Teams are calling the Blue Jays to trade for one of their catchers: report
The Toronto Blue Jays have a pretty big decision to make when it comes to their rising catching stars.
Toronto currently has Gabriel Moreno, Danny Jansen, and Alejandro Kirk in the system, all three of whom saw significant playing time with the MLB club this season.
It’s a good problem to have a lot of depth at one position, but it’s likely not needed, with one or more of the Jays’ backstops heavily rumoured to be on the move this winter.
According to Minnesota-based SKOR North radio host Darren ‘Doogie’ Wolfson, the Minnesota Twins have reportedly spoken to Toronto about their catching depth.
In other news, we could have a trade on the horizon as the annual MLB Winter Meetings continue to get underway.
Wolfson added the Twins have also contacted Oakland and Atlanta “and I’m sure others” to enquire about their catchers as well, meaning Toronto is just one of many possible suitors for the Twins.
But for a team looking for a trade, it’s hard to imagine a more appealing trade partner than Toronto.
None of the three Blue Jays catchers are currently under a contract for the 2023 season, though all three remain under team control. Jansen is eligible for arbitration this offseason, while Kirk and Moreno are not yet eligible and should sign a deal prior to spring training.
Jansen batted .260 with 56 hits, 15 homers, 44 RBIs and 34 runs scored in 72 games in 2022. Making his first MLB All-Star Game, Kirk had a .285 batting average with 134 hits, 14 homers, 63 RBIs and 59 runs scored in 139 games for the Blue Jays in 2022.
Meanwhile, Moreno, who was named MLB’s top prospect by Baseball America’s midseason rankings, hit .319 with 22 hits, a home run, 7 RBIs and 10 runs scored in 25 games for the Blue Jays in 2022.
From Minnesota’s (or any other team’s) standpoint, there’s plenty to like about Toronto as a trading partner. Trading for Kirk gets you a player who started in the All-Star Game last season, while Moreno’s projections have him on a similar path.
Jansen’s cost (and return for Toronto) in a trade would be the least, but he’s still very much a serviceable major-league catcher.
For the Jays, they don’t technically need to make a move, but it’s hard to imagine a better surplus of riches they’ll ever have at one position.
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