Red Sox Trade Deadline Targets: Ryan Jeffers Is the Upgrade Behind the Plate We've Been Waiting For

[Alex Mayes]

The Boston Red Sox have a bit of a black hole at the catching position this season. There were high hopes thrust upon Carlos Narvaez after his stellar breakout season in 2025, but he’s yet to live up to any of those. He could be waking up as he ended the first half strong and seems to be continuing that through the start of the second half, but he's still responsible for a 53 wRC+. Connor Wong has had a much better 2026 than he had in 2025, but he’s not an every day player for a contending team. Mickey Gasper isn't an MLB-caliber backstop.

What are we left with? A fair number of options with no clear solution. To solve the problem, Craig Breslow should call the Minnesota Twins and see what it would take to pry Ryan Jeffers from them. 

Jeffers is the exact type of catcher the Red Sox need. Narvaez is a defensive wizard behind the dish, but the step backwards he has taken at the plate is one of the reasons that the team is having to play a big game of catch up to begin the second half. Jeffers solves that problem in more ways than one.

Offensively, he is a right-handed menace. While he’s not technically a qualified hitter this season—he landed on the IL with a broken hamate bone in May and was just activated on July 10—his Baseball Savant page is bright red behind the hashmarks. He also fits the team’s model of someone who is top of the league in bat speed, averaging 73.3 MPH, good for the top 10% of swing speeds in the league. He’s currently slashing .292/.404/.538 with a .406 wOBA, 162 wRC+, and a 1.8 fWAR. His strikeout rate sits at an impressive 15.3%, matching his walk rate. Once he’s qualified, that walk rate will have him near the top of the league.

What's more impressive is Jeffers' fit with this roster. Going into the 2026 season, Breslow prioritized pull-air percentage when he targeted fan favorite Willson Contreras. Contreras has a pull-air rate of 26.5% this year; Jeffers is currently sitting on a 20.7% rate. In other words, he'd also punish the Green Monster during homestands.

Along with the impressive pull ability, Jeffers offers the offensive approach the team has been preaching since Breslow took over. His bat speed is averaging 73.3 MPH so far this season and he’s clocked 40 swings over 75 MPH. Both of those numbers put him in the top of the league in terms of swing speed and fast-swing rate percentages. His swing length is also slightly shorter than league average at 7.2’. That's an incredible combination for power, hence how he already has eight home runs in just over 40 games this season. This could be due, in part, to changes Jeffers made in his batting stance this season. He’s now standing further back in the box than he ever has in his career, from 28.3” to 30.6”, while being closer to the plate, from 27.3” to 25.9”, and has shortened the distance between his feet from 36.2” to 33.5”. What this has done is opened his stance up from 8° to 11°. He’s getting a bit more time to watch the ball approach the plate and it’s paying dividends for him this season.

There are two knocks against Jeffers when it comes to a possible trade. First, he’s an average-at-best defender behind the dish. He is ranked in the 62nd percentile in blocks above average, the 15th percentile in caught stealing, the 62nd percentile in framing, and the 34th percentile in pop time. Compared to Narvaez, Jeffers is a liability on defense, though that's true for most catchers.

The potentially bigger hurdle for a Jeffers trade is it’s unclear if the Twins are willing to move off him (and if they are, what the cost associated with doing so would be). As we know, the American League is weak this year, and Jeffers offers the Twins a lot of upside behind the plate as they push for a Wild Card spot throughout the summer. If he can be had, it’s going to be expensive. The Twins are likely going to want highly ranked, close-to-MLB-ready prospects in return. While the Red Sox have one of the better farm systems in the league, would they be willing to pull from it for a backstop who reaches unrestricted free agency at the end of the season? It’s hard to say, but if the team is all-in on competing for a playoff spot this season, it may be worth the risk.

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[moonslav59]

I've been high on Jeffers for a couple years. He's not great on D, but he can DH when not catching or we can late inning sub for D, if needed.

Goodman, Langeliers and even Alvarez will be very costly.

I hate giving up a lot for a rental, so I'd kick the tires on longer term solutions, but Jeffers might be who we settle on, especially if we find a longer term solution at SS/2B.

We could also use a pitcher.

I doubt we trade the future for 3 major add-ons.

[Alex Mayes]

1 minute ago, moonslav59 said:

I've been high on Jeffers for a couple years. He's not great on D, but he can DH when not catching or we can late inning sub for D, if needed.

Goodman, Langeliers and even Alvarez will be very costly.

I hate giving up a lot for a rental, so I'd kick the tires on longer term solutions, but Jeffers might be who we settle on, especially if we find a longer term solution at SS/2B.

We could also use a pitcher.

I doubt we trade the future for 3 major add-ons.

I’m working on something about two of the names you mentioned. 

[moonslav59]

Just now, Alex Mayes said:

I’m working on something about two of the names you mentioned. 

I'm pretty sure Brez is asking around on some of these names.

[Alex Mayes]

9 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I'm pretty sure Brez is asking around on some of these names.

I hope so. I don't have a ton of faith in him to get something done at the deadline since he's fumbled the last two, but this team currently has a chance to be historic and adding at the catching position is what could put them over the edge. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

The future is now. No one wants another rebuild. Keep building this.

[Alex Mayes]

Just now, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

The future is now. No one wants another rebuild. Keep building this.

Perfectly put. Craig himself said that to put the best team on the field that they'd have to get uncomfortable. Right now is the time to get uncomfortable. 

[moonslav59]

4 minutes ago, Alex Mayes said:

I hope so. I don't have a ton of faith in him to get something done at the deadline since he's fumbled the last two, but this team currently has a chance to be historic and adding at the catching position is what could put them over the edge. 

His reluctance to trade Tolle and Early last summer has paid off.

[Alex Mayes]

Just now, moonslav59 said:

His reluctance to trade Tolle and Early last summer has paid off.

Absolutely, but I think Early or Bennett has to be included in any deal for a big name bat this year. Likely Witherspoon as well.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

1 minute ago, moonslav59 said:

His reluctance to trade Tolle and Early last summer has paid off.

So has his initiative to trade the other young pitchers that have blossomed elsewhere... which some posters repeatedly point out when defending Breslow's moves.

[moonslav59]

3 minutes ago, Alex Mayes said:

Perfectly put. Craig himself said that to put the best team on the field that they'd have to get uncomfortable. Right now is the time to get uncomfortable. 

We have to realize we may need to trade away the next Harrison and Priester (or better) to get what we need.

To me, to go large means trading at least...

Arias or Eyanson or Early plus maybe Witherspoon or Valera/Phillips/Holobetz

Gonzales, Azocar or Godbout plus secondary pieces like Romero, Cespedes, Wehunt and others.

Even these guys might not be enough to get what we need in full. We'd probably have to trade two from Arias, Eyanson AND Early plus Witherspoon, Azocar and Gonzales. That's just for two key pieces, and one might be just a rental. (We can add Mayer to the mix, but if Arias is traded, too, we've opened up a big hole for our future middle infield options.)

[moonslav59]

4 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

So has his initiative to trade the other young pitchers that have blossomed elsewhere... which some posters repeatedly point out when defending Breslow's moves.

Yes, and not a single poster cried when we traded those 3. Some questioned the idea, but the thing Brez did was shuffle the deck. He traded as much as he added.

We don't hear about Fitts, Dobbins, Clarke, Fajardo, Travieso, Aita, Hoppe, Murphy, Wikelman and on and on...

Some are going to do well. That should be expected when you trade for talented players and prospects.

To me the major pitcher moves balance sheet is this for right now...

Sale, Harrison, Priester & Drohan

vs

Crochet, Suarez, Gray, Bennett, Chapman, Weissert, Watson (Gio>Sandoval) & Buehler and DMay types

(I won't mention we got Durbin for 2 of those pitchers.)

[Alex Mayes]

6 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

We have to realize we may need to trade away the next Harrison and Priester (or better) to get what we need.

To me, to go large means trading at least...

Arias or Eyanson or Early plus maybe Witherspoon or Valera/Phillips/Holobetz

Gonzales, Azocar or Godbout plus secondary pieces like Romero, Cespedes, Wehunt and others.

Even these guys might not be enough to get what we need in full. We'd probably have to trade two from Arias, Eyanson AND Early plus Witherspoon, Azocar and Gonzales. That's just for two key pieces, and one might be just a rental. (We can add Mayer to the mix, but if Arias is traded, too, we've opened up a big hole for our future middle infield options.)

My gut says Eyanson is likely untouchable because he's being given the Tolle treatment. I also think Eyanson will be more ready for the MLB later this season than Tolle was when he was called up last year. Everyone else you've listed should be on the table. I'd lean trading Mayer before Arias but Arias is going to have way more value right now.

[Alex Mayes]

4 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Yes, and not a single poster cried when we traded those 3. Some questioned the idea, but the thing Brez did was shuffle the deck. He traded as much as he added.

We don't hear about Fitts, Dobbins, Clarke, Fajardo, Travieso, Aita, Hoppe, Murphy, Wikelman and on and on...

Some are going to do well. That should be expected when you trade for talented players and prospects.

To me the major pitcher moves balance sheet is this for right now...

Sale, Harrison, Priester & Drohan

vs

Crochet, Suarez, Gray, Bennett, Chapman, Weissert, Watson (Gio>Sandoval) & Buehler and DMay types

(I won't mention we got Durbin for 2 of those pitchers.)

I actually said that the Red Sox may have fleeced the Brewers in the Durbin trade. I was eating my words for awhile but Harrison has fallen back to earth last I checked. 

[moonslav59]

5 minutes ago, Alex Mayes said:

My gut says Eyanson is likely untouchable because he's being given the Tolle treatment. I also think Eyanson will be more ready for the MLB later this season than Tolle was when he was called up last year. Everyone else you've listed should be on the table. I'd lean trading Mayer before Arias but Arias is going to have way more value right now.

I'm very high on Eyanson, and even if trading for Neto, we still need future middle infield options, so Arias becomes close to untouchable.

I'm very high on Early, too but we have to give to get. I'd offer him and Mayer plus Witherspoon and Gonzales/Azocar/Godbout, but I'm not sure that gets us Neto and a catcher or other decent bat at 2B or LF/DH.

If we traded for a SS and 2Bman, then including Arias is more worthy of consideration, but they cant eb rentals.

[moonslav59]

4 minutes ago, Alex Mayes said:

I actually said that the Red Sox may have fleeced the Brewers in the Durbin trade. I was eating my words for awhile but Harrison has fallen back to earth last I checked. 

I liked the trade, but I also liked the Sale and Priester trades, too- for various reasons.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Don't forget last year Brez traded for a rookie catcher who started on an 89-win playoff team... for a pitcher named Elmer, who's now a Top 100 prospect -- but still in the minors.

[moonslav59]

18 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Don't forget last year Brez traded for a rookie catcher who started on an 89-win playoff team... for a pitcher named Elmer, who's now a Top 100 prospect -- but still in the minors.

I'm sure some other pitchers he traded away will go well, and they will get the Harrison, Priester & Drohan treatment as well.

Did we really expect them all to do poorly?

We knew we were giving up players with promise to get players with promise or proven talent. We should look at the net results. We'll win some and lose some on both sides of the ledger, but it's the net result that matters.

Does anyone doubt that our staff on the 26, 40 and farm has greatly improved in less than 3 years of the Brez era?

He's also improved the defense.

 

 

 

[Hugh2]

37 minutes ago, Alex Mayes said:

I actually said that the Red Sox may have fleeced the Brewers in the Durbin trade. I was eating my words for awhile but Harrison has fallen back to earth last I checked. 

Don't ever eat the words......people are quick to jump on board to hate a trade but Durbin is a perfect, perfect example that they're judged best over time.  There's still time for that trade to swing either way. 

[moonslav59]

5 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

Don't ever eat the words......people are quick to jump on board to hate a trade but Durbin is a perfect, perfect example that they're judged best over time.  There's still time for that trade to swing either way. 

yup, and same with the Priester deal.

The Sale deal is down to Ziehl on the Sox side as we got him for Grissom, so that deal is pretty much decided, but one never knows.

Look at how many of Brez's trades and signings have done well and well "so far." Many of the prospects we traded for are doing well or very well. Some are not.

[notin]

1 hour ago, Alex Mayes said:

Absolutely, but I think Early or Bennett has to be included in any deal for a big name bat this year. Likely Witherspoon as well.

Why not Eyanson over the players on the active roster?

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, notin said:

Why not Eyanson over the players on the active roster?

Early may not be back, but he is still more likely to help in 2026 than Eyanson.

Eyanson seems to have enormous upside for 2028 and beyond- maybe 2027.

To me, Early has more trade value, so that's why I mention him a lot.

[Alex Mayes]

1 hour ago, notin said:

Why not Eyanson over the players on the active roster?

From the Sox standpoint, Eyanson likely has a higher ceiling than either Early or Bennett and will likely be in the rotation next year at this rate. The reports from the A's and Rockies specifically say they are looking for major league a major league ready arm in return for either Langeliers and Goodman.

That being said, I'd part with Eyanson for Langeliers but the holes in Goodman's swing worry me enough that I'd likely go Early, Witherspoon, Narvi as the central package with an additional bat if need be. 

[moonslav59]

3 minutes ago, Alex Mayes said:

From the Sox standpoint, Eyanson likely has a higher ceiling than either Early or Bennett and will likely be in the rotation next year at this rate. The reports from the A's and Rockies specifically say they are looking for major league a major league ready arm in return for either Langeliers and Goodman.

That being said, I'd part with Eyanson for Langeliers but the holes in Goodman's swing worry me enough that I'd likely go Early, Witherspoon, Narvi as the central package with an additional bat if need be. 

Agreed. I would like Goodman- hole and all, at the right price. COL seems to demand too much, though.

[notin]

9 minutes ago, Alex Mayes said:

From the Sox standpoint, Eyanson likely has a higher ceiling than either Early or Bennett and will likely be in the rotation next year at this rate. The reports from the A's and Rockies specifically say they are looking for major league a major league ready arm in return for either Langeliers and Goodman.

That being said, I'd part with Eyanson for Langeliers but the holes in Goodman's swing worry me enough that I'd likely go Early, Witherspoon, Narvi as the central package with an additional bat if need be. 

If I’m Colorado, I want no part of Early and his popping elbow.  But I’d be fine with Eyanson…

[Alex Mayes]

15 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Agreed. I would like Goodman- hole and all, at the right price. COL seems to demand too much, though.

Agreed on their demands. The bottom of the offensive part of his Savant page terrifies me though. I'd be happy with him, but there's a lot of swing and miss with very little walks in his approach. 

[Alex Mayes]

12 minutes ago, notin said:

If I’m Colorado, I want no part of Early and his popping elbow.  But I’d be fine with Eyanson…

I'm not overly concerned with Early's elbow right now, but I'm also not the GM of a baseball team haha. I think they'd pivot to Bennett before they offered Eyanson and you'd have to imagine that Colorado likes Bennett quite a bit. 

[moonslav59]

6 hours ago, notin said:

Why not Eyanson over the players on the active roster?

Someone gave this point...

If I’m Colorado, I want no part of Early and his popping elbow.  But I’d be fine with Eyanson…