The Dodgers have agreed to a minor league contract with free agent catcher Tucker Barnhart, reports Robert Murray of FanSided. The Ballengee Group client was released by the Cubs last week.
Barnhart, 32, signed a two-year, $6.5MM deal with the Cubs over the winter. The second season of that contract is a player option, though that’s a moot point for the Dodgers, who are inking him to a new minor league deal. The Cubs will remain on the hook for the rest of Barnhart’s salary both this year and next — minus the prorated league minimum for any time he spends on a big league roster with the Dodgers or another team.
In 44 games with Chicago, Barnhart tallied 123 plate appearances but mustered only a .202/.285/.257 batting line with a 9.8% walk rate and 32.1% strikeout rate. It was Barnhart’s second straight year with all of his rate stats clocking in below .300, as he batted .221/.287/.267 in 308 trips to the plate with the Tigers last season.
Perhaps the Cubs felt Barnhart had a good chance to rebound to his 2015-21 levels of production (.249/.326/.375), but that clearly didn’t happen during his limited time at Wrigley Field. They were likely drawn to his longstanding status as a highly regarded defender as well, but Barnhart has taken some steps back in that regard this year. While he continues to grade as a quality framer, this season’s 19% caught-stealing rate is a career-low. Statcast also pegged Barnhart as the best in the sport at blocking pitches in the dirt from 2018-22, but he’s graded out below the league average in that capacity in 2023. The Cubs turned to 24-year-old Miguel Amaya to team with Yan Gomes behind the plate, and their longtime catching prospect has delivered a .235/.363/.392 slash in 125 plate appearances since essentially replacing Barnhart.
The Dodgers have one of baseball’s best all-around catchers, Will Smith, and have deployed veteran Austin Barnes in a backup capacity since 2015. Barnes, however, is sitting on a career-worst .165/.235/.209 output at the plate this year. He’s been one of the least-effective hitters in the game over his 154 plate appearances, and opponents have gone 56-for-62 against him in stolen base attempts.
The signing of Barnhart doesn’t necessarily jeopardize Barnes’ spot on the roster, but it does give Los Angeles a veteran option if the team wishes to carry three catchers or eventually make a switch. Barnhart’s numbers this year aren’t much to look at, but they’re a bit better than those of Barnes. And prior to this addition, the Dodgers weren’t exactly deep in seasoned options should an injury occur. Journeymen Patrick Mazeika and David Freitas are both on the roster in Triple-A, but neither has much big league time. Top prospect Diego Cartaya is highly touted, but he’s struggled in his first season at the Double-A level and wasn’t likely to be an option, should a need arise. For now, Barnhart will presumably head to Triple-A Oklahoma City, but it’s possible he’ll surface back in the big leagues at some point next month — particularly with rosters set to expand to 28 players on Friday.
The Dodgers are going on an interesting strategy of collecting the NL Central’s not so finest. Jason Heyward, Kolten Wong, and Tucker Barnhart make quite the trio
Jason Heyward has been a very good addition to the team. He has gotten some big hits and–just as important–has been a leader and mentor to the younger guys, especially Outman.
No way does he belong in the category you talk about. His average might not show it, but he is swinging well and hitting the ball very hard. He and Peralta both started off slowly but have had much to do with the team’s success.
Heyward has 12 times the amount of home runs he had last year, so yes I totally agree with you! And all while having the Cubs pay him for us.
Kolten and Tucker are minor league deals for depth in case of emergency basically…
Barnhardt can roll out of bed and out-hit Austin Barnes
And a good chance that either of us can roll out of bed and outhit Barnhart. That is a very, very low bar.
And yet he doesn’t have a snowballs chance in hell of taking Austin Barnes roster spot… ESPECIALLY before Kershaw retires.
If Kershaw was still healthy enough to start 30 times a year, a knock against him for the CYA is that he could out-hit his personal catcher if he worked at it. Barnes is that bad. They dumped AJ Ellis without any issue (except Kershaw’s brief annoyance).
Or does Barnes have incriminating pictures of Mark Walter?
I’m pretty sure Mrs. Barnes might do that too!
Barnes has actually been hitting very well recently, especially over the last month or so.
Oh wow. 30 hot plate appearances after 4 consecutive months of an OPS never above .500. Even a broken clock is right twice a day. Barnes is washed and everyone sees it.
Except for the Dodgers, apparently. Too bad they aren’t as smart as you.
Barnhart is injury insurance. Barnes has hit in August and Kershaw likes him. He’s not going anywhere.
Exactly. Some of these people come up with the craziest comments lol.
Kershaw liked A.J. Ellis too, and they still traded him for Carlos Ruiz
Yep, this “personal catcher” theory is way over stated.
You could’ve said the same thing about AJ Ellis. The problem with Barnes is his defense and pitch calling have become almost as bad as his bat. His rCERA (Catchers ERA Runs Saved) finally turned positive after being negative most of the year but Will Smith is 2nd in the league in that stat. Similar story with rSZ (Strike Zone Runs Saved), Will Smith lapping an average to below average defender in most stats. Every time the Dodgers sit Smith for Barnes it hurts them in multiple ways. I doubt Austin will get much play in October.
It seems neither the Dodgers nor their pitchers agree, so I think I’m gonna go with them.
Might they be moving Smith to DH next year and deciding to use Barnhart as C?
Unlikely. The Dodgers fill their upper levels with vets to slow promotion and help mentor prospects.
Yeah zero chance of this. A contender like the Dodgers isn’t going to roll out a starting catcher like Barnhart.
Good luck with that….