MLB Player News

Vaughn took his first batting practice of training camp Monday, Lamond Pope of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Vaughn is the latest White Sox prospect entering spring training with buzz. In 2019 it was Eloy Jimenez and last year Luis Robert was the toast of camp. Both of those players cemented full-time roles in the lineup, and now Vaughn begins his competition for the open designated hitter job. The 2019 third overall draft pick hasn't played above High-A, but decision-makers in the organization feel he's ready to hit MLB pitching.

Tigers manager AJ Hinch said Monday that Torkelson will work exclusively at third base during spring training, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

Though significant questions remain as to whether Torkelson has enough range to stick at the hot corner long term, the Tigers will at least give the 2020 No. 1 overall pick the chance to prove he can play the position as he begins his professional career. Torkelson is already close to big-league ready at the plate, and he'll retain plenty of appeal in dynasty formats even if he's ultimately forced to move to first base.

Abreu's arrival at camp is delayed due to COVID-19 testing, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.

The White Sox don't anticipate the delay being a long one, as Abreu is expected to arrive Wednesday. That's just three days before spring training games begin, so Abreu may miss the start of Cactus League play, but he should still have more than enough time to prepare for the start of the regular season.

General manager Rick Hahn said Wednesday that Vaughn is "very much in the mix" to make the Opening Day roster, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.

Vaughn is one of the organization's top prospects, and he was invited to major-league spring training ahead of the 2021 season. The 22-year-old has appeared in just 55 minor-league games, slashing .278/.384/.449 with six home runs and 36 RBI. Hahn has said he's a viable option at designated hitter in 2021 and there wouldn't have been much doubt regarding Vaughn's major-league readiness if there had been a minor-league season in 2020, offering optimism he could make the club to begin the 2021 campaign.

Diaz reportedly worked on his agility this offseason after experiencing a power drain and struggling some with his defense in 2020, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The 29-year-old's .307 average and .428 on-base percentage were essentially above reproach, but his anemic .386 slugging percentage was largely the byproduct of Diaz lacing just five extra-base hits (three doubles, two home runs) across 138 plate appearances. A hamstring injury also plagued Diaz throughout all of September, and he was limited to just one start at third base when he returned for the postseason because of concerns about his range. The fruits of Diaz's offseason labor will have a chance to reveal themselves during spring training, when his primary spot in the infield should be determined.

Vaughn received an invitation to major-league camp Thursday.

Vaughn is still just 22 years old and has a mere 55 professional games under his belt, but he's an advanced hitter whose big-league debut may not be far off. Under ordinary circumstances, he probably would have spent last year in the upper minors and could have even pushed for a call-up with some strong performances, but the canceled minor-league season robbed him of that opportunity. While he may not be given serious consideration for an Opening Day spot, he could be with the team fairly early in the season if he looks good in camp and in the minors.

Casas received an invitation to Boston's major-league spring training Tuesday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

The 21-year-old joined the Red Sox's 60-player pool in mid-August and spent the rest of the season at the alternate training site, so he was still able to put in some developmental work in 2020. Casas spent most of 2019 at Low-A before making a late-season jump to High-A, so he likely has some work to do before reaching the majors.

Torkelson was invited to Detroit's major-league spring training camp Saturday.

The top pick in the 2020 draft is both very talented and very advanced, though he probably won't be given serious consideration for an Opening Day roster spot, as the canceled minor-league season last year robbed him of the chance to make his professional debut. While his defensive home remains uncertain, his bat is strong enough that he could debut as soon as this summer, despite his inexperience.

Voit (foot) is running the bases at the Yankees' spring training facility in Florida, Brendan Kuty of The Newark Star-Ledger reports.

The 29-year-old dealt with plantar fasciitis throughout the 2020 campaign but appears on track for spring training. Voit should continue ramping things up at the informal workouts before the official start of camp in a few weeks.

Shaw cleared waivers Monday and was outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Shaw spent last season in the Giants' player pool but never made the active roster. He was claimed off waivers by the Orioles in November but went unclaimed this time around, hardly a surprise given that he's a 27-year-old left fielder with a career .153/.244/.222 line in 82 plate appearances at the highest level.