Minor League Baseball

San Francisco Giants Cut Bait With Former Los Angeles Dodgers Veteran

After the Los Angeles Dodgers let him go earlier this season, the San Francisco Giants elected to release catcher Austin Barnes from his minor league contract.
Sam Connon|
Bunkyo, Tokyo, JPN; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes (15) before the game against the Chicago Cubs during the Tokyo Series at Tokyo Dome.
Bunkyo, Tokyo, JPN; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes (15) before the game against the Chicago Cubs during the Tokyo Series at Tokyo Dome. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

In this story:

San Francisco GiantsLos Angeles Dodgers

The San Francisco Giants released catcher Austin Barnes on Friday, according to the Sacramento River Cats' official transaction log.

Barnes was in the Giants' organization for about a month, initially inking a minor league deal with the club on June 27. The 35-year-old proceeded to hit .205 with two RBIs, six walks, seven strikeouts and a .531 OPS in 13 games with the River Cats and San Francisco's Arizona Complex League affiliate.

The Giants were initially able to add Barnes because their rival Los Angeles Dodgers released the veteran backstop on May 21.

Barnes spent 11 seasons with the Dodgers, appearing in 612 regular season games and winning two World Series rings along the way. He was batting .214 with two RBIs, one walk, 14 strikeouts, a .518 OPS and a -0.3 WAR through 13 games in 2025, though, ultimately losing his roster spot to top prospect Dalton Rushing.

For his career, Barnes is a 223 hitter with a .660 OPS, 35 defensive runs saved and a 4.4 WAR.

The Giants recently engaged in another reclamation project with a different former Dodgers catcher, Diego Cartaya.

Cartaya was once a top prospect in Los Angeles' farm system, but he was traded to the Minnesota Twins this past offseason. After Minnesota released him last month, San Francisco was quick to swoop in and give him a minor league contract back on the West Coast.

So while their efforts to make the Dodgers pay for letting Barnes go didn't pan out, the Giants appear to be taking a longer term shot with the 23-year-old Cartaya.

Related MiLB Stories

  • CAMPEBLL HEATING UP: Kristian Campbell could soon return to the big leagues if he continues to mash for the Worcester Red Sox, considering his 13-game hitting streak is the team's best all year. CLICK HERE
  • SFG PROSPECTS CLIMBING: The Arizona Complex League season came to a close, so Jhonny Level and a handful of other Giants prospects have been sent to finish the summer elsewhere. CLICK HERE
  • TWINS SNAG JIMENEZ: In order to pry starting pitcher Chris Paddack away from the Minnesota Twins prior to the trade deadline, the Detroit Tigers had to part ways with 19-year-old catcher Enrique Jimenez. CLICK HERE

Follow MiLB On SI on social media

Continue to follow our Minor League Baseball On SI coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook.

You can also follow Sam Connon on Twitter @SamConnon.

Published | Modified
Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a staff writer for “Minor League Baseball on SI’’ and other "On SI'' baseball sites. He previously covered UCLA Athletics for “UCLA on SI’’ and won awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for “New England Patriots on SI’’ and was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk. Follow Sam on Twitter @SamConnon.

Home/NEWS