MLB Player News

Wallach was outrighted to Triple-A Salt Lake on Friday.

Wallach spent time with the Marlins, Dodgers and Angels in 2021 but will now lose his spot on the 40-man roster. He hit .200 with six RBI and two runs across 23 major-league appearances with Miami last year.

Diaz signed a three-year, $14.5 million contract extension with the Rockies on Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Diaz served as the Rockies' primary catcher in 2021 and slashed .246/.310/.464 with 18 homers, 52 runs and 44 RBI in 106 games. The 31-year-old's extension will cover his final year of arbitration and keep him in Colorado for at least two additional seasons.

Davis was released by the Pirates on Tuesday.

Davis was acquired by the Pirates from the Orioles in June and appeared in two major-league games last season. He spent most of 2021 at Triple-A and hit .248/.344/.325 in 51 games.

Herrera's contract was selected from Triple-A Reno on Monday.

Herrera advanced to the Triple-A level in 2021 for the first time in his career, and he slashed .244/.358/.394 with six home runs, 32 RBI and 23 runs across 58 games. He'll now be added to the 40-man roster to keep him in the organization during the offseason.

The Red Sox picked up Vazquez's club option for 2022 on Sunday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Vazquez is in line to serve as Boston's primary catcher once again in 2022 after his $7 million option was picked up. He appeared in 138 games during the 2021 campaign and slashed .258/.308/.352 with six homers, 51 runs, 49 RBI and eight stolen bases.

Pinto was added to the Rays' 40-man roster on Sunday, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

The 25-year-old catcher has never played in the majors and hit .299/.327/.532 with 12 home runs in 52 games at Triple-A last season. His 27.5 percent strikeout rate and 3.3 percent walk rate portend a much lower batting average against MLB pitching, but he's essentially ready to provide big-league depth behind Mike Zunino and Francisco Mejia.

The Tigers exercised Barnhart's $7.75 million club option for 2022 on Sunday.

As expected, the Tigers will keep Barnhart for 2022 after acquiring him from Cincinnati on Wednesday. Though he lacks the offensive potential of Eric Haase, Barnhart is touted for his defense and figures to be Detroit's primary catching option next season. The 30-year-old is a competent hitter himself, having slashed .247/.317/.368 with seven home runs and 48 RBI in 2021.

Maile refused his outright assignment to Triple-A Nashville by the Brewers on Friday and elected free agency, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

Maile spent most of 2021 at Nashville and posted a .663 OPS, but he also appeared in 15 games for the Brewers and went 9-for-30 with four doubles and three RBI. The 30-year-old may need to settle for a minor-league deal this offseason.

Cleveland has declined Perez's $7 million option for 2022, making him a free agent, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

The buyout of Perez's contract costs Cleveland $450,000, but it's a price it is willing to pay to avoid paying $7 million to a player who slashed .149/.245/.319 in 44 games. The 32-year-old is a solid defensive catcher and figures to find a new home in free agency, although the poor offensive numbers suggest his days as a starter are over.

Stephenson currently resides atop the Reds' depth chart at catcher after Cincinnati dealt Tucker Barnhart to the Tigers on Wednesday, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Though he lacks the defensive polish of Barnhart, a two-time Gold Glove winner, Stephenson should represent a significant upgrade offensively from the Reds' long-standing No. 1 backstop. Even while slotting second on the depth chart for most of last season, Stephenson still earned himself regular starts at Barnhart's expense against left-handed pitching, typically slotting into the heart of the lineup on those occasions. Overall, Stephenson slashed .286/.366/.431 with 10 home runs, 56 runs and 45 RBI, with his 111 wRC+ ranking fourth among the 15 catcher-eligible players that accrued at least 400 plate appearances. The Reds will presumably add another defensive-minded veteran catcher to the roster this offseason, but in the likely event he faces lesser competition than Barnhart and receives an uptick in playing time in 2022, the 25-year-old Stephenson could have a legitimate case for being viewed as a top-five fantasy option at the position.