Austin Barnes, a catcher who had a long career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, will wear the jersey of the San Francisco Giants.
'Dodgers Nation,' which primarily reports on the Dodgers, noted on the 30th (Korea time), "Barnes has signed a minor league contract with San Francisco and has been assigned to the Arizona Complex League (ACL) team, which is at the rookie league level. This is a measure to get his body in shape before joining the Triple-A Sacramento."
Since his Major League debut in 2015, Barnes has played in a total of 612 games, posting a batting average of .223 (338 hits in 1,516 at-bats), 35 home runs, 162 RBIs, 206 runs, 23 stolen bases, and an OPS of .660.
This season, he appeared in 13 games for the Dodgers, struggling with a batting average of .214 (9 hits in 42 at-bats), 2 RBIs, 4 runs, an on-base percentage of .233, a slugging percentage of .286, and an OPS of .518. He left the team after being designated for assignment (DFA) last month.
Barnes, who spent 11 years with the Dodgers, was the longest-tenured player on the team, excluding Clayton Kershaw (pitcher). He was a key member who contributed to four National League championships and two World Series titles (2020, 2023). Particularly in the 2020 World Series, he batted .390, helping the team to victory.
However, he found himself on the release track due to the call-up of prospect Dalton Rushing (Triple-A batting average .308, OPS .938) and the league-best performance of Will Smith (batting average .319, on-base percentage .415).
The media reported, "Barnes will now wear the uniform of a rival in the Western Division and continue his dream of extending his career."
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