The Yankees need bats. Badly. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are both hurt, and the lineup has looked thin for weeks. So it makes sense that New York is poking around on Ryan Jeffers, the Twins catcher who has quietly been one of the better offensive backstops in the game this season.
According to MLB insider Jim Bowden, the Yankees’ interest in Jeffers isn’t just smoke. It’s real. “It’s real, that’s what I’ve been told, that it is real that they have interest in him,” Bowden said. “That’s not just rumors that are out there.”
Jeffers, 29, is hitting .295 with a .949 OPS and seven home runs over 37 games this year. That kind of production from a catcher is rare. If he keeps it up, he’d be one of the best-hitting catchers in the league by season’s end.
Meanwhile, the Yankees’ current catching situation is ugly. Austin Wells is hitting .151. Ali Sanchez has been better at .267, but he’s only had 30 at-bats. Neither guy is scaring opposing pitchers. And while defensive work behind the plate and building rapport with the pitching staff both matter, the Yankees desperately need offense from somewhere right now.
Jeffers could be that somewhere. He’s been recovering from an injury but has been productive when healthy. He swings the bat with authority and has shown he can drive the ball to all fields. For a New York team that suddenly can’t score runs, adding a catcher who actually hits would be a big lift.
The Twins haven’t confirmed they’re moving him. And if Minnesota does make Jeffers available, other teams will be in the mix. Catchers who can hit don’t grow on trees. But according to Bowden, the Yankees are serious about this one. It’s not just trade chatter. It’s a real target.
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