Diamondbacks option Jose Herrera to Triple-A, reassign Kevin Newman to minor league camp
Mar 24, 2024, 10:46 AM
Jose Herrera #11 of the Arizona Diamondbacks signals while standing on second base in the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during Game Three of the Division Series at Chase Field on October 11, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
The Arizona Diamondbacks optioned catcher Jose Herrera to Triple-A Reno and reassigned infielder Kevin Newman to minor league camp on Sunday.
The roster is down to 30 players in major league camp.
In 10 games this spring, Herrera went 5-for-21 at the plate with five singles, four walks and six strikeouts.
Herrera, part of the 2013 international signing class, has been in Arizona’s farm system since he was 17 in 2014.
He has struggled at the plate throughout his career and slashed .189/.250/.207 in 2022. Heading into 2023, he found himself down the pecking order and started spring training 2-for-32 at the plate, but after Carson Kelly broke his forearm on a hit-by-pitch in spring training in 2023, it elevated Herrera as the D-backs’ primary backup catcher for most of last season and during the postseason.
In 120 plate appearances last season, he batted .208 with zero home runs and only five extra-base hits.
Tucker Barnhart will likely serve as Arizona’s backup catcher for 2024. The 33-year-old signed a minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training in January. Barnhart brings 881 games of MLB experience, having played for the Cincinnati Reds (2014-21), Detroit Tigers (2022) and Chicago Cubs (2023).
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The former two-time Gold Glover played 43 games for the Cubs last season before being released in August. Last year, he slashed .202/.285/.257 with a home run and three doubles in 109 at-bats. In nine games this spring, he is batting .200 with four walks and four strikeouts.
The D-backs signed Newman to a minor league contract in January. The former Pirates and Reds infielder played collegiately with the Arizona Wildcats before becoming a first-round draft pick by Pittsburgh in 2015.
Newman went 6-for-30 at the plate with a home run, four RBIs and eight strikeouts in 16 games this spring.
The 30-year-old slashed .253/.311/.364 with 28 runs and 28 RBIs in 74 games last season and split time at shortstop (19 games), second base (16) and third base (24).
The D-backs return to Chase Field Monday and Tuesday for exhibition games against the Cleveland Guardians before Thursday’s season opener vs. the Colorado Rockies.
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