Athletics release disappointing catcher Nick Hundley

The Athletics have released catcher Nick Hundley, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. The veteran catcher was designated for assignment last week.

The move marks the end of a disappointing Athletics tenure for Hundley, who signed with the club on a minor league contract last winter. He slashed an underwhelming .200/.233/.357 in just 73 plate appearances. That lack of production, coupled with injuries that limited his availability, left Hundley falling behind the A’s other catching options in Chris Herrman and Josh Phegley.

Despite his struggles, Hundley’s experience should earn him another chance with a team in search of depth behind the plate. Prior to this season, he served as a capable backup for San Francisco’s Buster Posey. He’s the owner of a career .703 OPS — certainly an acceptable mark for a reserve catcher — but defensive metrics see his framing and control of the running game as below-average.