MLB Player News

Barrera won't play for the remained of the Grapefruit League schedule due to knee soreness, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

Barrera had a chance to win the backup catcher job in spring training, but he went 2-for-13 with a double, a home run and two RBI over 12 spring games. Andrew Knizner appears set to open the season as the backup catcher, so there's a good chance Barrera is reassigned to Triple-A Memphis soon. He's on a minor-league and will serve as organizational depth at catcher.

Narvaez went 2-for-3 with a walk, a solo home run and a second run scored in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays.

The sixth-inning shot off Kyle Crick was the catcher's first homer of the spring. Narvaez will split time behind the plate with Tomas Nido this season -- at least until top prospect Francisco Alvarez is deemed ready. After a slow start to his spring prior to leaving for the WBC, Narvaez is now batting .300 (6-for-20).

Campusano leads San Diego with three home runs in Cactus League play, and he's slashing .231/.333/.654 with a 4:6 BB:K over 31 plate appearances.

Campusano has only two homers through his first 85 big-league at-bats, but he went deep 14 times in 319 bats in Triple-A last season after hitting 15 long balls each of the previous two full minor-league seasons. Austin Nola (nose) projects to be the Padres' primary catcher to begin the campaign, but Campusano should be his backup and could push for more playing time if he swings the bat well.

Fortes (knee) will start at catcher and bat eighth in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

As expected, Fortes will return to action after missing a week with tendinitis in his right knee. The plan is for him to catch again Sunday as he looks to make up for lost time. The Marlins' projected backup catcher, Fortes is 4-for-16 in exhibition play this spring.

Fortes (knee) is slated to catch in Grapefruit League games Saturday and Sunday, Jordnn McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

Fortes has been battling some right knee tendinitis, but he's well on track to be available as Jacob Stallings' backup for Opening Day. Fortes caught in a back-field game Friday in Marlins camp and said he felt good.

Sabol is expected to be part of the Giants' Opening Day roster, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Sabol has torched Cactus League pitching with a 1.173 OPS and three home runs. He is in line to operate as the Giants' third catcher and also should see some run in the outfield, especially with the club battling injuries there.

Caratini is 9-for-23 (.391) with a home run, three RBI and a 3:3 BB:K through 10 appearances this spring.

Caratini owns a .932 OPS over 98 career exhibition games, so his hot spring is not particularly surprising. It has, though, ensured he will break camp as the backup catcher behind William Contreras.

Knizner will open the season as the Cardinals' backup catcher, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Knizner has gone just 4-for-42 (.095) through 14 games this spring in the Grapefruit League, but he still managed to fend off a challenge from Tres Barrera. It probably came down to experience in the end, as Knizner was the locked-in backup to Yadier Molina the last two years. He'll now fill the same role behind offseason addition Willson Contreras.

Smith is back in the Dodgers' Cactus League lineup Thursday against the Diamondbacks.

Smith will start behind the plate and bat third. He didn't get many at-bats for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic while mostly serving as J.T. Realmuto's backup, so the Dodgers figure to push him harder than usual over what remains of the Cactus League schedule. The 27-year-old has gone as the No. 3 catcher-eligible player off the board in most fantasy drafts for 2023, behind only Realmuto and Daulton Varsho.

Stubbs (knee) took batting practice Thursday morning, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

Stubbs still hasn't appeared in a Grapefruit League game since he had to bow out of the World Baseball Classic with a mild right knee sprain, but the 29-year-old catcher is fully expected to be ready to serve as J.T. Realmuto's backup come Opening Day.