The 11-season run by Austin Barnes with the Dodgers ended when the veteran backstop was released in May. Dalton Rushing was ready in the wings, and the Dodgers were set on defending their World Series
title by improving the team in any way they could. There was no room for sentimentality earlier in the season when the Dodgers shockingly designated Barnes for assignment.
A former ninth-round draft pick by the Marlins back in 2011, Barnes has spent his entire big league career with the Dodgers. Barnes has never been an everyday catcher, but he proved valuable to the Dodgers beyond his offensive stats. He provided value defensively as one of the better framers and blockers in the league.
His relationships with the pitching staff were also highly regarded, and he became what many considered Kershaw’s personal catcher after A.J. Ellis and Russell Martin.
Barnes played in only 13 games for the Dodgers in 2025, the lowest in his career. His offensive numbers declined to a .518 OPS over 44 plate appearances in the early part of the season. Before the Dodgers released him, Barnes was batting .214 in 42 at-bats with no home runs and nine hits.
The Dodgers finally decided to move on. They opted to designate and then subsequently release Barnes to make way for top prospect Rushing as Will Smith’s new backup.
When Smith signed a 10-year extension back in March of last year, it was evident the Dodgers did so to lock him in as the Dodgers’ primary catcher for the next decade. The Dodgers had promising catching prospects in their minor league system, including Diego Cartaya and Rushing.
Not every catcher is offensively dangerous like Smith. Barnes was never a threat at the plate with a career slash line of .223/.322/.338 over 1757 plate appearances for the Dodgers. He finished his career in Dodger Blue with a .660 OPS, 35 home runs, and 162 RBIs.
The Dodgers acquired Barnes at the 2014 trade deadline in the now-famous seven-player blockbuster trade that also brought Kiké Hernández to the Dodgers and sent Miguel Rojas to the Miami Marlins. Hernández and Barnesy have both been key contributors to the Dodgers’ success.
Barnes won the World Series with the team in both 2020 and 2024, and he will receive a World Series ring for 2025.
Barnes clearly had no hard feelings, as he was at Dodger Stadium to celebrate his former battery mate on his final start before retirement.
After Barnes was released by the Dodgers, the Giants signed him to a minor league deal. Barnes played 13 games in the Giants’ organization, posting a .531 OPS without an extra base hit, and was released in early August from the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate.
2025 stats
Age: 35
Stats: .214/.233/.286, 41 wRC+, 0 HR, -0.3 bWAR, -0.3 fWAR
Postseason: N/A
Salary: $3.5 million
Game of the year
Austin Barnes had a three-hit game on April 30, 2025, against the Miami Marlins. He went 3-for-5 with one run in a 12-7 win for the Dodgers.
Roster status
Austin Barnes’ current roster status is free agent, as he was released from his minor league contract by the San Francisco Giants in August 2025. As of this review, Barnes has not made it clear if he looks to continue his career or retire.
