MLB Player News

Quero (shoulder) will start at designated hitter and bat second in a minor-league game with Double-A Biloxi on Monday.

After he underwent right shoulder surgery last April that limited him to just one game in 2024, Quero was eased into spring training. Quero didn't make any Cactus League appearances before the Brewers optioned him to Triple-A Nashville on March 10, but his ability to serve as a DH on Monday suggests that he'll be ready to go for the start of the minor-league season. It's unclear if Quero will be limited to DH-only duties initially, or if he'll be ready to make starts behind the plate.

The Padres optioned Campusano to Triple-A El Paso on Sunday.

Elias Diaz will be the Padres' primary catcher, and non-roster invitee Martin Maldonado is in line to serve as his backup. Campusano will head to El Paso, where he will receive regular playing time as he awaits another opportunity in the majors.

Stephenson (oblique) showed improvement after being examined by a team doctor Friday, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Stephenson, who will open the regular season on the injured list, sustained a left oblique strain during spring training. He's been cleared to begin rotational exercises and is scheduled to undergo another MRI on Wednesday. If the MRI comes back clean, Stephenson can start doing additional exercises, which could include baseball activities. With Stephenson sidelined, Jose Trevino moves into the starting job at catcher with Austin Wynns serving as the backup, assuming the Reds don't add anyone from outside the organization in the coming days.

Rodriguez appears to have won the backup catcher job for the Pirates, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

The Pirates optioned Henry Davis to Triple-A Indianapolis on Saturday, setting up Rodriguez to back up Joey Bart to begin the season. Rodriguez missed all of the 2024 season due to a UCL injury, but he's maintained an impressive .321/.486/.571 line across 37 plate appearances in spring training. If he continues to swing the bat well, the Pirates are likely to find a way to get Rodriguez in the lineup more regularly given the lack of quality bats on the roster.

The Padres designated Sullivan for assignment Saturday.

Sullivan was behind Elias Diaz, Martin Maldonado and Luis Campusano in the pecking order at catcher and wasn't deemed worthy of a 40-man roster spot. Sullivan has accrued 103 plate appearances across the last two seasons in the majors and could continue to serve as organizational depth for the club if he clears waivers.

Davis was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis on Saturday, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

Davis seemed to have the inside track to the backup catcher job for much of spring, and he performed adequately by collecting nine hits across 36 at-bats with four extra-base knocks. However, Endy Rodriguez was even more impressive and has secured a roster spot to begin the season. The Pirates presumably would still like to see Davis make an impact in 2025, so he should make his way to Pittsburgh at some point.

The Nationals optioned Millas to Triple-A Rochester on Friday.

After going just 1-for-18 with six strikeouts this spring, Millas is now out of the race for the backup catcher job in Washington, leaving Riley Adams and Andrew Knizner as the remaining candidates. Millas turned in an .879 OPS in 241 Triple-A plate appearances last season, and he may get another shot in the majors if he can replicate his past performance.

The Diamondbacks optioned Del Castillo to Triple-A Reno on Friday.

Del Castillo missed out on Arizona's Opening Day roster after going 3-for-24 with 12 strikeouts in nine spring games. The 25-year-old could still see the big leagues at some point this season but isn't likely to see much playing time if Gabriel Moreno stays healthy.

Atlanta selected Baldwin's contract from Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday.

The news does not come as a surprise, as it's been pretty clear Atlanta was planning for Baldwin to be its primary catcher while Sean Murphy (rib) is sidelined. Murphy is expected to miss at least the first couple weeks of the season, although there's no clear target date for his return yet. Baldwin has batted .313 (10-for-32) with a 2:7 K:BB this spring after posting a .276/.370/.423 slash line with 18 home runs between Double-A Mississippi and Triple-A Gwinnett in 2024. He could be optioned to Gwinnett once Murphy is ready but will have an opportunity to show he deserves to stick around.

Trevino signed a three-year, $15 million contract extension with the Reds on Thursday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Trevino was traded from the Bronx to Cincinnati this offseason, and his new deal will keep him locked in with the Reds through 2027 and also includes a club option for 2028. The 32-year-old backstop only slashed .215/.288/.354 with 28 RBI over 234 regular-season plate appearances with the Yankees last year, but he's expected to open the season as Cincy's primary catcher while Tyler Stephenson works his way back from an oblique injury.