The Minnesota Twins are a team that could shape the MLB trade deadline in the next week. One reason is the potential availability of Ryan Jeffers. Set to become a free agent at the end of the year, Jeffers has had a strong campaign and it makes him one of the top catchers on the market. But while dealing Jeffers would have been a solid return, the Twins could be sitting on a gold mine after news involving Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers.
Langeliers was placed on the injured list over the weekend with a torn meniscus and there’s a good chance he will miss the remainder of the 2026 season. While the 28-year-old has two years of team control remaining, he was considered to be another top backstop on the market after hitting .263/.332/.497 with 23 homers, 51 RBI and a career-high 3.9 wins above replacement (WAR) this season.
With Langeliers on the shelf, it moves Jeffers up the pecking order and it could entice a catcher-needy team to give up more than expected and make the Twins winners even if they sell ahead of the deadline.
Ryan Jeffers is the top catcher on the trade market following Shea Langeliers’s injury
In many ways, Langeliers’s injury has created a perfect storm for the Twins. They could hang onto Jeffers if they see a deal they don’t like, but could also pull the trigger if a team overpays. The latter situation is becoming much more probable considering what has happened over the past few days.
The Chicago White Sox placed Kyle Teel on the injured list with a high left ankle sprain and while an interdivisional trade is unlikely, it could be considered if the return is great enough.
The New York Yankees have been connected with Jeffers for months and could pull the trigger to upgrade their offensive black hole behind the plate led by Austin Wells. The Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Dodgers are also potential suitors and there aren’t many catchers to go around as the deadline approaches.
Dealing Jeffers could be painful and it could take a key bat out of the lineup. But the Twins have shown they can compete without him and would be wise to accept any offer that comes over the next several days.
Twins can still compete even if they trade Ryan Jeffers
Trading Jeffers is not an easy decision as the Twins entered Monday one game behind the Boston Red Sox for the final Wild Card spot in the American League. While Minnesota has the second-highest scoring lineup in the AL at 4.78 runs per game, Jeffers has played a key role, hitting .293/.395/.535 with nine homers, 35 RBI and 2.2 WAR.
Those numbers have boosted the 29-year-old’s stock going into next winter and he could command a big contract in free agency. While keeping Jeffers could be a way to help the Twins cement their playoff push and potentially account for a salary floor that could come in the next collective bargaining agreement, it’s also encouraging that the Twins fared well when he was out with a broken hamate bone that has limited him to 46 games.
Victor Caratini picked up the slack after a slow start and is hitting .268/.340/.451 with six homers and 21 RBI in 43 games since Jeffers was injured on May 18. Alex Jackson has been an even bigger surprise for the Twins, hitting .323/.354/.435 with a homer and five RBI in 25 games as Minnesota’s primary backup.
There are some warning signs with that duo as Jackson has drawn just one walk in 62 major league plate appearances. It could also leave them one injury away from going further down the pipeline. But sitting as the undisputed No. 1 catcher on the market, it could be a way that the Twins could live in both worlds by competing in the present and building for the future.
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