Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts issued his first public statement regarding the organization’s decision to designate longtime catcher Austin Barnes for assignment.
The decision was made by the Dodgers in order to make room for rising prospect Dalton Rushing, who impressed the team. They felt ready to make him the backup catcher.
Barnes played 11 seasons with the Dodgers, winning two World Series with the team and often being regarded as one of the most important voices in the locker room.
When explaining the decision to move on from Barnes, Roberts gave nothing by glowing words about the player.
“Austin is a guy that’s far beyond the numbers. He’s a glue guy. He held guys accountable. He was tough. He had a very innate ability to get big hits, and he was respected across the board,” Dave Roberts told reporters.
Roberts called it a “tough decision,” but said the team wanted to give Rushing an opportunity.
For his entire baseball career, Barnes has never been a great hitter, often providing value on the defensive end as one of the better framers and blockers in the league.
Barnes only had two seasons with a wRC+ over 100, which is a metric that measures run creation, and the league average is 100.
He slashed .214/.233/.286 in the 13 games he played this season, totaling 44 at-bats.
Barnes has long been the backup catcher, ever since Will Smith broke out in the majors.
Now, Rushing appears as a well-rounded catching prospect who can add value on both sides of the ball and offer a more balanced backup option when Smith needs a rest.
FanGraphs’ scouting report gives Rushing a future value of 60 out of 80, projecting him as someone with legitimate power and a developed catching game.
“Rushing has developed into a good defensive catcher and a well-rounded offensive threat. He may force the Dodgers to find a way to roster both him and Will Smith at the same time,” FanGraphs said regarding his future outlook in the preseason.
This season in Triple-A Oklahoma City, Rushing is slashing .308/.424/.514 with five home runs and 17 RBIs, producing a 145 wRC+.
It will be interesting to see how the Dodgers handle the Major League development of Rushing, especially since Smith is performing at an All-Star level, being one of the better hitters in baseball and really improving his work behind the plate over the years.
The problem is truly a classic case of embarrassment of riches for the Dodgers, who have strategically built a well-balanced team through free agency and their farm system. Ultimately, having too many options is never a bad thing.
