On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
The Arizona Diamondbacks have a Gold Glove winning catcher in Gabriel Moreno, and at the young age of 25 his already-capable bat has plenty of room to grow. It's hard to overstate how important he is to the team and their chances of winning.
But Moreno has not been especially durable the last two years, starting just 94 and 83 games in 2023 and 2024. Ideally the D-backs would like him to start 110-115 games behind the plate. While he came to camp this year with a clearly more toned body, the team needs to have strong catching depth behind him. The two candidates are Jose Herrera and Adrian Del Castillo.
Herrera is a light-hitting catcher with a .207 career batting average and 51 OPS+ in 358 PA. Despite being a switch hitter, there has been no discernible advantage from either side of the plate. He has a .529 OPS against right-handers and .561 against lefties. So far this spring he's batting .300 (6 for 20), with two RBI, one walk, and just three strikeouts.
The area where Herrera has shined brightest is drawing high marks for handling pitchers as they enjoy throwing to him. Herrera also has a career 24.4% caught stealing rate, compared to league average 21.1%. That rate plummeted in 2024, however, as he caught just 9.7% of would-be base stealers.
Perhaps the biggest advantage the 28-year-old Herrera has in this competition is the fact that he's out of minor league options. In years past that worked against him at times, as other veteran backup options could not be optioned to the minor leagues. But as Mike Hazen explained earlier in spring, that door has now swung back the other way in Herrera's favor.
Del Castillo broke out in Triple-A Reno in 2024, batting .312/.399/.603 with 26 homers in just 413 Pacific Coast League at-bats. The left-hand batter's hard-hit metrics in that league were the stuff to drool over.
He then burst on the scene for two weeks in August when first called up, batting .361 with three homers and 14 RBI in his first 10 games. That also included a BABIP over .500 and 14 strikeouts. The swing-and-miss tendency and batted ball luck eventually caught up to him a bit, as he hit went 12-for-44, .278 with just one homer and a .728 OPS over his next 15 games, including 14 more strikeouts.
It wasn't the expected regression to the mean for his batting numbers that caused him to be sent back to Reno instead of Herrera when Moreno came off the injured list. Del Castillo's defense was clearly not quite ready, especially the throwing. He caught just two of 29 base stealers, 6.9%.
Del Castillo has worked hard over the offseason and this spring training to make improvements with his footwork, release, and arm strength. So hard in fact that he came down with a sore arm and missed a week of games behind the plate.
But soon after returning to catching duties he flashed improvements he's made, throwing out a runner in Las Vegas against the A's, and just missing getting a second caught stealing against the aggressive Athletics. Visually it's clear that the work is paying off.
Ironically, it's the bat that has let him down this spring, as he's batting just three for 25, .125, with a whopping 12 strikeouts and zero walks.
While Torey Lovullo frequently explains how results such as traditional batting numbers or pitcher ERA have little if anything to do with their spring evaluations, Del Castillo probably needed to tear the cover off the ball, along with showing the improvements to his throwing, to have a shot at superceding Herrera to start the season.
Prediction
Our prediction is that Herrera will capture the opening day roster spot for backup catcher. The simple fact that Herrera is out of options is likely to be the deciding factor here. The D-backs have also usually put the emphasis on defense when it comes to backup catcher decisions.
Del Castillo will catch more than half the games in Reno to start the year and continue to work on the improvements to his defense, while also looking to close up the hole in his swing that leads to so many strikeouts. It's our view that long-term Del Castillo has the much higher upside, but the team can afford to let him hone his skills just a little while longer.
If the offense is struggling early in the year, it might not be long before Del Castillo is called back up to give a jolt as he did last year. And of course the specter of Moreno missing time again always looms.
It should be noted there is one other catcher on the 40-man roster, 28-year-old René Pinto. He too is out of options however, having been waived by both the Tampa Bay Rays and then the Orioles during this offseason. Claimed by the D-backs on January 10, there is little if any chance to steal the role. He would need to clear waivers for the D-backs to be able to send him to Triple-A Reno.
He's had a good spring at the plate, batting 4-for-13, .308 with two doubles and two RBI. He looks solid defensively. But in 82 major league games for the Rays over the last three years he's caught just five of 55 base stealers in his career, 9.1%.
Related Content
Jose Herrera Confident and Ready to Be Backup Catcher
Adrian Del Castillo is Improving on Defense
More must-reads:
- Red Sox pitcher sounds off on disgruntled sports bettors
- Rich Hill continues carving his place in MLB history
- The 'MLB All-Star Game MVPs' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
TODAY'S BEST
Way-too-early Baseball Hall of Fame projections for 2026, 2027, 2028
While the 2025 class is preparing to be officially inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., it's worth peeking ahead to see which MLB stars could find their places among baseball's immortals over the next three years. To be elected to the Hall of Fame, players must earn at least 75% of the votes from eligible members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA). Only active and honorary members of the BBWAA, who have been active baseball writers for at least 10 years, are eligible to vote. So which players will be elected in the next three years? Here's a best guess. 2026 class Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones A pair of holdovers from this year's ballot will finally get their place in Cooperstown with Beltran earning it in his fifth year and Jones in his ninth. The duo will benefit from a less-heralded first-year class that includes Ryan Braun, Cole Hamels and Alex Gordon. None of this year's rookie members is expected to gather a great deal of support, opening up the door for previous vote-getters to finally get the call. Both Beltran (70.0 bWAR in a 20-year career) and Jones (62.7 in a 17-year career) were close in 2025, with Beltran getting 70.3% of the vote and Jones earning 66.2%. The highest votes after that went to Chase Utley at 39.8%, but it's unlikely he will make a huge jump in the next voting cycle. 2027 class Buster Posey and Chase Utley One of the game's most impactful catchers over this century, Posey, who earned National League Rookie of the Year and MVP honors, should enter the Hall during his first run on the ballot. Other first-year ballot members include Jon Lester, who notched 200 wins in his 16-year MLB career and could gain a strong amount of support. Utley, a six-time All-Star over his 16-year MLB career, will likely benefit from a first- and second-year class that will still need to gather more support as the years go along. 2028 class Jon Lester, Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols The potential for the first-year members of the 2028 ballot to jump straight to Cooperstown will be very interesting to watch. Of particular note are a pair of former St. Louis Cardinals who could enter baseball immortality together in Molina and Pujols. Adding Posey and Molina into Cooperstown in consecutive years will certainly give a tip of the cap to catchers who were at the top of their game for numerous seasons in San Francisco and St. Louis, respectively. Pujols, meanwhile, will be the latest member of the 700-homer club to be inducted. Over the course of 22 seasons, Pujols earned three NL MVP awards and 11 All-Star Game berths. Lester pitched the final 12 games of his career in St. Louis, so the Cardinals fans may include him in the mix as well in what could be a very red-themed induction ceremony. However, Lester's nine seasons in Boston (with two World Series rings) and six seasons with the Chicago Cubs (helping the Cubs finally win a World Series in 2016) stand out much more.
Steelers Put On Blast By George Pickens
The Pittsburgh Steelers brought plenty of excitement to their fan base when the decision was made to trade for wide receiver DK Metcalf. The prospect of having the former Seattle Seahawks pass-catcher and George Pickens in the same offense was exhilarating. Unfortunately, the anticipation for the 2025 regular season was quickly shut down when Pickens was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in May. It now seems as if both the Steelers and the former second-round pick were ready to part ways, especially because the wideout is enjoying his time in the Lone Star State. As training camp begins to ramp up for the 32 NFL teams, a lot of eyes will be on Pickens in Dallas and how he handles his fresh start. He constantly made negative headlines in the Steel City, whether it be questionable comments to the media or inexcusable actions on the field. He has a chance to have a phenomenal year with the Cowboys, but many wonder if he is mature enough to handle the spotlight. Dallas has already started training camp, which means players and coaches alike are available to the media on certain days. Pickens spoke on Tuesday, and he was not subtle about his excitement for the Cowboys' potential on offense. In the process, he made a very direct comment that was clearly an indictment on how things are done in the Steelers' building, according to Joseph Hoyt of Dallas News. Pickens did not mince words, nor did he shy away from the fact that he believes that the Cowboys have better plays than the Steelers. The wide receiver had to deal with Matt Canada for nearly two full seasons, but Arthur Smith apparently did not impress him in 2024, either. Pickens has often been quoted refusing to accept blame for things, so it's not surprise that he is now trying to throw some serious shade at the Steelers' offensive approach. No one can argue that Canada had a good run as the Steelers' play-caller, but Pickens seemed to have a strong season in 2024 prior to suffering a hamstring injury later in the campaign. He has been very adamant about his excitement when it comes to playing for the Cowboys, but also has made it clear that he is happy to no longer be playing in Pittsburgh. Fans in the Steel City will likely never get to see Pickens at his very best while wearing the black and gold, but it appears as if the pass-catcher is very confident that he will have a stout season in the Southwest. There was recently a coaching regime change for the Cowboys, so that could be beneficial for Pickens, or potentially a bad thing depending on how things play out. Pickens has never had a certifiable stud on the opposite side of him, and he will get that with CeeDee Lamb in 2025. It's quite possible that Pickens has a breakout year, but it's evident that he still can't keep certain comments to himself. It won't be long before he is stirring up negative headlines in Dallas if something goes wrong early in the season. Steelers Are Confident That Metcalf Can Shine If both Pickens and Metcalf have successful seasons, not many will worry too much about the separate moves that Pittsburgh made during the 2025 offseason. Metcalf is a little more experienced, and should come with something to prove. If he struggles mightily for some reason, however, it might just prove that Pickens was right to rip into the Steelers' offensive playbook.
Magic Johnson Mourns the Unexpected Passing of a ‘Dear Friend’ on Monday
Malcom-Jamal Warner, who portrayed the beloved character Theo Huxtable on “The Cosby Show,” died at 54 in Costa Rica in a drowning accident, according to the Associated Press. The report claimed that Warner drowned on Sunday afternoon on a beach on the country’s Caribbean coast. He was swimming at Playa Cocles in Limon province when a current pulled him deeper into the water. Following his death, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2002 inductee Magic Johnson mourned his passing. “Cookie and I are sad to hear about the passing of our dear friend Malcom-Jamal Warner,” he wrote on X. “We were both super fans of the hit Cosby Show and continued to follow his career on shows like Malcom and Eddie and The Resident.” Warner was on “The Cosby Show” from 1984-92. He also appeared in television series such as “Jeremiah,” “A Different World” and “Here and Now,” while Johnson led the Los Angeles Lakers from 1979-91 before making a brief comeback in 1995-96. “Every time I ran into Malcom, we would have deep and fun conversations about basketball, life and business,” Johnson added. “He will truly be missed . Cookie and I are praying [for] his family and close friends during this difficult time.” Warner was in films such as “Drop Zone” (1994), “Fool’s Gold” (2008), “The Tuskegee Airmen” (1995) and “Tyson” (1995). He also received a Grammy Award for Best Traditional R B Performance for the song “Jesus Children” alongside Robert Glasper Experiment and Lalah Hathaway. On the other hand, Johnson became a successful businessman after his NBA career ended by becoming a part-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Caitlin Clark drops mic on Kelsey Plum's Instagram post
Caitlin Clark might be the most popular figure in women's basketball right now, but she continues to draw shots left and right, both on and off the court. The Iowa product has stayed even keeled and mostly unrattled, but that doesn't mean she won't fight back. That's why, in the light of Kelsey Plum's recent comments, she decided to take matters into her own hands and clapped back at her with a simple, six-word message. Plum shared a picture of her during the WNBA's All-Star Weekend, which showed half of a Nike logo in the background. Clark was quick to spot it and just wrote "Thank u for the Nike ad." This happened just hours after Plum seemingly took a shot at Clark and her Team Clark teammates for reportedly not getting involved in their pre-game protest. “The T-shirt was determined this morning. Not to tattletale, but zero members of Team Clark were very present for that,” Plum revealed. “That really needed to be mentioned,” Sabrina Ionescu added while both laughed. WNBA All-Stars warmed up with a T-Shirt that read 'Pay us what you owe us,' ahead of their new CBA agreement, which is expected to be signed in the offseason. WNBA players get around 9 percent of the league's revenue, and they're asking for a bigger share since most of them also have to play overseas during the offseason because of the salary disparity. Plum is the vice president of the WNBPA, so it's not surprising to see her so involved in the protest and the demands. Then again, it's hard to understand the reasoning behind the tattle telling, as not only does it show that there might not be a united front ahead of these negotiations, but it also drives attention away from where it should be.
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
