The Minnesota Twins have built themselves a good problem behind the plate. The issue is that good problems still require difficult decisions. There are three big-league caliber catchers in camp, and no clear path to send any of them to the minors. If the Twins want to keep all three on the Opening Day roster in 2026, they will need to get creative with both playing time and bench construction.

Ryan Jeffers is locked in as the projected starter. After three seasons of a fairly even split with Christian Vázquez, the organization has made it clear that this is Jeffers’ staff now. He’s also entering his final year of team control, adding another wrinkle to the team’s long-term catching picture.

“Jeffers is going to be the C1,” manager Derek Shelton said early this offseason. “We’ve talked to Victor about it. The thing we thought about there is get a guy we think … is going to play behind Ryan, but he can also play first, he can also DH.”

That comment reveals the blueprint. Jeffers has long prepared himself for a larger workload. “Every year, I’ve grown up in this game,” Jeffers said. “I’ve gotten better at the routine and what I do in the offseason to prepare for the year. I’ve always prepared to catch a full workload, so nothing for that really changed for me this offseason.”

He caught roughly 700 innings last season and appeared in 119 games overall, 88 of them behind the plate. A jump to 120 games caught would push him near 1,080 innings, a total reached last year by only J.T. Realmuto and William Contreras. Jeffers knows that it is ambitious. Instead, he has his sights set on something more sustainable.

“That’s who I am, is a catcher,” Jeffers said. “A full catcher workload is 110-ish games, so if I want to be a full-time catcher, that’s where I want to be.”

With Vázquez’s contract expired, Minnesota added Alex Jackson in a minor trade and signed Victor Caratini to a two-year deal. Caratini’s versatility is central to this conversation. He can catch, play first base, and serve as a designated hitter. That gives the Twins a pathway to carry three catchers without locking themselves into a rigid timeshare.

In Friday’s Grapefruit League action, the Twins previewed the three-catcher concept. Jeffers served as the designated hitter, Caratini handled first base, and Jackson was behind the plate. It is unconventional, but it works on paper. The complication is roster math.

Jackson is out of minor league options. He cannot be sent down without being exposed to waivers. Meanwhile, projected bench pieces from FanGraphs include Kody Clemens, Ryan Kreidler, Austin Martin, and James Outman. Of that group, only Kreidler and Martin have options remaining. Clemens and Martin feel close to roster locks given their versatility. Kreidler is needed to back up Brooks Lee at shortstop.

Outman is intriguing, as his underlying metrics might suggest he has more under the hood. The Athletic recently highlighted Bat Speed, Swing Tilt, and Intercept Point as part of a growing toolkit that can help teams identify future impact hitters, even in tiny samples. Through these metrics, he is seen as a potential plus slugger. Outman demonstrated that power potential throughout his time in the minors, including a .945 OPS and 131 wRC+ at Triple-A last season. That doesn’t seem like a player the Twins would want to give up on for nothing.

Jackson is one of the worst hitters in baseball history, with over 400 big-league plate appearances and an OPS+ of 46. He’s an above-average framer and thrower, and he has shown some power potential at the plate. In 2025, he increased his bat speed from 74.4 mph to 76.1 mph, became more selective, and is a strong base runner. All those traits might point to him finding his footing at the big-league level.

That could leave the Twins choosing between Outman and Jackson, with the odd man out needing to pass through waivers. If the front office values a third catcher and the flexibility Caratini provides, they may be willing to carry a lighter traditional bench to protect their depth behind the plate.

For years, the Twins have been committed to evenly splitting the catching workload. Now they are signaling a shift. Jeffers is ready for more. Caratini offers flexibility. Jackson has no options. Keeping all three might not be conventional roster building, but it could be the clearest way for Minnesota to preserve both depth and durability over 162 games.

Can the Twins fit three catchers on the Opening Day roster? Leave a comment and start the discussion.