NL Central Rival Sign Former Cubs Catcher to Minor League Deal

The Cincinnati Reds have brought a former Chicago Cubs catcher back to the National League Central on a minor-league deal.

Jul 3, 2023; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago Cubs catcher Tucker Barnhart (18) hits an RBI single during the third inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. / Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The Cincinnati Reds have brought Tucker Barnhart a little closer to home, as the former Chicago Cubs catcher signed a minor-league deal with the Reds on Tuesday, per his MLB.com page.

Before re-joining the Reds, where he started his MLB career, he was with the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he accepted a non-roster invite to spring training and made the Opening Day roster.

Arizona designated him for assignment on July 2 and released him on July 6, allowing him to become a free agent.

Barnhart will report to the Reds’ Triple-A affiliate.

The now-33-year-old joined the Cubs for the 2023 season after he signed a two-year deal worth $6.5 million. He made the team but he only played in 44 games as he batted .202 with one home run and nine RBI. Chicago designated him for assignment on Aug. 19 and was released.

He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers and finished out last season with the NL West champions’ Triple-A affiliate in Oklahoma City.

Cincinnati knows Barnhart well. The organization drafted him in the 10th round and he signed with the Reds, turning his back on a commitment to play for Georgia Tech. He needed four years to wind through the Reds’ system and the organization put him on the 40-man roster in 2013 to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft after an All-Star season at Double-A Pensacola.

He made his MLB debut in 2014 and played the next eight seasons for Cincinnati, eventually becoming their starting catcher and winning two Gold Glove at the position in 2017 and 2020. He never made an All-Star team. He was never an offensive force, but he hit at least 10 home runs in back-to-back seasons, clobbering 10 in 2018 and 11 in 2019. He had a single-season high batting average of .270 in 2017.

In his final season with the Reds in 2021, he batted .247 with seven home runs and 48 RBI. He also caught Wade Miley’s no-hitter. But it didn’t stop the Reds from dealing him that offseason to the Detroit Tigers for pitcher Nick Quintana.

The Tigers accepted his $7.5 million contract option for 2022 and he batted .221 with one home run and 16 RBI. That wasn’t enough for Detroit to re-sign him, which led Barnhart to sign with the Cubs.

Cincinnati has two catchers on its active roster in Luke Maile and Tyler Stephenson. Barnhart could get a call-up if either gets hurt or underperforms.