Austin Barnes was ticketed to Triple-A early in spring training, but he was always in a good position to reach the major leagues.
As the only catcher on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster other than Yasmani Grandal and A.J. Ellis, Barnes was the most likely player to be called up in case Grandal or Ellis went on the disabled list.
That finally happened Saturday, when Grandal was placed on the seven-day concussion DL.
Barnes, a Riverside native, made his major league debut Sunday. He went 1 for 3, collecting a single in the eighth inning of the Dodgers’ 11-3 loss to the San Diego Padres.