MLB Player News

Loftin was scratched from the lineup for Sunday's Cactus League game against the Padres due to right wrist soreness.

Loftin was penciled to bat fifth as the designated hitter but will instead sit out at least one game due to the wrist injury. The 26-year-old is competing for a utility role in spring training after he posted a .518 OPS in 57 regular-season games last year.

Isaac (elbow) will start at designated hitter and bat seventh in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Twins, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

He'll see his first spring game action since Feb. 21, after a sore left elbow had limited him in recent workouts. Though the elbow issue no longer seems to be affecting Isaac at the dish, it's unclear when he'll be able to complete his throwing program and resume playing first base and in the outfield. In any case, Isaac doesn't look like he'll require a season-opening stint on Double-A Montgomery's injured list since he'll be able to serve as a DH until he's fully healthy.

Pratto is working in the outfield this spring in an effort to win a utility role, MLB.com reports. He's competing with Dairon Blanco, Joey Wiemer and Drew Waters for a bench spot.

Pratto hit just .240 with 16 home runs and a .728 OPS at Triple-A last season but still has significant power, as he hit 36 homers in the minors in 2021. He's likely a long shot to win a roster spot, though he is out of options. He's hitting just 1-for-10 in his first five spring games.

Schanuel spent time this offseason on activities aimed at improving his bat speed, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Schanuel participated in drills that included swinging bats of different weights in an effort to develop more velocity in his swing. The first baseman ranked in the second percentile last season for bat speed, in the fourth percentile for hard-hit rate and in the seventh percentile for average exit velocity, all of which contributed to him hitting a modest 13 home runs with a .112 ISO over 606 plate appearances. Schanuel did exhibit some impressive metrics as a batter -- he ranked in the 96th percentile for whiff rate and in the 93rd percentile for squared-up rate -- so if he's successful in unleashing more power, his fantasy stock could get a significant bump.

Torkelson went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays.

It was the first spring home run for Torkelson, who has gone 3-for-10 in the early going with a robust .900 OPS. The 2020 No. 1 overall pick has struggled with consistency in the majors and has seemingly lost his grip on an everyday role with the Tigers, though he could still make the team as a bench player. Given Torkelson's raw power, he is a potentially intriguing fantasy option if he ever sees regular playing time in 2025.

Smith went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Wednesday's Grapefruit League win over St. Louis.

Smith homered for a second consecutive contest, though those are his only two hits through eight exhibition at-bats. The veteran first baseman doesn't have a history of hitting for power -- his career high is 12 long balls in 586 plate appearances with Washington in 2023 -- so his spring power stroke shouldn't be read into too much. Smith signed with the Yankees on a minor-league deal in mid-January and isn't expected to break camp with the big club.

Isaac is expected to resume hitting in a few days after he said Wednesday that an MRI on his left elbow came back negative, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The first base prospect has seen more outfield reps early on in camp, which contributed to some soreness in his elbow. While Isaac will need more time before he resumes throwing, the good news is that he should soon be able to get in his usual reps at the plate. He's likely to begin the season at Double-A Montgomery.

Isaac will undergo a precautionary MRI on his left elbow, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.

Traditionally a first baseman, Isaac is being worked out in the outfield some this spring and the Rays believe that added stress on his throwing arm is what has caused some soreness. The club is optimistic, however, that Isaac won't miss "too much time," per manager Kevin Cash. Isaac is likely to open the 2025 season at Double-A Montgomery.

Manzardo started at designated hitter and went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run in Monday's spring game against the Diamondbacks.

Manzardo connected on a changeup for his first home run of the Cactus League. The 24-year-old got his feet wet in the majors last season and is viewed as a potential replacement for the power lost when the Guardians sent Josh Naylor to Arizona during the offseason. The left-handed batter fared well against all pitching in the minors but was held to a .566 OPS and just 19 at-bats against southpaws in the majors.

Caglianone hit a 435-foot home run with a 115.4 mph exit velocity in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the White Sox, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

The No. 6 overall pick in the 2024 First-Year Player Draft, Caglianone has at least 70-grade raw power and is in his first big-league camp. The Royals coaches were very complimentary of Caglianone, who is working on not swinging as hard as he can every time, and letting his natural raw power do the work while chasing less. If he can develop even just a 50-grade hit tool, Caglianone could annually be among the league leaders in home runs. He is likely to open the year at Double-A, but from there, he'll climb as quickly and as far as his talent takes him.