MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins added another switch-hitter on Friday when they agreed to terms on a two-year deal with catcher/first baseman Victor Caratini, a source told MLB.com.
The contract, which a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand is worth $14 million, is pending a physical. The club has not confirmed the deal.
Caratini, 32, spent the last two years with the Astros, spending time at catcher, first base, and designated hitter. He hit .259/.324/.404 for Houston last year with a career-high 12 homers.
The Twins already have Ryan Jeffers as their starting catcher, while Alex Jackson, who is out of options, had seemed to be penciled in as the primary backup. But both are right-handed hitters, and Caratini -- like most switch-hitters -- has been more effective from the left side in his career.
Jeffers is still expected to get the bulk of games at catcher, but Caratini provides a capable backup with significantly more big league experience and a higher offensive floor than Jackson.
He also provides coverage at first base and DH for a Twins team that will be sifting through a lot of potential offensive combinations this spring. It’s also worth noting that Jeffers has been rumored as a trade candidate and is only signed through 2027.