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The Minnesota Twins have hovered around the .500 mark for a majority of the year. However, it is clear this team is not a true contender, and they are trending toward being sellers at the trade deadline.
One of their most intriguing pieces is catcher Ryan Jeffers. The 29-year-old is a free agent after the season on a very affordable $6.7 million contract, making him an attractive rental piece for contenders looking to upgrade behind the plate.
He is also expendable. The Twins have another capable option in Victor Caratini, who is more than capable of handling full-time duties if Jeffers is moved.
Jeffers is currently injured, having fractured his left hamate bone back on May 18. He has been progressing since then, resuming baseball activities including throwing and taking dry swings, putting him on track to return right around the trade deadline.
Before going down, Jeffers was having one of the best seasons of his seven-year career, posting a .295 batting average, .408 on-base percentage, .949 OPS, seven home runs and 26 RBIs. Numbers like that have generated widespread interest around the league including another American League team in the New York Yankees.
"The Yankees are making it no secret they want Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers at the trade deadline," reported Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
If Jeffers is traded to the Yankees, it would likely net Minnesota a nice haul with a couple of prospects in return that better fit the Twins' timeline. New York's interest is almost certainly genuine.
Their catching situation is not in great shape right now, with Austin Wells battling injuries and having a down season, and no real reliable option behind him. That puts Minnesota in a position of power to ask for a significant return.
That is especially true given what Jeffers has meant to this organization. He has been one of their most consistent hitters over the last several years and has spent his entire professional career with the Twins since they selected him in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft.
Moving on from him would not be an easy decision, but with his contract expiring after the season and the team not in a position to contend, it is hard to argue against getting maximum value for him now.
The next month will go a long way toward determining how this plays out. If Jeffers returns healthy and continues to hit, the asking price only goes up, and the Twins will have no shortage of suitors well beyond just New York.
Continue reading...
One of their most intriguing pieces is catcher Ryan Jeffers. The 29-year-old is a free agent after the season on a very affordable $6.7 million contract, making him an attractive rental piece for contenders looking to upgrade behind the plate.
He is also expendable. The Twins have another capable option in Victor Caratini, who is more than capable of handling full-time duties if Jeffers is moved.
Jeffers is currently injured, having fractured his left hamate bone back on May 18. He has been progressing since then, resuming baseball activities including throwing and taking dry swings, putting him on track to return right around the trade deadline.
Before going down, Jeffers was having one of the best seasons of his seven-year career, posting a .295 batting average, .408 on-base percentage, .949 OPS, seven home runs and 26 RBIs. Numbers like that have generated widespread interest around the league including another American League team in the New York Yankees.
"The Yankees are making it no secret they want Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers at the trade deadline," reported Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
If Jeffers is traded to the Yankees, it would likely net Minnesota a nice haul with a couple of prospects in return that better fit the Twins' timeline. New York's interest is almost certainly genuine.
Their catching situation is not in great shape right now, with Austin Wells battling injuries and having a down season, and no real reliable option behind him. That puts Minnesota in a position of power to ask for a significant return.
That is especially true given what Jeffers has meant to this organization. He has been one of their most consistent hitters over the last several years and has spent his entire professional career with the Twins since they selected him in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft.
Moving on from him would not be an easy decision, but with his contract expiring after the season and the team not in a position to contend, it is hard to argue against getting maximum value for him now.
The next month will go a long way toward determining how this plays out. If Jeffers returns healthy and continues to hit, the asking price only goes up, and the Twins will have no shortage of suitors well beyond just New York.
Continue reading...
