The Tigers have a new catcher, announcing a deal this afternoon to acquire veteran Tucker Barnhart from the Reds. Infield prospect Nick Quintana is headed back to Cincinnati in return.
Barnhart had been a career-long member of the Reds, who selected him in the 2009 draft. The switch-hitting backstop made his MLB debut in 2014 and has served as Cincinnati’s primary catcher for much of the past seven seasons. Barnhart has established himself as a capable backstop on both sides of the ball, combining nearly league average offense for the position with well-regarded defense.
The 2021 season was generally par for the course for Barnhart, who hit .247/.317/.368 with seven homers over 388 plate appearances. That’s right in line with his career offensive marks, with his 81 wRC+ a few points shy of the leaguewide mark (89) for catchers. Barhnart’s greater value lies on the other side of the ball. Generally well-regarded as a game manager, he’s also posted above-average pitch framing metrics over the past few seasons after rating poorly in that regard early in his career. He’s also done well at controlling the running game, cutting down a strong 32.1% of base-stealers over the course of his career — although his 28.3% rate this past season was closer to average.
That kind of steady but unspectacular production on both sides of the ball holds value, but the Reds have looked likely to move on from Barnhart this winter for quite some time. 25-year-old backstop Tyler Stephenson hit .286/.366/.431 over 402 trips to the plate in 2021, and it’s apparent the Reds would like to give Stephenson everyday run. Barnhart remains controllable next season via a $7.75MM club option, but that seemed a bit higher than the Reds would be willing to pay for a #2 backstop. It stands to reason Cincinnati will look for a cheaper veteran option to complement Stephenson this winter.
Detroit, on the other hand, didn’t enter the offseason with an obvious answer behind the plate. Tigers’ general manager Al Avila acknowledged as much last month, and the front office struck on the first day of the offseason to address that need. The Tigers will certainly exercise that option, and he now looks likely to receive the bulk of playing time behind the plate in 2022. Dustin Garneau, Grayson Greiner, Eric Haase and Jake Rogers (when he returns from September Tommy John surgery) are also on hand as potential depth options, although it’s likely at least one of that group gets bumped from the roster now that Barnhart is in the fold.
Exercising Barnhart’s option will bring Detroit’s payroll up to around $94MM, including arbitration projections, in the estimation of Jason Martinez of Roster Resource. That’s already north of the club’s season-opening mark in 2021 but nowhere near the franchise record levels of spending. Avila and CEO Christopher Ilitch have already suggested the club would expand payroll this winter, and the Barnhart acquisition shouldn’t have much of an effect on Detroit’s pursuit of further upgrades around the diamond. The Tigers are widely expected to look for help at shortstop and in the starting rotation, and they’ve been often speculated upon as a landing spot for one of the top free agent shortstops hitting the market.
In exchange for parting ways with their longtime catcher, the Reds will pick up a 24-year-old third base prospect. The Tigers selected Quintana in the second round of the 2019 draft. Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs called him a potential everyday third baseman over the 2020-21 offseason, but he’s since stumbled to a .196/.329/.346 line over 347 plate appearances in Low-A. The Reds will take a shot on a hopeful turnaround with a change of scenery, but the seemingly light return suggests that Cincinnati was likely to decline Barnhart’s option within the next few days had they not found a trade partner.
Jon Heyman of the MLB Network first reported the sides were nearing agreement on a trade. Chris McCosky of the Detroit News reported the deal was completed and Quintana’s inclusion.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
So it begins ….
We’ve only just begun. Padres to acquire Sanchez from the Yanks?
That’s certainly a Preller type of trade. He traded Torrens, France, Trammell, and Munoz for Nola, and Torrens probably had a better season than Nola, so Seattle basically got France, Trammell and Munoz for free.
While it’s crazy, I can see Preller trading Nola and a prospect for Sanchez.
Nola was better than Torrens imo
You could be right. Nola has a 1.2 bWAR with SD, in 268 PAs, and Torrens has a 0.9 in 378 PAs. So I’d prefer Nola as well. But this was a classic Preller trade. He picks up the slightly better player on the top end, but he also adds three more prospects to the deal, that absolutely annihilate whatever value Nola might have.
France, with a 4.3 bWAR and 4 years to go. Trammell is not my favorite, but still a good prospect. I don’t think Preller is capable of saying ‘no’ when the other GM asks for ‘just one more prospect’.
If Nola is healthy, the duo of him and Campusano makes their catching position a Padres strength.
The Mariners are oddly quiet… Dealin DiPoto, where you at?
The Mariners are oddly quiet
=============================
Yup, it’s been hours since the WS was over, and not a single Seattle trade yet. They really should’ve had 2-3 trades by now.
I think he even said for fans to anticipate a flurry of trades when the postseason begins.
He’d better be solid defensively, cuz he hasn’t been very good with the bat.
He is. That’s part of the reason Yankee fans like me wanted him on our team.
He’s won a few Gold Gloves. We sure will miss his defense.
Hes an absolute monster behind the dish.
And this season, he made massive improvements at the plate. I imagine he will be working more on that this off-season.
Reds fans are gonna miss him
He didn’t make any improvements, he just stopped hitting from the right side. He’s a relatively poor hitter even in his best year but he’s AWESOME calling a game and handling a staff. That being said $8M for a backup is a lot, esp when you have a miserly d bag as an owner
he is very soild with the bat for a catcher, (cubs fan saying this btw)
erm…
I see fast action will be the theme in advance of December 1.
Nice pickup.
It will be for smaller deals like this. You’ll probably see some utility types and middle relievers sign, but I doubt you’ll see many major moves unless the league and union shock us all by agreeing to something before the deadline.
Not even 24 hours since the Braves became WS Champs, and we’re getting the off-season party started!
Might not be the end of it either. Several other players out there that need to have options decided. If a team is possibly going to decline one they may just see if they can find a trading partner. Stay tuned….
I wanted him in pinstripes
When all is said and done, Sanchez will be the Yankees catcher.
“Sanchez has untapped potential and we really think he’s ready to take the next step.” Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman-probably
I HATE that phrase. It’s like a piece of propaganda from Big Brother
Joe: You’ve got the Boonisms down to a science! This sucks because he was the only one of the existing catchers I’d want for an upgrade. Ugh, maybe Yan Gomes? I don’t know…. Sanchez version 2022 coming up, I guess.
If we lose, again, Cash and Boone need to go. Mediocrity by virtue of bargain-bin shopping, combined with indecisiveness or plainly bad decisions cannot continue.
Yeah Clipper, sad that we’re hanging our hopes on Gomes. Hope Ninja Cash has something up his sleeve cause we can’t go into next season with this lineup.
Why be so negative fellow Yankees fans ! Sanchez won’t be the catcher next year they Are gonna trade him ,Torres and eckerton to Phillies for Harper and wheeler and the Phillies are gonna kick in some cash
My only hope is that he can use some combination of prospect capital and MLB talent for Contreras, whom I have wanted on the NYY for a long time.
Yankees should trade for Jacob Stallings
Sanchez should have been traded a few years ago at “peak value”
Now, he is a little old to have much more upside.
Sorry, for once the Tigers get their guy and the Yankees don’t.
Not really a good fit for the Yankees. Keep an eye on Mitch Garver. I’ll think they will target him.
Interesting idea! He would fit nicely on the Yankees
Tigerdoc: Yep, I think he’s the best one of the readily available catchers all-around. Congrats though, it’s a good move and you all beat Cashman to the punch, because the Tigers were smart and pounced. Us Yankees fans will still be ruminating in February about who he’s going to get.
Great get for the Tigers, a good defensive C who can hit from the left side. He will make an excellent platoon with Haase. Possibly a little overpriced, but with Rogers gone for the year and few options, best outcome at the smallest price.
Catcher isn’t the problem. Things get magnified. The real reason for the team’s struggles – they can’t score runs. They need to rebuild their infield. It was not productive at the plate or on the field. Bringing back Gleyber, Odor, and Gio will doom this team in 2022.
Not a bad guy to have working with a young pitching staff.
Weird move, this screams lack of confidence that haases breakout is real/repeatable
Not at all. They love Haase that’s why he played all over when not catching. You’ll see Haase in RF, LF and 1B when not catching.
That’s fair, ig I overreacted to the move and it’s implications and undervalued Haase’s versatility.
Haase has a lot to prove still. He is a utility player. He had 4 hrs the final 2 mos of the season last year. He is not the starting anything on this team
Hasse can also spell Cabrera @ DH
How so? Haase isn’t going to catch 162 so you’re going to need a 2nd guy who can share the load.
Barnhart is a superior defensive Catcher to the group that was already on hand.
Ig that assumes tigers would buy his option and Cincinnati would not
Well, if the Tigers aren’t picking up his option then they’re only acquiring Barnhart for 4 days.
Having him four days is Still better then keeping Quintana
Time for Cashman to give the Cubs a call, and see if Contreras is available
he’s not, he clearly has stated he wants to stay in Chicago, and these days, when you have a franchise catcher, you cannot trade away a catcher of that talent.
You’re not that sentimental guy who said no way could Cubs justify trading pending free agents Bryant rizzo and baez are you ? If Cubs aren’t gonna pay him they absolutely can and should trade him
Cubs will be rebuilding for the next 2-3 years.
They would be better off trading him for some of the Yankees young prospects
so most of the future Cubs team can hit the majors together as a unit.
Open for business. Don’t listen to Formerly.
Let’s enjoy the off-season because there will be a delay to the start of next season.
SWEET!!!. And we did not give up much, which makes me think the Reds were going to buy out his option. Nick Quintana has talent but has struggled so far since being drafted. But he is better than nothing.
Obviously, Quintana has tools or he would not have been drafted so high, but the Tigers farm is strong at 3B. They had the depth to make this move.
Tigers needed a defense-first strong-side platoon mate for Haase and co. Looks like they got their man. Solid pickup to kick off the offseason for Avila, and if Quintana is truly all they had to surrender, then this is a steal.
Absolutely. Very solid behind the plate and decent production as a left handed hitter. Gave up a guy who will probably never make it to the big leagues. Win win for me.
That is what some said about Eugenio Suarez from Tigers to Reds for a veteran pitcher until Tigers prospect Suarez “broke out”…
Suarez had already made it to the big leagues ! He struggled there but he made it where as Quintana is still struggling in high A ! He can’t have better then 45 for 55 against odds to ever make it to the show
Suarez had already showed flashes with the tigers at the time of the trade. Simon was coming off one career year at age 33… That one was easy to tell it was a bad move immediately.
Or, what they said in 1987 when they shipped (what’s his name??) To Atlanta for a veteran pitcher, who went 9-0 down the stretch for the Tigers.
Can’t think of that prospect’s name. Tip of my tongue tho…..
AJ Preller’s Padres trade of Max Fried to the Braves for a declining Upton
Doyle Alexander was the veteran pitcher and I know you already know who that minor leaguer was
Well done, Mr. Avila! It’s a pretty thin free-agent market for catchers and lots of teams could use one. No one will confuse Tucker Barnhardt for Buster Posey or JT Realmuto, but he’s a solid stopgap to 2023 when hopefully Dillon Dingler is ready. Barnhardt and Eric Haase make a nice pair to have. And the pricetag of Nick Quintana is a throwaway.
Every time I see Dillon Dingler’s name in print I figure that it has to be made up. Then I giggle.
It’s Dillon Dingler. Not Dirk Diggler.
Right! I also love that Barnhart now gives The Tigers a LEFTY catcher….all the others are righties. I really think this “stopgap” move is to give Jake Rogers time to heal….after what he showed in 2021, he deserves the first look!
And after the way Al Avila has been (rightfully) criticized for his work, I think he should get props for this move. He was ridiculed for getting Robbie Grossman last year, but if you follow The Tigers closely, you know the guy made a HUGE contribution..
Hey – I finally found a comment about the Tigers!
All you posters (which are not all posters) that have been making fun of Al Avila because he didn’t pull up to a drive-in window and fill up his bus with gaudy publicized prospects, are in for a lesson in team- building…..provided you watch.
He has an exceptional manager that has brought youngsters along and built a perennial contender / WS champion in the past. He brought in 2 veterans to join with Miggy in setting the tone on how to prepare each day to play ML baseball, the tricks of the trade, and how to remain on an even keel. He has a team that he’s building around young pitching, and now he has a high-quality veteran ML Catcher to handle the young pitchers. Plus he has a low payroll that will be expanded over the coming years to keep Tiger players in the fold and bring in others to fill specific needs.
This is another methodical move. I expect next he brings in a veteran ML starter – doesn’t need to be an ace – this offseason.
Team building is not about looking at spreadsheets and bringing in people with silly statistics. It’s about finding players that have talent, can develop and adjust, and can work within a professional baseball organization.
The Detroit Tigers are going to be very good for a long time. They will be recognized (again) as a premier MLB organization. And those that made fun of Al Avila will look like the fools they are.
Be fair. Although Al Avila is a good GM now, the Tigers really paid while he learned the hard way. Again, be fair. He deserved all the ridicule he got.
Now, give Avila credit. After a few years of poor trades and even worse free agent acquisitions, the Tigers’ remade their scouting and seem to be acquiring better players that fit.
Although Miguel Cabrera had his best season in 5 years, he wouldn’t make any of the playoff team’s rosters. I still say that the Tigers won’t be playoff ready until 2024 after Cabrera ‘s contract runs out.
Dilion Dingler’s orginal position was CF. So he can be moved around also
Nick Q may be a late bloomer, not a throw a way. He had 27 home runs one year for Arizona State.
Could be a delayed bloomer due to MiLB being canceled last year. Screwed a lot of kids up.
Not much mention of him in the articles or comments I’ve read. He was a top of the 2nd round pick, so he’s got potential.
Barnhart is a pretty decent player. Also, he no longer fit in with the Reds because he was scheduled to actually make some money.
So he is going to make $7.5mil next year!? Wow that is big money for the Tigers. Is that a sign of big spending to come?
Appears that way.
If they’re willing to give 7.5 million for a platoon catcher, it seems to me like they’ll be willing to spend on some larger splashes.
Just wait Brandon, there is going to be a land-grab for catchers. Al Avila knows this and grabbed the best fit for the Tigers. Somebody’s going to be hurting for a catcher, but I don’t think it will be the Tigers.
Oh I agree
When I said 7.5 million for a platoon catcher I didn’t mean it as a bad thing. I like the move a lot.
Brandon 24, he is the starting catcher for this team. No way he is the backup. Reasons: 7.5 mil, great defense, average hitting. All above Haase and Rogers is out for the year.
Haase can fill in nicely against LH pitching, which is Barnharts weak side.
I didn’t say he was a back up.
Wait, teams can trade again? I thought that started on the 8th.
Teams can begin talking with all free agents starting the 8th, trades can resume as soon as the World Series ends.
Huh, for some reason I never knew that. Always thought they opened simultaneously.
For the most part, it’s usually just players who need options decided or potential 40-man casualties that get dealt.
Well, one down. Thanks Cash, as usual you are asleep at the wheel. Sanchez is NOT a catcher. Hope you have someone else in mind. Yanks have to have a catcher and a shortstop, everything else would be nice but not essential.
It’s been less than 12 hours since the off-season started and you’re already complaining about Cash being asleep at the wheel. Yankees’ fans need to chill
@ Rangers29. Yankee fans are always aware of what’s going on with their team, whether it 12 hours or 12 minutes into the off season. Should we wait until March 30th? Course if I were a Ranger fan I’d be chilled all off season and all season as well.
Sanchez will be a Yankee for life.
As a Reds fan, this is bittersweet. Barnhart has been a (solid) mainstay in Cincinnati and he’ll be missed but I am looking forward to handing the keys over to Stephenson after his super strong 2021 season. Best of luck, Tucker and family. Cincinnati loves you.
A scrub whose hasn’t hit over .200 in the MINORS since 2018 is the best they could get for barnhart??? I’ll bet the idiot that came up with this trade is also the one who sent Iglesias to the Angels.
Worst ownership and front office in MLB
The Rockies would like a word with you. They are quite confident that they have earned the title of worst front office and worst ownership.
yup!
You think they could have received at least a lottery ticket. That’s a straight dump.
I agree, but we also don’t have any idea what other options they had. It’s not like the Reds had any leverage. The clock was ticking on buying him out and everybody knew that the Reds wouldn’t bring him back. So the Tigers knew that they could give the Reds something now or just wait til Tucker hit free agency. The Reds had no leverage.
It also saved the Reds his buyout $$$–saved 500K and got a prospect vs. 500K out the door and nothing
Here’s what I think happened, Cinncy acted like they were not gonna decline his option, HOPING Detriot would believe the bluff, they didn’t, they gave something that was worth it, Cinncy had no choice.
A guy who hit .156 and .196 in his only two pro seasons in low-A is not “something that was worth it.” All Cincy is going to get from the deal is to save the $500k buyout. That’s chump-change in MLB.
….wish he was still in Detroit !
This is an investment in furthering the development of the Tigers young talented pitching. Great fit…
Here we go…..
I like it !!
Correa to Detroit next
I doubt very seriously whether the Tigers will drop over 300M on one player.
Haven’t they learned anything from the Cabrera debacle…and the other declining, veteran, non producing extensions they signed?!
I’m not saying they will or they should be comparing Cabrera to Correa doesn’t make a ton of sense.
Cabrera was much older at the time of his extension and obviously has never really been in the best physical shape. And as a 1B/DH those type of guys don’t age we’ll.
Not that it matters or that we’ll ever know but if Cabrera could have somehow stayed healthy and didn’t completely lose his legs he would have probably still been productive considering his approach, but that’s a lot of coulda woulda shoulda.
Stove is hot!
“The switch-hitting backstop…” Very small correction: Barnhart is now a left-handed batter. He was a switch hitter earlier in his career.
When was the last time the tigers traded a prospect for a player, instead of the other way around?
From my memory, it would be in 2016 when we traded young Chad Green and Luis Cessa for Justin Wilson.
It looks like there’s a change of eras in Detroit.
As a White Sox fan, I’ve been watching the Tigers rebuild with some interest. I still say they need to add to that offense to really get into contention, even after Torkelson and Greene arrive, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say the Tigers will battle the Guardians all season for #2 in the division and end with a winning record.
@ hyraxwithaflamethrower;
Enjoy the Sox.
Over the next 2-3 years both the Tigers and Guardians will easily overtake them – possibly the Royals if they get their development of pitchers straightened out.
Teams aren’t built around hulking HR hitters with poor baseball IQ’s, that rebel against a HOF manager because they think “the game has changed”. Playing winning baseball can be done in different ways, but recognizing situations and taking actions to help your team always works in the long run. Just mashing, beating up on lousy pitchers to get your stats up, etc. doesn’t work. Let’s just say that it starts with respecting your opponents and the game.
Hulking HR hitters? Oh, you mean the team that placed 3rd in OBP in the majors last year? Or the team that was 5th BA? Or perhaps the team that was only 19th in HR, but 7th in runs, despite two of their best hitters missing large parts of the season. Or maybe you think that the team with the 5th best ERA and WHIP in baseball is composed of just hulking HR hitters? I really don’t think you have a clue how the White Sox are constructed.
Now, I’ll agree that they need to start respecting their opponents and the game. I hate the strutting and bat flips, especially when they come against teams the Sox should beat. Should they ever get to the WS, and especially if they win it, let them swagger a bit the year after that. Until then, I’d just as soon see them keep their heads in the game.
As talented as the Sox are I don’t expect them to make any real noise with LaRussa there. Everyone in the Central was ecstatic that the Sox hired him……Everyone besides the Sox. They dropped the ball there.
The White Sox are Detroit’s kryponite !
Suarez for Alfredo Simon?
Just waiting on the Reds are adding depth chill out guys.
Nice pickup by Detroit. He’s not going to help their lack of offense, but their roster is constructed around their young rotation. Got him for cheap, too.
Great deal by the Reds, getting potential great player for a player they were going to drop in a few days. Best gm in baseball.
sauce?? daily thing?
Tbh Barnhart Is A Good Catcher IMO, Hitting Wise, Has Been A Good Part Of The Franchise For The Reds And My Favorite Red Being a Cardinals Fan
The beginning of the salary purge in Cincinnati. Castellanos will opt out,Miley’s option is iffy, either Gray or Castillo are traded. Stuck with akiyama and Moustakes who you have to pay their salaries to get rid of. But you bring back Bell to manage. An absolute mess of ownership and front office personnel
I’m afraid you are correct. They missed their window and now the Reds are going backwards.
agree….what a waste. Bell and Ownership is a JOKE!!!!
the term, ‘backup catcher’ should be terminated
Great deal by Al Avila and the Tigers.
Reds were going to decline his options. Marlins, Yankees and others were waiting and ready to offer him a contract once the Reds declined his option.
Avila and the Tigers flew under the radar and scooped in to get him.
Reds are getting a “sleeper” 3B prospect.
Reds have successful experience trading on and betting Tigers prospects/lottery tickets
like Eugenio Suarez.
Win, Win for both clubs
“Sleeper prospect” that slipped out of their top 30 after being a second round pick in the 2019 draft. He his below .200 in both his minor league seasons. But they did fleece the Tigers out of Eugenio Suarez, that’s for sure.
I say great deal by the reds. Yes tigers need a catcher, but Barnhart is not much of a hitter. Coming from a Reds fan he does not hit well. Tyler Stephenson will be better.
Hi all. Maybe Reds saw something deep in the analytics in this prospect that made it worth it. I sure hope so. Tigers get A+ locker room/teammate player. Recent gold glover a decent hitter especially for a catcher. Wonder if Reds put him out there to all teams and this was the best they could get. Also interesting to note that this prospect is a third baseman.
Barnhart is a decent acquisition for the Tigers. I would’ve rather picked up Yan Gomes though instead of trading Quintana away.
Nick Quintana isn’t going to play over Jeimer Candelario. Furthermore, even though the Tigers are poor at developing players, Quintana was an exceptionally poor hitter in the Tiger system.
Tucker Barnhart doesn’t need to hit. He needs to further the development of the Tiger pitchers. I can think of no one better in MLB.
Max Fried the lights out Braves Starter who shut down the Astros Offense in game#
was another Padres first round draft pick
WASTED IN A TRADE BY AJ PRELLER TO THE BRAVES FOR ONE OF THE UPTONS.
(unfortunately, not Kate lol).
Just sign Verlander and then you’ll have Kate.
Iam sure Barnhart is a good Catcher. And we could use him.
Second highest salary on the Tigers? Really, guys? 7.75M? Takes on an option that was going to be passed on by a third place team? For ONE YEAR? How does this help? You guys have lost focus to the hocus pocus. Focus, guys! We need to build this team.
FACE IT – AL NEEDS ME.
HOLY TOLEDO, AL NEEDS ME.
Hire me, Al. Before it’s too late, baby. Who loves ya?
Wow. The Reds really wanted to save $7.5mil and a 40-man spot. They got nothing back. Absolutely nothing. If I was a Reds fan, I’d be furious.
Avila gets a passing grade for this acquisition. He doesn’t have too many of them.
For me that’s gotta the quickest an off-season has ever started. Normally from what I remember the world series champions at least have their parade first.
I’m a reds fan and I am glad they finally traded him. Good defense but can not hit much to mlb standard for a catcher. Tyler Stephenson is a better hitter and pretty good defense for a rookie season.
Throughout his career he’s been a slightly below average offensive player in regards to the catching position.
With his defensive ability, as long as he’s not a complete black hole at the plate he has a lot of value. Look at the catchers that were just in the World Series, particularly in Maldonado’s case. Neither guy can hit a lick but they (More so Maldy) Are pretty good behind the plate.
Defense first is always the most important at catcher.
For those that think $7.5MM is a lot for a defense first catcher, compare Barnhart to what McCann got as a free agent. That’s the current market.
Barnhart is a class act of a guy.. The Reds have his replacement in Stephenson but was hoping he would stay with the Reds .. He is an average hitter very slow runner on the base paths but a great handler of the pitchers and throwing out runners… Wish him well in Detroit
I’m shocked the Yankees didn’t pursue him. Sanchez is horrible defensively.
Good move by the Tigers. Now down the road, if one of the backups shows improvement in AAA, Barnhart could be a solid deadline trade chip.
This guy’s bWAR is super boring.
You make a fair point, but, IMO I don’t think that will matter for a team that suffers a catcher injury and can get a solid upgrade from their current #2 catcher. From the comments here, it sounds like the Yankees (for example) would/should jump at that possible opportunity if they lose a catcher.