Three catchers are lost on waiver claims

Bobby Nightengale Cincinnati Enquirer USA TODAY NETWORK

As the Cincinnati Reds work on their offseason 40-man roster, which includes reinstating nearly a dozen players from the 60-day injured list, there will be a lot of player movement over the next couple of months.

The Reds took the first step Friday and they lost three catchers trying to clear waivers. Aramis Garcia and Mark Kolozsvary were claimed by the Baltimore Orioles, and Michael Papierski was claimed by the Detroit Tigers.

Three other players cleared waivers, right-handed pitchers Raynel Espinal and Ryan Hendrix, along with catcher Chuckie Robinson, and were taken off the 40-man roster.

The Reds had 11 players on their 60day IL at the end of the season, though lefty reliever Justin Wilson will become a free agent after the playoffs end. Wilson underwent Tommy John surgery in June and will likely miss at least the first couple of months of the 2023 season.

Garcia, who was the backup catcher ontheOpeningDayroster,playedin47 games and he was sidelined for two months because of a fractured middle finger in his left hand. The 29-year-old Garcia hit .213 with one homer, two doubles and four RBI in 108 at-bats, producing a .248 on-base percentage.

Kolozsvary, 27, was billed as one of the top defensive catchers in the organization, starting for Team USA in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. He made his MLB debut this year, playing in 10 games, but he hit .168 in 42 games at Triple-A.

The Reds claimed Papierski off waivers from the San Francisco Giants in June and he split time with Garcia when Stephenson was injured. Papierski, 26, hit .159 in 34 games with the Reds with one homer and one double in 82 at-bats.

Robinson ended the season as the Reds’ backup catcher, behind Austin Romine, and remains in the organization after clearing waivers. Robinson, who will turn 28 in December, hit .136 in 25 games with two homers and two doubles in 59 at-bats.

Stephenson will be the Reds’ only catcher on the 40-man roster once free agency begins.

The Reds currently have 34 players on their 40-man roster, which doesn’t include the players on the 60-day IL or the five pending free agents.