Red Sox acquire catcher in Twins trade

The Boston Red Sox are exploring all avenues of boosting their postseason chances entering the 2026 season. In their latest move, Boston bolstered their depth behind the dish.

The Red Sox acquired catcher Nate Baez from the Twins, via Jeff Passan of ESPN. In return, Boston shipped out utilityman Tristan Gray.

As it stands Carlos Narvaez is set to be Boston’s starting catcher with Connor Wong serving as his backup. During the 2025 campaign, Narvaez hit .241 with 15 home runs and 50 RBIs. Boston will certainly take that production, but they were also in on free agency JT Realmuto. The Red Sox are keeping a close eye on their catcher situation throughout the offseason.

Baez doesn’t seem likely to impact the major leagues in 2026, but he is an intriguing prospect Boston can now develop for the future. He spent the 2025 season splitting time between High-A and Double-A. Over 96 games, Baez hit .278 with eight home runs, 53 RBIs and eight stolen bases. His entire minor league career, which has consisted of 229 games, has led to a .263 batting average, 25 home runs and 115 RBIs.

Only 24-years-old, Baez will need more seasoning in the minors. Boston will at least want to see what he offers at Triple-A before making the major league call. However, after trading away Kyle Teel in the Garrett Crochet deal, the Red Sox now have another young catcher who will help dictate their future.

Ultimately though, the Baez trade may fall under the radar come Opening Day. The Red Sox have made plenty of big adjustments to their major league roster, although the team did miss out on re-signing Alex Bregman. Still, it’s clear Boston is set on competing come 2026.