The White Sox lineup suffered a blow during Monday’s series opener against the Texas Rangers, as starting catcher Kyle Teel exited the game with trainers and was later diagnosed with a sprained ankle. While the exact timetable for Teel’s return is not yet known, he’s likely going to miss the majority of the remaining regular season games, and the White Sox are left with a need behind the plate they may not have previously planned. Fortunately, there are several veteran catchers who are impending free agents and could be of interest to the White Sox. Let’s rank a few realistic options.
3- Jonah Heim, Athletics
31-year-old Jonah Heim is already on his second team so far this season. After being non-tendered by the Rangers, Heim inked a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves. An injury to starting catcher Drake Baldwin got him into the big league lineup and he posted a .721 OPS in 12 games before being designated for assignment and traded to the Athletics for cash. In 42 games with the A’s, Heim has slugged eight home runs and posted a .714 OPS. Defensively, he’s above-average in blocking, but he hasn’t fared great in pop time or throwing out baserunners. It’s a bit of a different profile defensively than the White Sox other catchers, who have been better at throwing out runners than blocking pitches. Heim doesn’t have a track record of being a great offensive player, but his .700 OPS would represent an upgrade over any of the White Sox current catching options. Heim will be a free agent after the season and has largely sat behind Shea Langeliers with the Athletics, so acquiring him should be very affordable. It’s a marginal upgrade at best, but it would help to provide stability to a position suddenly in flux.
2- Tyler Stephenson, Reds
Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson, who’s in the final year of his contract with Cincinnati, isn’t having the kind of year he hoped to have, but is a serviceable option nonetheless. In 76 games this season, Stephenson has hit eight home runs with a .712 OPS. His power numbers are a bit down from previous years: he hit 13 home runs in just 88 games in 2025 and hit 19 in 2024, but his on-base numbers are right in line with his career norms. Stephenson is a 29 year-old right-handed hitter with strong offensive metrics that suggest he could step things up soon. On defense, Stephenson is the best qualified catcher in baseball in blocking the plate, but the worst in framing, and he’s not great at throwing out baserunners either. Despite being right-handed, Stephenson has actually been better against right-handed pitching this season, though his career numbers have been slightly stronger against southpaws. Stephenson represents a swing at offensive upside and an upgrade behind the plate for the White Sox. With Cincinnati indicating a willingness to move on from expiring contracts, Stephenson could be a hot commodity.
Tyler Stephenson clubs his second home run of the game 💪 pic.twitter.com/C2atsUjCL5
— MLB (@MLB) July 19, 2026
1- Ryan Jeffers, Twins
A name that’s heavily circulating in trade rumors this spring has been Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers. Jeffers, 29, is a former second-round pick of the Twins and is currently in the final year of his initial contract. He’s dealt with some injuries this season but has been productive when healthy, with a .941 OPS and eight home runs in 42 games. Jeffers has been an above-average offensive player every season since 2023, and his metrics this season back up his strong production. Defensively, Jeffers would fall into the category of “serviceable but unremarkable”. Still, there’s no better rental option on offense than Jeffers and his .924 OPS against left-handed pitchers could slot in very nicely to the White Sox lineup. Jeffers may be the least realistic option on this list for a couple reasons, however. The Twins are very much still in the playoff race and may not sell. If they do, they may be less inclined to trade him to a team in their division. But if the White Sox have an opportunity to add an impact player at a premium position for a reasonable price, they should be all over it.
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