MLB Player News

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Monday that Rortvedt could make the Opening Day roster, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

In order for Rortvedt to break camp with the big club, the Yankees would almost certainly need to decide to carry three catchers, as Jose Trevino and Austin Wells are locked in as the top two backstop options. Rortvedt got into 15 games this spring and slashed .231/.375/.269 with one extra-base hit (a double), but the primary reason why he may have a chance of sticking on the roster is that he is out of minor-league options. Even if he does make the cut for Opening Day, Rortvedt isn't likely to see much playing time.

Casali was released by the Marlins on Tuesday, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com reports.

It's unclear whether he exercised the opt-out clause in his minor-league contract or the Marlins simply decided to cut bait, but either way, Casali is now looking for a new home. Nick Fortes and Christian Bethancourt will serve as Miami's catching duo this season.

Alfaro was released by the Cubs on Monday, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Alfaro agreed to a minor-league deal that included an invitation to big-league camp with Chicago in December, but he'll head to the open market after failing to make the Opening Day roster. The 30-year-old backstop appeared in 18 games a season ago across stops in Colorado and Boston, but he struggled to a .146 average (7-for-52) with one homer, four RBI and two runs scored.

Manager Aaron Boone said Monday that Wells has made the Yankees' Opening Day roster, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

The focus for Wells heading into spring training was getting reps behind the plate and showcasing better defense. In addition to doing those things, Wells has also been efficient at the plate, slashing .300/.391/.550 with two home runs and nine RBI over 40 at-bats in spring training. The 25-year-old will begin 2024 as the secondary backstop behind Jose Trevino, with Ben Rortvedt and Jahmai Jones battling it out for a roster spot.

The White Sox recalled Lee from Triple-A Charlotte on Monday.

Lee was just optioned last week but is back to take the injured Max Stassi's (hip) spot on the roster. The 25-year-old will serve as Martin Maldonado's backup behind the plate to begin the season.

The White Sox placed Stassi on the 10-day injured list Monday with left hip inflammation, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.

Stassi missed the entire 2023 season because of a hip injury in addition to a serious family medical issue, and it would appear the hip problem is still nagging at him. Korey Lee will now open the season as Martin Maldonado's backup.

The Diamondbacks selected Barnhart's contract Monday.

The transaction confirms that Barnhart will be a part of the Diamondbacks' Opening Day roster, which had already been made apparent when his primary competition for the No. 2 catcher role, Jose Herrera, was optioned to Triple-A Reno on Sunday. During his time in the big leagues with the Reds, Tigers and Cubs, Barnhart has been valued for his defensive work and ability to handle a pitching staff, but the Diamondbacks aren't likely to count on him to make more than one or two starts per week while top backstop Gabriel Moreno is healthy.

Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Monday that Grandal (foot) could be cleared to begin running early next week, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Grandal has done advanced plyometric work as he rehabs from plantar fasciitis in his foot. He will begin the season on the injured list, which means Henry Davis will head into Opening Day atop the Pirates' catching depth chart.

Adams will begin the season as the Nationals' backup catcher behind Keibert Ruiz.

Adams was surprisingly productive at the plate in 2023, slashing .273/.331/.476 with four homers in 158 plate appearances, and he showed no signs of regression in camp. Ruiz will see a heavy workload, but Adams has earned the trust of the pitching staff and could see more consistent action in 2024, giving him some fantasy appeal as a cheap endgame catcher in deep formats.

Grandal (foot) is set to begin the season on the 10-day injured list, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

The Pirates may wait until Thursday to officially place Grandal on the IL, but he'll be sidelined to begin the season while he still has yet to resume running as he works his way back from plantar fasciitis. Grandal hasn't been shut down from activity entirely, as he's still been able to catch and hit in simulated games at spring training as of last week, per MLB.com. While Grandal is on the shelf, Henry Davis should move into a full-time role behind the plate.