| Tucker Barnhart | |
|---|---|
 Barnhart with theCincinnati Reds in 2016 | |
| Texas Rangers – No. 18 | |
| Catcher | |
| Born: (1991-01-07)January 7, 1991 (age 34) Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. | |
Bats: Left Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 3, 2014, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) | |
| Batting average | .241 |
| Home runs | 53 |
| Runs batted in | 292 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Tucker Jackson Barnhart (born January 7, 1991) is an American professionalbaseballcatcher in theTexas Rangers organization. He has previously played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theCincinnati Reds,Detroit Tigers,Chicago Cubs, andArizona Diamondbacks. Barnhart made his MLB debut in 2014 and won theGold Glove Award in 2017 and 2020.
Barnhart was born inIndianapolis, the son of Kevin and Pam Barnhart, and brother to Paige. When Tucker was 11, the family moved west of Indianapolis toBrownsburg, Indiana.[1] He attendedBrownsburg High School and played for the school's baseball team.[2] As a junior in 2008, he hit .500 and was named to theLouisville Slugger High School All-American team.[3] In his senior year at Brownsburg, he was named "Mr. Baseball" for the state ofIndiana.[4]
Prior to his senior season, Barnhart committed to attend theGeorgia Institute of Technology on a baseball scholarship to play for theGeorgia Tech Yellow Jackets.[5][6]
Heading into the2009 Major League Baseball draft,Baseball America rated Barnhart as the best available player from Indiana.[7] Due to his commitment to Georgia Tech, he fell to the 10th round, when he was chosen by theCincinnati Reds with the 299th overall selection.[5][8] Barnhart opted to sign with the Reds, rather than enroll at Georgia Tech.[5]
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In 2010, Barnhart played for theBillings Mustangs of theRookie-levelPioneer League.[9] In 2011, he played for theDayton Dragons of theSingle–AMidwest League.[5] He spent the 2012 season with theBakersfield Blaze of theHigh–ACalifornia League andPensacola Blue Wahoos of theDouble–ASouthern League. He played for Pensacola in 2013, and was named a Southern League All-Star.[10] The Reds added Barnhart to their40-man roster on November 20, 2013.[11]
WithDevin Mesoraco beginning the 2014 season on thedisabled list, Barnhart made the Reds' 2014Opening Day roster, as a backup toBrayan Peña.[12][13] Barnhart made his major league debut on April 3 against theSt. Louis Cardinals. Starting at catcher (withHomer Bailey the starting pitcher) and batting eighth, he went 0-for-4 with one strikeout.[14][15] Two days later, he got his first big-league hit, a single offNew York Mets pitcherDillon Gee; for the game, Barnhart went 2-for-4.[16]
Barnhart wasoptioned to theLouisville Bats of theTriple–AInternational League on April 7, when Mesoraco was activated.[17] He was later recalled by the Reds, and on May 1, he hit his first major league home run, a fifth-inning solo shot off theMilwaukee Brewers'Marco Estrada.[18][19] He was optioned back to Louisville on May 18.[20] On July 6, with Peña on the paternity list and also forced to play more at first base due to injuries, the Reds recalled Barnhart.[21] Barnhart was optioned back to Louisville on July 11.[20]
Due to injuries to Mesoraco, Barnhart started 67 games at catcher for the Reds in 2015 and 108 games in 2016.[22] On September 22, 2017, Barnhart signed a four-year contract extension with the Reds, worth $16 million, plus a $7.5 million club option for the 2022 season.[23] He led National League catchers inwins above replacement andcaught stealing percentage. He also led the major leagues in runners caught stealing (32).[24] After the 2017 season, he won his firstGold Glove Award, the first by a Reds catcher sinceJohnny Bench's 10-year run from 1968-77.[25]
In June 2019, he suffered a moderate abdominal and oblique strain, and was placed on the injured list.[26] In late August 2019, he gave up switch hitting and became a left-handed hitter.[27]
In 2020 for the Reds, Barnhart played in 38 games, batting .204/.291/.388 with five home runs and 13 RBIs.[28] After the season, he was rewarded theGold Glove Award for NL catchers, the second Gold Glove Award of his career.[29] On May 7, 2021, Barnhart caughtWade Miley'sno-hitter.[30] He finished the 2021 season batting .247/.317/.368 with 7 home runs and 48 RBIs in 116 games.
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On November 3, 2021, the Reds traded Barnhart to theDetroit Tigers forNick Quintana. On November 7, the Tigers exercised the $7.5 million option for Barnhart for the 2022 season.[31] Barnhart batted .221 with a .554on-base plus slugging in 94 games for the Tigers in 2022.[32]
On December 29, 2022, Barnhart signed a two-year, major league contract worth $6.5 million with theChicago Cubs.[33] In 44 games for the Cubs, he batted .202 with one home run and nine RBIs. On August 19, 2023, Barnhart wasdesignated for assignment by Chicago.[34] He was released by the Cubs the next day.[35]
On August 30, 2023, Barnhart signed a minor league contract with theLos Angeles Dodgers.[36] In seven games for the Triple-AOklahoma City Dodgers, he went 5–for–22 (.227) with no home runs and one RBI.[37] Barnhart elected free agency following the season on November 6.[38]
On January 2, 2024, Barnhart signed a minor league contract with theArizona Diamondbacks.[39] On March 25, the Diamondbacks select Barnhart's contract after he made theOpening Day roster as the backup catcher.[40] In 31 games for Arizona, he hit .173/.287/.210 with no home runs, six RBI, and one stolen base. Barnhart was designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks on July 2.[41] He was released by the organization on July 6.[42]
On August 6, 2024, Barnhart signed a minor league contract with theCincinnati Reds organization.[43] In 21 games for the Triple–ALouisville Bats, he slashed .187/.247/.253 with no home runs and six RBI. Barnhart elected free agency following the season on November 4.[44]
On December 14, 2024, Barnhart signed a minor league contract with theTexas Rangers.[45]
Barnhart and his wife, Sierra, married in November 2015.[46] They welcomed their first child, a son, in September 2017.[47] Their second son was born in 2020.[48]
He grew up just west of Indianapolis in the city of Brownsburg and now resides just northwest of Indianapolis. He is a childhood friend ofGordon Hayward andDrew Storen.[5]
