MLB Player News

Bour has a minor hamstring problem but expects to return within a few days, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Bour should be an everyday player early in the season until Shohei Ohtani returns from Tommy John surgery and forces Albert Pujols to compete for time at first base. Assuming Bour is indeed able to return in a few days, his status for Opening Day shouldn't be in much doubt.

Casas (thumb) took batting practice at Boston's minor-league camp Friday, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

Casas, the Red Sox's top pick in the 2018 draft, suffered a right thumb injury in his second professional game last June and underwent season-ending ulnar collateral ligament repair surgery. The gigantic third baseman -- the media guide lists the 19-year-old at 6-foot-5, 240 pounds -- is healthy once again. RotoWire ranks him fifth among Boston's prospects, but he may be the best power hitter in the system.

Dalbec hit a home run in the second inning of Friday's 6-0 spring victory over Northeastern University.

The Red Sox kicked off spring competition Friday with their traditional game against a Boston-area college. Dalbec slammed the first pitch he saw over the fence in center field. The 23-year-old is Boston's highest-placed power prospect after launching 32 big flies last year between High-A Salem and Double-A Portland. He's expected to open the season at Portland.

Mountcastle was spotted going through drills at first base during Monday's workout, Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun reports.

Mountcastle was drafted as a shortstop, and after transitioning to third base for the 2018 season, it appears he could be in line for another position change. The 22-year-old insisted that the shift to first base isn't permanent just yet, although, given his impressive bat, first base may be the quickest path to the big leagues for the 2015 first-round pick. "It was just trying to get me to play more positions," stated Mountcastle. "Flores had me working there the last few days, just trying to get comfortable with it so whenever they need me out there at first, they can put me out there and feel confident."

Gurriel will play spring-training games at second and third base, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Manager A.J. Hinch concocted a similar plan during spring training last season, too, but that idea was squashed after Gurriel underwent hand surgery in late February. Still, he appeared in 21 games at third base during the regular season, staring there eight times. He also made five starts at second base. With super-utility man Marwin Gonzalez no longer around, Gurriel and fellow Cuban Aledmys Diaz will be packing multiple gloves.

Guerrero is expected to begin the season at Triple-A Buffalo, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com reports.

General manager Ross Atkins didn't rule out having the top prospect on the Opening Day roster, but he also said that the most likely starter at the hot corner for the first game is Brandon Drury. This is almost certainly a trick to get an extra year of team control over Guerrero, so the most likely scenario is that he will be up with Toronto after a few weeks.

Rodriguez signed a minor-league contract with the Indians on Monday.

Rodriguez is back with the Indians after spending time with the team's Double- and Triple-A affiliates in 2018, hitting a combined .228/.308/.416 with 15 homers in 107 games. The 24-year-old will report to minor-league camp and figures to open the 2019 campaign with Triple-A Columbus.

Lowe is expected to earn an invitation to the Rays' big-league camp, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Lowe isn't expected to compete for an Opening Day roster spot in camp, as he's appeared in just 28 games at Triple-A, but that won't stop the Rays from getting a look at the youngster against major-league pitching. The 23-year-old climbed from High-A Charlotte to Triple-A Durham over the course of the 2018 campaign, slashing a combined .330/.416/.568 with 27 homers and 102 RBI across all three stops (130 games). If Lowe is able to hold his own against Triple-A pitching to begin the 2019 season, he could make his big-league debut sometime over the summer.

Abreu will split time at first base and DH along with Yonder Alonso this season, Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Manager Rick Renteria said he's had "extensive" talks with both players about splitting time at the two positions, and Abreu is open to the idea. "What matters the most is how we can make the team better," said Abreu. "If I'm first base or DH, or he's playing first base, it doesn't matter. It matters how we can make the team better." The White Sox traded for Alonso earlier in the offseason, which now looks like an insurance plan for the soon-to-be-32-year-old Abreu, who played a career-low 128 games in 2018, when he underwent groin surgery and had a thigh infection that ended his season early. More days at DH means more games for Abreu the hitter, and that's good for fantasy owners.

The Blue Jays announced Saturday that Guerrero will be one of 15 non-roster invitees to big-league spring training, John Lott of The Athletic reports.

The development doesn't come as a surprise given Guerrero's status as the consensus No. 1 prospect in baseball entering the 2019 season. After tearing through Double-A New Hampshire and Triple-A Buffalo last season, Guerrero seemingly has nothing more to prove in the minors, though there's a good possibility he'll be dispatched to the International League to begin the upcoming campaign as the Blue Jays look to delay his MLB service clock. Much like how the Braves proceeded with Ronald Acuna a season ago, Guerrero projects to make his Blue Jays debut at some point before the end of April.