MLB Player News

Heineman is competing with Rob Brantly and Chadwick Tromp for the Giants' top catching job in the wake of Buster Posey's decision last week to opt out of the 2020 season, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

According to Pavlovic, Heineman may have emerged as the frontrunner in the three-man competition for the job, as manager Gabe Kapler praised the backstop after he was able to lay down a bunt and steal third base during Tuesday's intrasquad game. With only 12 career plate appearances in the majors and a career .285/.363/.416 slash line over parts of eight seasons in the minors, the 29-year-old Heineman lacks a flashy fantasy profile, but he could have value in an NL-only or deeper two-catcher league if he breaks camp as the Giants' No. 1 option behind the dish.

Contreras homered in Tuesday's intrasquad game and now leads the Cubs with three home runs during summer camp, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Contreras is off to a strong start in camp and seems poised to post good numbers in the 60-game regular season if he stays healthy. The team has already announced that Victor Caratini will be the personal catcher for Yu Darvish, which should ease the burden on Contreras behind the plate.

Hedges was told by Padres manager Jayce Tingler that his opportunity to stick with the team is dependent on his ability to get on base, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Hedges' defensive acumen is unquestioned, but the 27-year-old slashed a paltry .176/.252/.311 last season and saw his power output drop for the second straight campaign. That's unacceptable for any big-league starter, even one with Hedges' elite pitch-framing skills. While Francisco Mejia -- Hedges' main competition for time behind the plate -- has struggled at times defensively, he wields a more potent stick and may have passed Hedges on the depth chart. In addition, Luis Torrens -- who represents a mix of Hedges' strong defense and Mejia's offensive potential -- is said to be in the mix for a roster spot, which could affect Hedges' playing time, especially if he gets off to a slow start.

Caratini will serve as Yu Darvish's personal catcher this season, Tim Stebbins of NBC Chicago reports.

The pair reportedly have a good rapport and worked well together last season. The assignment will make Caratini's playing time slightly easier to predict than it would be for most backup backstops, though it remains to be seen how often he's in the lineup with other pitchers on the mound. Caratini is one of the better backup catchers in the league, as he hit a solid .266/.348/.447 last season, but he's stuck behind one of the better starting catchers in Willson Contreras.

Cartaya arrived at the Dodgers' summer camp Saturday and logged time behind the plate in an intrasquad game, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Cartaya made his first appearance of summer camp, coming on in the sixth inning as a defensive replacement. The 18-year-old is an intriguing prospect given his mix of defensive and offensive skills, but he's likely too raw to be ready to contribute to the big-league squad this season.

Manager Gabe Kapler said Friday that Bart is unlikely to serve as the Giants' primary catcher to begin the 2020 season, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports.

Bart was unlikely to make the Opening Day roster heading into summer camp, but the Giants' catcher position opened up Friday after Buster Posey announced that he is opting out of the 2020 season. However, both Kapler and general manager Farhan Zaidi said that they feel as though Bart still has some development left and isn't a likely candidate to replace Posey. Tyler Heineman and Rob Brantly are the most likely options to handle the bulk of the work behind the plate this year.

Dillard was added to Milwaukee's 60-man player pool Thursday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

Dillard isn't expected to contribute to the big-league squad in 2020, but he'll get some field time and coaching at Milwaukee's alternate site while the minors are shut down. Across 51 games with Low-A Wisconsin in 2019, Dillard slashed .246/.398/.386.

Manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday that Ruiz hasn't yet reported to camp, Eric Stephen of TrueBlueLA.com reports.

Roberts couldn't provide a reason for Ruiz's absence, and it's unclear whether it's related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Ruiz's timetable to report and availability for the regular season remains to be seen. However, the 21-year-old is likely to begin the year as organizational depth for the team.

Diaz has yet to report to camp due to COVID-19 protocols, Nick Groke of The Athletic reports.

There's been no indication the Diaz has tested positive for the virus, but the process involved in clearing players to join camp can be a lengthy one. Diaz is in a battle for playing time behind the plate, and the lost practice time can't help, but he should still have at least a bit of time to make his case if he's cleared to join his teammates soon.

Bethancourt isn't on the COVID-19 injured list but hasn't arrived to the Phillies' workouts because he either tested positive for the virus, showed symptoms, came in contact with someone who tested positive or has inconclusive/missing test results, Matt Breen of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Bethancourt could still move to the COVID-19 IL in the coming days, but for now he'll just remain away from the team. The 28-year-old is expected to serve as organizational catching depth once he's cleared to take the field.