New Reds manager Terry Francona doesn't intend to use Stephenson as a first baseman on days he's not catching, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Stephenson will still get some reps at DH when Jose Trevino is behind the plate, but Francona wants to keep Stephenson off the field when he's not catching. The practical consequence of this is that Stephenson could get fewer plate appearances, especially with the Reds carrying a legitimate backup in Trevino.

Del Castillo (arm) will make his first start this spring at catcher Friday against the Royals.

Del Castillo's first two Cactus League starts were at designated hitter as he worked his way back from some right arm fatigue, but he's now fully cleared. The young backstop is competing for the Diamondbacks' backup catcher job behind Gabriel Moreno.

Murphy (back) began light rehab activities Friday, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury Newsreports.

Murphy has a mid-back disk herniation and is facing a fairly lengthy rehab process. The veteran catcher will begin the season on the injured list, leaving Sam Huff and Max Stassi competing for the backup role behind Patrick Bailey.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that Smith (ankle) will make his Cactus League debut Friday versus the Angels, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Per Vassegh, Shohei Ohtani (elbow/shoulder) will be making his spring debut Friday as the Dodgers' designated hitter, so Smith looks poised to handle his normal catching duties in his first start of the spring rather than being eased back in a non-defensive role. The Dodgers have been proceeding cautiously with Smith during camp due to a minor ankle injury, but assuming he experiences no setbacks Friday and in his subsequent Cactus League appearances, he'll be available to catch in the team's season-opening two-game series in Tokyo versus the Cubs on March 18 and 19.

Kelly went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Diamondbacks.

Kelly, who signed a two-year, $11.5 million contract with the Cubs in December, connected for his first spring home run in his new uniform. The veteran backstop was brought in to pair with Miguel Amaya, and both players figure to see plenty of playing time, at least to start the season. While Kelly's experience should be valuable for Chicago, he's a limited offensive player with less upside at the plate than Amaya.

Hicks caught Sandy Alcantara on Sunday, and the Marlins' ace came away impressed by his game-calling and pitch framing, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.

Hicks was selected in the Rule 5 draft from Detroit, giving Miami every incentive to keep him on the 26-man roster, but Hicks is showing early in camp he can make an immediate contribution as well. The 25-year-old backstop went 1-for-2 at the plate Sunday, but it's his work behind the plate that will likely keep him in the majors. Hicks has yet to play above Double-A, and he slashed .264/.379/.357 over 113 games at that level in 2024 split between the Tigers' and Rangers' organizations. If he does secure a spot on the Marlins' roster, he'll back up Nick Fortes to begin the season.

Wynns (shoulder) went 0-for-2 with a strikeout in Sunday's 5-2 loss to the Giants in Cactus League action.

Wynns made his spring debut Sunday, making his return to game action for the first time since undergoing shoulder surgery in July. The catcher appeared in seven games with the Reds in 2024, batting .368 with four doubles, two RBI and three runs scored over seven games.

Smith (ankle) might be ready to make his Cactus League debut by Thursday or Friday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Smith has been slowed early on in camp by an ankle injury, but it hasn't kept him from catching bullpen sessions or taking live batting practice and he's almost ready to play in a game. The Dodgers open their season on March 18 in the first of two games against the Cubs in Tokyo and Smith is expected to be ready to roll by then.

Murphy has been diagnosed with a mid-back disk herniation and is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Murphy was given an epidural injection and will be re-evaluated in a few weeks. The 33-year-old entered camp as the favorite to be the Giants' backup catcher behind Patrick Bailey, but now Sam Huff and Max Stassi will compete for that gig. The Giants have also promoted Adrian Sugastey from the minor-league side of camp to supplement their catching depth.

Hernandez signed a minor-league deal with the Marlins in November.

Hernandez is starting in left field and batting ninth in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros. He was once a top prospect with the Rays but he slid down the defensive spectrum and hit .187 in 44 games at Triple-A last year.