Ryan Jeffers is headed for an interesting winter, and the Twins may not be the team that keeps him around.
Jeffers will be a free agent this offseason unless he unexpectedly takes a qualifying offer, and while Minnesota could still be in the mix, a reunion looks far from likely. The reason is pretty clear: the Twins have top catching prospect Vahn Lackey waiting in the minors, and Jeffers is expected to command a pricey deal - likely for three or four years.
That puts Minnesota in a tricky spot. The club still needs another catcher this offseason, but Victor Caratini is the only backstop currently on the 40-man roster, and Lackey, the 2026 No. 3 overall pick, is not ready for the majors yet.
Even so, the Twins probably won’t want to commit significant money to Jeffers for multiple seasons when they already have Lackey in the system. A shorter one- or two-year addition makes more sense for Minnesota.
Jeffers should have plenty of interest after a strong season. In 92 games this year, he put up 2.6 fWAR and a 128 wRC+, production that could make him one of the top catchers available on the market.
If Jeffers leaves Minnesota, two clubs stand out as possible landing spots.
The Yankees were already involved in Jeffers’ market at the trade deadline, but the Twins kept him and New York stayed with Austin Wells as its starter behind the plate. That decision may not age well.
Wells followed a rough 2025 season at the plate with an even worse 2026, and the Yankees could be in the market for help at catcher this winter. Jeffers would fit that need nicely.
There is one catch: if Jeffers receives the qualifying offer, any team signing him would owe draft compensation. Joel Sherman of the New York Post recently wrote that he believes the Yankees wouldn’t pursue Jeffers if he gets a QO. Still, that doesn’t mean New York is out of the picture completely.
Chicago is another team to watch. The Cubs’ primary catcher, Carson Kelly, is set to hit free agency, so they’ll likely need to address the position unless they intend to ride with Miguel Amaya as the full-time starter. The Cubs have also shown they’re willing to spend, with last offseason’s 5-year, $175 million deal for Alex Bregman serving as the clearest example.
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