MLB Player News

Dingler (elbow) is scheduled to throw to bases this week as part of his rehab program for the arthroscopic right elbow procedure he underwent in the offseason, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

The Tigers are easing the young catcher along in his throwing program as he ramps back up from the elbow procedure, but he's otherwise able to perform all baseball activities. With that in mind, Dingler could be able to make his spring debut early in the Tigers' Grapefruit League schedule as a designated hitter, though it's unclear when he'll be ready to catch in games.

The Twins plan to about equally split playing time behind the plate this season even with Jeffers' ascension late last year that saw him start every playoff game, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli told Dan Hayes of The Athletic.

The Twins like to utilize two catchers to reduce wear and tear, so this isn't a big surprise. However, Jeffers surged at the plate last season with a career-high .858 OPS and a .928 OPS in the second half. Meanwhile, Christian Vazquez struggled by hitting .223 with little power (.095 ISO) and a paltry .280 OBA. Jeffers could still see a majority of the playing time, but Baldelli's comments should give pause for any fantasy manager looking for a significant increase in his counting stats.

Vazquez worked at Driveline Baseball in the offseason to improve his bat speed and has his weight down to 208 pounds from 215 pounds as he seeks improved fitness entering the spring, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said the Twins plan to about equally split playing time at catcher even with Vazquez's disappointing 2023 season at the plate, according to the report. Vazquez hit just .223 with little power (.095 ISO) and a paltry .280 OBA last season. Some hope for a rebound can be gleaned from the fact that he's alternated productive and abysmal seasons at the plate throughout his career.

Basallo won't be ready to catch in games until around late April after being diagnosed with a right elbow stress fracture, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

The top prospect is able to catch but is not yet allowed to throw. If Basallo gets into any Grapefruit League action this spring, it will be as a designated hitter. The 19-year-old is likely to be assigned to Double-A Bowie once healthy following a breakout 2023 season which saw him slash .313/.402/.551 with 20 home runs across three levels.

Manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that Trevino recently suffered a calf strain and won't be ready for the start of spring training games next weekend, Brendan Kuty of The Athletic reports.

Trevino said in early February he would enter spring training with no limitations from the wrist surgery he underwent in July, but he then suffered the calf injury within the past couple weeks. The new injury is believed to be a minor issue, with Boone also saying the veteran backstop should be ready for Opening Day, per Chris Kirschner of The Athletic.

Dingler is recovering from arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

It's not clear when the procedure was performed, but Dingler has already begun a throwing program and is able to do all other baseball activities. The 25-year-old catcher was added to the Tigers' 40-man roster over the offseason and could debut at some point in 2024.

O'Keefe signed a minor-league contract with the Twins on Tuesday that includes an invitation to spring training.

O'Keefe saw spot duty with the Mariners each of the previous two seasons, going 3-for-22 at the plate. The 30-year-old will provide the Twins with some catching depth at Triple-A St. Paul.

Rays manager Kevin Cash said Tuesday that the team is "going to lean heavy" on Pinto at catcher this season, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The Rays traded Christian Bethancourt this offseason and didn't really replace him, leaving Alex Jackson and Rob Brantly to battle for the backup job. Pinto popped six home runs in 38 games last season and rated very well from an average exit velocity (90.5 mph) and barrel rate (15.9 percent) perspective, but a 34:2 K:BB was worrisome. It sounds like he's going to receive all the playing time he can handle, and he has enough power to be relevant in two-catcher leagues.

Teel could make an impact at the big-league level in 2023, Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe reports.

That seems far-fetched considering Teel -- the organization's first-round draft pick in 2023 -- played just 26 games as a professional during his first season, including nine at Double-A Portland. In the past, the Red Sox have been conservative when it comes to promoting talent, and Abraham notes newly minted chief baseball officer Craig Breslow seems to carry a similar approach. The 21-year-old Teel was impressive in his first pro season, batting .363/.483/.495, but he'll likely need to garner much more real experience and prove himself at Triple-A Worcester before reaching Boston.

Wong is expected to be Boston's primary catcher to start the 2024 season, Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe reports.

Wong appears set to lead what might be considered an assemblage of backup catchers, ahead of Reese McGuire, Tyler Heineman and Roberto Perez. Wong and McGuire handled catching chores in 2023 with the former taking over as the primary backstop when the latter went down with an oblique injury last summer. Over 121 games (105 as a starting catcher), Wong slashed .235/.288/.385 and was strikeout prone (33.3 K%). Much of his real-world value lay in his work gunning down base stealers. Per Baseball Savant, the 27-year-old ranked in the 92nd percentile in caught-stealing above average. It's been a quiet offseason for the Red Sox, who appear to be biding time behind the dish until 2023 first-round draft pick Kyle Teel -- he reached Double-A Portland last year -- is ready for the show.