We are just a week from Opening Day and the Minnesota Twins still have a dozen or so moves to make in order to trim their active roster down to 26 players before then. One player unlikely to make the cut is veteran catcher, Alex Jackson.
After Christian Vazquez hit free agency this offseason, the Twins quickly moved on signing the 30-year-old backstop to a $1.35 million contract, setting a floor at backup catcher, behind Ryan Jeffers.
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Not long after, Minnesota got an opportunity to sign another 30-something catcher — this time 32-year-old veteran Victor Caratini — who inked a two-year deal. Landing both Caratini and Jackson have provided some rumors that a Jeffers trade could be afoot. But the closer we get to Opening Day, the less likely that becomes.
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Alex Jackson on the trade block for Minnesota Twins
As the sixth overall draft pick back in 2014, Alex Jackson was once a very highly-touted prospect. A decade later, Jackson is carrying a career 46 OPS+ across 160 big league games.
Now, he’s out of options and according to Jen McCaffrey (The Athletic), the MN Twins are hoping to trade him Jackson they don’t have to cut him and eat his $1.35 million salary.
One NL evaluator suggested there might not be much interest across the league in Thaiss since the Twins are actively shopping catcher Alex Jackson, who has a stronger track record. Jackson, however, is making $1.35 million, so that could be a deterrent for some teams.
If Jackson is sent through waivers, he could be claimed. However, any team that places a claim on Alex Jackson, should the Twins designate him for assignment, would then have to pay his $1.35 million salary too. Thus a trade where Minnesota gets some “cash considerations” in return, makes sense.
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This spring, Jackson has played in nine Grapefruit League games for the Minnesota Twins. In his 18 plate appearances, Alex is 1-for-14 across (.156), which tracks with his .153 career batting average.
What could teams see in Jackson?
Teams that show any level of interest in the former top prospect are likely intrigued by Jackson’s defensive abilities. He was neutral in the blocking department last year, but above average controlling the running game. He’s also been incredibly competent at framing pitches.
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McCaffrey brought up Jackson’s name in the vein of the Boston Red Sox. Matt Thais is in camp as a non-roster invitee. With Carlos Narvaez and Connor Wong ahead of him, the veteran doesn’t have a path to a roster spot either. He would cost an acquiring team just the league minimum, or roughly half of Jackson’s 2026 salary.
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