Twins: Don’t overlook the Christian Vázquez signing
The Minnesota Twins finally made a move, acquiring free agent catcher Christian Vázquez to a three-year/$30 million deal. It’s not the sexiest move, but the addition of the veteran catcher shouldn’t be overlooked.
The Twins needed to upgrade their catching position this offseason. Last season, the front office rolled out a tandem of Ryan Jeffers and Gary Sánchez. That didn’t work out as many could have expected.
The FO wasn’t going to bring back Sanchez after another disappointing season, so that left the Twins with a gaping hole at catcher. They have Jeffers but playing him every day would be a disaster.
Jeffers has some nice tools, but he can’t stay healthy. He’s yet to play over 100 games through the first three seasons of his major league career. He would have likely missed 30-to-40 percent of the season had the Twins played him every day.
The Twins have seen firsthand how badly injuries can derail a season. It’s likely this Minnesota team wins the AL Central had they stayed relatively healthy last year.
Vázquez may be 32, but he’s been fairly healthy throughout his career. Over the last two seasons, he’s played in 257 of the 324 games.
Health is important, but Vázquez is one of the better defensive catchers in baseball. Last year he ranked T-fourth in baseball in defensive runs saved (11). He should also help develop young pitchers like Joe Ryan, Louie Varland, Josh Winder, Griffin Jax, etc.
That’s important for a team that has struggled to bring in good pitchers/develop them into solid rotational pieces. Look at Vázquez’s impact in Boston and his brief stint in Houston.
Minnesota finished 28th in opponent stolen base efficiency. Last year, Vázquez threw out 27 percent of runners and ranks seventh (career) amongst active catchers in that category.
Defensively he’s great, but offensively he’s average. That’s perfectly fine because he makes up for it on the defensive end. In years prior, it’s been one or the other for the Twins. If Vázquez can be one of the better defensive catchers in baseball and average at the plate, then that’ll be a major upgrade.
Vázquez struggled with the Houston Astros, but I’m going to make the excuse that he was struggling to adapt to a new environment midseason. In 2022, he hit .274, with an OPS+ of 99. He also hit nine home runs and knocked in 52 runs.
This Twins team needs experience, and Vázquez is a two-time World Series champion. Oh, and he has a connection to Carlos Correa.
The Twins added their primary free agent catcher, and it’s a move that shouldn’t be overlooked. Yes, it’s not Correa (hopefully, we get clarity on that soon), but the Vázquez signing shouldn’t be overlooked. He’s great defensively, solid enough on offense and brings a veteran presence to the clubhouse.
Stay tuned to Let’s Talk Minnesota Sports, as we’ll be breaking down every move this offseason.
