WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The Nationals placed Derek Norris on waivers over the weekend, according to multiple reports, a move that will help ease their logjam at catcher.
Norris was set to make about $4.2 million this season, but arbitration salaries are not fully guaranteed unless a player makes the 25-man roster out of Spring Training. If he is released by Wednesday, Washington only owes a termination pay, which would be about $700,000. Norris went 0-for-2 as the starting designated hitter in Monday's 3-3, 10-inning tie against the Tigers.
Ever since the Nats signed free-agent catcher Matt Wieters at the end of February, Norris' future with the team has been in question. Despite his nice start to the spring, Washington has been unsuccessful in finding a team willing to trade for him.

Norris, 28, was in his second stint with the team that selected him in the fourth round of the 2007 Draft, although it appears both stints will end without him playing a regular-season game for the Nationals. He was acquired from the Padres in a trade on Dec. 2, with the Nats seemingly willing to bet he would bounce back from a season where he hit .186/.255/.328 for a 56 OPS+.
But once Washington was able to sign Wieters at a discounted price, the team found itself with too many catchers in camp, with Jose Lobaton and Pedro Severino also set to contribute in the Majors, to give everyone adequate playing time.