The Arizona Diamondbacks have released veteran catcher Tucker Barnhart following his designation for assignment last week, according to the team’s transaction log at MLB.com. Barnhart is now a free agent.
The 33-year-old Barnhart signed a minor league deal with the Diamondbacks in January. This move followed a two-year, $6.5 million contract he signed with the Chicago Cubs during the 2022-23 offseason. However, Chicago released him from that contract last August after he struggled, hitting just .202/.285/.257 in 123 plate appearances. The Los Angeles Dodgers picked him up on a minor league deal shortly after, but he didn’t make it to the majors before the season ended.
Barnhart’s tenure with the Diamondbacks didn’t fare much better. In 96 plate appearances, he posted a .173/.287/.210 batting line. Meanwhile, 27-year-old Jose Herrera, who hit .260/.351/.362 in Triple-A Reno, emerged as a stronger candidate. This led the Diamondbacks to choose the younger, switch-hitting Herrera as the preferred backup to Gabriel Moreno.
Barnhart had been a regular with the Cincinnati Reds from 2015 to 2021, earning a reputation as one of baseball’s top defensive catchers. Despite his two Gold Glove awards, his offensive struggles have overshadowed his defensive prowess. During his time with the Reds, Barnhart batted .249/.327/.380, but his performance declined significantly after leaving Cincinnati, slashing .208/.286/.255 in 527 plate appearances across three teams (Tigers, Cubs, and Diamondbacks).
Teams looking for catching depth can now sign Barnhart with minimal risk, as he would only be owed the prorated league minimum for any time spent on a new team’s major league roster or injured list. The Cubs remain responsible for the remainder of his $3.25 million salary for this year
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