Dodgers Make Another Catcher Move As Bigger Questions Linger

The Dodgers bolster their depth at catcher with the signing of veteran Chadwick Tromp to a minor league deal, adding experience and defensive strength to their roster.

The Dodgers have added catcher Chadwick Tromp on a minor league contract, and he’s already been sent to Triple-A Oklahoma City, according to OKC broadcaster Alex Freedman.

The move helps explain why Los Angeles let Chuckie Robinson go earlier in the day. Tromp gives the organization another option behind Hunter Feduccia and Ben Rortvedt, with rookie Eliezer Alfonzo available as catching depth as well. The club still doesn’t have a clear timeline for getting Will Smith back, and it’s also uncertain whether Dalton Rushing will be able to throw again this season after being diagnosed with a partial UCL tear.

Tromp is 31 and profiles as a depth piece near the bottom of the organizational catching ladder. He has appeared in parts of seven major league seasons, though he has never gone beyond the 24 games and 64 plate appearances he logged with the 2020 Giants. Over his big league career, the Aruba native has hit .208/.215/.344 with six home runs in 229 plate appearances.

This season, Tromp has played 21 games split between the Braves and Orioles and has hit .163 without a homer. It’s also a notable change of scenery for him, since he had been bouncing between Atlanta and Baltimore on a string of minor league deals dating back to 2021.

The bat has never been the selling point, but Tromp has earned a reputation as a reliable defensive catcher and, by all indications, left a positive impression in both of his previous stops.

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