Twins have ‘genuine interest’ in reuniting with free-agent catcher Ryan Jeffers

Minnesota Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll told reporters Monday at the GM Meetings in Las Vegas that the club remains engaged with free-agent catcher Ryan Jeffers and has made clear it would welcome him back on terms beyond the one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer the team extended earlier this month. "Ryan earned the right to become a free agent, explore the market, and I want to give him that respect," Zoll said. "[He's trying] to understand what is out there, but also, we're in touch there. We have made clear that we'd love to have him back, not just in a QO scenario, but in other scenarios, too." Jeffers has until Nov. 17 to accept or decline the qualifying offer, but Zoll said the Twins do not feel the need to wait until that deadline to discuss multi-year arrangements.

Zoll described the early offseason as feeling "closer to normal than not" and said a flurry of activity is still likely by the end of November because "deadlines spur action," referencing the expected league lockout at the beginning of December. He added that the Twins are laying groundwork through conversations with free-agent representatives and other clubs with no clear roadblocks to making a move.

In addition to the Jeffers situation, Zoll announced three staff promotions. Jonas Lovin will become major-league assistant pitching coach, working under new head pitching coach Brian Reith and bullpen coach LaTroy Hawkins. Ross Seaton, previously in advance scouting, was promoted to head of that department and will also assist with game preparation for pitchers. Hailey Leviton, formerly an assistant director of baseball operations, was named director of major-league operations to take on a clearer lead function. Zoll said the pitching-coach restructuring aims to create a more well-rounded group with less redundancy, similar to the collaborative approach the hitting coaches used last season.