The Dodgers designated Austin Barnes for assignment Wednesday and replaced the veteran catcher on their roster with top prospect Dalton Rushing.
Rushing, the 16th-highest-rated overall prospect by ESPN's Kiley McDaniel, can serve as a backup to everyday catcher Will Smith but might also provide some left-handed production with Michael Conforto and Max Muncy struggling.
Rushing, 24, was slashing .308/.424/.514 in 31 Triple-A games while also spending some time at first base and left field.
Barnes was in his 11th year with the Dodgers, a stint spent almost primarily as the backup catcher, and had become a crucial part of the team's game-planning strategy. When the Dodgers won the World Series after the COVID-shortened 2020 season, it was Barnes who was behind the plate to catch the final out from Julio Urias.
But the Dodgers needed more offense from Barnes, who was 9-for-44 with 14 strikeouts and just one walk this season. Los Angeles has seven days to either trade Barnes or release him.