The Twins’ offseason picture already has a few clear pressure points, and the biggest one sits behind the plate. Ryan Jeffers, A.J. Minter and Taylor Rogers are all headed toward expiring deals, while Josh Bell’s future hinges on a mutual option that still hasn’t been resolved.
Jeffers stands out as the most important name on the board. He finished his final arbitration season at $6.7 million and posted a .256/.353/.461 line with 14 home runs.
After the finale, MLB.com reported that Jeffers was open to a return, but no deal had been announced. Minnesota also still has to decide whether to extend a qualifying offer, and the broader question of the club’s catching plans remains unsettled.
Bell is in a different lane, but his situation is just as unresolved. He signed a one-year, $7 million contract with a $10 million mutual option for 2027 and a $1.25 million buyout.
Because a mutual option requires both sides to agree, Bell can become a free agent if either the Twins or the player declines. As of now, neither side has made that call public, leaving his role tied to Minnesota’s first base and designated hitter plans.
The bullpen brings its own set of choices. Minter came over from the New York Mets at the trade deadline while the final year of his two-year, $22 million deal was still running.
MLB.com has already described him as a potential free agent after 2026, and there is no option on the contract for next year. If the Twins want him back, they’ll need to work out a fresh agreement.
Rogers is in a similar spot. He returned to Minnesota on a one-year, $2 million deal, and there is no reported 2027 option attached to it. That leaves the Twins deciding whether to keep one or both of their veteran left-handers, or turn elsewhere for relief help.
One name that does not belong on the free-agent list is Joe Ryan. He does have a mutual option, worth $13 million for 2027, but Minnesota would still hold his arbitration rights for that season if the option is turned down. Bailey Ober, Dean Kremer and Trevor Larnach are also under team control through arbitration rather than scheduled to hit free agency now.
The list could still grow later. A non-tender would change a player’s status, so any additional names would need to be tracked separately. For now, the key decisions are still the same ones: Jeffers, Minter and Rogers are on expiring deals, and Bell’s future depends on the option call that has yet to come.
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Royce Lewis Suddenly Has More Than One Twins Problem
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Marek Houston has added another layer to that discussion. The shortstop prospect has been performing well in the minors and is moving closer to an MLB debut, which gives the Twins another potential in-house option at a position that could force some shuffling. For Lewis, the issue is no longer just getting back on track at the plate. It is also whether the organizations next move at shortstop changes the way it views his future. [Read more 🡒]
Former Twins Star Loses Latest Postseason Chance At Worst Time
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Instead, utilityman Otto Kemp will take Arraezs place on the roster, leaving the Phillies to adjust their postseason plans without one of their more reliable bats. For Minnesota fans, its another reminder of how quickly a familiar name can be pulled out of the spotlight, with Arraezs latest playoff opportunity slipping away before the series even begins. [Read more 🡒]