The former top prospect gets a change of scenery in Minnesota.
The Twins have acquired two players this offseason, both catchers, though this one is a touch more notable than the last. The Twins acquired catcher and former top prospect Diego Cartaya from the Dodgers in exchange for minor league pitcher Jose Vazquez.
Acquiring Cartaya for a wild card pitcher would have been unthinkable just two seasons ago. Prior to the 2023 season, he ranked 19th on Baseball Prospectus’ Top 100, 18th on Baseball America’s, and 14th on MLB Pipeline’s. Since then, his performance completely tanked, struggling mightily since reaching Double-A in 2023. In 139 Double-A games, Cartaya hit .204/.303/.379 with a 29.1% strikeout rate and 11% walk rate. The Dodgers pushed him to AAA for the second half of 2024 where he hit a nearly identical .208/.293/.350, striking out at a 27.4% clip while walking at a 9.6% rate. His work behind the plate has received mixed reviews, earning credit for his arm while needing to improve pitch framing.
While he likely won’t become the mid-order bat scouts thought, Cartaya is still only 23 years old. The Twins are hoping that a change of scenery can help his bat while they coach up the glove like they did with Mitch Garver and Ryan Jeffers. And if it doesn’t work out, they took a worthwhile flyer on a former top prospect at a position of need. The offseason has been underwhelming and this acquisition doesn’t help that perception, but it’s a fine move in a vacuum.
Cartaya joins Mickey Gasper as the Twins’ only other 40-man roster addition thus far in the offseason. While either player would be a downgrade from Christian Vazquez, their presence along with holdover Jair Camargo could spell the end of Vazquez’s time in Minnesota. The Twins have been arguably the most dormant teams in an active offseason due to the Pohlads’ unwillingness to spend more on the roster. Vazquez doesn’t offer much offensively, so if any of the three catchers behind Jeffers can provide a solid glove, Vazquez becomes exceedingly expendable.
Jose Vazquez has spent the last two years on the Twins’ DSL squad. The 19-year-old had a 4.99 ERA/3.75 FIP and 45 strikeouts in 30.1 innings last season.