Cincinnati Reds: Tucker Barnhart’s change invites platoon with Curt Casali

Tucker Barnhart is no longer a switch-hitter. Hitting exclusively from the left side, the Cincinnati Reds catcher will likely platoon with Curt Casali.

Who will be the Cincinnati Reds starting catcher on Opening Day? Well, that might all depend on who the opposing starting pitcher is. Tucker Barnhart, according to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com, is abandoning the idea of being a switch-hitter, and will hit exclusively from the left side. Look for David Bell to platoon both Barnhart and Curt Casali based on the pitching matchup.

We saw glimpses of this last season. While Barnhart was the starting catcher, both he and Casali shared time behind the plate. Barnhart started 87 games at catcher and Casali…