.'s bluster this off season had any semblance of truth to it, he keeps Jeffers and gets an extension done. Yeah, I know. It's Boras and Jeffers wasn't too keen on ownership after last year's deadline. But, all that can be water under the bridge...if the Twins want it to be.

[Mike Sixel]

6 minutes ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

He will be sorely missed. If Tom P.'s bluster this off season had any semblance of truth to it, he keeps Jeffers and gets an extension done. Yeah, I know. It's Boras and Jeffers wasn't too keen on ownership after last year's deadline. But, all that can be water under the bridge...if the Twins want it to be.

What would you pay him, not knowing what the new CBA is? He's going to want 5 years, likely can get 4 on the open market. 

[Cory Engelhardt]

15 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Why are they trading him for a guy that far away? I doubt they do that. 

I bet you are right. I'm not even certain what I would would want back for Jeffers that I would want MORE than 2 months of Jeffers bat in the lineup for the rest of the season. I get economics and all, but still.

That said, I have to think that if they are trading Jeffers, they are ALSO making other moves. They almost have to, regardless if they are buying or selling.

[Cory Engelhardt]

5 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

What would you pay him, not knowing what the new CBA is? He's going to want 5 years, likely can get 4 on the open market. 

Raleigh was so much better last season than Jeffers has ever been, and he got 6 years. Year later he fell off the table offensively. It' a weird line, extending a catcher and expecting production to stay. But with how Jeffers can DH, I like his bat to stay solid at least for another year.

I wouldn't go over 3 years with an option for him. If he gets 5, good for him. Still sucks for 2026 IF he is moved.

[Mike Sixel]

2 minutes ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

I bet you are right. I'm not even certain what I would would want back for Jeffers that I would want MORE than 2 months of Jeffers bat in the lineup for the rest of the season. I get economics and all, but still.

That said, I have to think that if they are trading Jeffers, they are ALSO making other moves. They almost have to, regardless if they are buying or selling.

I really expect Wallner to go on  tiny deal for an A ball pitcher.

I expect them to send out a middling prospect for a RP.

I have other hopes....but that's what I THINK they do (whether they deal Jeffers or not). 

[Mike Sixel]

1 minute ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

Raleigh was so much better last season than Jeffers has ever been, and he got 6 years. Year later he fell off the table offensively. It' a weird line, extending a catcher and expecting production to stay. But with how Jeffers can DH, I like his bat to stay solid at least for another year.

I wouldn't go over 3 years with an option for him. If he gets 5, good for him. Still sucks for 2026 IF he is moved.

I totally understand why people want to keep Jeffers. If he'll take a three year deal for like 15 a year? I do that, sure. I just doubt it, and it's why I deal him for a AA SP in the 50-120 range, even if I have to throw in a low level SP from MN to do that. But I get why others disagree.

I think the SEA dream might be dead, as they seem to be fading....

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

13 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

What would you pay him, not knowing what the new CBA is? He's going to want 5 years, likely can get 4 on the open market. 

 

Realmuto got $45M for 3 years. I'd offer $60M for 4 years and see where it takes you.

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, terrydactyls said:

Decline the QO?  Why would anyone turn down $23M for a one year deal?  He can be a free agent after 2027, can't he?  And because there may be a work stoppage during the 2027 season and you may be without an income, why not get paid as much as possible before you have to sit on your butt for a couple months?

If he wouldn’t turn down the QO then the Twins should ABSOLUTELY trade him. Get the prospects and offer him 1 year, $23M as a free agent to return for 2027.
 

The qualifying offer only benefits the Twins if Jeffers turns it down.

[Brock Beauchamp]

1 hour ago, East Coast Twin said:

Presumably there will be players accepting qualifying offers prior to a December 1 shutdown.  I can't imagine a new CBA would negate such agreements.  Seems more reasonable that a new CBA would only remove the QO and compensation draft picks beginning with the 2027/28 offseason.

Honestly, I don't know. I could see it going either direction, as there will be no active CBA in place for a period. If the player accepts the QO, it makes sense that they have a 2027 contract in place. If they reject it, why would the team be guaranteed a pick? I could argue the point in both directions.

[LA Vikes Fan]

2 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

That's way too light for Seattle. Way too light. Also, Seattle is fading.... They might not buy. But I'm all in on your general idea. 

You may be right. I keep thinking Jeffers has more value than he probably does given that he's rental. It might take Jeffers and Emma just to get Hancock. I'd still do that, but I'm nowhere near as high a on Emma as many are here. Seattle is lucky in the same way we are - there's no good team in their division. Short of a collapse they are likely to be in the division race in September. Also, with their starting pitching, they could actually make noise in the playoffs if they can get some offense. I think Jeffers might interest them. 

[LA Vikes Fan]

47 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

I really expect Wallner to go on  tiny deal for an A ball pitcher.

I expect them to send out a middling prospect for a RP.

I have other hopes....but that's what I THINK they do (whether they deal Jeffers or not). 

I think you're right on Wallner. He really has little to no value to a good team unfortunately, since he can't field and strikes out 35% of the time. I hope for his sake we can get him to a non-contending team like Oakland (Sacramento? Vegas?) and maybe he can have a career renascence as High HR, no glove guy on a bad team.