All Bridge Catchers Lead to Victor Caratini

[Cody Schoenmann]

Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

Realistically, there's very little chance that Ryan Jeffers remains with the Minnesota Twins in 2027. The team will get to decide, shortly after the end of the World Series, whether to extend him the qualifying offer (worth just over $23 million for one year), but even if they do, he might well reject it and seek a multi-year deal elsewhere. The way the organization values and deploys catchers makes a big expenditure to keep Jeffers unlikely.

Watching Jeffers leave will be a somber experience for Twins Territory. The second-round draft pick developed into one of baseball’s best offensive catchers. He has also become a beloved personality for fans and media. These plus traits are why the Twins could be priced out of a reunion with the 29-year-old. Immense optimism surrounds the position for the team in the long term, with top prospect Vahn Lackey succeeding Jeffers as the club’s backstop as soon as next summer. Still, the club will need to bridge the gap between the Jeffers and Lackey Eras early next season, leaving team decision-makers in a bind. 

Victor Caratini is the most obvious bridge. He's entering the second half of a two-year, $14-million deal signed last offseason. The 33-year-old hit .220/.312/.315 with seven home runs and a 79 wRC+ over 382 plate appearances in 2026. He was also a plus receiver behind the plate, sporting plus blocking and framing metrics, while netting 2.2 Runs Above Average on challenges. However, he was one of the weakest backstops in baseball against the running game, with an abysmal 2.04-second average pop time that led to six fewer runners being caught than expected. 

Jeffers was similarly atrocious at stopping runners. It often felt like basestealers could run freely against the Twins. (Indeed, only two teams allowed more steals, and no team caught a lower percentage of runners in the attempt.) This was one of Minnesota’s more glaring shortcomings last season, functioning as a significant hindrance to the club’s ability to suppress runs. Caratini has never been able to effectively suppress base-stealing efforts. There’s no reason to believe he will suddenly be able to in 2027. As noted earlier, he’s also an offensive liability, but given his plus receiving skills, knack for reversing balls into strikes, and (arguably most importantly) $7-million price tag, the switch-hitting veteran is all but guaranteed to be the club’s primary catcher next Opening Day.

Caratini catching four or five days a week is not ideal, particularly if he hits at a rate like last season's. (But things could be worse. At least they’re not paying J.T. Realmuto $15 million next season, right?) As things stand, Caratini will soon be the only catcher on Minnesota’s 40-man roster. Alex Jackson is still with the organization and under team control next season, but only if they take the proactive step of putting him back on the 40-man by the end of this month. I’d be content with the club entering next season with Jackson as Caratini’s backup. He performed well at the plate in 2026, hitting .304/.342/.406 (good for a 112 wRC+) over 73 plate appearances. The 30-year-old also had one of the best pop times last season, resulting in him being far better at suppressing the run game than Jeffers and Caratini.

Caratini is far better at receiving, framing, and challenging than Jackson is. In theory, the tandem could function as counterbalances for one another. The damage of Caratini’s inability to suppress base runners is mitigated by that being Jackson’s strength, and vice versa. Unfortunately, that’s not how the sport works, in practice. Starting Caratini only against teams who don't run isn't realistic, and the Twins don't have enough pitchers who can live with a lesser receiver to lean on Jackson more often. (Nor, in all likelihood, would Jackson hit as well in a more regular, exposed role.) Caratini’s and Jackson’s shortcomings will remain on display until Lackey (an elite all-around catcher) takes over the position full-time. They're a tolerable stopgap, but the team could still aim higher.

The only desirable non-Jeffers impending free agent catchers are Carson Kelly and Tyler Stephenson. Kelly is a far better option, but he will likely demand a multi-year contract, similar to what Caratini got last season. Stephenson is a better hitter than Caratini and Jackson and might be available on a one-year deal, or at least a low-risk, high-reward two-year pact. However, he's arguably the worst defender of the four, diminishing the impact of his just-above-average bat. I wouldn’t be against Minnesota pairing Stephenson with Caratini. He or Kelly could come in on a two-year deal and be the bridge's bridge, as it were, working in tandem with Caratini for 2027 and alongside Lackey in 2028, when Caratini's contract is up. Austin Hedges, James McCann, and Kyle Higashioka are also likely to be available, but the Twins might as well roll with Jackson, if they're considering any of those options. 

Five years after being the No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft, Pirates catcher Henry Davis could be available via trade. Of course, he has a Derek Shelton connection, having played under him for three seasons in Pittsburgh. Davis has yet to meet expectations at the plate, generating a career 55 wRC+ over 958 plate appearances. In fact, 2026 was his first positive-fWAR season in the majors, generating 0.6. The driving factor in his progression was that the 27-year-old was one of the best defensive catchers in baseball, being a plus receiver and near-elite run game suppressor. (He was slightly below-average at challenging.) His polished defensive skills make him an interesting target who could benefit from a change of scenery. Under team control until the end of the 2029 season, Davis could also tandem with Lackey, solidifying the position for years to come. 

The Twins probably wouldn’t have to surrender much prospect capital to acquire Davis, given his lackluster performance at the plate. Pittsburgh appears set at the position long-term, with Rafael Flores Jr. and Endy Rodriguez. Between veteran options in Kelly, Stephenson, Hedges, McCann, and Higashioka or team-controlled trade candidates in Davis, Luis Torrens, Carlos Narváez, or Austin Wells (especially if Jeffers signs with the Yankees), there are plenty of external options Minnesota could acquire. The Twins would be wise to invest in a higher-upside partner for Caratini than Jackson. Twins Territory should prepare for Caratini to make the bulk of starts behind the plate until Lackey’s highly-anticipated arrival. Maybe the wait will make the payoff a bit sweeter.

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[thelanges5]

Caratini is owed $10m this year ($7m salary and $3m buyout). That probably keeps him as the starting C and that’s no bueno. I didn’t hate the signing at the time, but he looked cooked.Could be an ugly season behind the dish. 

[tony&rodney]

The pitchers are ready for the club to add a defensive-minded catcher, whether that is Henry Davis, Ben Rortvedt,  or another glove. It is time to wish Ryan Jeffers well and move forward. A bat in the catching position is a luxury. A glove at the catching position is a necessity.

[Mai.K]

What about James McCann?

Honestly, I’d be perfectly fine with Caratini remaining our starting catcher for one more season, especially when you factor in the payroll situation.

Unless we’re in a tight spot late in the season, this team tends to prefer splitting playing time between two catchers pretty evenly, around a 50/50 workload. So rather than bringing in a clear-cut starting catcher, I’d prefer to have another catcher who’s reasonably close to Caratini in terms of ability.

I don’t think Jackson is quite at that level, though...

So, realistically, if we narrow things down to catchers we could afford to sign in free agency, McCann seems like the best option to me.

[Patzky]

42 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

The pitchers are ready for the club to add a defensive-minded catcher, whether that is Henry Davis, Ben Rortvedt,  or another glove. It is time to wish Ryan Jeffers well and move forward. A bat in the catching position is a luxury. A glove at the catching position is a necessity.

So we'll move on from two below average catchers to one and an unknown? Things are truly looking up. Let's keep in mind it's a short term issue..for a year or four months (or maybe two or three if a labor stoppage lingers.) 

Don't sell the farm for this.

[LastOnePicked]

Folks might be putting a little too much on Lackey's shoulders. It will certainly take a few years to adjust to a big-league staff. If they really want to compete, the Twins are going to need a solution a C for at least the next 2-3 seasons. 

[South Dakota Tom]

I like the Henry Davis idea on a one-year deal.  He's shown he can handle the workload and we need to think defense-first; maybe this will be the year he figures it all out.

[DJL44]

I would like to see them add Carson Kelly if possible. Freddy Fermin, Carlos Narváez or Henry Davis would be good glove trade options.

Joey Bart is a potential non-tender but probably worth his $3M projected award. He seems marginally better than using Alex Jackson. Call the White Sox and offer them cash considerations.

[saviking]

Crazy we haven't been able to cultivate at least a decent back up Center in our minor league system .. Even when Lackey comes up we will need one. 

[Woof Bronzer]

14 minutes ago, LastOnePicked said:

Folks might be putting a little too much on Lackey's shoulders. It will certainly take a few years to adjust to a big-league staff. If they really want to compete, the Twins are going to need a solution a C for at least the next 2-3 seasons. 

Fair, but it's not all on Lackey.  Catcher is one of, if not the, deepest position we have in the minors.  At some point you have to trust in your development.  (If you can't, then it's time to rehaul your entire development program.)  And it's ok for a young player to struggle.  Yes, there will be a short term sacrifice, but there aren't many quick fixes for their roster issues, and the team needs to make decisions with a view beyond 2027.  

The Twins' operating philosophy has long seemed to be, trust aging vets on short deals vs trust younger players who might not be 100% polished.  I don't think it has worked out very well.  In fact it hasn't worked out very well at the catcher position!  The Twins spent $45m Vasquez and Caratini alone.  If we want different results we have to start doing things differently, in my opinion.   

[Woof Bronzer]

34 minutes ago, Patzky said:

So we'll move on from two below average catchers to one and an unknown?

If the choice is between this and settling for below average, yes, absolutely.  Why would you want to set a ceiling of below average if you could maybe, just maybe do better?  

[tony&rodney]

35 minutes ago, Patzky said:

So we'll move on from two below average catchers to one and an unknown? Things are truly looking up. Let's keep in mind it's a short term issue..for a year or four months (or maybe two or three if a labor stoppage lingers.) 

Don't sell the farm for this.

Not exactly sure what you are saying. I think you are opposed to trading anything valuable. 

My take is that there are catchers available, similar to an Austin Hedges. Alex Jackson was never used, so it is difficult to know if the Twins trust him. Ben Rortvedt is free. Henry Davis will be available for .... not much. I could live with those two guys or something similar. Neither will hit a lick and people will scream bloody murder, but the pitchers will be happier.

What I have said is that a glove first catcher is a necessity. The Twins have rolled with Garver and Jeffers. Time to get a glove back there. There may be an opportunity for a splash to bring in a better guy but I will stay away from guesses at this time because it is impossible to know how other teams value any of the Twins players.

Caratini will be back if he is not traded and he only gets dealt if he is part of a complex multi-player transaction. This puts the pressure on Zoll to find a solid player who can catch 100+ games. My suggestion - Get to Work Zoll.

[Linus]

@ashbury created a concept he has named the Failure Penalty. He is being nice: my name would be closer to the Incompetence Tax.  Whatever name you prefer, there is no greater illustration than studying the recent history of Twins catching. 

[Gamblerssoftball]

I think Alex Jackson may be better than some think. At least he's not a black hole in the lineup. He just didn't get used enough last year to get a good gauge on him. I bet he gets a long look this spring if it's baseball as usual. 

[MapleGroveTwinsFan]

41 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

I could live with those two guys or something similar. Neither will hit a lick and people will scream bloody murder, but the pitchers will be happier.

What I have said is that a glove first catcher is a necessity.

Not disagreeing with you, just pointing out that doesn't work if said catcher cough, cough Vazquez is surrounded by other guys that can't hit. 

[MeleMouth]

This article is correct; Caratini is the best defensive catcher among the options reasonably available to the Twins to start the year. There is also reason to expect his offense in 2027 to be a little better than it was in 2026.

If Diaw improves his defense some, he could also get innings in the second half. Other commenters have suggested trading for Henry Davis from the Pirates, which is also a good idea, but it's unclear whether the Twins would want to trade what it may take to get Davis.

Jackson would fine for a short term, if nothing better is available. Otherwise, they could try to see if they could get a AA or AAA player like Ariel Armas of the Cubs and if they would tolerate his offense; if he can match Austin Hedges, that would probably be OK.

[HarmonK03]

54 minutes ago, Gamblerssoftball said:

I think Alex Jackson may be better than some think. At least he's not a black hole in the lineup. He just didn't get used enough last year to get a good gauge on him. I bet he gets a long look this spring if it's baseball as usual. 

Jackson was put on waivers three times last year and no one claimed him.  I think it is more of a case of his being overvalued in TD land.  I wouldn't mind if he was the third catcher, available in case of injury but I am not sure he should be counted on for more than that.

[farmerguychris]

59 minutes ago, Gamblerssoftball said:

I think Alex Jackson may be better than some think. At least he's not a black hole in the lineup. He just didn't get used enough last year to get a good gauge on him. I bet he gets a long look this spring if it's baseball as usual. 

I agree....He may be the better option to get the majority of the starts compared to Caratini, despite the payroll figures.  But, neither one is going to be someone who does anything more than keep the seat warm for the future.

[AceWrigley]

The Henry Davis idea in interesting. Looking at his stats majors vs minors he doesn't even look like the same guy.

He was the overall number 1 pick in 2021 and in the minors he hit .290/.407/.529 with 11% caught stealing, and in the majors he's hit .178/.265/.300 with 32% caught stealing.

Seems like there should be some offensive upside to his game. Sheltie probably has a pretty good take on whether or not he could help the Twins.

[Andy MacPhail]

I don't get the past regime philosophy of totally dismantling of one of the top BP if not top; into a plane crash, The same with the dismantling the '19 catching department. They were also one of the deepest if not the deepest catching crew. Back in '22 they put all their eggs in Boras's client Jeffers. I have advocated for better quality depth ever since; they have fallen on deaf ears. I was very happy when they finally drafted a premium catching prospect in Lackey. But there is at least a year or two gap because of their neglect.

IMO, Caratini is a backup catcher, so we need to find someone to anchor our tandem. Because of the gap before Lackey is ready to anchor the catching crew, we need someone who can do so for 4 yrs. or more. I don't think that Davis is our man. I was very surprised when PIT drafted Davis #1 He was not deserving; I was never very big on Davis. I'm a big advocate for looking at talent not stats. Rortvedt is a very good defensive catcher & when given quality ABs & not overextended has been pretty successful offensively. But the problem is that he was injured early in his career, been behind other catchers so he hasn't had the quality ABs. At TB he started out very well but into the dog days of summer, he wilted. That why I always say you need to look beyond stats. Rortvedt isn't a primary catcher yet I think he could do very good well anchoring a tandem. Rortvedt will be cheap as a MiLB free agent.

We still need a 3rd catcher with options. Davis doesn't have any options left. Maybe in-house? If Carantini was able to be a primary catcher, then, yeah, I'd consider Davis as a backup. But Caratini isn't. So, no to Davis.

[ashbury]

2 hours ago, Linus said:

@ashbury created a concept he has named the Failure Penalty. He is being nice

Stupidity Tax™ was already taken.

[stringer bell]

At a glance, Alex Jackson and Ben Rortvedt are pretty similar hitters. Jackson is 30, has 513 PAs and a 56 OPS+, Rortvedt is 29, has 661 PAs and a 54 OPS+. There are reasons to like their defense, but not enough to overrule their lack of hitting. IMHO, either would be fine as a #3 catcher, but not having options would mean going through DFAs and the possibility of being claimed.

What is needed is a strong defensive catcher who can limit the running game who could start at least 35% of the time.