Tigers Trade For Barnhart To Add Leadership Behind The Plate

DETROIT — The Detroit Tigers acquired two-time Gold Glove winning catcher Tucker Barnhart from Cincinnati in exchange for minor-league infielder Nick Quintana.

The 31-year-old left-handed hitting catcher comes with a $7.5 million option, which the Tigers could try to turn into an extension. He is slated to become an unrestricted free agent after next season.

Although Barnhart played in 116 games last season and nearly hit a career best, he lost his job to the younger Tyler Stephenson.

"While it’s bittersweet to be leaving the organization that drafted me, I couldn’t be happier to join the Tigers," Barnhart said in a statement. "This is an exciting time for a team that’s undergone such a big transformation over the last few years. A.J. is one of the best managers in all of baseball, and I’m looking forward to working with him, the coaching staff and other teammates to bring the playoffs and a World Series championship back to the Motor City."

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Barnhart played eight seasons in Cincinnati, where he hit for .248/.328/.378 with a .696 OPS. While Cincinnati is commonly known as a hitter friendly ballpark, Barnhart hit just 51 home runs during his Reds tenure.

But the Tigers didn't trade their former second-round pick in 2019 for Barnhart's hitting or slugging, but rather for his defense, where he was awarded a gold glove in 2017 and 2020. Overall, behind the plate he threw out 32% of would-be base stealers, including a league-best 44% in 2017.

Barnhart will join Eric Hasse as the Tigers' top two catchers heading into next season, and the team will likely rotate the two throughout the year.

The Tigers will also expect Barnhart to help manage a slate of young pitchers on their starting staff, including former No. 1 pick Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal, and Matt Manning. The veteran is best known for his leadership behind the plate.

The Reds add Quintana, who is still trying to find his place in the game, as he hit just 11 homers and never got above low-A in his last two seasons minor-league seasons.