Fort Myers, Fla. — Watching Jake Rogers and Grayson Greiner share a hug and chop it up a bit before the start of the game, it was like going back to the spring of 2021.
That was manager AJ Hinch’s first year, and he declared an open competition for the backup catcher job. They were the two main combatants, along with veteran Dustin Garneau and a local kid named Eric Haase. Greiner ended up winning the battle that spring, though Haase and Rogers would end up handling most of the catching during the season.
Flash ahead to Sunday, and Rogers is again fighting for the Tigers’ backup spot, while Greiner is trying to win a spot with the Twins.