With the latest reports taking focus away from Joe Ryan, Pablo López, and Byron Buxton, there are other Twins trade candidates to consider this winter, including catcher Ryan Jeffers. Is it possible the Twins could trade Jeffers, but hang on to the other players mentioned in rumors? If they go that route, they would need to sign a catcher to replace their erstwhile starter.

Jeffers split time with Christian Vázquez from 2023 through 2025, and absent a major addition, he’s in line to take on a bigger role in 2026. While it might not make a ton of sense on the surface, there are a few options the Twins would have if they do move on from Jeffers. Let’s take a look at a trio of interesting mid-level free agents.

Danny Jansen
Jansen started the year with Tampa Bay and was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers near the trade deadline. He played in 98 games between the Rays and Brewers, hitting .215/.321/.399, which was good for a 101 OPS+. For comparison, Jeffers hit .266/.356/.397, which was good for an OPS+ of 108.

A burly 6-foot-1, Jansen, 30, put up 2.8 bWAR in 2025, compared with Jeffers’s 1.2. If the Twins trade Jeffers, Jansen could make some sense on a one- or two-year deal, as a bridge to prospect Eduardo Tait. Minnesota acquired Tait as part of the return in the Jhoan Duran trade at the trade deadline, so they hope only to need a stopgap behind the plate.

Jonah Heim
Heim had a down year in 2025 and was non-tendered by the Texas Rangers last month, making him a free agent. He broke out in 2023, hitting for a 106 OPS+ and earning his first career All-Star nod. He won a Gold Glove the same season, and was the main catcher as the Rangers marched to their first-ever World Series title. Since then, he has not been as consistent offensively as he (or the Rangers) would have hoped. While he may be a downgrade offensively from Jeffers, he has shown the ability to be an above-average defender, and being solid behind the plate can mask being a below-average hitter. As the starting catcher, playing in 124 games, Heim hit .213/.271/.332 in 2025, which equates to a 77 OPS+.

While this is below average even for a catcher, if the Twins believe that Heim is a bounce-back candidate, they could get him for good value. The Rangers non-tendered him when he was projected to make in the ballpark of $6 million, so he will likely command less than that on the free-agent market. As a switch-hitter, he provides solid matchup value at a righty-dominated position.

Reese McGuire
In a backup role with the Cubs in 2025, McGuire hit .226/.245/.444 over 140 plate appearances. The Cubs non-tendered him after the season, and he was projected to make $1.9 million next season. If the Twins were to trade Jeffers, could they look to McGuire to split time with the recently acquired Alex Jackson? It sure seems like a plausible option. Offensively, in limited appearances, he was on par with the average catcher across the majors. Another positive in signing McGuire is that he grades out above average defensively, particularly as a framer and thrower. However, like Jackson, he has never handled a full starter’s workload, so he would be more likely to be a candidate to split duties than to play as much as Jeffers would.

Do you think the Twins should trade Jeffers? And if so, whom should they sign to replace him?