The Mets have released catcher Austin Barnes, reports Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. The veteran backstop signed a minor league deal in late January. It’s the second catcher-related move of the day for New York, as the club also designated Ben Rortvedt for assignment this morning.
Barnes was set to make $1.5MM if he made the big-league club, reported Jon Heyman of The New York Post. He could’ve earned another $500K in incentives. The longtime Dodger will now look to latch on elsewhere.
New York was largely set behind the plate with Francisco Alvarez and Luis Torrens locked into the top two spots on the depth chart. The former has an extensive injury history, so it was prudent of the Mets to keep a handful of backup candidates in camp. Alvarez was pulled from a spring game last week with back tightness, but returned to the lineup over the weekend.
The 36-year-old Barnes did all he could to position himself for a roster spot if Alvarez or Torrens went down. He slashed .313/.389/.500 in limited spring action. The veteran has spent the past 11 seasons with the Dodgers. He’s been a backup for the duration of that stretch, maxing out at 262 plate appearances in a single season (2017).
Barnes has an 85 wRC+ in his big-league career. His main value has come on defense. The veteran has accrued 35 Defensive Runs Saved in more than 3,500 innings behind the plate. Barnes has even made the occasional appearance in the infield. He’s only done it a handful of times the past few years, but he had a run from 2017 to 2018 that saw him appear in 40 games at second base.
As DiComo points out, Hayden Senger and Kevin Parada are now the primary catching depth pieces behind Alvarez and Torrens. Senger made his debut last season after a lengthy minor league career. He hit just .181 with a 28.2% strikeout rate, though he racked up 5 DRS in 31 games. Parada was a first-round pick in 2022. He’s put up some solid minor league campaigns at the plate, but there are questions about his glove in the majors.
Photo courtesy of Reinhold Matay, Imagn Images
Old news.
Mets stealing old Dodger catchers and releasing them, Barnes Rort
The Barn is no longer at the city.
Only a defense player -probably end of line for his services on major league level
M’s should try and pick up Rortvedt to back up Cal. He’d be an improvement over Garner.
I thought the same about a lot of these newly-released guys – Barnes, Alex Jackson, Rortvelt, and others – but the pitchers and Cal like Garver, so the M’s have Garver.
Kershaw retiring was the end of the gravy train.
Congrats, you win today’s total garbage comment award. Here’s your frowny face prize. 🙁
🤙 not sure how it’s garbage when it’s true. He was Kershaw’s personal catcher, and wouldn’t have had the career he has had without that.
Get mad at the facts all you want.
TI
“wouldn’t have had the career he has had without that.”
Why do you think you know that?
Now he’s Team I ran hard from this thread.
So by your reasoning the dodgers decided to cut Barnes after kershaw announced his retirement, but BEFORE kershaw pitched his last game.
So, basically, the dodgers told kershaw to FO, “you’re retiring so screw your personal catcher”?
You sound like an unthinking troll.
Better to not try to make any sense of this comment. It’s just low grade trolling.
Pitchers know, even if some pigheaded fans never get it, that a good receiver ups their game. Barnes was good at his job behind the plate. Every pitcher liked throwing to him. And that’s how catchers who don’t hit a lot make careers — not by being anybody’s “personal” catcher.
“He’s put up some solid minor league campaigns at the plate, but there are questions about his glove in the majors.”
In reference to Parada, I’m not sure I agree here. “solid minor league campaigns” is very generous. You mention the glove but his bat has been a huge question mark and he’s gone from a top 100 prospect in MLB to not even a top 30 prospect in the Mets system (per MLB Pipeline’s updated 2026 rankings). Part of that is the Mets system improving but his stock has done nothing but fade the last two seasons.
I’m hoping he just takes extra time to adjust as his Binghamton (AA) numbers improved from 2024 to 2025, but I would absolutely not expect him to contribute anything to the MLB club in 2026 unless they’re way out of it later in the season. Senger will be the 3rd catcher barring injury.
Agreed, too many k’s but those rates dropped from 2024 to 2025. I assume they worked with him to shorten his swing to improve contact. His power was down last season. The staff he worked with in Binghamton should be following him to Syracuse throughout this season.
Yeah, I wouldn’t expect Parada to be a factor for the Mets this year. That said, the Mets do typically carry three catchers in AAA, usually a veteran with some MLB experience. So don’t be surprised if they snag one of these castoffs on a minor league deal over the next few days.
Austin should probably become a coach soon
Yes, and maybe a future manager. It would be nice to see the Dodgers give him that opportunity, but it hardly ever works that way.
Don’t ever want to see Barnes manage Dodgers! Bring back Justin Turner let him coach then take over as manger of Dodgers! Turner is more of a Dodger than Barnes! Been Dodgers fan since 1983.
aa
“Turner is more of a Dodger than Barnes”
What does that even mean?
A A Ron
They are both going to be known for their time as Dodgers
aa- history has shown that the less prominent player almost always becomes the better manager. Look around today’s game… Hinch, Roberts, Counsell, Cash, Vogt, Boone, Cora, Francona can safely be considered among the top managers in the sport. I’d be shocked if they have more than a handful of ASG selections collectively. As for the “more of a Dodger” comment, Turner played 9 seasons for LAD, whereas Barnes played 11. Being the better player doesn’t mean you bled blue anymore than the next guy.
I disagree, and I’ve been a fan since ‘76.
DoDgErS fAn SiNcE jAnUaRy TwEnTy SeCoNd NiNeTeEn ThIrTy TwO
My opinion matters most!
Haha! Impressive to remember the actual date. I’ll give you the matters most in that case.
(I looked it up)
I’m old. I can’t remember things
I did not actually say he should manage the Dodgers. I only agreed that he might have a future in coaching, and maybe in management some day. The problem with jumping to conclusions is you can easily break a leg.
Or a hip. Like Mr. Uribe Jazz Hands, I’m old too.
“SF on pace 4 0-162″ is this that weirdo who used to be that ‘TonyGwynnSD” account who’d constantly troll and had a hate-hard-on for the Giants? With a name like that it probably is
It is a decent Giants troll joke though.
For those keeping track.
Dodgers are on pace for 162-0
This will obviously happen
Thus ends the Mets fetish for X Dodgers catchers though the fetish for signing ex Yankees remains.
Love me some Roadvert. Definition of a gamer. Hope the Dodgers grab him again.
Assuming he gets released again I’m sure they will snag him if he drops to them on the waiver wire
He’ll always have that single vs Blake Snell that got him pulled from the game in the very deserved 2020 World Series.