Navarro struggled at Triple-A Columbus in 2019, slashing .211/.339/.274 with one home run and 11 RBI over 30 games. The 35-year-old backstop figures to have limited interest on the open market after getting cut loose.

Navarro struggled at Triple-A Columbus in 2019, slashing .211/.339/.274 with one home run and 11 RBI over 30 games. The 35-year-old backstop figures to have limited interest on the open market after getting cut loose.

Navarro hasn't appeared in the majors since 2016, but he spent 20 games with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League in 2018, slashing .268/.299/.437 with three home runs and 13 RBI. The Indians don't exactly have amazing options at catcher, so the 34-year-old backstop will likely be in the thick of the competition for a spot on the active roster. Roberto Perez, Kevin Plawecki and Eric Haase are among the others battling for playing time behind the dish this spring.

Navarro has been out of baseball since the end of the 2016 season, with the 34-year-old catching taking the last year and a half off to tend to his wife, Sherley, who has dealt with significant health issues. With Sherley's condition stabilizing in recent months, Navarro has elected to revive his career and is expected to begin appearing in games for Long Island by the end of the month. The switch-hitting Navarro slashed .207/.265/.322 in his last full season in the big leagues and will face a difficult road back to the majors now that he's two years older.