Stubbs is not the favorite to win the Phillies' backup catcher job, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Stubbs has backed up J.T. Realmuto for three straight seasons, offering good vibes in the clubhouse but very little at the plate, slashing .222/.305/.324. He'd probably do a capable job in that same role this season, but 25-year-old Rafael Marchan is now out of options and has a better chance to be part of the team's future.

Marchan is favored to win the Phillies' backup catcher job this spring, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Marchan is a decent enough prospect on both sides of the ball who's been knocking on the door ever since 2020, when he appeared in three games and hit his first professional home run at any level. He hasn't done anything to force his way onto the roster, however, hitting .238/.328/.328 at the Triple-A level across parts of four seasons. The 25-year-old is now out of options, which could give him the leg up over career backup Garrett Stubbs, who offers little more than clubhouse leadership. With J.T. Realmuto now in his age-34 season and set to be a free agent, Marchan could be auditioning to be the catcher of the future this spring.

Rodriguez (elbow) said his swing feels 100 percent as he enters spring training, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

Rodriguez missed nearly the entire 2024 season while recovering from elbow surgery. However, his sights will be set on a big-league roster spot entering 2025, as the Pirates depth chart at catcher is ambiguous following Joey Bart. Rodriguez did acknowledge that he will likely experience some rust early in spring, so his exhibition stats may not be particularly impressive.

Tromp is the leading candidate to back up Sean Murphy behind the plate for Atlanta to begin the season, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

The 29-year-old has never gotten more than 64 big-league plate appearances in a season and has just a .232/.237/.397 slash line for his career, but Atlanta is comfortable with his defense and game-calling. Tromp's main competition for a spot on the Opening Day roster will likely come from top prospect Drake Baldwin, although veteran backstops Curt Casali and Sandy Leon will also be in camp for Atlanta.

Ramirez is expected to begin the season with Triple-A Jacksonville, but a strong performance in spring training could force the Marlins' hands, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.

The headliner in the Jazz Chisholm deal with the Yankees last year, Ramirez slashed .250/.351/.419 in 68 games between Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Jacksonville at the Triple-A level with nine homers and nine steals, but he performed much better in the Marlins' system after the trade, posting an .829 OPS in 163 plate appearances for Jacksonville compared to a .692 mark for Scranton. Miami will be in no rush to start his service clock, but the team also has very little standing in his way at catcher, with Nick Fortes having failed to reach a .600 OPS in either of the last two seasons. If Ramirez stands out in camp, the Marlins could consider accelerating the timeline for the 23-year-old.

Brantly signed a minor-league contract with the Marlins on Tuesday that includes an invitation to spring training, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Brantly spent all of last season in the Rays organization, slashing .250/.316/.394 with 19 RBI across 177 plate appearances. The 35-year-old backstop has only played in 12 MLB games dating back to 2019, however, so there's little hope for him to serve as more than minor-league depth.

With the Cubs adding Carson Kelly earlier in the offseason, Amaya may have to settle for a smaller role behind the plate, Jordan Bastian and Adam McCalvy of MLB.com report.

Amaya went from 53 games played as a rookie in 2023 to 117 games last year, but he's yet to really make his mark at the plate, as he posted an OPS below .700 in each of the two seasons. Kelly also hasn't been a consistent offensive threat at the MLB level, though the 30-year-old does at least give the Cubs a veteran presence at catcher. Both players may end up splitting time until one of them seizes a larger role. The situation dampens Amaya's 2025 fantasy outlook to a degree, but he could still emerge as a useful player in his age-26 season if he starts to hit like he did in the upper levels of the minors in 2022 and 2023.

Contreras signed a one-year, $6 million contract with the Brewers on Friday to avoid arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

The new deal also includes a $12 million club option for 2026. Contreras set new career highs last year with 23 homers and 92 RBI while slashing .281/.365/.466 across 679 regular-season plate appearances. The two-time All-Star is expected to continue serving as Milwaukee's everyday catcher in 2025, though he may occasionally move into the DH spot to get Eric Haase some reps behind the dish.

Diaz signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Padres on Tuesday, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com reports.

Diaz joined the Padres on a minor-league deal in late August after being released by the Rockies. After being promoted, the former All-Star appeared in 24 games for San Diego, but he recorded just four hits across 21 at-bats. He became the team's number two catcher behind Kyle Higashioka following Luis Campusano's demotion to Triple-A El Paso in September. Diaz would remain the backup catcher for the postseason roster. With Higashioka now on the Rangers, Diaz has a shot to be in the Opening Day lineup for the Padres. His new contract includes a mutual option for 2026 and is pending a physical.

The Marlins designated Pereda for assignment Tuesday, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com reports.

The transaction clears a spot on the 40-man roster for waiver claim Connor Gillispie. Pereda, 28, made his major-league debut in 2024, posting a .481 OPS over 20 contests. The catcher could clear waivers and remain in the organization.