Everything posted by Brock Beauchamp
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With Ryan Jeffers poised to reject the qualifying offer, the Twins have to get serious about replacing him. If they can't do so via free agency, they might have one particularly appealing trade partner. In one scary scenario, the Twins might not add a significant free-agent catcher this winter. Ryan Jeffers could walk away from Minnesota for a long-term deal, while Tyler Stephenson and Carson Kelly could get better offers elsewhere. These three are the top free-agent options at the position on DiamondCentric’s free agent rankings. So, if the Twins don’t sign any of these names, where do they pivot? Minnesota could try to land bigger offensive threats such as Hunter Goodman and Shea Langeliers, names that have floated around in trade rumors for quite some time now, but it's unlikely the Twins would be willing to go after these high-tier options after just letting Jeffers go. They have a vacancy at the position, even with Victor Caratini under contract, and need at least one other body for the 2027 season (and maybe longer). Thankfully, one team seems to have a catching logjam, given that one of their top prospects was recently called up to start at the position. That team is the San Diego Padres, and their veteran catchers, Freddy Fermin and Luis Campusano, would both be solid additions if the Twins strike out everywhere else this offseason. Freddy Fermin: A Defensive UpgradeFermin was acquired at the 2025 deadline from the Royals. Through his season and a half with the Padres, the 31-year-old has slashed .217/.276/.323 with six home runs in 404 plate appearances. That's not great offensive output, but that wouldn't be why Minnesota would acquire him. Fermin graded out very well defensively in 2026, posting a Fielding Run Value of 9, according to Statcast. That was good for eighth among catchers, and significantly better than Caratini, who ranked 19th. He's very well-rounded defensively, ranking in the 86th percentile or above in blocks above average, caught stealing above average, and pop time, while grading out as a well-above-average framer, as well. He would give the Twins a reliable veteran presence behind the dish, and while the bat is not good, the rest of the lineup should have enough firepower to make up for Fermin’s lack of offensive output. Luis Campusano: An Offensive UpgradeWhile neither of the Padres’ potential trade chips is as good offensively as Jeffers, Campusano held his own last year, putting up a respectable .265/.363/.433 line with 8 homers in 248 plate appearances. The former top prospect has struggled to find consistency throughout his seven-year major-league career, but with Salas called up and (ostensibly) ready to go as the future of the catching position in San Diego, it may be time for Campusano to get a change of scenery. His 122 OPS+ was significantly better than Caratini’s 77, and it's also better than Kelly (97) and Stephenson (101) were this year. Campusano is not as good defensively as Fermin, earning -3 FRV last season, a bit worse than Jeffers. Still, Campusano could be one of the better offensive options for the Twins to get, and if they can’t get a more established major-league player, he certainly would have more upside than Caratini, at least in the batter’s box. How Willing Will San Diego Be to Deal?Though it's natural to look at the three catchers who finished the year in the majors and assume the Padres will move one of them, top executive A.J. Preller downplayed that likelihood a bit on Tuesday in Las Vegas. "You think you have some catching, then there's an injury, which can happen at that spot, and all of a sudden, now you're searching for catching," Preller said, when asked how hard it would be to move any of his three backstops. "We've built up that spot. We have three players that we feel like you can win in the playoffs with at that position. So we don't take that lightly." Preller pushed back on the notion that Salas has established himself, suggesting he'll need to come to spring training ready to compete for a spot and pointing to some shorcomings the rookie showed as a receiver and handler of the pitching staff. However, he also admitted that the Padres have already heard from several teams interested in trading for one of the trio, so San Diego is keeping an open mind. Suffice it to say this: neither Fermin nor Campusano will be an easy, low-cost pickup. A trade for either will cost something, even if it be relatively modest. Hopefully, This is a Short-Term ProblemNeither of these names would need to be the long-term answer behind the dish for the Twins. Minnesota has prospects on the rise, led by Vahn Lackey and Eduardo Tait, and Lackey could be here as early as the end of the 2027 season. Fermin and Campusano would be stopgaps, with a chance to remain in the organization past 2027 if they perform adequately, or at least above the level of Caratini. Ultimately, the goal would be to stabilize the position for the next season or two without significantly increasing the payroll or sacrificing high-level prospects. If the Twins find themselves watching their top catching options sign elsewhere and cannot land a bigger name on the trade market, San Diego could provide a practical alternative to bridge the gap until their own young talent is ready to take over. Twins Daily's Matthew Trueblood contributed reporting. View full article
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In one scary scenario, the Twins might not add a significant free-agent catcher this winter. Ryan Jeffers could walk away from Minnesota for a long-term deal, while Tyler Stephenson and Carson Kelly could get better offers elsewhere. These three are the top free-agent options at the position on DiamondCentric’s free agent rankings. So, if the Twins don’t sign any of these names, where do they pivot? Minnesota could try to land bigger offensive threats such as Hunter Goodman and Shea Langeliers, names that have floated around in trade rumors for quite some time now, but it's unlikely the Twins would be willing to go after these high-tier options after just letting Jeffers go. They have a vacancy at the position, even with Victor Caratini under contract, and need at least one other body for the 2027 season (and maybe longer). Thankfully, one team seems to have a catching logjam, given that one of their top prospects was recently called up to start at the position. That team is the San Diego Padres, and their veteran catchers, Freddy Fermin and Luis Campusano, would both be solid additions if the Twins strike out everywhere else this offseason. Freddy Fermin: A Defensive UpgradeFermin was acquired at the 2025 deadline from the Royals. Through his season and a half with the Padres, the 31-year-old has slashed .217/.276/.323 with six home runs in 404 plate appearances. That's not great offensive output, but that wouldn't be why Minnesota would acquire him. Fermin graded out very well defensively in 2026, posting a Fielding Run Value of 9, according to Statcast. That was good for eighth among catchers, and significantly better than Caratini, who ranked 19th. He's very well-rounded defensively, ranking in the 86th percentile or above in blocks above average, caught stealing above average, and pop time, while grading out as a well-above-average framer, as well. He would give the Twins a reliable veteran presence behind the dish, and while the bat is not good, the rest of the lineup should have enough firepower to make up for Fermin’s lack of offensive output. Luis Campusano: An Offensive UpgradeWhile neither of the Padres’ potential trade chips is as good offensively as Jeffers, Campusano held his own last year, putting up a respectable .265/.363/.433 line with 8 homers in 248 plate appearances. The former top prospect has struggled to find consistency throughout his seven-year major-league career, but with Salas called up and (ostensibly) ready to go as the future of the catching position in San Diego, it may be time for Campusano to get a change of scenery. His 122 OPS+ was significantly better than Caratini’s 77, and it's also better than Kelly (97) and Stephenson (101) were this year. Campusano is not as good defensively as Fermin, earning -3 FRV last season, a bit worse than Jeffers. Still, Campusano could be one of the better offensive options for the Twins to get, and if they can’t get a more established major-league player, he certainly would have more upside than Caratini, at least in the batter’s box. How Willing Will San Diego Be to Deal?Though it's natural to look at the three catchers who finished the year in the majors and assume the Padres will move one of them, top executive A.J. Preller downplayed that likelihood a bit on Tuesday in Las Vegas. "You think you have some catching, then there's an injury, which can happen at that spot, and all of a sudden, now you're searching for catching," Preller said, when asked how hard it would be to move any of his three backstops. "We've built up that spot. We have three players that we feel like you can win in the playoffs with at that position. So we don't take that lightly." Preller pushed back on the notion that Salas has established himself, suggesting he'll need to come to spring training ready to compete for a spot and pointing to some shorcomings the rookie showed as a receiver and handler of the pitching staff. However, he also admitted that the Padres have already heard from several teams interested in trading for one of the trio, so San Diego is keeping an open mind. Suffice it to say this: neither Fermin nor Campusano will be an easy, low-cost pickup. A trade for either will cost something, even if it be relatively modest. Hopefully, This is a Short-Term ProblemNeither of these names would need to be the long-term answer behind the dish for the Twins. Minnesota has prospects on the rise, led by Vahn Lackey and Eduardo Tait, and Lackey could be here as early as the end of the 2027 season. Fermin and Campusano would be stopgaps, with a chance to remain in the organization past 2027 if they perform adequately, or at least above the level of Caratini. Ultimately, the goal would be to stabilize the position for the next season or two without significantly increasing the payroll or sacrificing high-level prospects. If the Twins find themselves watching their top catching options sign elsewhere and cannot land a bigger name on the trade market, San Diego could provide a practical alternative to bridge the gap until their own young talent is ready to take over. Twins Daily's Matthew Trueblood contributed reporting. -
The Twins have plenty of work to do in their bullpen this winter, and free agency offers a few intriguing options. Alex Vesia, Bryan Abreu and Kevin Ginkel could each give Minnesota a much-needed boost in different ways. View full video
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The Twins have plenty of work to do in their bullpen this winter, and free agency offers a few intriguing options. Alex Vesia, Bryan Abreu and Kevin Ginkel could each give Minnesota a much-needed boost in different ways. -
https://twinsdaily.com/minnesota-twins-news/twins/jeremy-zoll-provides-encouraging-twins-injury-report-but-one-surprise-emerges-r21432/
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Former Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Matt Shoemaker has a new job outside of baseball. Shoemaker was elected to a seat on the Saline Area Schools Board of Education in Michigan during Tuesday's election, winning by just 28 votes, according to The Detroit News. Shoemaker explained his decision to run for the school board to the Saline Post, saying, “I’m running for School Board to support our teachers and staff, expand opportunities for our students and help every kid succeed in school, on the field and in life.” He added, “I’ve learned great teams succeed when people are supported, everyone has a voice, and you work toward something bigger than yourself.” Shoemaker joined the Twins in 2021, signing a one-year, $2 million contract to serve as the team's No. 5 starter. Unfortunately, his time in Minnesota didn't go as planned. He posted an 8.06 ERA over 60 1/3 innings that season, before being DFA'd. Shoemaker never pitched in the major leagues again. Now, Shoemaker will take the lessons he learned in professional baseball into a new role, working to support students, teachers, and staff in his local community. View full rumor
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Former Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Matt Shoemaker has a new job outside of baseball. Shoemaker was elected to a seat on the Saline Area Schools Board of Education in Michigan during Tuesday's election, winning by just 28 votes, according to The Detroit News. Shoemaker explained his decision to run for the school board to the Saline Post, saying, “I’m running for School Board to support our teachers and staff, expand opportunities for our students and help every kid succeed in school, on the field and in life.” He added, “I’ve learned great teams succeed when people are supported, everyone has a voice, and you work toward something bigger than yourself.” Shoemaker joined the Twins in 2021, signing a one-year, $2 million contract to serve as the team's No. 5 starter. Unfortunately, his time in Minnesota didn't go as planned. He posted an 8.06 ERA over 60 1/3 innings that season, before being DFA'd. Shoemaker never pitched in the major leagues again. Now, Shoemaker will take the lessons he learned in professional baseball into a new role, working to support students, teachers, and staff in his local community. -
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https://www.mlb.com/news/yandy-diaz-declares-rays-will-win-game-6-of-2026-alcshttps://www.mlb.com/news/yandy-diaz-declares-rays-will-win-game-6-of-2026-alcsadfadfasa df;asdfj;lasfks;df https://www.mlb.com/news/2026-alcs-game-6-storylines View full rumoradfadfasa df;asdfj;lasfks;df https://www.mlb.com/news/2026-alcs-game-6-storylinesWhoooooooo Ranked ProspectsTurangChourioQueroFrelickBillWilburSpankyEdgarJohn NOOOOOOOOOOFrelick NoChourio YesTurang HI!Quero MaybeBill WhooJohn BlehWilbur SnakeEdgar WheelSpanky Cat I'm tying a thing here and it won't work.test Last season got off less than ideal for Jordan Balazovic. Due to the lockout, he couldn’t communicate with the organization and entered Spring Training with a knee issue. Despite suggesting he was healthy, he was slow out of the gate and battled ineffectiveness all season long. Even while he turned things around late with the St. Paul Saints, Balazovic finished with a gaudy ERA north of 7.00 across more than 70 innings of work. Just a year removed from being a guy that put up a 3.62 ERA with more than a strikeout per inning at Double-A, Balazovic had turned into a complete pumpkin. The walks ballooned, and while the strikeouts held on, he inexplicably allowed more than two-and-a-half homers per nine innings. It was shocking for a guy who had always been stingy regarding the long ball. Coming into this Spring Training, Balazovic needed to set a new tone. Instead of accomplishing that and impressing the big-league staff, Balazovic got punched square in the jaw. While he contends that it was a surprise and unprovoked attack, there is no denying it was a distraction and could have been avoided by choosing different whereabouts. Instead of impressing the Major League staff, Rocco Baldelli and his coaches sent a message to Balazovic. Balazovic is not an old prospect, as he will pitch all of this season at 24 years old, but he isn’t viewed the same as he was a year or two ago. After putting up lackluster results all season, Minnesota needs to see more. The starting pitching depth may be better than ever, and with the emergence of talents like Louie Varland and Simeon Woods Richardson, Balazovic has been knocked down in the pecking order. For everyone involved, the hope would be that the message was received loud and clear. It stands to reason that Balazovic wouldn’t have been happy being jettisoned so quickly from big league camp, but there is no time for him to stew on it. As minor league action gets underway on the back fields, Balazovic will again be ticketed to Triple-A. He can start the turnaround by dominating hitters this spring, and we’ll need to take those same efforts with him up to St. Paul. Last season Balazvoic didn’t make his debut until May. He’ll be months ahead this time, assuming the preparation is on track. He can go a long way toward making the impression he wanted to make in Florida by coming out strong. The talent that landed him on national prospect lists isn’t gone, and the knee issues that hampered him a year ago should be in the rearview mirror. Maybe this spring wasn’t a reflection of maturity or anything but a culmination of some bad luck. The 70 innings last year reflect results that Balazovic can’t continue to be tied to, however, and putting up some sparkling numbers again is what he needs to get on track with. As the Twins continue to sort out their depth pitching plans, it would be good for the Canadian to force his way among them. No matter how much depth the Twins have on the mound, more is always a good thing to find. Balazovic represents an opportunity for the organization to see a come up in a big way, and all parties involved would be thrilled to see that outcome. The physical altercation may have hurt more, but Minnesota hopes the mental message hits home harder. View full article
Last season got off less than ideal for Jordan Balazovic. Due to the lockout, he couldn’t communicate with the organization and entered Spring Training with a knee issue. Despite suggesting he was healthy, he was slow out of the gate and battled ineffectiveness all season long. Even while he turned things around late with the St. Paul Saints, Balazovic finished with a gaudy ERA north of 7.00 across more than 70 innings of work. Just a year removed from being a guy that put up a 3.62 ERA with more than a strikeout per inning at Double-A, Balazovic had turned into a complete pumpkin. The walks ballooned, and while the strikeouts held on, he inexplicably allowed more than two-and-a-half homers per nine innings. It was shocking for a guy who had always been stingy regarding the long ball. Coming into this Spring Training, Balazovic needed to set a new tone. Instead of accomplishing that and impressing the big-league staff, Balazovic got punched square in the jaw. While he contends that it was a surprise and unprovoked attack, there is no denying it was a distraction and could have been avoided by choosing different whereabouts. Instead of impressing the Major League staff, Rocco Baldelli and his coaches sent a message to Balazovic. Balazovic is not an old prospect, as he will pitch all of this season at 24 years old, but he isn’t viewed the same as he was a year or two ago. After putting up lackluster results all season, Minnesota needs to see more. The starting pitching depth may be better than ever, and with the emergence of talents like Louie Varland and Simeon Woods Richardson, Balazovic has been knocked down in the pecking order. For everyone involved, the hope would be that the message was received loud and clear. It stands to reason that Balazovic wouldn’t have been happy being jettisoned so quickly from big league camp, but there is no time for him to stew on it. As minor league action gets underway on the back fields, Balazovic will again be ticketed to Triple-A. He can start the turnaround by dominating hitters this spring, and we’ll need to take those same efforts with him up to St. Paul. Last season Balazvoic didn’t make his debut until May. He’ll be months ahead this time, assuming the preparation is on track. He can go a long way toward making the impression he wanted to make in Florida by coming out strong. The talent that landed him on national prospect lists isn’t gone, and the knee issues that hampered him a year ago should be in the rearview mirror. Maybe this spring wasn’t a reflection of maturity or anything but a culmination of some bad luck. The 70 innings last year reflect results that Balazovic can’t continue to be tied to, however, and putting up some sparkling numbers again is what he needs to get on track with. As the Twins continue to sort out their depth pitching plans, it would be good for the Canadian to force his way among them. No matter how much depth the Twins have on the mound, more is always a good thing to find. Balazovic represents an opportunity for the organization to see a come up in a big way, and all parties involved would be thrilled to see that outcome. The physical altercation may have hurt more, but Minnesota hopes the mental message hits home harder.I mean, fans fight all the time, though. All fanbases of all sports. It's a different breed that jumps onto the field of play and attacks someone... twice.The only fanbase I truly hate is the White Sox. First, they're the primary rival. Second, their fans literally jumped on the field and beat up an old man and an umpire in two separate incidents.Someone sent me this so I felt it necessary to share: Ponder this question: When you say you hate a particular team, are you talking about the team itself, or the behavior displayed by its fans? Crestline surveyed 1,000 baseball fans across the country to ask their opinions of MLB fan bases and players. Key findings: Minnesota Twins fans were voted the 2nd best-behaved and 6th least annoying fanbase in MLB. Carlos Correa was voted the 5th most annoying player in MLB. The most annoying fan behavior: 1. Getting in fights at games 2. Bad Sportsmanship 3. Fairweather/bandwagon fans. Nationally, 62% of respondents expect the new rules changes in 2023 will increase fan complaining. Across baseball, 43% of fans said they had another fan ruin a sporting event for them. Twins fans were the 3rd most likely to have a game ruined by another fan. Take a look at the full report and let me know if you can use any of this data for a story.Well, we all knew players would start dropping and this isn’t a particularly concerning injury.
