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By Jon Paul Hoornstra
Contributing Sports Writer
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The Orioles traded catcher Alex Jackson to the Minnesota Twins on Friday in exchange for prospect Payton Eeles.
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Jackson, 29, was eligible for salary arbitration this winter and had little room to contribute on an Orioles team with two catchers — Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo — signed to long-term contracts.
More news: Cubs Make Trade, Send All-Star Pitcher to Orioles
A career .153 hitter in 160 MLB games with the Orioles, Atlanta Braves, Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers and Miami Marlins, Jackson was projected to earn $1.8 million in 2026 by MLB Trade Rumors.
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Eeles, 26, was not on the Twins' 40-man roster, so the Orioles now have 39 players on their 40-man roster.
An undrafted utility player out of Coastal Carolina, Eeles has experience at second base and shortstop as well as left field. In his first exposure to Triple-A pitching in 2024, Eeles compiled a .919 OPS and stole 20 bases.
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In 2025, Eeles missed the first two months of the season while recovering from knee surgery. When he returned, he slashed .253/.379/.321 (.701 OPS) in 86 games with the St. Paul Saints, the Twins' top farm team.
In a corresponding roster move to make room for Jackson, the Twins designated outfielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. for assignment.
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Keirsey, 28, had appeared in 80 games with the Twins over the past two seasons, hitting .113 with three home runs and 10 stolen bases, while striking out 34 times in 97 at-bats.
With Jackson out of the picture, the Twins could turn their third-string catcher duties over to Maverick Handley. The sixth-round draft pick out of Stanford in 2019 by Baltimore, Handley got his first exposure to the big leagues in 2025.
In 16 games, the 27-year-old went 3 for 41 (.073) with 18 strikeouts. If the Orioles want to leave the backup catcher position in more capable hands, they could be on the hunt for one this offseason.
It's the first trade between the Orioles and Twins since Aug. 2, 2022, when Minnesota traded Yennier Cano, Cade Povich and two minor leaguers for All-Star reliever Jorge Lopez and cash.
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