Twins extend qualifying offer to catcher Ryan Jeffers

The Minnesota Twins have extended a qualifying offer to Ryan Jeffers. Now, they await a decision from the catcher. Jeffers, one of eight players to receive a qualifying offer before Monday s deadline, has until Nov. 17 to either accept it and remain with the Twins or decline it, in which case the Twins would receive draft pick compensation if he signs with another team in free agency. The qualifying offer for the upcoming season is a one-year, $23.15 million deal, the average salary of the league s top 125 paid players. A player is eligible to receive a qualifying offer if they are a free agent who has never received one before and has spent the entire previous season with the same team. If Jeffers were to decline the offer, the Twins would recoup some value lost from not dealing him ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. If he accepts it, which seems less likely as he is seeking a long-term deal, he would become the highest-paid catcher in the majors next season. On