Minnesota Twins fans were amazed when FanSided’s Robert Murray broke the news that their favorite team signed catcher/first baseman Victor Caratini to a two-year contract worth $14 million. Caratini is a solid backup catcher, slashing .259/.324/.404 (101 OPS+) in 114 games with the Houston Astros last year while ranking among the league’s best at blocking balls in the dirt. He struggled with framing last season, but the newly implemented ABS Challenge system should make good framing less valuable.
The signing of Victor Caratini confuses Twins fans considering the acquisition of Alex Jackson
The reason why Twins fans were confused by the signing is that Alex Jackson was believed to be the team’s backup catcher in 2026. Minnesota acquired Jackson, who hit .220/.290/.473 (111 OPS+) with five home runs and eight RBI in 100 MLB at-bats last season, from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for infield prospect Payton Eeles in November, and recently agreed to pay him $1.35 million through 2026.
Caratini, 32, has much more MLB experience than Jackson and should be a better backup than the former Oriole. The ex-Astro can also serve as a first baseman and restricted hitter if necessary. Still, Caratini’s signing was unexpected because the Twins are operating on a tight budget, so most fans probably assumed Minnesota wouldn’t want to pay the MLB contracts for three catchers.
Does the signing of Victor Caratini mean Ryan Jeffers’ time as Twin is almost over?
Some may speculate that Caratini’s signing means the Twins plan to trade starting catcher Ryan Jeffers before the 2026 season begins. However, it wouldn’t make much sense if Minnesota were to deal Jeffers, who has posted an OPS+ above 100 in each of the past three seasons, and keep Joe Ryan, Pablo López and Byron Buxton. Derek Falvey has made it clear he intends to keep these three stars, and moving Jeffers would only make the team worse, as he has been one of the Twins’ most expected hitters at a premier position over the past three seasons. Caratini is a solid catcher, but he shouldn’t be the starting backstop for a team with postseason aspirations.
However, Jeffers is a free agent after this season, meaning he will likely be moved at the trade deadline if Minnesota is in a bad spot in the standings. The Twins should look to extend Jeffers for a few more years to ensure the catcher position is locked in until top prospects Eduardo Tait and Enrique Jimenez are ready for the big leagues. However, Jeffers could likely receive more money from another team in free agency, as there aren’t many above-average catchers in the league.
By signing Caratini through 2027, the Twins can at least be confident they will have a steady backstop for the next two seasons, even if Jeffers is traded or leaves in free agency. But if Caratini is the Twins’ primary catcher, they most likely won’t compete in the playoffs.
In addition to the additions of Caratini and Jackson, the Twins also added first baseman/designated hitter Josh Bell, corner infielder/left fielder Eric Wagaman, righty reliever Eric Orze and utilitymen Orlando Arcia and Vidal Bruján. All of these players have a chance to make Minnesota better.
Twins need to strengthen the bullpen after adding Victor Caratini
The Twins can’t be done making moves this offseason if they want to make the playoffs in 2026. Now that they’ve added plenty of position player depth, they should add another reliever or two. Adding Orze was a good start, but the bullpen has a lot of questions after Minnesota dealt five key relievers at last season’s trade deadline.
As of now, Orze, Justin Topa, Kody Funderkburk, and Cole Sands are the only relievers we can confidently say will be on the Opening Day roster, barring injury. Internal options like David Festa, Marco Raya and others will likely be part of the 2026 bullpen. Still, adding one or two veteran relievers should be the Twins’ top priority at this point in the offseason.
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