You get Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz. We get Austin Barnes. Along with the announcement of their signing of Craig Kimbrel, the New York Mets have added longtime Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes to the roster.
The 36-year-old has spent parts of 11 seasons with the Dodgers dating back to 2015. A career backup with a couple seasons early on where he played a little more than expected, Barnes will join the Mets on a minor league deal to help fortify one of the most necessary parts of every depth chart, catcher.
Austin Barnes might be the most important depth signing the Mets make all offseason
On a minor league deal, nothing hurts. You pay a guy to toil away in Triple-A and maybe teach some of the kids a few things. Barnes will play alongside Hayden Senger and Kevin Parada in Syracuse. Both of them could learn a few things.
Even if Barnes isn’t around to impart much of his experience, simply having a veteran catcher provides the Mets with valuable insurance against injuries. Francisco Álvarez has typically spent time on the injured list each season, and Luis Torrens missed time in 2025 as well. Rather than relying on Hayden Senger to handle an extended workload, the Mets opted to add what may have been the best available option.
Barnes has previously ranked among the league’s top pitch framers, though his throwing arm has long been a weakness, allowing runners to exploit him on the bases. With the ABS system set to arrive in MLB in 2026, that disadvantage may be less significant. Barnes isn’t expected to carry the team over a full season; his role is to provide reliable depth in the event of a prolonged injury.
Offensively, Barnes is serviceable. He owns a career .223 batting average with a .322 on-base percentage, which is perfectly acceptable production from a backup catcher.
While it was encouraging to see Senger get an opportunity last season, his on-base percentage fell short of Barnes’ career mark. Senger remains on the 40-man roster and would likely be the Mets’ first call for short-term coverage, especially in situations where a catcher is dealing with a minor issue but can avoid the injured list. Barnes, however, brings steadiness and reliability, functioning more as a stabilizing presence behind the plate.
