Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota Twins announced today that they have selected the contract of catcher Ryan Jeffers, while recalling outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr. and right-handed pitcher Zack Littell from the club’s Alternate Training Site. In corresponding moves, the Twins have placed outfielder Byron Buxton (left shoulder inflammation) and catcher Mitch Garver (low-grade right intercostal strain) on the 10-day Injured List, and have optioned left-handed pitcher Lewis Thorpe to the club’s Alternate Training site.
Jeffers, ranked as the Twins’ No. 6 prospect by MLB.com entering the 2020 season, will be looking to make his major league debut. Originally selected by Minnesota in the second round of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft (59th pick overall), the 23-year-old hit .296 (180-for-609) with 33 doubles, 21 home runs, 82 RBI and an .836 OPS in 167 games over his first two minor league seasons. Jeffers split the 2019 campaign between Single-A Ft. Myers and Double-A Pensacola, earning Florida State League Midseason All-Star honors before being named catcher on the Twins’ MiLB.com organization All-Star team. He will wear uniform #39 for the Twins.
Littell, who was optioned yesterday when Rich Hill was activated from the Injured List, has four relief appearances with the Twins this season. He last pitched on Monday night, working the ninth inning of Minnesota’s 4-1 victory over Kansas City (2 H, 1 ER).
Buxton has appeared in 21 games for the Twins, hitting .221 (15-for-68) with one double, five home runs and 12 RBI. Garver, who exited last night’s game vs. Milwaukee, is hitting .154 (8-for-52) with one home run and two RBI in 17 games. Thorpe pitched 4.0 relief innings last night against the Brewers, allowing four runs on six hits (two homers). He is 0-1 with a 6.14 ERA (14.2 IP, 10 ER) in six games (one start) overall in 2020.