GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Even if it only were to come under dire circumstances, Tyler Saladino wants to be the best catcher he possibly can be. So the versatile infielder has spent some time at Camelback Ranch this spring working on his receiving skills, including catching prospect Spencer Adams' 20-pitch bullpen session on Thursday.
Saladino (and Jerry Sands, until he was designated for assignment in June) was the White Sox emergency catcher in 2016 but never got in a game behind the plate, though he caught bullpen sessions in the season thrown by John Danks and Miguel Gonzalez. There are few scenarios in which an emergency catcher has to get in a game, especially in the American League where pinch hitters are used more sparingly, but Saladino wants to make sure he's more than prepared if the alarm sounds for him to get behind the plate.