The Detroit Tigers didn’t wait long to make a splash.
One day after the World Series concluded, the Tigers acquired Cincinnati Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart in a trade Wednesday. In exchange, the Tigers sent infield prospect Nick Quintana to the Reds.
The Tigers will pick up Barnhart’s $7.5 million team option, meaning the 30-year-old, two-time Glove Glove winner will be in Detroit for the 2022 season. However, the Tigers aren’t ruling out the possibility of a contract extension.
“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.
“AJ (Hinch) 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 has played all eight of his MLB seasons with the Reds after he was drafted in the 10th round out of high school in 2009. He is best known for his defense, but the left-hander also hit .247 with seven home runs and 48 RBIs in 116 games this past season.
Over 744 games, Barnhart has a .248 batting average, 51 home runs and 261 RBIs.
“Coming into this offseason, we knew that catcher was a priority position for us,” Tigers general manager Al Avila said in a statement. “During our strategy meetings over the last couple of weeks in Lakeland with my front office staff, Tucker’s name came up many times as an attractive option for our ballclub as someone who is a real plus defender, knows how to lead a pitching staff and is a solid contributor from the batter’s box. After feeling interest from the Reds to make a deal, we moved quickly to make it happen and kick off our offseason transactions.”
Barnhart competed in the postseason for the first time in 2020, as the Reds lost to the Atlanta Braves — winners of the 2021 World Series — in the National League Wild Card. The Tigers, meanwhile, are searching for their first playoff appearance since 2014, after finishing 77-85 and in third place of the American League Central in 2021.
Going the other way is Quintana, a 24-year-old prospect who the Tigers selected No. 47 overall (second round) in the 2019 draft from Arizona. He hit just .186 with nine home runs, 47 RBIs, 53 walks and 86 strikeouts in the minor leagues this year, playing 82 of his 89 games for Low-A Lakeland.
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