More likely than not, Ryan Jeffers will be on a different team in 2027. The long-time Twins backstop is set to hit free agency this offseason. Minnesota will likely extend him the qualifying offer. The catcher may accept the offer due to the uncertainty of the looming lockout, but he will most likely decline it to sign a multi-year free-agent deal.
The Twins could be the team to sign Jeffers to a multi-year contract, but with top catching prospect Vahn Lackey, the organization might want to allocate its available payroll space elsewhere.
However, the Twins will still need to add another catcher if they let Jeffers walk in free agency. Assuming Jeffers hits the free-agent market, Victor Caratini, who is under team control through next season, will be the only backstop on Minnesota's 40-man roster entering the offseason. Lackey appears to be the Twins' catcher of the future, but he won't be ready for his big-league debut right away next year. Minnesota should look to sign a catcher to a one- or two-year deal.
2 possible Ryan Jeffers replacements for Twins
Carson Kelly
Kelly will arguably be the best catcher on the free-agent market besides Jeffers. He has a mutual option for next year, but those are never exercised.
Kelly, 32, might be seeking a three-year deal, but if the Twins can get him on a two-year contract, the team should bring him aboard. The veteran backstop spent the past two seasons with the Chicago Cubs, posting 4.3 fWAR and a 109 wRC+ while hitting 27 home runs and driving in 108 runs over 231 games. He is an excellent blocker and decent pitch-framer.
Kelly has also played first base in his career, so the Twins could move him there if Lackey is ready for the majors within the next two seasons.
Kyle Higashioka
Higashioka wouldn't be as exciting an addition as Kelly, but he would be much more affordable. Higashioka, a 10-year MLB veteran, will likely have to settle for a one-year deal this offseason, as he will be 38 in April. If the Twins sign him to split time at catcher with Caratini, that would likely mean they are confident Lackey will be in the majors in 2028, if not sooner. Meanwhile, if they signed Kelly for the next two years, the team likely wouldn't rush to promote Lackey to the big leagues.
Higashioka posted a .677 OPS with seven home runs in 186 plate appearances across 56 games with the Texas Rangers this past season. Over his career, Higashioka has collected 75 home runs and 231 RBI over 548 games.
Add us as a preferred source on Google