MLB Player News

Gomes is just 3-for-12 this spring with one walk and three strikeouts over six Cactus League games.

Gomes has started behind the plate for five of his six spring contests so far, and although he's been subdued at the dish, the veteran catcher has looked good defensively, including throwing out two of three attempted basestealers. Catchers spend most of camp on the back fields handling bullpen sessions, so the counting stats aren't expected to be noteworthy. Throughout his career, Gomes has shown the ability to get better with his bat as the campaigns grow old. Over his five MLB seasons, Gomes has slashed .275/.320/.465 post All-Star break, which is significantly better than the .224/.261/.390 mark he's compiled in the first half.

Hedges (hamstring) will take swings Saturday, Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

He is still not ready to return to game action, but he is trending in the right direction. Hedges posted monster numbers in the Pacific Coast League last year, and has become a trendy late-round target in two-catcher leagues, but it is unclear how much of his success will translate against big league pitching in more neutral hitting environments.

Bethancourt has yet to allow a hit through three spring training innings as a pitcher.

Bethancourt -- primarily a catcher -- has been experimenting with pitching this spring after seeing action on the mound in two games last season. He threw another scoreless inning in Friday's win over the Angels, notching his first strikeout in the process. Bethancourt features a mid-to-high 90s fastball, but is far from a finished product. If he continues to have success in Cactus League action, then he should punch his ticket for the 25-man roster due to his unique blend of being able to fill three backup spots on the depth chart (catcher, outfielder and pitcher).

Mesoraco will be back behind the plate for the first time this spring Sunday when the Reds face the Brewers, C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

The Reds have been taking things slowly with Mesoraco, who has been recovering from hip and shoulder issues that hampered him down the stretch last season. After a solid season in 2014, the 28-year-old's past two seasons have been disappointing both in terms of injury issues and his performance when he was actually on the field. He'll look to see if he can regain his 2014 form now that he appears to be finally healthy.

Hedges was held back from normal work Friday with a hamstring injury, but it's not considered serious, Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

The Friars' starting backstop will be handled with care heading into the regular season, and this looks like a temporary setback. After adding ample offense to his defensive prowess last season in the minors (326/.353/.597 with 21 homers and 82 RBI with Triple-A El Paso), the 24-year-old Hedges has the makings of a mixed league sleeper, though he'll likely endure some bumps in his second year of extensive MLB work.

Collins was reassigned to White Sox minor league camp Friday.

Collins' future as a backstop remains in question as he needs to polish his defensive skills, and catchers have so much to work on in their early years that a true breakout with their bat can come later in their careers. That being said, Collins' bat projects as plus, and he could still have plenty of value even if he eventually shifts out from behind the plate, in much the same way as his North Side counterpart, Kyle Schwarber.

Higashioka is 5-for-10 with a pair of home runs through eight spring training appearances.

Previously a fairly unheralded prospect, Higashioka had a breakout season in 2016, as he mashed 21 home runs and hit .276 (up from a .242 career average) across Double-A and Triple-A and was ultimately added to the 40-man roster after the season. Even following the offseason trade of Brian McCann, Higashioka still faces a tall task to win the backup catcher job on the parent club over Austin Romine, but if he continues to hit at this pace he'll force the Yankees brass to take notice.

Thaiss was reassigned to minor league camp Thursday, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports.

Thaiss's bat was as good as ever at spring training. Over 10 games, he went 5-for-11 and drew two walks. It should become clear where the 21-year-old will start the 2017 season in the coming weeks, but he'll likely be sent to High-A Inland Empire or Double-A Mobile.

Nicholas is undergoing surgery on his left knee Friday, Stefan Stevenson of the Star-Telegram reports.

His recovery timetable and the extent of the procedure are so far unknown, though the backup catcher is only relevant in AL-only fantasy games.

Barnhart is out of Thursday's lineup with lower-back stiffness but, according to manager Bryan Price, should play this weekend, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

The issue doesn't appear serious, though it's worth watching as third-stringer Stuart Turner takes his place. Barnhart is likely to make the Opening Day roster if healthy and start most games while the Reds preserve Devin Mesoraco early in the season. If the latter can handle a starter's workload as the campaign wears on, however, Barnhart will lose plenty of reps. He may help fantasy owners in two-catcher mixed leagues during the spring, though.