Former Tigers trade bust lands back in MLB after Rangers promotion

Seattle Mariners v Texas Rangers
Seattle Mariners v Texas Rangers | Bailey Orr/Texas Rangers/GettyImages

Former Detroit Tigers catcher Tucker Barnhart is back in the big leagues after the Texas Rangers selected his contract from Triple-A Round Rock on Wednesday.

Barnhart, who signed a minor league deal with the Rangers during the offseason, will join the big league squad as reinforcement for injured catcher Kyle Higashioka. In a corresponding move, the Rangers designated pitcher Dane Dunning for assignment.

Barnhart is slashing .246/.354/.391 with a pair of homers and 12 RBI in 20 games at Triple-A this season. The 34-year-old is a veteran of 11 consecutive MLB seasons, and an appearance for the Rangers would make it 12.

Former Tigers catcher Tucker Barnhart lands back in MLB after Rangers promotion

Barnhart spent one season with the Tigers in 2022 following an offseason trade from the Cincinnati Reds. The trade, which sent infield prospect Nick Quintana back to Cincinnati, was essentially a salary dump for the Reds. Barnhart had a $7.5 million team option for the 2022 season, which the Reds were almost certainly not going to pick up after he hit just .247/.317/.368 in 116 games during the 2021 season. Quintana ended up retiring from baseball after the 2023 season without advancing past Double-A.

Barnhart was still a fan favorite in Cincinnati, the team that selected him in the 10th round (No. 299 overall) of the 2009 MLB Draft. He slashed .248/.324/.371 and earned a pair of Gold Gloves behind the plate during his eight seasons in with the Reds. In his one season in Detroit, Barnhart slashed .221/.287/.267 and managed to hit just one homer in 94 games.

Following his brief stint with the Tigers, Barnhart signed a two-year deal with the Chicago Cubs but got released before the end of his first season. He spent a half-season with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2024 before being released in July and returning to the Reds on a minor league deal.

If Barnhart manages to stick with Texas, he may soon get the chance to face his former team when the Rangers visit the Tigers for a three-game series from May 9-11.

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