MLB Player News

Reds reserve catcher Tucker Barnhart remained on the roster Tuesday, despite the return of Brayan Pena from the paternity leave list.

Manager Bryan Price told MLB.com the decision on whether to sent Banhart down in the next few days has not yet been made. He is hitting just .107 with one home run in 10 games in the majors, but could hang around with Pena an option to fill in at first base in the absence of Joey Votto.

"If I get to the point where I put Pena more as a -- I don't want to say full-time -- but a primary first baseman, then that would create a little bit more opportunity for Tucker," Price said. "But still, "Devin Mesoraco] is going to get a lion's share of the playing time."

Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud hasn't been tearing it up, but he has proven to be steady and productive in recent weeks.

d'Arnaud has hit safely in nine of his last 10 games with 11 hits in 37 at-bats. Included were three doubles and two home runs as d'Arnaud has racked up seven RBI during that period. He has lifted his batting average from .180 to .206 and his still-weak .333 slugging percentage is at its highest point since May 1.

On Sunday, Major League Baseball revealed the National League reserves for the 2014 All-Star Game, which will be held on July 15 at Target Field in Minneapolis.

The following players were selected as reserves:

C Jonathan Lucroy, Brewers
C Devin Mesoraco, Reds
1B Freddie Freeman, Braves
2B Dee Gordon, Dodgers
2B Daniel Murphy, Mets
SS Starlin Castro, Cubs
3B Todd Frazier, Reds
3B Matt Carpenter, Cardinals
IF/OF Josh Harrison, Pirates
OF Charlie Blackmon, Rockies
OF Hunter Pence, Giants
OF Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins

Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco collected three hits -- all singles -- and one RBI in four at-bats Sunday against the Brewers. Mesoraco struck out in his only at-bat that didn't produce a single.

Mesoraco is batting .368 (21 for 57) over his last 16 games. He has five doubles, six home runs, 14 runs and 15 RBI in that span.

The Reds placed catcher Brayan Pena on the paternity list and recalled catcher Tucker Barnhart from Triple-A Louisville. Barnhart went 3 for 28 (.107) in a previous major-league stint this year.

Reds starting catcher Devin Mesoraco will not be the Reds starting catcher Saturday against Milwaukee. He is "catching" a break as Brayan Pena will do the squatting behind the plate instead.

Mesoraco has been quite productive this season with a .313/.378/.642 stat line and 15 home runs in just 176 at-bats.

Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco went 2 for 4 with a solo home run in his team's 8-2 win over the Padres Tuesday.

Mesoraco hadn't homered in five games after going on a power tear a week ago, but racking up hits hasn't been a problem for the catcher. After smacking a ninth-inning blast Tuesday, Mesoraco has hit .314/.380/.645 with 15 home runs and 41 RBI in 172 at-bats.

A roster spot for promising minor league catcher Christian Bethancourt has been cleared by the Braves by the demotion of right-hander Juan Jaime to Triple-A Gwinnett. Bethancourt was called up to be the 26th man for the Saturday doubleheader, but the opening of the spot will allow him to stay.

The upshot could be the moving of Evan Gattis to left field and benching of unproductive B.J. Upton.

The 22-year-old Bethancourt owned a decent .273/.304/.372 stat line at the Triple-A level.

The clearing of a 25-man spot for Bethancourt indicates that Gattis, who is dealing with a back problem, could be out for a few more days but might not be destined for the disabled list.

Nationals catcher Sandy Leon has been optioned to the minors Thursday.

Leon filled in while Wilson Ramos was on the disabled list. Leon hit .169 over 59 at-bats in the majors. 

While I've known since probably his first week in action that Devin Mesoraco is the kind of catcher worth starting in every league every week, I've kept him on the fringes of the top 12 in my rankings, behind mainstays like Wilin Rosario and Brian McCann.

What can I say? Old habits are hard to break.

This latest stretch of five homers in five games is reason enough to break them, though. With it, Mesoraco not only legitimized his breakout by bouncing back from a 4-for-33 (.121) slump to begin the month of June, but he also emerged as the top catcher in Head-to-Head points per game, ahead of even Jonathan Lucroy. He leads the position in slugging percentage (.667) and OPS (1.054), and frankly, it isn't even close.

Now obviously, he won't continue to homer one out of every 11 at-bats, as he has so far, but with this latest surge, he's shown enough staying power that I'm not confident even a fully resurgent Rosario or McCann could overtake him (and I'm fairly confident in at least a moderate resurgence for both). When I next update my rankings, Mesoraco will be my eighth-best catcher, behind only Lucroy, Buster Posey, Carlos Santana, Joe Mauer, Yadier Molina, Miguel Montero and Evan Gattis.