Fry's surgically repaired elbow is responding well to treatment, and he's due for his next re-check in March.

Fry was limited to DH duty for the Guardians toward the end of the season in 2024. It's unclear if he'll get a chance to play behind the plate at all when he returns. If not, Fry will lose his catcher eligibility in 2026 leagues.

Kirk will be counted on to catch more games than ever before in 2025 now that Danny Jansen is no longer a Blue Jay, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

The duo split duties behind the plate each of the past three seasons, and while Kirk set a career high with 541 plate appearances in 2022, much of that playing time came at DH. The 26-year-old has never played more than 99 games at catcher in a season, but he's expected to handle about 120 starts at the position this year. Tyler Heineman and Christian Bethancourt are competing for the backup job in spring training, and neither is suited for Jansen's old tandem role. Kirk's swing mechanics were out of sync early in 2024, but from Aug. 1 on he slashed a respectable .269/.335/.404 with 28 RBI in 44 games, production Toronto would be content with given Kirk's strong pitch framing and defensive skills.

Manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that Rice will work out with the team's catchers in camp in addition to taking reps at first base, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Rice has nearly 1,000 innings of catching experience under his belt in the minors, but his defense behind the plate likely isn't strong enough for him to profile as anything more than a backup option at the position in the majors. Still, if Rice can acquit himself well in his catching opportunities during the spring, it could be his ticket to a spot on the Opening Day roster, as the Yankees already have Paul Goldschmidt and Giancarlo Stanton locked in as regulars at first base and designated hitter, respectively. Meanwhile, Austin Wells appears secure as the Yankees' No. 1 catcher, but J.C. Escarra and Jesus Rodriguez -- neither of whom has made their MLB debut -- are the only other backstops on the 40-man roster. Rice hit just .171 and struck out in 27 percent of his plate appearances in his first taste of the majors last season, but he flashed power (seven home runs, six doubles) and drew walks at an 11.6 percent rate.

Liranzo will participate in spring training with the Tigers as a non-roster invitee, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

Liranzo, who came over to Detroit last summer in the trade that sent Jack Flaherty to the Dodgers, is considered Detroit's top catching prospect. He's only 21 and has yet to appear at the Double-A level, so his MLB debut is probably not coming soon, but he could make a good impression this spring. For the time being, the Tigers figure to roll with Jake Rogers and Dillon Dingler behind the plate. Liranzo should be on the radar in dynasty formats.

Hernandez signed a minor-league contract with the Yankees on Sunday that includes an invite to big-league spring training.

The 27-year-old spent last season at Triple-A Reno in the Diamondbacks' system, where he played in 63 games and had a .311/.357/.507 slash line with 11 home runs. Hernandez has yet to make his MLB debut and is likely to open the 2025 campaign at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as organizational depth.

The Blue Jays signed Whatley to a minor-league contract Friday that includes an invitation to spring training, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

Whatley, 29, posted a .614 OPS with five home runs over 50 games at Triple-A Round Rock in the Rangers organization last season. He's merely an extra catcher in camp and will be assigned to a minor-league affiliate rather than break camp with the big club.

Wong appeared to be noticeably stronger at January's Fan Fest, Jenn McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

Wong jokingly said he spent the winter "eating a lot," in an effort to be more durable behind the plate. The strong frame might also help him sustain through the regular season with a bat in his hand. Wong owned an .856 OPS through the end of June then dropped to .671 the rest of the way. Wong is expected to serve as Boston's No. 1 catcher and won't have to look over his shoulder at Kyle Teel, the prospect who was traded to the White Sox in the Garrett Crochet swap.

McCann cleared waivers Wednesday and was sent outright to Triple-A Las Vegas, Jason Burke of SI.com reports.

After spending all of last season in the big leagues as Shea Langeliers' backup, McCann will now be relegated to minor-league depth in favor of Jhonny Pereda. McCann's last Triple-A season saw him slash .270/.351/.474 with 17 homers and 57 RBI, and he could earn his way back into the majors with similar production in 2025.

Dingler and Jake Rogers appear set to split catching duties for the Tigers to begin the regular season, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.

Dingler made his MLB debut toward the end of 2024 and appeared in 27 games. He slashed just .167/.195/.310, but the 26-year-old impressed with his poise behind the plate defensively, and he now figures to take on a bigger role right out of the gates this season. The veteran Rogers still projects as the top option on the depth chart, but Dingler should see plenty of action and could receive more playing time as the season goes on, particularly if Rogers struggles or gets dinged up.

The Athletics designated McCann for assignment Thursday.

The A's elected to kick McCann off their 40-man roster after acquiring fellow catcher Jhonny Pereda from the Marlins on Thursday. McCann appeared in 54 games last season, slashing .236/.318/.371 with 15 RBI across 157 plate appearances, and he could be picked up by another club in need of depth behind the plate.