MLB Player News

Langeliers will open at either High-A or Double-A, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

O'Brien notes that Langeliers has likely passed William Contreras as the team's catcher of the future. The No. 9 overall pick in 2019 was seen as a glove-first catcher out of Baylor, and he impressed the big-league staff and the veteran players with his work behind the dish this spring. In a tiny sample, he hit .429 with one home run, three strikeouts and one walk in 15 plate appearances in big-league spring training. His glove and arm will likely get him significant playing time someday in the majors, but it remains to be seen how much damage he will do offensively.

Thaiss is expected to claim a roster spot as the Angels' backup first baseman, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Thaiss entered spring training in a competition with Jared Walsh to back up Albert Pujols. While Walsh hit just .150 in Cactus League play, Thaiss batted .269 and drove in five runs. That figures to make him the favorite to land one of the club's final two roster spots, especially since Tommy La Stella -- initially expected to spend some time at first base this season -- did not log any reps at the position during spring training.

Gallagher is poised to begin the season as Kansas City's No. 2 catcher after Meibrys Viloria was optioned to Triple-A Omaha on March 10, Lynn Worthy of The Kansas City Star reports.

Salvador Perez missed the entire 2019 campaign while recovering from Tommy John surgery, but the team signed Martin Maldonado -- who has since been traded to Houston -- and Gallagher received only 145 plate appearances in 45 games. Following the demotion of Viloria, Gallagher is the only backstop on the major-league roster besides Perez and figures to serve as the backup catcher. Gallagher had a .292/.320/.375 slash line with two doubles in nine contests prior to the suspension of spring training.

Perez made his spring debut behind the plate Feb. 28 against San Francisco and started multiple games in the field before spring training was eventually suspended.

The 29-year-old was initially limited to serving as the designated hitter as he made his return from Tommy John surgery -- which cost him the entirety of 2019 -- and he ended up totaling five starts in the field. Perez appeared in 13 Cactus League games overall and had a .250/.342/.375 slash line with one home run in 32 at-bats, and he's poised to reclaim his everyday role once the season eventually begins.

Barnes has fared well in spring training and may split catching duties when the regular season commences, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Barnes entered spring training behind fellow backstop Will Smith in the pecking order. While Barnes posted a 1.033 OPS in 21 at-bats, Smith lagged behind with a .518 OPS in the same number of trips to the plate. The sample size is small and both players had similar strikeout and walk numbers this spring, but manager Dave Roberts' description of their "partnership" behind the plate could imply that they'll get nearly equal playing time at the start of the season.

Smith could find himself in a timeshare behind the plate when the regular season begins, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Smith entered spring training with a firm grasp on primary catcher duties, but that may have changed after he went only 3-for-21 (.143) in Cactus League play. Meanwhile, his main competition for backstop duties, Austin Barnes, posted a 1.033 OPS during spring contests. While manager Dave Roberts stated that the pair is part of a "partnership" behind the plate, a general idea of how playing time will be divided remains unclear.

Rogers was optioned to Triple-A Toledo on Tuesday.

Rogers was able to make his major-league debut over the second half of 2019, but he struggled against the top-level talent, hitting .125/.222/.259 with four home runs and 51 strikeouts over 35 games. The 24-year-old managed to hit two home runs in seven at-bats during spring training, but the team will opt to give him more time to develop in the minors prior to a potential return to the big leagues at some point in 2020.

Stubbs is batting .455 (5-for-11) with a home run, two RBI and two stolen bases over 10 spring games.

Stubbs is competing with Dustin Garneau to be the backup catcher to starter Martin Maldonado. Stubbs has experience in the outfield as well as catcher and brings a modicum of speed (47 SB in minors), so he could land as the 26th man for the Astros, if he doesn't win the No. 2 catcher job.

Bemboom was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake on Sunday.

Bemboom got a shot to compete for the backup catcher spot behind Jason Castro this spring, but he did not do enough to make the cut, putting up just a .690 OPS over 18 plate appearances. With Bemboom opening the season in the minors, Max Stassi is now on track to open the regular season as the Angels' No. 2 option behind the plate.

The Reds optioned Stephenson to Triple-A Louisville on Sunday.

Cincinnati's top catching prospect wasn't a serious threat to crack the Opening Day roster with all of Tucker Barnhart, Curt Casali and Kyle Farmer ahead of him in the organizational pecking order. The 2015 first-round pick will likely spend the majority of the season at Louisville honing his receiving skills, but Stephenson could get a look in the majors at some point if the Reds are eager to phase out Barnhart in favor of a higher-upside offensive option behind the dish.