The Minnesota Twins acquired veteran catcher Alex Jackson from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for minor league infielder Payton Eeles. On the MLB tender deadline, the Twins also tendered a contract to outfielder Trevor Larnach and agreed to a deal with reliever Justin Topa. These moves fill the 40-man roster while addressing catching depth.
The Minnesota Twins made several roster adjustments on Friday, MLB's tender deadline for arbitration-eligible players. In a key transaction, they traded minor league infielder Payton Eeles to the Baltimore Orioles for catcher Alex Jackson, who will compete for the backup role behind Ryan Jeffers following Christian Vázquez's free agency.
Jackson, turning 30 next month, had a strong stint with Baltimore last season, hitting five home runs in 100 plate appearances with a .220/.290/.473 slash line. Over his six-year career with multiple teams, he has slashed .153/.239/.288, but he boasts a .517 slugging percentage in 313 Triple-A games and has thrown out 29 percent of base stealers. He joins a catching group that may include Jhonny Pereda and Mickey Gasper.
The Twins surprised by tendering Trevor Larnach, who earned $2.1 million in 2025 and figures for a raise in 2026 arbitration. Larnach, a left-handed hitter with a platoon split, returns for his sixth season despite earlier trade speculation. To make room, they designated outfielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. for assignment and non-tendered him, making him a free agent.
Additionally, Minnesota agreed to a 2026 contract with reliever Justin Topa for $1 million, including a 2027 mutual option, after declining his prior option. All other arbitration-eligible players received tenders, including pitchers Bailey Ober, Joe Ryan, and Cole Sands, as well as infielder Royce Lewis and catcher Ryan Jeffers. Eeles, 26, had slashed .285/.410/.417 in the minors after going undrafted. The Twins' 40-man roster now stands at full capacity.