The San Francisco Giants have signed catcher Austin Barnes to a minor league deal as of late last night, June 29. The former Dodger will start with the Giants Arizona Complex League squad in hopes to prepare for not only higher levels in the Giant farm system, but also the 2026 World Baseball Classic with Mexico.
Giants Sign Austin Barnes To Minor League Deal https://t.co/Q5VbtDTf9f pic.twitter.com/CYsWrNnhV5
— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) June 30, 2025
Barnes made his MLB debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015 as the backup catcher to All-Star Yasmani Grandal. He enjoyed a fantastic 2017 season while splitting time with Grandal, slashing .289/.408/.486 in a career high 102 games played.
He would remain with the Dodgers in a backup capacity, establishing himself as a veteran backstop, before being released earlier this season on May 20.
Now, the longtime Dodger finds himself in the ranks of what was once his biggest rival. The Giants signed Barnes in order to provide depth at a position that isn’t incredibly strong in the organization. Current Giants starting catcher Patrick Bailey is a wizard defensively, but has struggled with his bat this season.
Barnes will start with the Giants’ ACL team, but fans do not expect him to be there for long. It will be a good time for him to shake the rust off after not playing professional baseball for over a month. He will most likely move to Double-A or Triple-A after he acclimates.
This move is important for Barnes, as he was the starting catcher for Mexico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic and is projected to make the roster once again in 2026. In the 2023 WBC, Barnes played in five out of Mexico’s six games. He was a key contributor on the run that saw Mexico narrowly lose to Japan 6-5 in the tournament semi-final.
Now back in MiLB, Barnes will look to flourish in preparation for the years to come.
WBN WBC: https://worldbaseball.com/league/wbc/
Photo: Mexico pitcher Gerardo Reyes, right, celebrates with Austin Barnes after the team’s 11-5 victory over the United States during a World Baseball Classic game in Phoenix, Sunday, March 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
