FanSided's Robert Murray reported on Thursday that star catchers Hunter Goodman, Adley Rutschman and Shea Langeliers are "unlikely to be traded" before the Aug. 3 trade deadline. Therefore, Minnesota Twins backstop Ryan Jeffers is clearly the best backstop on the trade market. Murray added that Jeffers "remains a player of interest across the league, and rival executives are monitoring it."
The Twins may keep Jeffers, who is set to be a free agent at the end of the season, if they perform well enough to stay in postseason contention over their next nine games before the deadline. Jeffers is a key part of the Twins' lineup, and Minnesota can receive a compensatory draft pick if/when Jeffers signs with another team in the offseason by extending the catcher the qualifying offer.
Twins might trade Ryan Jeffers even if they remain in postseason contention
However, with the interest Jeffers is receiving from top teams such as the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees, the Twins may receive an offer for the star backstop that's too good to turn down even if they remain in postseason contention. On Tuesday, Bobby Nightengale of the Minnesota Star Tribune reported there is a "growing sense" from other teams that Minnesota is open to moving Jeffers ahead of the trade deadline.
Jeffers is arguably the Twins' best hitter. In 44 games this year, the catcher has slashed .284/.392/.541 with nine home runs and 32 RBI. However, after Jeffers went down with a broken left hamate bone in May, Minnesota proved it can hold steady at the catcher position without Jeffers, who returned from the IL on July 10.
Ever since Jeffers suffered his injury, catcher Victor Caratini has slashed .267/.346/.459 (122 wRC+) with six home runs and 21 RBI in 156 plate appearances. Catcher Alex Jackson has also been solid at the plate, hitting .322/.355/.441 in 62 plate appearances after his contract was selected in May.
If Minnesota falls out of postseason contention before the trade deadline, trading Jeffers would likely be in the organization's best interest. Even if they remain in the playoff race, the Twins might still want to deal the star catcher. Another option the Twins could consider is to trade Caratini, who is under team control through the 2027 season, rather than Jeffers. In Murray's latest report, the insider wrote that Caratini could be available on the trade market. Caratini struggles to control the run game, but he's otherwise a strong defensive catcher.
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