Although 28-year-old Will Smith has a stronghold on the catching spot for at least several more seasons, 2024 could be the year we finally see a few other names emerge as a potential backup for the Los Angeles Dodgers other than Austin Barnes.

The Dodgers will feature three young catchers on the big-league side of spring training this year in Hunter Feduccia, Diego Cartaya and Dalton Rushing, all of whom could emerge as a potential replacement for Barnes.

Will Smith

When you talk about catching depth, though, so many other conversations emerge. Specifically, Shohei Ohtani will be the team’s primary designated hitter in 2024, limiting the time skipper Dave Roberts can utilize Smith in the lineup without having him as a backstop.

Last year, Smith appeared in 111 games as catcher and 14 games as a DH. The 5-foot-10 righty hitting Kentucky native hit .261/.359/.438 with 19 bombs, earning his first spot on the National League All-Star squad. More impressively, aside from a few stints on the injured list from a concussion and a stiff neck, Smith hasn’t missed any significant time from an injury in his entire major league career.

Austin Barnes

Barnes is finishing up the final year of a two-year deal in 2024, and although he may certainly have a position with the organization moving forward, his playing days could be numbered. Barnes hit .180/.256/.242 last year after hovering around the .150 mark for most of the season. More significantly, baserunners stole 63 bags on 71 attempts while he was behind the dish, emphasizing his ineffective throwing arm.

Hunter Feduccia

The 26-year-old lefty hitting Feduccia appears to be on the fast track to the big leagues after having garnered a non-roster invite to big league spring training in 2021, 2022 and 2023. He was moved to the 40-man roster this winter to protect him from being selected in the Rule 5 draft, meaning his invite to this year’s spring training was automatic.

Although Feduccia’s offensive numbers aren’t overwhelming — he hit .279/.387/.451 with 11 homers in the batter-friendly confines of the Pacific Coast league last year — he’s a well-rounded defensive player and a student of the game. Coaches and managers appreciate his demeanor, enthusiasm and intellect. More importantly, pitchers love throwing to him — he has soft hands, frames pitches well, blocks balls when needed and has a decent arm.

Diego Cartaya

The 22-year-old righty hitting Cartaya is interesting because he was one of MLB’s top prospects heading into the 2023 season, but after a horrible campaign, he fell off the list entirely this winter. Exclusively at the Double-A level last season, he hit just .189/.278/. 379, although he did produce 19 long balls.

Some think Cartaya could restore his offensive confidence if he sees time at Triple-A this year, but if he doesn’t produce at the plate, it could certainly mean that Feduccia will be the unanimous choice as Smith’s backup, just like many MLB pundits have already predicted.

Dalton Rushing

The 2024 season  will mark Rushing’s first appearance as a non-roster invitee. The irony with the 22-year-old lefty-hitting Rushing is that he attended the University of Louisville for three seasons before turning pro, the same school that produced Smith. Although Smith was about five years ahead of Rushing, they both had time to work together and chat during Rushing’s time as a Cardinal.

Rushing blew scouts away after hitting an insane .404/.539/.778 over 134 plate appearances in 2022, but his promotion to High-A last year saw him hit just .228/.404/.452 in 381 plate appearances. Still, the Dodgers love Rushing’s athleticism the same way they did Smith before he came of age.

It’s also worth noting that Rushing draws a ton of walks on offense and that he probably has the best arm among all Los Angeles catchers. Plus, he slugged 15 homers in High-A ball last year.

Other Names to Watch

If you want to dig deeper into the pecking order, it may be worth keeping an eye on 20-year-old switch hitter Thayron Liranzo, 20 -year-old righty hitting Jesus Galiz and 21-year-old righty hitting Yeiner Fernandez, who has also been logging significant time at second base.

All three are hitting the points of their minor league careers that could show their roles in the organization moving forward.