The Diamondbacks are designating catcher Tucker Barnhart for project, in response to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. Piecoro signifies that the transfer will clear area on the membership’s roster for Gabriel Moreno to be activated from the injured checklist previous to the membership’s subsequent recreation in opposition to the Dodgers on Tuesday.
Barnhart, 33, made Arizona’s Opening Day roster as the first backup to Moreno over Jose Herrera. The veteran has struggled mightily this yr, nonetheless, slashing simply .165/.283/.190 in 94 journeys to the plate with the Snakes this season. That line features a surprisingly robust 13.8% stroll charge, however these respectable on-base abilities are outweighed by his huge 33% strikeout charge and full lack of energy (as evidenced by an ISO of simply .025). When Moreno went on the IL with a sprained thumb, Herrera was known as as much as the massive leagues to hitch Barnhart within the catching tandem, and evidently the membership has determined that they’d desire to go away the 27-year-old within the backup position as soon as Moreno returns from the injured checklist on Tuesday.
The veteran backstop has struggled to be productive on the plate all through nearly all of his profession, as evidenced by a profession 78 wRC+ and a 68 wRC+ over the previous 5 seasons. Barnhart has usually made up for that lack of offensive manufacturing with a powerful glove behind the plate, even successful two Gold Glove awards throughout his tenure with the Reds. That facet of his recreation has dried up in recent times, nonetheless. After regressing defensively throughout his time with the Cubs final yr, Barnhart was under common by all three of Statcast’s defensive metrics for catchers: Blocks Above Common, CS Above Common, and Framing. Provided that actuality, it’s simple to see why Arizona would flip to Herrera, who’s equally restricted on offense however seems to be a superior defender as in comparison with Barnhart at this stage of his profession.
Taking Barnhart’s place on the roster will probably be Moreno, who final suited up for the Dbacks on June 21 and has been nursing a thumb sprain since then. The 24-year-old teen is in his second season with Arizona after coming over alongside Lourdes Gurriel Jr. within the Daulton Varsho commerce through the 2022-23 offseason. Moreno has carried out solidly behind the plate in 172 video games with the Diamondbacks, slashing .265/.330/.385 with a roughly league common 97 wRC+ and powerful grades for his protection at catcher.
As soon as Barnhart’s DFA turns into official, the Diamondbacks can have seven days to both work out a commerce involving the veteran or try and move him by means of waivers. If he goes unclaimed on waivers, Arizona may try and outright him to the minor leagues as a non-roster depth possibility, however the 11-year MLB veteran has greater than sufficient service time to reject such an project and take a look at free company.
