Yankees Eyeing Twins Catcher Ryan Jeffers and His Health Just Took a Turn

Ryan Jeffers is getting close to playing again. That’s good news for the Minnesota Twins, and it might be even more interesting for the New York Yankees.

The Twins catcher, who’s been out since late May after fracturing his left hamate bone, is finally starting a rehab assignment. Aaron Gleeman reported Friday that Jeffers will serve as the designated hitter for Triple-A St. Paul tonight. That’s about six weeks after surgery. If everything goes smoothly, he could be back in the big leagues soon.

The Yankees Have a Catching Problem

New York’s catchers haven’t hit much this season. It’s not a secret. The team has been linked to Jeffers in trade rumors for a while now, and that makes sense. He’s a right-handed bat who can actually produce. In 37 games this year, Jeffers is slashing .295/.408/.541 with seven home runs. For a catcher, that’s a legit offensive threat. His career OPS of .755 is solid for the position, too.

But there’s the usual complication. Chemistry with the pitching staff matters, and the Yankees’ current backstops have that. Adding a new catcher midseason isn’t always seamless. Still, when you’re getting next to nothing from the position offensively, you at least have to look at the options.

The Twins Might Not Be Sellers

Here’s the thing about Minnesota. They’re not out of it. The Twins are four games back of first place in the AL Central, trailing both the Guardians and the White Sox. That’s not a huge gap. If they hang around the next couple weeks, they might not trade anyone. The front office has to decide soon whether they’re buying or selling, and that decision could go either way.

Jeffers turning 30 next year and being under team control through 2026 makes him valuable. But the Twins also have other catchers in the system. If they do decide to move him, the Yankees won’t be the only team interested.

There are other names out there for New York to pursue. But Jeffers fits the profile. He can hit, he’s not a liability behind the plate, and he’s playing on a reasonable contract. The injury scare is mostly behind him now. The next step is just seeing if the rehab assignment goes without a hitch. If it does, the trade chatter is going to pick up in a hurry.