MLB announced this summer's All-Star Game rosters on Saturday night. Two Minnesota Twins players, center fielder Byron Buxton and right-hander Joe Ryan, made the American League's roster. If catcher Ryan Jeffers hadn't been on the IL for most of the season, there's a good chance he would've joined Buxton and Ryan in representing Minnesota in this year's All-Star Game.
Before being placed on the IL on May 19 with a left hamate bone fracture, Jeffers was arguably Minnesota's best hitter, slashing .295/.408/.541 (165 wRC+) with seven home runs and 26 RBI over 37 games. Jeffers appears on the verge of returning from the IL, as the catcher began a rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on Friday. Despite missing most of the season, Jeffers ranks fourth among American League catchers in fWAR at 1.7. Ahead of him are the Detroit Tigers' Dillon Dingler (4.0), the Baltimore Orioles' Adley Rutschman (2.1) and the Athletics' Shea Langeliers (2.1)
If Jeffers, 29, has another strong start to the season in 2027 and remains healthy, it seems likely he will play in next year's All-Star Game at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Unfortunately, if Jeffers does make his first All-Star team in 2027, he'll likely represent a team other than the Twins.
Ryan Jeffers has good chance to make 2027 All-Star team, but not representing the Twins
The Twins are in an interesting spot in the standings, sitting 1 1/2 games back of the third AL Wild Card spot with a 44-47 record after taking two of three games against the New York Yankees this past weekend. A strong month will keep them in the playoff race, but a rough one could easily force the team to sell at the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
If Minnesota sells at the deadline, Jeffers will likely be traded. Jeffers is set to be a free agent at the end of this season and would likely garner plenty of interest among buying teams at the deadline. In fact, the Yankees have already expressed interest in Jeffers.
But if Minnesota is still in the playoff race at the deadline, the team will likely hold onto Jeffers. At the very least, the Twins can extend Jeffers a qualifying offer, which would allow the team to receive a compensatory draft pick if the catcher signs elsewhere in the offseason.
No matter what, it seems unlikely that Jeffers will play for the Twins next season. Minnesota has several promising catching prospects, including Eduardo Tait, and may add another one in this summer's draft by selecting Georgia Tech's Vahn Lackey in the first round. The Twins aren't exactly known as big spenders, and Jeffers should receive plenty of interest around the league in free agency.
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