Pittsburgh Pirates Place Veteran Catcher On Waivers

To the waiver wire.

The Pittsburgh Pirates designated Tyler Heineman for assignment to make room for the promotion of right-handed relief pitcher Cody Bolton to the majors.

Heineman, a journeyman catcher, has a career batting line of .210/.276/.269 in the major leagues. Being removed from the team's 40-man roster can be challenging for any player, but Heineman may have a good chance of clearing waivers and remaining with the Pirates.

Pirates moves:
Cody Bolton selected from Triple-A
Bryan Reynolds back from bereavement list
Wil Crowe to 15-day IL (right shoulder)
Canaan Smith-Njigba to Triple-A
Tyler Heineman DFA'd to make room on 40-man roster
*Means Drew Maggi remains

— Jason Mackey (@JMackeyPG) April 26, 2023

The Pirates needed to create space on their roster for Bolton, who will be joining the team's bullpen.

If the 31-year-old clears waivers, he could potentially provide depth at the catcher position or serve as a backup player for the Pirates.

Alternatively, if another team claims him, he could potentially find a new home and continue his career in the MLB. The situation will be worth following to see how it unfolds for both Heineman and the Pirates.

Heineman has previous experience with the Pirates and Toronto Blue Jays, having appeared in 62 games last year, with nine RBIs and 16 runs scored. Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports