MLB Player News

Contreras is hitting .250 with one double, one RBI and six strikeouts over six Grapefruit League games.

Contreras stayed in camp rather than going to the World Baseball Classic to get to know the pitchers on his new team. The catcher signed a five-year deal in December to become the Cardinals' new No. 1 backstop after the retirement of Yadier Molina. Contreras won't enjoy the friendly confines of Wrigley Field as often as he used to, but he's a four-time 20-homer hitter and should continue to return solid numbers at a position where those are scarce.

Fermin is 5-for-13 with a home run, two doubles, four RBI and three runs scored over eight Cactus League games.

Fermin was added to the Royals' 40-man roster in November, so he has a clearer path to the majors if he can hold onto that status. He could still begin the season at Triple-A Omaha, as Salvador Perez and MJ Melendez will handle the vast majority of the catching duties for Kansas City this season. If either of them gets hurt, Fermin would likely be called upon to serve as a backup option behind the dish.

Campusano (hamstring) is scheduled to return to the Padres' Cactus League lineup Wednesday, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Campusano hasn't played in several days because of a hamstring injury, but it sounds like he's almost ready to go. The 24-year-old is competing with Austin Nola for playing time at catcher for San Diego this season. Campusano has hit very well in the minors but has yet to see that production carry over during his brief time in the majors.

Wong (hamstring) caught Corey Kluber's bullpen session Monday, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

The Red Sox haven't indicated when Wong will be ready to return to the team's Grapefruit League lineup, but the fact that he's now taken batting practice and resumed catching suggests that he may be nearly recovered from the Grade 1 left hamstring strain he sustained March 2. Once cleared to play in games, Wong will likely require only a handful of at-bats to get himself ready for Opening Day, so he still has a chance at breaking camp as Boston's No. 2 catcher.

Kirk (personal) will start at catcher and bat third in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox.

As Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun notes, rain is in the forecast in Dunedin, Fla. for Monday's game, so Kirk could have his spring debut pushed back a day or play fewer innings behind the plate than anticipated. In any case, Kirk looks on track to be ready to go for Opening Day, after he had previously spent the early part of camp away from the team to witness the birth of his child. After hitting .285 with 14 home runs and 63 RBI in 2022 while also making his first All-Star Game appearance, Kirk profiles as a strong No. 1 catcher for fantasy squads during the upcoming season.

Langeliers is hitting .261 (6-for-23) with a double, a home run, three RBI, a walk, a hit by pitch and five runs across nine Cactus League games.

Langeliers, the Athletics' projected Opening Day catcher after the trade of Sean Murphy to Atlanta in December, had a quick start to his spring but has gone 0-for-8 over his last three exhibitions. The 25-year-old posted just a .218 average and middling .691 OPS across his first 153 big-league plate appearances in 2022, and the hope is the exposure he got to major-league arms and his added reps this spring will help him significantly pare down the 34.6 percent strikeout rate he generated in that sample. Results are slightly encouraging on that front thus far in Cactus League play, as Langeliers has struck out seven times in 26 spring training PAs.

Perez was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte on Sunday.

Perez was in camp as the third catcher, but he will predictably open the year at Triple-A. Seby Zavala is set to serve as the backup to Yasmani Grandal.

Sabol could get a look in the outfield after Mitch Haniger (oblique) sustained an injury, Evan Webeck of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Sabol's bat is turning heads in Giants camp -- he has three home runs, three doubles, seven RBI and eight runs scored through eight Cactus League games. He's hitting .529, and he's now being considered for the outfield after initially being labeled a catcher at the start of the spring. Whether the Giants want to carry three catchers remains to be seen, as Joey Bart, Roberto Perez and Austin Wynns all have more major-league experience behind the dish than Sabol, but if the 25-year-old can add some versatility to his profile, he may stick with San Francisco.

Contreras went 2-for-2 with an RBI and two walks in Friday's exhibition contest.

Contreras owns just a .542 OPS through 23 PA this spring, but he did record two multi-hit efforts over his last four appearances. Contreras posted a .670 OPS last spring and still wound up an All-Star, so his slow start should not be any reason for concern.

Barnhart, who went 0-for-2 with a strikeout in Friday's Cactus League game against the White Sox, is now batting just .071 this spring.

Barnhart has one hit in 14 Cactus League at-bats and has struck out three times. The catcher only batted .221 over 94 games with the Tigers last season, so the Cubs weren't expecting a ton of offense from the offseason addition, though a slight uptick in production would be welcome. Barnhart figures to split time behind the plate with Yan Gomes, though the latter could emerge as the primary option if he hits better.