MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins tendered a qualifying offer to free-agent catcher Ryan Jeffers on Monday, meaning that if Jeffers signs with another team, Minnesota will receive a compensatory selection in the 2027 MLB Draft.
The qualifying offer is for $23.15 million, and Jeffers has until Nov. 17 to decide whether to accept it. If he accepts, he is considered to be signed for the 2027 season at that amount. He is permitted to sign with another club before the Nov. 17 deadline.
Jeffers has been mostly noncommittal about his intentions as he hits free agency for the first time. He has said he would be happy to return to the Twins, but he has also made it clear that he intends to go through the free-agency process and is curious about his value and options on the open market.
“When you spend seven years in an organization or I guess eight years including the Minors, you don’t want that chapter to end,” Jeffers said after the final game of the season. “I’ve worked too hard to corner myself into … one team or two teams. I love the idea of a reunion. I also love the idea of going out there and seeing what else is out there.
“I’m excited for this. I’ve worked really hard for this moment, for free agency, and that doesn’t mean the chapter here has closed. We’ll just see where we go.”
Jeffers is generally considered to be the top free agent catcher in a thin market for backstops, so demand for his services will likely be robust.
From the Twins' side, the equation is similarly complicated. Club chairman Tom Pohlad has repeatedly said he intends to increase payroll for 2027, but Jeffers will likely require a very large outlay, and Minnesota has multiple needs. The Twins will also be looking to bolster their bullpen and likely add a power bat, as well as identifying a starting catcher.
Additionally, the Twins’ No. 2 prospect, Vahn Lackey (No. 18 overall), is a catcher who is expected to move quickly through the Minors. Lackey almost certainly will not be ready Opening Day of 2027, and probably not before 2028. But his presence factors into any decision to make a long-term commitment to Jeffers or any other catcher.