Multi-positional catcher among the latest roster cuts in SF Giants camp

Jesús Rodríguez impressed in camp, but he will not be on the Opening Day roster. The multi-positional catcher, along with Carson Whisenhunt, were optioned to Triple-A, per the team's transaction log.

Multi-positional catcher among the latest roster cuts in SF Giants camp

Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle also reports that Parks Harber and Buddy Kennedy have been reassigned to minor league camp. Harber is set to miss the start of the season after sustaining a hamstring strain.

Both Harber and Kennedy put together some strong numbers this spring. Harber put up a .955 OPS with one home run and four RBI in 28 at-bats while being among the team leaders in average exit velocity at 95.0 MPH. On the other hand, Kennedy recorded an 1.111 OPS with two home runs and six RBI in 26 at-bats. The odds of either one of them making the team were low, but Harber made a good impression on the coaching staff before the leg injury.

With Rodríguez and Whisenhunt being optioned back to Triple-A, the technical number of players on the 40-man roster still in camp is 37. However, that number is quite a bit lower when factoring in injuries to Hayden Birdsong, Reiver Sanmartin, Joel Peguero, and Sam Hentges.

In the case of Birdsong and Sanmartin, they are candidates to be moved to the 60-day injured list, as both are expected to miss an extended period of time. This would open up a couple of spots on the 40-man roster.

Rodríguez made a strong case to make the team this spring. He slashed .353/.405/.559 with one home run and four RBI in 37 plate appearances. He has good contact skills, a knack for barreling up pitches, and a nice opposite-field approach. These traits should appeal to the front office.

The question the Giants have been trying to answer is what position he will play in the field. He is a multi-positional catcher with experience at first base and third base. However, he also saw time at second base and left field this spring, which will be interesting to see if he continues to see time at those positions during the regular season. The fact that he did not see all of his time behind the plate is likely a sign that the club does not view him as a backup, but rather more as a spot starter. That could change as he gets more reps at catcher.

On the other hand, Whisenhunt got off to a slow start this spring after seeing a notable uptick in fastball velocity. His last couple of outings were much better. Overall, he pitched to a 9.64 ERA with 14 strikeouts and eight walks in 9.1 Cactus League frames.

The southpaw pitcher has spent the bulk of the past two seasons in Triple-A. The Giants should have clarity on his long-term role by the end of the year.