MLB Player News

Ice informed the Indians of his intention to retire Sunday, Andersen Pickard of MLBDailyDish.com reports.

Ice will finish his five-year minor-league career with a .206/.309/.313 slash line, 18 home runs and 101 RBI. The 24-year-old played in a total of 271 games and spent the entire 2019 season with Double-A Akron, where he hit just .180/.294/.255. The switch-hitting catcher was selected 72nd overall in the 2016 first-year player draft by the Indians following a successful three-year stint at Oregon State.

The Cardinals optioned Knizner to Triple-A Memphis on Thursday.

Knizner is viewed within the organization as the eventual successor to Yadier Molina, but the 25-year-old will head back to the farm to begin the campaign while the veteran enters the final year of his contract. With Knizner out of the running for an Opening Day job, Matt Wieters has made the club as the Cardinals' backup catcher.

Stubbs was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Thursday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Stubbs impressed in his limited opportunities before Spring Training was suspended, slashing .455/.625/.727 with a homer and two steals in 16 plate appearances, but it wasn't enough for him to beat out Dustin Garneau for the job as Houston's backup catcher.

Barrera was optioned to Triple-A Fresno on Thursday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.

This isn't all too surprising, as Barrera is buried behind a trio of veterans (Yan Gomes, Kurt Suzuki and Welington Castillo) on the depth chart. The backstop spent most of the 2019 season with Double-A Harrisburg, slashing .249/.323/.381 with eight home runs in 101 games.

Sanchez went 1-for-17 with seven strikeouts in Cactus League play. He also struggled behind the plate and was bothered by a sore back and a bout with the flu.

While Sanchez remains the top power-hitting catcher in the game, his contact issues this spring serve as a stark reminder that he hit a paltry .232 with a 28 percent strikeout rate last season. His defensive issues can be partially attributed to a new catching stance that he experimented with throughout the spring, but Sanchez has always been a below-average defender behind the dish and has struggled blocking balls in the dirt throughout his career. Still, his ability to hit balls out of the yard will keep Sanchez in the heart of the potent Yankee lineup on a regular basis, and the delay to the start of the regular season leaves no question about his availability for Opening Day.

Heineman was competing with Rob Brantly for the backup catching job before spring training was suspended, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Expected backup catcher Aramis Garcia underwent labrum surgery on his hip in early February and is out at least six months , leaving the Giants with a hole behind starter Buster Posey. Heineman didn't make a great case in spring training with a .489 OPS in 11 games, though Brantly also struggled in his own right.

Chicago manager David Ross said he has a "ton of confidence" in Caratini, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.

Ross praised Caratini's ability to provide quality at-bats despite not playing every day and said he's one of the team's most valuable reserves. Willson Contreras is blocking the 26-year-old behind the plate and Anthony Rizzo has first base secured, but Caratini can capably spell either player. And if an injury opened up a more regular role, Caratini would have instant fantasy appeal.

Perez finished with a .176/.222/.176 slash line and two RBI over 18 plate appearances in spring training.

Perez registered just three hits in 17 at-bats this spring, striking out four times over that stretch. Despite this, he's on track to begin the 2020 season as the team's starting backstop, with Sandy Leon likely to stand in as the backup catcher on Perez's occasional off days.

Diaz and Drew Butera were making an argument for the Rockies to break camp with three catchers due to their impressive spring performances, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

While Diaz and Butera are in camp on minor-league contracts, they outperformed Tony Wolters and Dom Nunez, who are on the 40-man roster. Diaz hit .429 with a double, a triple, two walks and one strikeout in 21 spring at-bats. He also saw the most playing time of the four candidates. Wolters' spot as the primary catcher would seem to be safe, but Nunez, who hit .200 with six strikeouts in 15 spring at-bats, has minor-league options remaining, so he could open the year at Triple-A.

Despite struggling this spring, slashing .118/.318/.118 in 22 plate appearances, Casali's roster spot for Opening Day was secured when the Reds optioned Tyler Stephenson to Triple-A Louisville.

This was never really a job battle, at least to start. But Casali could be at risk later in the season should Stephenson thrive at Louisville. There are some rumors, however, that MLB will expand rosters to account for an accelerated return to action, which would then allow the Reds to carry three catchers and possibly promote Stephenson to the big-league squad.