3 Teams Who Could Make a Play for Ryan Jeffers at MLB Trade Deadline

The Minnesota Twins have spent much of July walking the line between buying and selling. Entering Wednesday at 49-53 with playoff odds hovering just above 20 percent, they have about a week left before the front office must decide which direction to take before the August 3 trade deadline. If Minnesota catches fire, adding reinforcements makes sense. If the club continues to slide, however, the Twins could become one of the more interesting sellers on the market. No player's future may depend more on this short stretch than Ryan Jeffers.

Jeffers is scheduled to become a free agent at the end of the season, making him an obvious trade candidate if the Twins decide to move expiring contracts. More importantly, he would probably be the top catcher available at the deadline. Jeffers has put together one of the best offensive seasons of any catcher in baseball, in the midst of a career-best season that includes a .941 OPS at the prime age of 29. He's also adapted well to MLB's Automated Ball-Strike challenge system. That combination should generate significant interest from contenders looking for an upgrade behind the plate.

The New York Yankees stand out as perhaps the most logical fit. At 56-44, the Yankees currently occupy the top American League Wild Card spot and sit just two games behind the Rays in the AL East. With their sights set on catching Tampa Bay and earning a first-round bye, New York will undoubtedly be aggressive at the deadline.

Catcher is one of the Yankees' biggest weaknesses. They have received the fifth-lowest WAR from the position in baseball, primarily relying on Austin Wells, who owns a 44 OPS+. Replacing that production with Jeffers would represent a substantial upgrade for a club with legitimate World Series aspirations.

Although the Yankees' farm system is no longer among baseball's elite, they still possess enough prospect talent to make an intriguing offer. George Lombard Jr. would be untouchable in this kind of deal, but the Yankees also have intriguing pitching prospects in Carlos Lagrange and Elmer Rodriguez.

Another team that makes plenty of sense is the Boston Red Sox. After ripping off a 15-game winning streak (and counting), Boston has firmly entered the buyer category and now looks like a legitimate postseason contender. The Red Sox have received very little production behind the plate this season, with Carlos Narváez posting a 59 OPS+ as the club has accumulated -0.5 WAR from the catcher position. Their backup, Connor Wong, has hit very well, but that's not his true talent level.

Boston also matches up well with Minnesota from a prospect standpoint. The Red Sox have assembled an impressive collection of young pitching, an area where the Twins could always use additional depth. Righthanders Anthony Eyanson and Kyson Witherspoon would both be intriguing names for Minnesota to pursue if it decides to leverage Jeffers into future pitching.

The Los Angeles Dodgers round out the list. With Will Smith landing on the 60-day injured list with severe neck inflammation, catcher looks like a position the Dodgers will need to address. Jeffers will certainly draw interest from a club like the Dodgers with championship expectations.

As usual, the Dodgers have one of baseball's deepest farm systems. They rarely hesitate to move prospects for the right major league upgrade, and the Twins would have no shortage of interesting names to target. Outfielder Zyhir Hope headlines the group, while Eduardo Quintero and Emil Morales are also high-upside position players who could fit into Minnesota's long-term plans.

Whether Jeffers is actually traded will depend entirely on what the Twins do over the next two weeks. If they play their way back into the playoff picture, keeping one of the league's most productive catchers is an easy decision. If they fall further behind, however, Jeffers could become one of the most sought-after rental position players available. With so many contenders needing help behind the plate and so few quality catchers expected to hit the market, the Twins could find themselves in an enviable position.

If the Twins ultimately decide to move Jeffers, which team do you think makes the most sense, and which prospect would you want Minnesota to target in return? Leave a comment below and start the conversation!

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