Ryan Jeffers Open to Twins Reunion

[Richie the Rally Goat]

13 hours ago, JADBP said:

The problem here is we do NOT need Jeffers in years 3-4-5!  By that time, Lackey will be busting down the door (and if he moves fast, maybe even next year, but C is a notoriously long learning cycle!).  The only possible need is for 2 years, 3 max.  So, there is a part of me that says give him the QO, he takes it and sticks around another year .... and Lackey comes up some time in '28.  I'd save those $$ to spend on pitching!!

I have too many good catchers!

 

 

 

 

said no MLB GM ever

[tony&rodney]

33 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Move him to first when there are two other catchers. 

Jeffers did some good work for the Twins. He is a good hitting catcher. Ryan Jeffers' numbers would not be a good hitting first baseman. His lack of speed and troubles with balls on the ground/in the dirt at catcher do not portend fair results at first base. 

Jeffers should receive a healthy contract from some team with catching needs and money to burn. The Twins cannot afford to continue with substandard catching. 

[Bangkok Twins Fan]

On 10/3/2026 at 11:51 AM, JADBP said:

The problem here is we do NOT need Jeffers in years 3-4-5! 

Yep, we could certainly use Jeffers for next season as a catcher, but beyond that we won't need him unless he is used at DH or 1B. Too many good young catchers in our system who will or should be ready by 2028.

[JADBP]

On 10/3/2026 at 10:18 AM, Mike Sixel said:

Move him to first when there are two other catchers. 

Jeez, I would hope that we would have figured out that glaring hole at 1B by 2028! 

I was hopeful that Royce would be a good-to-great 1Bman, but he just keeps messing up.  11 E's, a 0.227 AVG, 0.9 WAR, this 1-1 is not paying off.  We could use a sharp 1Bman. Not sure if that is Royce, Keashcall, or a new guy.  Maybe Ty France again? 

Jeffers has played exactly one MiLB game at 1B, and none in MLB.  I wouldn't assume he is an auto-transfer to 1B.  DH, yeah.  1B, who knows?  

[Whammy]

On 9/30/2026 at 10:17 AM, DJL44 said:

The best case scenario for the Twins is if Jeffers turns down the QO and signs elsewhere for $50M or higher. They can spend the money more wisely elsewhere.

I'm curious what ways you plan to spend $23M more wisely in 2027 than a starting catcher who has an 800 OPS

[DJL44]

45 minutes ago, Whammy said:

I'm curious what ways you plan to spend $23M more wisely in 2027 than a starting catcher who has an 800 OPS

A second baseman who has a higher career OPS than Jeffers 750.

[Whammy]

I'm pretty comfortable calling a guy with a 0.782 OPS over his last 4 years and a 0.814 OPS last year an "800 OPS" guy.

I know that removes Luis Arraez from your plan though, even at .782, and ignoring the fact that a .750 OPS at Catcher is more valuable than a .750 OPS at 2B

[DJL44]

1 minute ago, Whammy said:

I'm pretty comfortable calling a guy with a 0.782 OPS over his last 4 years and a 0.814 OPS last year an "800 OPS" guy.

I know that removes Luis Arraez from your plan though, even at .782, and ignoring the fact that a .750 OPS at Catcher is more valuable than a .750 OPS at 2B

2024-26 WAR totals

Jeffers 6.4

Lowe 9.6 (will have QO attached)

Chisholm 7.3

Torres 6.9

Arraez 5.4

I think they can get a second baseman and the comp pick for $20M less than Jeffers will get in free agency. 

[Cory Engelhardt]

I'm seeing talk about getting a 2B. I could be wrong, but that feels like too specific a target in my mind for a few reasons;

Clemens at 2B, especially against righties, is pretty solid in my opinion. Plus his defense there was ok/fine. Do I think he is a PLUS PLUS defender there? No. Do I think he can be average there. Yeah probably.

Marek Houston will start the year at AAA, and if there is a regular full season he'll probably debut in May or June right? That's certainly when Culpepper would have debuted in 2026 if not for his glute injury. At that point, if Culpepper is still the best SS, then Houston can take over 2b. If Houston is the best SS, then Culpepper can slide to 2b.

Depth is good, and having Clemens at that point as a utility is a good thing right?

All of this to say, I think the best opportunity to try and add the best middle of the order bat is at 1B. I think they should focus on really getting someone via trade to bring in and stick in the middle of the order.

I'll take a true 1B over any of the players you listed with their WAR from 2024-2026 as well as Clemens. Shoot higher, that's what I'm saying.

 

[DJL44]

40 minutes ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

I'm seeing talk about getting a 2B. I could be wrong, but that feels like too specific a target in my mind for a few reasons;

Any of those second basemen can slide to 1B if needed (though that would be a waste of Jazz on defense). What are you trading to get a first baseman? This team should absolutely not trade prospects for veterans.

Adding a free agent only costs money. If Houston develops and they have too many good infielders, that means they have assets another team would trade for. The market is providing second basemen this year.

[DJL44]

Here are all the first baseman clearly better over the last 3 seasons than the second basemen I listed.

Bryce Harper, Matt Olson, Rafael Devers, Pete Alonso, Freddie Freeman, Vlad Guerrero Jr, Willson Conteras, Michael Busch

Which one are you trading for and how are you going to get him?

[Linus]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

2024-26 WAR totals

Jeffers 6.4

Lowe 9.6 (will have QO attached)

Chisholm 7.3

Torres 6.9

Arraez 5.4

I think they can get a second baseman and the comp pick for $20M less than Jeffers will get in free agency. 

This makes some sense. Lowe could transition to first for Clemens if / when Houston is ready to come up. People need to remember that Houston still has to hit at two higher levels before he is a mainstay. That is not guaranteed. 
Free agency for first baseman is horrible so we need to get more creative to add a difference making bat. 

[Cory Engelhardt]

29 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

Here are all the first baseman clearly better over the last 3 seasons than the second basemen I listed.

Bryce Harper, Matt Olson, Rafael Devers, Pete Alonso, Freddie Freeman, Vlad Guerrero Jr, Willson Conteras, Michael Busch

Which one are you trading for and how are you going to get him?

Michael Busch. I also would try for Isaac Paredes. 

[DJL44]

2 minutes ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

Michael Busch. I also would try for Isaac Paredes. 

How?

Paredes is interesting. Everyone thought in April that he would be squeezed out of the infield by the Correa trade and Houston had to trade him immediately. They kept him, Correa and Pena combined for 154 games, Paredes finished 2nd on the team in plate appearances, compiled 4 WAR and they miss the playoffs without him. I imagine the Astros will keep him at $13.4M. They would probably trade him for Marek Houston since Pena is a free agent after 2027. They might accept Joe Ryan 1-for-1.

[Cory Engelhardt]

23 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

How?

Paredes is interesting. Everyone thought in April that he would be squeezed out of the infield by the Correa trade and Houston had to trade him immediately. They kept him, Correa and Pena combined for 154 games, Paredes finished 2nd on the team in plate appearances, compiled 4 WAR and they miss the playoffs without him. I imagine the Astros will keep him at $13.4M. They would probably trade him for Marek Houston since Pena is a free agent after 2027. They might accept Joe Ryan 1-for-1.

I’d very much be open to trading Joe Ryan in a deal for one of these guys. Maybe prospects get added on either side. But that would be the start of my framework 

[DJL44]

6 minutes ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

I’d very much be open to trading Joe Ryan in a deal for one of these guys. Maybe prospects get added on either side. But that would be the start of my framework 

Turning Joe Ryan into a first baseman with an expiring contract would be quite disappointing.

[Cory Engelhardt]

50 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

Turning Joe Ryan into a first baseman with an expiring contract would be quite disappointing.

Not if there isn’t another prospect attached. And even then, money could be used to extend them no?

Like, for example, Busch and a prospect arm or Parades and a prospect arm and an extension for Paredes works for me

[tony&rodney]

Let Jeffers go. The Twins need to embrace a move to athleticism and defense. Kody Clemens had a good year. It was unexpected by all. He is decent in right field, but the Twins can do better at first and second base defensively. I'm not sure the Twins can convince Brandon Lowe to sign or complete a trade for Michael Busch but both are solid gains if completed. Clemens would make a spectacular utility player who finishes the year with 500 plate appearances. Jeffers returns a draft choice or if the Twins are nervous they just let him go. The Twins should be open to moving players. 

[Cory Engelhardt]

2 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

Let Jeffers go. The Twins need to embrace a move to athleticism and defense. Kody Clemens had a good year. It was unexpected by all. He is decent in right field, but the Twins can do better at first and second base defensively. I'm not sure the Twins can convince Brandon Lowe to sign or complete a trade for Michael Busch but both are solid gains if completed. Clemens would make a spectacular utility player who finishes the year with 500 plate appearances. Jeffers returns a draft choice or if the Twins are nervous they just let him go. The Twins should be open to moving players. 

The draft choice in a year with a strong college pitching crop is ok by me. 

And yeah, getting a bopper at 1B will help this lineup a ton. I wish I believed Royce Lewis could be that but as of now I don't.