The Minnesota Twins have had the healthiest catching core in baseball since 2023. They’ve had the great fortune of only needing Ryan Jeffers and Christian Vázquez to make starts behind the plate, but this great run will not last forever.

Vázquez is a free agent after this season, and Jeffers will become a free agent after the 2026 season. Whether it’s internal, through trade, or free agency, the Twins must have someone to replace Vázquez this offseason.

However, what if Minnesota’s streak of 410 straight games with only two catchers ends for the Twins before the season is over? There isn’t a clear answer on who would fill in behind the plate in either Jeffers’ or Vázquez’s potential absence.

Jair Camargo is the first man on the 40-man depth chart to fill that role. Still, the Twins lost him for the year last week when he underwent Tommy John surgery at the Mayo Clinic.

Mickey Gasper is the only other catcher on the 40-man roster. However, he’s also out with an injury. He’s suffering from bilateral plantar fasciitis, with no set date for his return.

Diego Cartaya started as the fifth man on Minnesota’s catching depth chart, but he has played himself out of any chance to be a major league catcher this year.

The Twins acquired Cartaya from the Los Angeles Dodgers this offseason, after they DFA’d him from their 40-man roster. Cartaya’s time on Minnesota’s 40-man roster was short-lived. He only had five hits in 69 plate appearances across 20 games with the Saints and is back on the development list for the third time this season.

Given Minnesota’s rapidly diminishing Triple-A catching depth, how would they add a catcher to the 40-man to fill in for Jeffers or Vázquez? Who would the front office call up for an emergency call-up to the majors?

Patrick Winkel is a non-roster invitee to spring training and the first guy in line. Minnesota’s ninth-round pick in 2021 started the first two weeks of the season on the Saints bench, with Camargo and Cartaya splitting playing time in their first 12 games. But when Cartaya’s struggles landed him on the development list, Winkel’s starting role increased. He’s hitting a respectable .256/.293/.500 with five home runs and 10 RBI in 22 games.

It’s an improvement from his .228/.279/.362 slash line in 78 games last season, when Winkel struggled at the plate. Despite the limited playing time, Winkel is seeing improvement from 2024 to 2025. Winkel’s future in MLB is likely as a third-string catcher. If he continues to improve his hitting, he could become a depth catcher for the Twins this year or in 2026.

Recent Saints call-up Noah Cardenas and Minnesota’s top catching prospect, Ricardo Olivar, are the next two options behind Winkel. Cardenas has had a decent run of 44 games between Double-A and Triple-A, hitting .244/.381/.466, seven home runs, and 24 RBI, with his latest homer being a walk-off for the Saints last Saturday.

Cardenas is one of the best pitch-callers in the Twins system and has brought that strength to work with the veteran arms in Triple-A. He has only 12 games into his Triple-A career, so he’s unlikely to jump Winkel in the pecking order, given he’s spent the last year and a half with the Saints.

Olivar, 23, is a long shot to make his MLB debut this season, but he is the best hitter among these three catchers. He isn’t expected to be a catcher long-term. He’s split playing time between catcher (24 games), designated hitter (18), and left field (15). Olivar leads the trio with a .268/.347/.408 slash line, eight home runs, and 33 RBI at Double-A Wichita.

The Twins are still high on Olivar’s bat long term. Still, given his positional future, he may not remain at catcher long term. Therefore, it’s unlikely he’s in their catching plans even in 2026, when he has a better shot of making his MLB debut.

Until Gasper is back from his stint on the IL with plantar fasciitis, Winkel is lined up to be Minnesota’s break glass in case of emergency catcher. But what about 2026 and beyond? Who is currently in the Twins’ farm system that has a strong chance of being one of their two catchers?

The best bat behind the plate the Twins have right now is Khadim Diaw, their third-round pick from 2024. Diaw has spent all of 2025 in High-A Cedar Rapids and has put up an incredible .302/.455/.431 slash line with three home runs and 20 RBI in 38 games. However, Diaw has been out on the 7-day IL since May 29 with a right thumb sprain.

Missing out on game action for a month has set back Diaw’s trajectory for 2025 to make it to Double-A. Still, if he can continue hitting well once he returns, he could become a part of Minnesota’s catching plans by 2027.

There’s still no clear indication of whether the Twins will offer Jeffers an extension. All contracts beyond 2025 are uncertain due to the ongoing sale of the team. The front office would like to keep Jeffers long term. Still, until they know who’s signing everyone’s checks, Minnesota’s catching future resides in its farm system.