Former SF Giants catcher continues NL West tour with Rockies waiver claim

Less than three weeks after he was on the SF Giants, catcher Austin Wynns has joined his third NL West team.

Another day, another National League West team for Austin Wynns. A few days after the Los Angeles Dodgers designated the former SF Giants catcher for assignment, the Colorado Rockies claimed Wynns off waivers, per the MLB transactions tracker. Wynns has hit .154/.250/.273 with a double in 14 plate appearances between the Giants and Dodgers.

SF Giants catcher Austin Wynns hits an RBI single to right field. (2022) / Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports

While it has to be frustrating that two teams have designated Wynns for assignment this season, it also has to be heartening that three different teams have wanted him! It’s also reassuring that there are still two teams in the division he hasn’t played for yet, for if the Rockies designate him for assignment.

Wynns is a capable backup catcher who began his career with the Baltimore Orioles. He slashed an unexciting-but-delectable 259/.313/.358 in 65 games for the Giants last year, but lost out to Roberto Pérez - and catcher/outfielder Blake Sabol (Giants #33 prospect) - for the backup job this year.

The Giants designated Wynns for assignment after Joey Bart returned from an early-season injury. However, he quickly caught on with the Dodgers when Will Smith got a concussion. With Smith back, Wynns became extraneous, but the Rockies are taking a flyer on him as Elias Díaz’s backup.

Still, while he’s not hitting now, the Rockies may still have affection for their other backup catcher, Brian Severn, who has been in the organization since 2016. He still has options, meaning the Rockies could send him to the minors to work on hitting, though. If it's another short stint for Wynns, though, he could be free Wynns to join the San Diego Padres or Arizona Diamondbacks.

They call that “catching for the cycle.” OK, no, they don’t, but what if we started doing that? Look, Padres backup Luis Campusano has his thumb in a cast - that could linger. Arizona’s Carson Kelly fractured his forearm and has no timetable for his return. Their other backup, José Herrera, took a foul ball off his helmet two weeks ago.

What we’re saying is that Wynns catching for the cycle isn’t an impossible dream. All he needs is two injuries in five months to make it happen, and he wouldn’t even have to pay an excess mileage charge on his U-Haul to do it.

We can’t remember another catcher potentially touring the entire division, but there’s a long tradition of the Colorado Rockies nabbing former SF Giants catchers. From Kirt Manwaring to Steve Decker to Matt Nokes to Scott Servais to Jeff Reed to Bobby Estalella to Yorvit Torrealba to Eliezer Alfonzo, something about an SF Giants pedigree makes a journeyman catcher absolutely irresistible to the Rockies. (To be fair, they had Benito Santiago and Nick Hundley first.)

We are pulling for Austin Wynns, who at this pace should be back in the orange and black by late August. Godspeed, Mister Wynns. Don’t sign a long lease!