The Cincinnati Reds signed free-agent catcher/first baseman P.J. Higgins to a minor-league deal on Monday that includes an invitation to major-league camp. Higgins didn't see any action in the majors in 2023. He spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons with the Chicago Cubs and hit a combined .210/.291/.348 with six home runs, 11 doubles, a triple, 30 RBI and 24 runs scored in 254 plate appearances over 83 games played. The 30-year-old right-handed hitter spent 2023 with Triple-A Iowa (Cubs) and Triple-A Reno (Arizona Diamondbacks) and went 106-for-347 (.306) with 11 homers and 67 RBI in 90 games. Higgins will merely be providing organizational catching depth in 2024 for the Reds behind Tyler Stephenson and Luke Maile.

The Arizona Diamondbacks signed free-agent catcher P.J. Higgins to a minor-league deal on Thursday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training. Higgins comes to the desert after playing in 74 games for the Chicago Cubs in 2022, finishing with a .229/.310/.383 slash line with a .693 OPS, six home runs, 30 RBI and 23 runs scored in just his second major-league season. Arizona already has Carson Kelly, Gabriel Moreno and Jose Herrera on the active roster at the catcher position, so Higgins will have to play well in spring training to win an Opening Day roster spot with his new club. The 29-year-old is unlikely to have any real fantasy value in 2023, aside from maybe deep two-catcher leagues if he sees semi-regular playing time in the big leagues.

The Chicago Cubs designated catcher/infielder P.J. Higgins for assignment on Thursday to open up a spot on the 40-man roster for recently signed catcher Tucker Barnhart. Higgins is the odd man out at the catcher position for the Cubs after they signed Barnhart to a two-year deal this offseason. The 29-year-old backstop spent his first two major-league seasons with the Cubs the last two years, hitting a combined .210/.291/.348 with a .639 OPS, six home runs, 30 RBI, 24 runs scored and 66 strikeouts in 254 plate appearances over 83 games played. Most of Higgins' playing time (74 games) came last year in Chicago. He'll be hoping to latch on with another team as catching depth before the 2023 season.