MLB Player News

Cartaya (back) was optioned to Double-A Tulsa on Sunday.

Cartaya didn't appear in any contests in the Cactus League due to a back injury, and he'll now shift his focus to being ready for the MiLB season. The catcher had a disappointing 2023 campaign, recording a .189/.278/.377 slash line with 19 homers over 355 at-bats in 93 games with Tulsa, and he'll likely have to play better to earn an opportunity to be called up to the major-league roster down the road.

Feduccia was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday.

Feduccia has been unimpressive at the plate this spring, going 1-for-11 with a double, three walks, an RBI and two runs scored while striking out five times over eight contests. The catcher will look to produce a little more consistently at Triple-A in order to earn another shot with the major-league roster.

McCann is 2-for-14 over his first five Grapefruit League games.

The Orioles look set to run it back with Adley Rutschman and McCann as their big-league catchers. McCann got into 70 games last season, hitting .222 with six home runs, 26 RBI, 25 runs scored and three stolen bases over 226 plate appearances. Playing behind a young star like Rutschman means McCann is unlikely to see significant work aside from Rutschman's off days behind the dish and McCann's occasional DH duty.

Rutschman has gone 1-for-9 over his first four Grapefruit League games.

On the bright side, that one hit is a home run. Rutschman's spring numbers will ultimately mean very little -- he's the Orioles' No. 1 catcher and will likely focus on getting back in sync with the pitching staff more than his performance at the plate for now. He hit .277 with an .809 OPS and 20 homers over 154 contests in 2023.

Herrera isn't starting Sunday's spring game against the Marlins as scheduled due to shoulder pain, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

The 23-year-old has just 24 big-league games under his belt but is poised to share catching duties with Willson Contreras in 2024. It's unclear at this point if the injury is expected to affect Herrera's availability for Opening Day.

Diaz is focused on familiarizing himself with the Astros' pitching staff during spring training, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

He is set to take over as Houston's primary catcher after the offseason departure of Martin Maldonado. Diaz played 42 games behind the dish in 2023, but he never caught Framber Valdez or Justin Verlander (shoulder), so being on the same page with the team's top two starters will be vital come the regular season. Diaz seemingly has fewer questions as a hitter, as he delivered an impressive .282/.308/.538 across 377 plate appearances last season.

Perez went 1-for-12 over his first four Cactus League games.

Perez's slow start in spring is of no concern -- per Anne Rogers of MLB.com, Perez is still the Royals' starting catcher. It's very possible the continued growth of Freddy Fermin could lead to fewer games behind the dish for Perez in 2024. He appeared in a career-high 52 games somewhere other than catcher last season, including 23 contests at first base, though that position belongs to Vinnie Pasquantino. Perez is unlikely to be an everyday player, but it's not unusual to see him get into 140 games when he stays healthy.

Fermin is projected to be the Royals' backup catcher to begin 2024, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

The Royals recently signed Austin Nola, but he's viewed as an experienced depth option. Fermin has gone 1-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout over two Cactus League games. With Salvador Perez in the latter half of his career, it wouldn't be surprising to see Fermin shoulder more of the workload behind the dish, which could see Perez take more games at first base or designated hitter.

Cartaya has not participated in spring training games due to back soreness, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that the team expects Cartaya to be ready for the start of the MiLB season. The prospect catcher is coming off a disappointing 2023 season with Double-A Tulsa in which he slashed .189/.278/.377 with 19 home runs and 57 RBI over 403 plate appearances.

The White Sox won't carry three catchers on the Opening Day roster, which could mean Lee begins the season in the minors, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

The White Sox added both Max Stassi and Martin Maldonado this offseason, neither of whom have minor-league options. While Lee is a more logical fit for the rebuilding roster, he does have one option remaining. Lee has only six plate appearances to this point in the spring, but he has homered once and collected one other hit.