The Minnesota Twins’ season was over well before the calendar said so. The World Series has ended and free agency is underway, though baseball’s offseason rarely moves fast.

Minnesota extended Ryan Jeffers a qualifying offer earlier this month, a sensible move. He’s widely expected to turn it down for a long-term deal. The Twins appear willing to pay him more than $23 million for one year, but they’d still like to keep him longer.

Ryan Jeffers still on the Minnesota Twins’ radar

If Ryan Jeffers accepts the qualifying offer, he’ll earn $23.15 million but it’s more likely he lands a multi-year deal worth more. If he winds up elsewhere, the Minnesota Twins would get draft pick compensation. The other option is that he signs here.

General manager Jeremy Zoll told reporters at the GM meetings, including Aaron Gleeman (AaronGleeman.com), that the team has been engaged with its catcher on a new contract.

“Ryan earned the right to become a free agent, explore the market, and I want to give him that respect. [He’s trying] to understand what is out there, but also, we’re in touch there. We have made clear that we’d love to have him back, not just in a QO scenario, but in other scenarios, too.”

Reaching out before the qualifying offer deadline suggests Minnesota is open to a multi-year deal. Offseason projections for Jeffers range from $51 million to $75 million in new money, though it seems unlikely the Twins go that high.

The Twins used the third overall pick in the 2026 draft on Vahn Lackey, who has already moved quickly through the system to High-A Cedar Rapids. On a normal path, he could take over at catcher in the majors by 2028.

The best-case scenario is Jeffers taking the qualifying offer and pairing with Victor Caratini in 2027. But several teams should be interested in a long-term deal, and they’ll likely go beyond what the Twins will offer.

A Jeffers return to the MN Twins in 2027 would take a minor miracle. No other team would have to step up, and a possible lockout after the CBA expires Dec. 1 couldn’t wreck the calendar. More realistically, the Twins will need a partner for Caratini whenever the 2027 season starts, and that player will likely be a big step down from Jeffers.