Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco has the pedigree as one of the top prospects in the minors over the last few years, but he has been unable to translate that to the major-league level so far. He was on the bench for the fourth game in a row Friday, as he continues to struggle to find playing time.
Reds manager Dusty Baker told MLB.com that Mesoraco will start Saturday, but the team does not have a set plan for getting him consistent playing time right now. Baker did say he will likely begin to split time a bit more evenly between he and Ryan Hanigan as the season progresses.
"We needed Hanigan, who throws out [48.5] percent of baserunners to negate the speed of the Angels," Baker said. "As we get deeper along, I might feel the need to mix and match. [Hanigan] shouldn't be tired early. When the weather gets hot and as he gets tired, I might mix and match."