Maile was designated for assignment and unsurprisingly went unclaimed on the waiver wire. The 34-year-old could elect free agency, but is just as likely to report to Omaha as organizational depth.

The Royals will go back to carrying two catchers for now. Maile went 3-for-8 with a homer and two walks in his 17 days with the club.

The 34-year-old backstop was off to a nice start at the Triple-A level, slashing .286/.434/.381 with one homer, 10 RBI and a 12/10 K/BB ratio over 53 plate appearances in his first 12 contests. It sounds like he’s there to provide some extra depth behind the dish while Salvador Perez is a bit banged up.

Maile exercised the opt-out clause in his contract after he was informed that he didn’t make the Royals’ Opening Day roster. The 34-year-old backstop hit .333 with one home run and three RBI in 10 games this spring. Maile hit just .178 with two home runs and eight RBI in 53 games with the Reds in 2024. He’ll look to catch on with another organization in need of catching depth.