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Minnesota Twins: Five players to think about trading for

By John Geiger II

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 14: A member of the grounds crew for Target Field gets water off the tarp as rain delays the start of the game between the Minnesota Twins and the Seattle Mariners on May 14, 2018 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 14: A member of the grounds crew for Target Field gets water off the tarp as rain delays the start of the game between the Minnesota Twins and the Seattle Mariners on May 14, 2018 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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J.T. Realmuto- Catcher, Miami Marlins

The Minnesota Twins will undoubtedly be in the market for a catcher now that Jason Castro will miss the remainder of the season. J.T. Realmuto figures to be the best catcher available and the Twins should at least find out the cost.

Realmuto hit 62 doubles during the 2016-17 seasons and has shown the ability to reach base consistently throughout his career. Miami is in perpetual rebuild mode and Realmuto has previously expressed a desire to be traded.

Why Realmuto makes sense for the Twins

Not only does Realmuto bring extraordinary offensive prowess, he also brings two more seasons of arbitration following the 2018 season. Minnesota has another year at $8 million on Castro’s contract, and trading for Realmuto would create a logjam behind the plate. Mitch Garver is a young promising prospect who has earned his opportunities too.

Realmuto has a .322/.384/.544 slash line through his first 100 plate appearances this season. He has 10 extra base hits with a good .928 OPS and has only 18 strikeouts with 7 walks. Without question, Realmuto can handle the load offensively and post even better numbers than Castro.

However, Realmuto still has a lot to prove behind the plate defensively. He has been good during his career throwing out 32% of stolen base attempts. Realmuto has allowed only seven stolen bases on 12 attempts this season, giving him a 42% caught stealing rate, and has the arm for the position.

He has also shown improvements in keeping the ball in front of him. He has allowed only three passed balls through his first 187 innings behind the dish. Castro isn’t the long-term answer at catcher, but Realmuto could be a key piece to the Minnesota Twins renaissance.

What are the chances the Twins trade for Realmuto ?

The chances of Minnesota trading for Realmuto are relatively slim. While those two seasons of arbitration are enticing, they’ll also drive the price through the roof. The cost will be far too high for the Twins consider and could lead them to the next player on our list.

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