If Yankees Want Ryan Jeffers, Twins Should Target These Prospects

The trade market for Ryan Jeffers continues to gain momentum. According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale (so, take it with a grain of salt, but still), rival executives now believe the Minnesota Twins are likely to trade Jeffers before the deadline, with the New York Yankees viewed as the leading destination. That report makes plenty of sense, given where both organizations currently stand. The Twins have difficult decisions looming as they weigh buying versus selling, while the Yankees have one of the biggest holes of any contender behind the plate.

Jeffers is enjoying the best season of his career, slashing .283/.390/.532 with nine home runs and a .922 OPS. He's been one of baseball's most productive offensive catchers, and after Shea Langeliers suffered a meniscus tear that could sideline him for the remainder of the season, Jeffers has arguably become the premier catcher available on the trade market.

That doesn't necessarily mean the Twins are about to land one of baseball's elite prospects, even if they do trade him. Jeffers is scheduled to become a free agent after the season, meaning any acquiring club would only receive roughly two months of regular-season production and a potential postseason run before he reaches the open market. Rental players rarely command elite prospect packages, regardless of how productive they have been.

Instead, Minnesota's return is more likely to center around a fringe top-100 prospect or a young major leaguer with several years of club control, paired with one or two spare parts. That's where the Yankees become particularly interesting.

According to MLB Pipeline, New York owns the fifth-weakest farm system in baseball. While the overall depth is lacking, there are still several intriguing pitchers who could make plenty of sense for Minnesota. If the Yankees ultimately become Jeffers's landing spot, these are some of the names the Twins should target.

Will Warren, RHP
Will Warren may no longer qualify as a prospect, but he should be one of the very first players Minnesota asks about. The 27-year-old has already established himself in the major leagues after debuting in 2024. The results have been inconsistent, as Warren owns a 4.75 ERA across 284 major league innings, but there is still plenty of upside to work with. 

His fastball has consistently overpowered hitters, limiting opponents to a .225 batting average against the pitch in each of the past two seasons. The raw stuff is evident, but command inconsistencies and the long ball have prevented everything from coming together. That's been especially apparent recently, with Warren allowing five or more earned runs in three of his last six starts, including a six-run outing against the Phillies on Sunday. Warren has a 6.57 ERA over his last eight starts. He was 7-1 with a 3.22 ERA in his first 12 starts of the season.

Despite the uneven results, Warren still carries significant value. He remains pre-arbitration, has four years of club control remaining after this season, and has proven to be one of baseball's most durable starters. He led the league with 33 starts last season and has already made 20 starts this year.

The Yankees also have a crowded rotation with Carlos Rodón expected to return from the injured list, making Warren a player they could consider moving for immediate help behind the plate. For the Twins, Warren represents exactly the type of pitcher their player development staff has had success refining. Whether he develops into a reliable mid-rotation starter or eventually shifts into a dominant late-inning reliever, his combination of velocity, durability, and years of control would make him an excellent centerpiece in a Ryan Jeffers trade.

Carlos Lagrange, RHP
Carlos Lagrange is the highest-upside pitching prospects in the Yankees organization. The 23-year-old is the No. 79 prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline and No. 62 according to Baseball America. Standing 6-foot-7 with a fastball that routinely reaches triple digits, Lagrange possesses the elite arm talent that organizations dream on.

Last season, Lagrange posted a 3.53 ERA across 120 innings between High-A and Double-A while striking out hitters at an incredible 33.4% clip. His first taste of Triple-A has come with growing pains, as he owns a 5.26 ERA through 63 innings, but the strikeout ability has remained intact with an impressive 29.5%.

The Yankees certainly value Lagrange highly, but they also have plenty of starting pitching depth both in the majors and throughout the farm system. With another talented arm like Elmer Rodríguez climbing the ladder, New York could decide to move one of its top pitching prospects to address an immediate need behind the plate.

If the Twins are looking for the highest-upside prospect they could realistically land for Jeffers, Lagrange may be at the top of the list. Right now, though, it would be a massive risk to accept him as a headliner. He's currently shut down with a capsular sprain in his shoulder. Down that road lies a surgery that takes roughly 18 months to return from and imperils careers. Hopefully, Lagrange will avoid that fate by resting and rehabbing the sprain before it becomes a tear, but trading for him this month is probably a non-starter.

Ben Hess, RHP
If Minnesota cannot pry away Will Warren or one of the Yankees' top-100 prospects, Ben Hess could be another intriguing target. The first-round pick from the 2024 draft possesses the type of power arsenal teams covet. Hess stands 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds and features a fastball that sits between 94 and 99 mph with outstanding ride. He pairs it with a plus slider that has generated plenty of swings and misses.

At just 23 years old, Hess still has plenty of development ahead of him, but the raw ingredients are easy to dream on. He fits the mold of the high-upside pitching prospects the Twins have targeted in recent years, and he could become another important piece in Minnesota's growing stable of young arms.

Henry Lalane, LHP
Henry Lalane may be one of the more under-the-radar names in the Yankees organization, but he could also be one of the most intriguing. Once viewed as one of New York's better pitching prospects, Lalane saw his stock tumble after shoulder issues derailed his 2023 and 2024 seasons. He then missed most of 2025 while recovering from surgery.

This year has been a completely different story. Lalane has regained both his health and his stuff. His fastball now sits comfortably in the mid-90s and touches 98 mph. He complements it with a low-80s changeup and a high-70s slider. All three offerings project as at least above-average major-league pitches.

Standing 6-foot-7 and having just turned 21 years old, Lalane still possesses the physical tools to develop into a quality major-league starter—if he can stay healthy. The Yankees have understandably managed his workload carefully, but the results have been outstanding. After recently earning a promotion to High-A, Lalane owns a 3.01 ERA with 93 strikeouts in 71 innings.

His injury history adds some risk, but the upside of a potential mid-rotation left-handed starter makes him an intriguing piece for Minnesota to pursue.

The Yankees' farm system may not be as loaded as it has been in years past, but it still features several pitchers capable of helping the Twins both now and in the future. Whether the centerpiece is a controllable major-league arm like Will Warren or a high-ceiling prospect, Minnesota should have plenty of interesting options to discuss if trade talks surrounding Jeffers intensify over the coming days.

If the Twins ultimately move Jeffers to New York, which Yankees prospect would you want to see included in the return? Leave a comment below and start the conversation!

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