Twins Sign Victor Caratini: Veteran Catcher Joins Minnesota in 2026

The Minnesota Twins just made a calculated move to shore up their roster, agreeing to a two-year, $14 million deal with veteran catcher Victor Caratini. It’s not the kind of signing that turns heads, but it fits the club’s strategy—tight payroll, small upgrades, especially at a position with both short- and long-term impact.

Twins Add Veteran Stability Behind the Plate

Victor Caratini, now 32, lands in Minnesota after two solid years with the Houston Astros. He’d previously signed a two-year, $12 million contract and delivered steady offense and competent defense across 201 games.

Caratini posted a .263/.329/.406 slash line with 20 home runs and a 108 wRC+. That’s comfortably above league average for a catcher—a spot where it’s tough to find much offense.

FanGraphs credited Caratini with 2.7 WAR over those two seasons, highlighting his reliability as a regular contributor. He’s not an All-Star, but he’s the kind of veteran who quietly raises a team’s floor.

A Mixed but Useful Defensive Profile

Caratini’s defense is a bit of a mixed bag. Analytical outlets rate him well for framing and blocking, skills that quietly help a pitching staff over a long season.

But his ability to control the running game? That’s graded out below average, and opponents might try to take advantage. Even so, his overall defensive package is solid, and Minnesota can feel good about using him regularly—especially alongside their incumbent catcher.

How Caratini Fits with Ryan Jeffers

The Twins already have Ryan Jeffers behind the plate, but pairing him with Caratini is interesting. Jeffers shows a big platoon split, thriving against lefties but struggling more against right-handed pitching.

Caratini, a switch-hitter, naturally balances things out and gives manager Rocco Baldelli more options to play matchups.

Insurance for the Present—and the Future

Jeffers hits free agency after 2026, which adds another wrinkle. Caratini could step in as the primary catcher in 2027, or maybe the Twins decide to trade Jeffers to free up payroll and roster space.

Either way, Minnesota keeps its options open, and that’s something this front office seems to value quite a bit.

Additional Value at First Base

Caratini isn’t just a catcher—he brings some versatility. He’s logged 463 2/3 career innings at first base, including 97 last season.

That experience gives the Twins depth behind projected starter Josh Bell, who, let’s be honest, struggled against left-handed pitching in 2025. This flexibility lets the team rest regulars, play matchups, and handle injuries without scrambling for outside help.

Roster Implications and Payroll Strategy

Signing Caratini means someone’s got to go. Minnesota will need a corresponding 40-man roster move, and Alex Jackson looks most vulnerable.

Jackson is out of minor league options and owed $1.35 million, so he could be the odd man out if the Twins keep both Caratini and Jeffers. Jhonny Pereda stays in the mix as optionable depth.

Financially, the deal lines up with Minnesota’s plan to trim payroll for 2025 while hanging onto flexibility. The Twins are set to open 2026 with a payroll in the $107–115 million range, depending on how things shake out.

A Timely Move in a Heated Catching Market

The signing also reflects market timing.

The catching market accelerated in mid-January as high-profile free agents like J.T. Realmuto and Danny Jansen came off the board.

Caratini’s agreement came right after Realmuto reportedly re-signed with Philadelphia.

That left even fewer quality options available.

The Astros apparently wanted to keep Caratini.

But most observers figured he’d get a bigger role and paycheck somewhere else.

For the Twins, this deal feels like a modest but meaningful upgrade.

It’s not the kind of move that grabs headlines, but these are the ones that can actually matter over a long season.

 
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