Report: Giants eyeing improved catching depth

"The Giants have been telling rival teams that they're in search of backup catching help," Pavlovic wrote. "So, even with all the upcoming roster churn, one of Nuñez or Viloria should be in camp to compete with Austin Wynns. Both newcomers are left-handed hitters, something the staff has been trying to add behind Joey Bart."

The Giants have prioritized having two viable catchers in recent years, with Curt Casali proving to be an excellent backup before they traded him to the Mariners at the deadline. While Wynns had his moments in 2022, he remains a career .231/.275/.337 hitter with 12 home runs in 508 plate appearances. Furthermore, Joey Bart has yet to prove he's an above-average catcher.

If the Giants are looking for a veteran left-handed hitting catcher with a strong defensive track record in free agency, Tucker Barnhart and Jason Castro would seem like two top candidates.

Barnhart was the Reds primary catcher from 2015-2021 before inking a one-year deal with the Tigers last offseason. Barnhart struggled in Detroit this season, hitting .221/.287/.267 in 97 games. However, over the course of his career, Barnhart has a .245/.320/.360 triple-slash with a .705 OPS against right-handed pitching.

Castro, a former first-round pick, is a 12-year MLB veteran with an excellent defensive track record. Set to turn 36 next June, Castro struggled mightily with the Astros this season, hitting .115/.205/.179 in 34 games before he underwent season-ending surgery. With that said, he recorded a .225/.333/.427 triple-slash from 2019-2021.

Given both Castro and Barnhart's struggles in 2022, it seems plausible that the Giants could sign either one to a minor-league contract that allows them to compete with Núñez, Viloria, and Wynns in spring training next year.

The Giants have to focus on adding some star power this offseason but improving the team's depth at positions of weakness remains an important priority as well. Indeed, per a report by Alex Pavlovic, the SF Giants front office is looking to keep improving their catching depth after adding a pair of backstops last week.