Diamondbacks GM Dave Stewart says he won't add a catcher

After saying last week the Diamondbacks would be comfortable going into the season with their current catchers if a better option didn't present itself, General Manager Dave Stewart took it a step further Tuesday, saying the club will not make an addition, in large part because of the development of prospect Peter O'Brien.

"I've decided that I'm not going to pursue another catcher," Stewart said. "I talked with my people and my coaching staff. They believe that O'Brien is going to be around sooner than later. If that does happen, there's no need to go out and get another guy.

"We would have had to trade somebody we didn't want to trade to make it happen. We're going to be patient and allow the progression of O'Brien to take place and stand pat on that."

Tuffy Gosewisch is the only catcher on the club's 40-man roster with major league experience. He hit .225 in 129 at-bats last season while serving as the backup to Miguel Montero, who was traded last month to the Chicago Cubs.

The Diamondbacks will also have Rule 5 selection Oscar Hernandez in camp competing for a job. Hernandez spent last season with the Tampa Bay Ray's affiliate in the Low-A Midwest League, where he hit .249 with a .701 OPS.

O'Brien, 24, came to the Diamondbacks in July in the trade that sent Martin Prado to the New York Yankees. He's known for his prodigious power – he slammed 34 homers between High-A and Double-A last season and has 66 home runs in 1,058 career minor league at-bats – but scouts have questioned his ability to stick behind the plate.

The Diamondbacks liked what they saw from him defensively in the Arizona Fall League, and in recent days he began working with coaches at Salt River Fields.