Dodgers DFA veteran catcher Austin Barnes, call up top prospect Dalton Rushing

The Dodgers are set to undergo a small youth movement at catcher.

The star-studded squad, which is off to a 27-15 start as the favorite in the NL West, is reportedly designating catcher Austin Barnes for assignment and calling up a younger catcher, prospect Dalton Rushing, who’s considered one of the top current prospects in baseball.

The move to swap Barnes for Rushing is significant for multiple reasons — it both puts an end to a long career in Dodger blue for Barnes, but it also gives one of MLB’s potential young stars a chance to make an impact as a rookie.

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Here’s what to know about the Dodgers’ move to drop Barnes for their top prospect on Wednesday. 

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Dodgers designate Austin Barnes for assignment, call up Dalton Rushing

ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez reported Wednesday that Los Angeles was set to designate Barnes for assignment and call up Rushing, their top prospect.

Rushing is the 16th-highest-rated overall prospect in baseball by ESPN and the No. 15 overall prospect by MLB.com. For both sites, he has been considered the top catching prospect in the league.

Los Angeles already has an established starting catcher, Will Smith, who has been with the team since 2019 and proven himself as one of MLB’s best backstops. In fact, Smith is hitting .330 with 21 RBIs so far this season, potentially tracking to be an All-Star. The Dodgers’ move on Wednesday won’t impact their starting catcher role.

However, Barnes was struggling in his limited role as the backup catcher, hitting just .214 this season. He was never a very great offensive player, but his veteran presence has always been impactful for Los Angeles.

The team is opting to replace that veteran presence with a young player in Rushing, who can make an impact beyond the catcher position; Rushing has also spent time in left field and at first base in Triple-A this season, meaning he could hypothetically fill in at other positions. Players like Max Muncy and Michael Conforto have both struggled for the Dodgers so far.

Barnes, who has been in his 11th season with the Dodgers and won two World Series rings with the franchise, will now be either traded or released within seven days as Los Angeles gets a bit younger with Rushing in the fold.

Austin Barnes stats

Barnes was never known for his bat, but rather as a strong veteran catcher who guided the pitching staff while occasionally coming off the bench as a pinch-hitter. He caught the final out of the Dodgers’ 2020 World Series title. 

In the past, Barnes was more of an everyday catcher for the Dodgers until Smith took over in that role. He leaves L.A. behind after 11 seasons in the uniform, being one of the core pieces of the Dodgers’ success over the past decade. 

Here’s a look at Barnes’ career stats, all with the Dodgers:

Longest-tenured Dodgers player

Barnes was the Dodgers’ longest-tenured position player, a title he’ll now pass off to Chris Taylor, who has been with the team since 2016.

The longest-tenured pitcher and overall player, is former MVP Clayton Kershaw, who has been with Los Angeles since 2008.

Dalton Rushing stats

Rushing was drafted by the Dodgers in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft. Since then, he’s ascended to Triple-A as of the 2024 season.

Here’s a look at Rushing’s minor league stats: