MLB Player News

Casali signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with a mutual option for 2024 with the Reds on Thursday.

Casali had the best stretch of his career offensively with the Reds from 2018-20 when he posted a .785 OPS with 18 home runs over 485 plate appearances. He'll be aided by Great American Ball Park again but will be behind Tyler Stephenson on the depth chart and will also have to contend with Luke Maile for at-bats.

Barnhart agreed to a one-year, $3.25 million contract with the Cubs on Thursday, which includes a $3.25 million player option for 2024, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Barnhart spent the 2022 campaign with Detroit and had the worst offensive season of his career with a .554 OPS in 94 games. The defensive-minded backstop should platoon with Yan Gomes in Chicago following the departure of Willson Contreras.

Hedges agreed to a one-year, $5 million contract with the Pirates on Saturday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

For as great as Hedges is on the defensive side of the ball, he gives most of that value back at the dish. The 30-year-old has a career 54 wRC+ (100 is average) and he's been below that mark each of the past four seasons. Even in two-catcher fantasy leagues, Hedges falls short of clearing the bar, though his addition should be a boon to the Pirates' pitching staff.

Narvaez signed a one-year, $8 million contract that includes a player option for 2024 with the Mets on Thursday, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.

Narvaez has spent the last three seasons as Milwaukee's primary backstop. He had a poor 2022 campaign with the bat, as he hit just .206/.292/.305 across 296 plate appearances. However, Narvaez is considered an excellent framer and should be a solid complement to Francisco Alvarez (ankle) -- a bat-first catcher. As things currently stand, James McCann and Tomas Nido are also on the Mets' 40-man roster, so it's unclear exactly how playing time will be divided.

Heineman signed a minor-league contract with the Pirates on Monday, which includes an invitation to spring training, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Heineman will be brought in to compete for the big-league catching job, a position that has become increasingly thin for Pittsburgh since the end of the 2022 campaign. Endy Rodriguez will also get a shot to win the job as one of the top catching prospects in all of baseball. Heineman spent 62 games in the major leagues a season ago, slashing .217/.276/.268 with nine RBI, one stolen base and 16 runs scored during stops in Pittsburgh and Toronto.

The Brewers acquired Contreras on Monday in a three-team deal with Atlanta and Oakland, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

The exact details of the trade are still unclear, but Atlanta acquired Sean Murphy and Oakland landed Manny Pina. With Murphy and Travis d'Arnaud in Atlanta, Contreras wasn't going to have much of a role besides as a designated hitter. Instead, he heads to Milwaukee and figures to be an everyday staple in the Brewers' lineup. Last season was a breakout year for Contreras, who slashed .278/.354/.506 with 20 home runs in 97 games. His defense lags well behind his offense, but the Brewers have a track record of improving catcher defense, and there isn't anyone on the roster who would steal playing time if Contreras is hitting as expected.

Atlanta acquired Murphy from the Athletics on Monday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Oakland's return for the catcher isn't yet clear. Murphy slashed .250/.332/.426 with 18 home runs and 66 RBI last season and, with exceptional abilities behind the plate, brings massive value entering his age-28 season. Unless Atlanta, which sent William Contreras to Milwaukee in the trade, also gets rid of Travis d'Arnaud, Murphy and d'Arnaud figure to share time behind the plate in 2023, with the latter seeing more action at designated hitter.

Contreras' signing of a five-year, $87.5 million contract with a $17.5 million club option for 2028 was formally announced by the Cardinals on Friday.

The deal was first reported Wednesday. Contreras has big shoes to fill in replacing future Hall of Famer Yadier Molina, whose 19-year reign as the Cards' catcher has come to an end due to retirement. Contreras will undoubtedly be a downgrade defensively, especially in the framing department, but it's difficult to overstate how much more offense Contreras is likely to bring. His OPS over the last four seasons sits at .816, a number Molina reached only twice in his career and not since 2013. There will be a ballpark downgrade for Contreras, but Busch Stadium is more favorable for right-handed batters than it is lefties.

Contreras and the Cardinals agreed Wednesday on a five-year, $87.5 million contract, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

In bringing aboard Contreras, St. Louis has found a replacement for longtime catcher Yadier Molina, who retired following the 2022 campaign after 19 seasons with the Cardinals. With Molina's production having waned in recent years, the 30-year-old Contreras will provide a major upgrade at the position, particularly on the offensive end. Over the past two seasons, Contreras' 121 wRC+ ranks third among all catchers who have logged at least 500 plate appearances over that stretch. While joining a strong Cardinals lineup that includes Nolan Arenado and reigning National League MVP Paul Goldschmidt in the heart of the order, Contreras should have a good chance at improving upon the run and RBI totals he logged with sub-.500 Cubs teams both of the last two years.

Jackson was sent outright to Triple-A Nashville on Friday, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Jackson will still be invited to spring training by Milwaukee, but he will now have to fight to reclaim his spot on the 40-man roster. The 26-year-old backstop spent most of last season in Triple-A, recording a .701 OPS through 119 plate appearances.