Minnesota Twins reunite with Taylor Rogers, sign Victor Caratini in roster revamp

The Minnesota Twins continued reshaping their roster on January 23 with two free agent signings, bringing back veteran left-hander Taylor Rogers for a one-year, $2 million contract, and catcher Victor Caratini on a two-year, $14 million contract. Both players reported to Target Field for physicals in order to complete their agreements as the club is accelerating an offseason reset following last year's bullpen sell-off.

Rogers' return marks a reunion with the Twins organization that drafted him in the 11th round in 2012 out of Kentucky, converting him from a starter to a reliever before his major league debut in 2016. Across his first six seasons in Minnesota, he had a 3.15 ERA in 319 appearances, accumulating 361 strikeouts in 314⅔ innings, becoming a closer in 2019, and earning a spot in the All-Star game in 2021.

Taylor Rogers returns to Twin to build the bullpen

Now 35, Rogers has spent the past four years moving from contender to contender, pitching for five teams after he was traded to the San Diego Padres for the 2022 season. He then pitched for the Milwaukee Brewers, signing with the San Francisco Giants in 2023 to play alongside his twin brother, Tyler Rogers, going to the Cincinnati Reds in 2025, and ending up with the Chicago Cubs at last summer's deadline.
Despite this nomadic stretch, Rogers had stable production as he compiled a 3.34 career ERA in 566 relief outings, 626 strikeouts in 541 1/3 innings, and 83 saves. New manager Derek Shelton, who was Minnesota's bench coach when Rogers was playing part of his first stint, thinks the veteran can make an immediate impact. Talking about the signing, new manager Derek Shelton said, "The Taylor Rogers we knew in '18 and '19 is going to be different than this guy, but he's still a really good reliever, and I think he's going to have a big impact in our bullpen not only pitching-wise but with the ability to lead our group.”

Caratini adds catching depth and roster flexibility

The Twins also covered their catching situation with the addition of Victor Caratini, backing up Ryan Jeffers while seeing time at first base and designated hitter. The 32-year-old switch-hitter hit .259 in 2025 with the Houston Astros and had his career-highs with 12 home runs, 46 runs batted in (RBI), and 386 plate appearances. In nine major league seasons, Caratini has a .244 average and will be joining his fifth team. Defensively, he has garnered great marks for managing the pitching teams, as he ranks eighth among current catchers who have more than 3,500 innings behind the plate with a catcher ERA of 3.92.

To free up 40-man roster spots for the two additions, Minnesota designated two players: right-handed reliever Pierson Ohl and catcher Jhonny Pereda, for release or assignment. With Rogers stabilizing a retooled bullpen and Caratini stabilizing behind the plate, the Twins announced their clear intentions to shore up weak points and strive for a greater balance as they head into the coming season.


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