MLB Player News

Herrera will be a part of the Cardinals' taxi squad this season, Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com reports.

Herrera was a part of major-league camp during spring training this year, where he went 2-for-9 over five games before play was suspended. While the 20-year-old is likely viewed as the Cardinals' catcher of the future within the organization, it's unlikely that he'll see significant playing time in the majors this season given his lack of experience above High-A.

Trevino (finger) is ready to go when baseball resumes its season, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports.

Trevino fractured the knuckle of his right index finger in spring training, but he will be ready when training camp opens July 1. He is expected to serve as the third catcher behind Robinson Chirinos and Jeff Mathis.

Sanchez should be ready to go when the season resumes, Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media reports.

Little has been said about Sanchez's status since play was suspended, but the backstop downplayed the severity of his back tightness when it was brought to light in March and has since posted multiple videos to social media of himself doing baseball workouts. The long layoff should only benefit Sanchez as he seeks to maintain his position as the league's premier power-hitting catcher.

Bart will be in major-league camp once play resumes but likely isn't a candidate for the Opening Day roster, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports.

Bart was reassigned to minor-league camp in March before the season was suspended, but he'll now get a chance to gain more experience against higher-level talent before the regular season gets underway. The catcher appeared in just 22 games at the Double-A level in 2019, but he hit .280/.329/.503 with 17 home runs and 49 RBI over 80 total games in the minors last year. It's unclear what level the 23-year-old will be assigned to once the season begins.

Hernandez was released by the Cardinals on Monday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Hernandez signed a minor-league deal in January as a non-roster invitee, but he failed to record a hit over seven plate appearances in spring training before play was suspended. The 26-year-old has struggled in recent seasons and hit just .192/.258/.355 with six home runs and 44 strikeouts over 54 games played at Double-A and Triple-A in 2019.

Knizner is viewed less as the organization's catcher of the future than Ivan Herrera, Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Hummel answers a question from a reader about whether Knizner is a future trade chip due to the presence of Herrera by noting he believes the former can still be an important member of the Cardinals. In addition to serving as a potential backup catcher and first baseman, Knizner could be a natural to fill a designated hitter role if it's instituted in the National League beginning in the 2022 season. The 25-year-old has essentially been in a holding pattern at Triple-A Memphis for the last two seasons while Yadier Molina continues to serve as the unquestioned top catcher when healthy, although Knizner did log his first 18 games of big-league action in 2019. It's also worth noting Knizner is significantly further along his developmental journey than Herrera; therefore, depending on a variety of factors, including the likelihood of a cancelled 2020 minor-league season and expanded rosters at the big-league level this year, Knizner could still put in at least two seasons at the major-league level before Herrera is ready to make his Cardinals debut.

Herrera, who hit .222 (2-for-9) across five Grapefruit League games before spring training was suspended, was earmarked for a return to Double-A Springfield at some point in 2020 as the primary catcher, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Herrera won't even turn 20 until June 1, but he's already made a relatively efficient climb up the organizational ladder in his two years of professional ball. Herrera actually logged five plate appearances and two games in Springfield back in 2018, making an experimental jump all the way up from Rookie-level Gulfport. The promising prospect then put in strong stints at both Low-A Peoria and High-A Palm Beach last year, and he generated a .324 average and .821 OPS across 10 contests in the Arizona Fall League as the youngest catcher to receive an invite. Herrera's defensive work is also starting to come along, and despite the presence of Andrew Knizner at Triple-A Memphis, Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports the team sees Herrera as the heir apparent to Yadier Molina and Knizner more as a potential backup both behind the dish and at first base.

Raleigh, who is considered the organization's top catcher prospect, could be a candidate for the practice squad each team may be allowed to keep during an abbreviated 2020 season, Corey Brock of The Athletic reports.

Raleigh reached Double-A Arkansas for the first time in 2019, slashing .228/.296/.414 across 159 plate appearances over 39 games with the Travelers. Those numbers, as well Raleigh's .188 average (3-for-16) before Cactus League play was paused, both support the notion he'd be best served putting in at least a partial season back at the Double-A level this year, but that isn't likely to be a possibility. Therefore, Brock reasons the next best option to keep Raleigh's development going in some form is to keep him in proximity to the big-league club, which, among other benefits, would give the young catcher a chance to learn from veteran Tom Murphy.

Barnes has been able to both hit and catch during the suspension of play, he stated in an interview with John Hartung of Spectrum SportsNet LA on Wednesday.

"I'm able to play catch. I'm able to hit a little bit, find a cage here and there," Barnes explained. The 30-year-old indicated that he "feels good" and is ready to go should a second spring training take place in the weeks ahead. Barnes is slated to back up Will Smith behind the plate this season, though the two may approach something close to a split based on comments made by manager Dave Roberts before play was halted.

Perez was one of more than a dozen Rays players to participate in voluntary workouts at Tropicana Field on Monday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The young backstop joined his teammates for activities such as playing catch, running, limited free-weight workouts and plyometric jumps, with the sessions held in staggered fashion and in groups of two. Perez was in position to secure the No. 2 catcher job behind Mike Zunino when spring training was suspended, although the expanded rosters and practice squads expected to be part of any abbreviated 2020 season should allow manager Kevin Cash to also keep at least one of veterans Kevan Smith and Chris Herrmann.