The Minnesota Twins have a useful trade chip in Khadim Diaw, and this winter may be the right time to use it.
Diaw’s 2026 season gave the organization a real reason to listen. He hit .306/.417/.452 with nine home runs in 107 games split between High-A Cedar Rapids and Double-A Wichita, while drawing 56 walks against 71 strikeouts. That kind of production gives evaluators something tangible to work with, especially from a catcher.
MLB Pipeline placed Diaw at No. 9 in the Twins’ system, behind fellow catchers Vahn Lackey and Eduardo Tait. That ranking doesn’t promise anything, but it does underline how much catching depth Minnesota has in the pipeline. Diaw also reached a higher level than Lackey and Tait this season, which gives him a path to helping the big club sooner.
That’s what makes him interesting in trade talks. He’s good enough to matter, and the Twins have enough catching depth to at least consider moving him if the return helps the 2027 roster.
The target should be clear: a reliever who can work meaningful innings next season and stay under club control beyond 2027. That’s the kind of arm that fits the need.
This isn’t a report that Minnesota is actively shopping Diaw or that another team has already made an offer. It’s the standard the Twins should be using.
There’s also a wrinkle with where Diaw fits long term. His outfield experience makes a position change possible, but that would put him into another crowded mix. An early 2027 roster projection already included Byron Buxton, Walker Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez, and Luke Keaschall as players needing outfield or designated hitter opportunities.
Keeping Diaw behind the plate may be the best way to maximize his value. His bat could play there, and if another team believes in that profile, Minnesota could turn him into pitching it can use right away.
Still, the Twins can’t treat him as fully expendable until they sort out the catching picture at the major league level. Victor Caratini is under contract for 2027, but the rest of the workload remains unsettled. Minnesota also extended Ryan Jeffers a qualifying offer Monday, and he has until Nov. 17 to respond.
That leaves the Twins with several possible outcomes behind the plate. If Diaw keeps progressing, he could become an inexpensive option before Lackey or Tait is ready. If he’s dealt too soon, the club would be leaning even harder on younger catching prospects, which raises the risk if someone gets hurt or stalls.
That’s why the order matters. Minnesota should lock in its major league catching arrangement before it sends Diaw out the door. Prospect depth is valuable, but it doesn’t guarantee every hole gets filled.
And if the Twins do move him, the return has to be real. A sixth- and seventh-inning reliever with control beyond 2027 would make sense. A marginal bullpen piece would not.
Diaw alone shouldn’t be viewed as the kind of prospect who lands an established star. The Twins would still need to weigh the full package, including salary and expected production, before deciding whether the deal is worth it.
Minnesota’s offseason blueprint calls for multiple bullpen additions, and Diaw gives the front office one path to get there without starting every conversation with its top prospects. If the return is strong enough, he’s a sensible name to move. If not, his catching upside is still worth keeping.
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