The Cubs announced they’ve designated P.J. Higgins for assignment. The move opens a spot on the 40-man roster for fellow catcher Tucker Barnhart, who has officially signed a two-year free agent deal.
Higgins, 29, has appeared in the majors in each of the last two seasons. A 12th-round pick back in 2015, he reached the majors in 2021 after six seasons climbing Chicago’s minor league ranks. That first stint proved brief, as Higgins played in just nine games before tearing the UCL in his throwing arm. He required Tommy John surgery and missed the rest of the season. At the end of the year, Chicago ran him through outright waivers rather than reinstate him from the injured list.
The Old Dominion product quickly returned to the only organization he’s known, inking a minor league contract a few weeks later. He spent the first six weeks of the 2022 campaign with Triple-A Iowa before being re-selected onto the MLB roster. The season saw Higgins log his first extensive major league action, as he appeared in 74 games and picked up 229 plate appearances.
It was a fairly successful look, as Higgins posted a .229/.310/.383 line with six home runs and 11 doubles. That was a bit better than the .228/.295/.368 mark compiled by catchers around the league. The right-hander showed decent contact skills and plate discipline, albeit with very modest hard contact numbers. He’s shown a similar high-OBP profile throughout his time in the minors, compiling a .279/.365/.378 line through 2100 career MiLB plate appearances.
While he hit fairly well for the position, Higgins didn’t rate highly in the eyes of public defensive marks. Statcast rated him a couple runs below average as a pitch framer through 236 innings behind the dish. His arm strength similarly rated below par, with his average pop time (time to throw to second on a steal attempt) checking in 60th among 73 backstops with 10+ throws. He successfully threw out only three of 16 basestealers. Higgins was also behind the plate for three passed balls and 13 wild pitches in 24 starts as a catcher, with Defensive Runs Saved estimating him as six runs below average overall.
Despite those defensive numbers, Higgins could find some interest from another club on the waiver wire. Catching depth is always in demand, and Higgins has flashed better offensive capabilities than most reserve catchers. Adding to the appeal, Higgins has a full slate of minor league option years remaining. Any team willing to carry him on the 40-man roster could keep him in Triple-A for the foreseeable future. If Higgins were to go unclaimed on waivers, he’d have the right to elect minor league free agency as a player who has previously been outrighted in his career.
I am surprised. I thought they would keep Gomes, Barnhart and Higgy on 40 man roster. Hope Cubs are able to keep Higgy in minors
Aloha Manny, I’m still in “shock,” since the FO didn’t pull off a trade for a Murphy, Kirk, Moreno, etc. I too thought he’d stay on the 40 man. I guess if no one picks him up, he could come back to Iowa. I wish him well. Mahalo
This doesn’t make a lot of sense. He is their third catcher, right handed, and can play first. Hopefully he clears waivers.
I think that’s what they’re hoping for.
I am betting he gets through waivers. Is there a team out there desperate for a back up catcher that they would have to add to their 40 man roster and DFA someone else to add him?
Defense wasn’t good. Cubs going in a defense first mode with catchers. I think they will sign a catcher with some MLB experience and put him at AAA.
Didn’t see that one coming. I would of tossed Amaya first.
Not sure Higgins to Barnhart is much of an upgrade.
Barnhart has a pretty solid track record behind the plate, but had a subpar 2022. I guess the question is: was it just a down season or is he beginning to decline? The Cubs front office thinks it’s worth the risk.
I am ok with Barnhart but like Higgy for depth.
Agree Manny. I definitely liked Higgins around but I understand stand (I think), what they’re trying to do.
A little surprising because that now makes Miguel Amaya the #3 catcher… and he hasn’t caught in years due to injury. I guess it’s a tough call, but I would have thought Miles Mastrobuoni DFA or maybe a Nick Madrigal trade to open the roster spot.
Madrigal for a good middle reliever at a sensible salary. Or for a team top 15 prospect.
Nick Madrigal is not going to get you a good middle reliver…
Madrigal to White Sox for team # 11 pitching prospect Jonathan Cannon? Who says no?
I am a Cubs fan and know the Southside Bums don’t want him back!
They’re not bringing Madrigal back. Why? He’s a below average fielder at 2B, and not particularly athletic.
Madrigal has one tool and he hasn’t even really shown it at the MLB level yet. He has to hit for a pretty high average to make up for his inability to do much else.
@chisox: Madrigal would fit right in with the rest of your infield.
Madrigal would fit in perfect back on the south side. Like most of the Sox so called stars Madrigal spends a lot of time on the disabled list
Oh yeah, you say that now cuz they traded him. Before that you guys thought he was terrific “Nicky Two Strikes”, remember?
Who says no? Sox for sure.
Coop, are you skipping your prevegen again?
Funny how you liked him so much when he was on your team.
Remember, if a team picks him up he has to remain on their 40-man or go back to the Cubs. How many teams would do that?
I’m not sure why the below average defender reputation comes from. Madrigal was very solid defensively for the Cubs last year. His arm stinks and he certainly isn’t Nico hoerner at second but he is a plus defender.
As for his hitting, it will be interesting to see if/how he rebounds and if he can actually stay on the field. I love contact hitters like him and Nico but both need to learn to take a walk and look to actually drive the ball instead of simply making contact and hoping for the best.
“Cubs print money” hilarious.
Who? And WTF are you talking about? This isn’t the rule 5 draft. That’s over.
Madrigal is at best the 3rd string 2B right now behind Hoerner and Morel. They need him like Hemorrhoids need Taco Bell.
Why should any of us care if it’s “at a sensible salary”? The Cubs print money – there’s no reason except owner cheapness why they shouldn’t be around the second tier of the luxury tax.
Not a chance
Mastrobouni not getting DFA’d. They like him as left handed utility. He has options left. He had really nice year with Tampa AAA team.
They said the same crap about McKinstry when they got him from the Dodgers. And he proved he couldn’t hit Major League Pitching either. Maybe they’re planning to play one of those 2 at 3B and let Wisdom play 1B and then move him back to 3rd when they bring up Mervis.. They’re at like 214 million now and probably want to save some room for taking on salary this year at the deadline. Won’t matter because next year they have an extra 80 million or so to play with as they lose Heyward’s 24 million finally, Hendricks 14 million, Bellinger’s 17 million and maybe Stromans 22 million and maybe Happ’s 11 million or so.. It all depends on what they want to keep and how PCA, Davis and Canario develop this year. Hopefully Canario makes it back sometime late this year. It looks like they don’t want to push the tax this year. Since they plan on having Swanson and Hoerner man the middle for the next 7 years, Why they need 3 other 2B does mystify me though.
Surprised. Higgins provided some versatility and they’re keeping both McKinstry and Mastrobuoni.
They’re one bad injury away from a real problem. Neither Gnomes or Barnhart are capable of being everyday catchers.
Mastro is not making the team
You are forgetting about Bote
2 addl infielders are plenty
Bote ain’t making the team either unless 4 guys get hurt.
Maybe his old employer Robin Masters will offer him his job back
I agree. Surprised by this. With his positional flexibility I see him as unlikely to make it thru waivers. I would’ve much rather have seen Mckinstry or Mastrouboni get Dfa’d since they are carbon copies or close to it.Hope Jed and Carter know what they are doing. Maybe they are waiting till they add Hosmer,Mancini or Smith to dfa one of the utility guys
After living for years on Theo’s coattails , Jed has no idea what he’s doing
Sorry Oold58. I think you got it in reverse. Jed can only operate under the budget constraints Ricketts gives him. Theo only knew one way – in Boston as well as after 2016 – try to spend. Hoyer is trying to build something sustainable through the draft and player development.
Theo and Jed have different agendas. Theos didn’t work too well in Boston.
So winning the WS equates to “didn’t work too well” in your eyes? He then used the same process to win one with the Cubs. I guess Theo has been a disappointment to both cities.
While Theo has won in both cities, the cost of those victories set each franchise back.
@stymeedone
My comment regarding‘not working well’, was in reference to long term success. Breaking the long drought in both places, was obviously huge. But in Boston particularly, he overspent immediately after the championship. That seemed to be Theo’s way of maintaining success.
In Chicago, he initially tried that too, but it sure didn’t mesh with Ricketts designs of creating ‘Rickettsville’ around the park.
This is a big surprise. Is David Ross going to be third on the depth chart at catcher? Still need room on the 40 man for Mervis or god forbid Hosmer.
If only there was a backup catcher who could also play 1b and DH if needed. Someone like PJ Higgins.
Higgin isn’t good enough to be an MLB player.
Come on, it’s not like he is Tim Hosley out there.
He is better than a revolving door of needed Catchers like we have had in the past. Recall the continuous never ending supply of Romine, Rivera, Wolters, Davis, Gushue, Payne, Chirinos, etc. Heck, they would have called Steve Lake ,Rick Wrona, and Barry Foote back if they could.
I’m liking this because Steve Lake, Rick Wrona, And Barry Foot got a mention…. and also because it took me on a trip down memory lane!
Remember Dick Bertell, Cuno Berrigan, Merritt Ranew?
No, I am only 50 so a little before my time. It was interesting looking up their stats though. Thanks!
If he goes unclaimed he’ll be back
A little surprised as well. I guess they think now is a good time to try and skip him through and see if he will come back on an NRI with an early opt out if not reinstated to the 40 soon after the 60 day IL opens up.
DH for catcher too. If youre going to screw up the game with 1 DH, why not have 2 DH’s? Heck, 3 or 4? Or maybe just go with a 7 man lineup and let P and weak hitters just play defense?
I would have kept Higgins over Barnhart. Not that Higgens is better, but I like his upside more given what Barnhart cost.
They are light years apart defensively.
I don’t know anything about Higgins or Barnhart as it relates to catching intangibles but I cannot quite figure what Hoyer is doing right now.
Gomes, presumably, was brought in to do what he does extremely well which is develop young pitching. Then, with promising young pitchers in the pipeline, Hoyer goes out and signs Tallion and Smyly to multi year deals.
I don’t have issue with either pitcher, but neither move the needle much in terms of competitiveness and I don’t really see “upside”… untapped upside that is.
Given the Cubs nibbling, Swanson is good, looks like his power is real and Bellinger is a good flyer but this team isn’t contending… why are we not developing then? Are we hoping to trade Stroman and Hendricks at the deadline? It just doesn’t make sense to me why the Cubs didn’t leave a fifth slot open.
They must have caught P.J. sleeping on the job.
I can’t believe the Cubs are ditching their pajamas.
He’s headed to the Guardians. Probably will do well there too.
Should make a play for carlos- i like brandon belt better then trey mancini
Belt over mancini
Should keep him around for spring training at least. Must expect he is not claimed off waivers but this seems short sighted- was expecting to start the season with 3 catchers.
Anyone else see a pattern? When they try recreate a Zobrist they end up making the players natural position suffer. Ian settled in at LF and gets a GG. Wisdom was a good defender at third in 2021. Whynot let PJ focus catcher then? If I recall didn’t have some clutch hits as well?
Belt over hosmer