MLB Player News

Gurriel (hand) began taking groundballs Thursday with more infield drills planned in the coming days, Oliver Macklin of MLB.com reports. "He's starting to do a little bit more," manager A.J. Hinch said. "He's just starting the beginning stages of light ground balls... It's just a matter of keeping the swelling out of his hand and building his hand strength back up."

The Astros will have Gurriel work in the field, but have no plans yet to have him swing a bat. That, Hinch says, will be the final step in the rehabilitation process. Gurriel is still on pace to return mid-to-late April. Marwin Gonzalez is expected to get most of the at-bats at first base in place of Gurriel, whose spot on the 25-man roster will be filled by one of A.J. Reed, Tyler White or J.D. Davis. The eventual winner of that roster spot is expected to be a temporary addition and will not get many starts.

Mountcastle is expected to miss four-to-six weeks with a non-displaced fracture in his right hand, Jon Meoli of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Look for this absence to extend closer to six weeks, as Mountcastle is one of the Orioles' top prospects and the team has no reason to push its luck. Once fully healthy, Mountcastle should report to Double-A Bowie. He struggled initially following his promotion to the Eastern League last season, slashing .222/.239/.366 after posting marks of .314/.343/.542 with High-A Frederick to begin the year.

General manager Jeff Luhnow said Gurriel (hand) will begin increased activity Thursday, the Houston Chronicle reports.

Gurriel will begin to ramp things up as he continues to work his way back from hand surgery he underwent at the end of February. The 33-year-old remains on schedule in his recovery, which lines him up to return sometime in mid-to-late April. Once he's healthy, however, he'll have to serve a five-game suspension, so it's more likely he's back in action towards the latter half of the month. In the meantime, Marwin Gonzalez appears to be the most likely candidate to see reps at first base until Gurriel is back in the fold.

Duenez was sent to Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Monday, Rustin Dodd of The Athletic Kansas City reports.

Duenez went 1-for-11 with one home run and three RBI through eight spring training games. He figures to start the season with the Royals' Double-A affiliate after a short stint at big-league camp.

Hague was sent to minor-league camp Sunday, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

Hague put up serviceable numbers in 11 spring training appearances, recording four hits and one walk in 17 plate appearances. The Mariners don't believe he's quite ready to make a big-league Opening Day roster. Hague should start the year at Triple-A Tacoma.

Cronenworth was reassigned to minor-league camp Saturday, J. Scott Butherus of MLB.com reports.

The 24-year-old shortstop was hitless in 11 spring at-bats, although he did score twice. Cronenworth slashed a solid .285/.363/.342 across 179 plate appearances at Double-A Montgomery in 2017, and he should be back there to begin 2018. He has flashed next to no power in his pro career thus far, but he's hit between .268 and .322 in four of five stops and generated a career-best 10.6 percent strikeout rate with the Biscuits last season.

Guerrero will make his Grapefruit League debut Thursday against the Orioles. He'll serve as the Blue Jays' designated hitter and bat sixth.

After decimating pitching at Low-A Lansing and High-A Dunedin last season to burnish his standing as one of baseball's top prospects at any level of the minors, Guerrero earned an invite to his first big-league spring training as a non-roster invitee. Since he's not under serious consideration for an Opening Day roster spot with Toronto, Guerrero has been limited to taking batting practice and playing in simulated games this spring, but he'll be thrust into Grapefruit League action Thursday with manager John Gibbons opting to give several key regulars the day off. In addition to Guerrero, Bo Bichette, another premier prospect in the Blue Jays' farm system, will also make his spring debut.

Stassi (back) went 2-for-2 against the Phillies on Monday.

Stassi was sidelined with back spasms in late February, but he was able to return to action and picked up right where he left off. He's now 4-for-7 (.571) on the spring. Regardless of what he does in Grapefruit League games, Stassi is expected to spend 2018 as organizational depth at Triple-A Rochester.

Gurriel (hand) is back in camp Monday and took part in a light workout, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Gurriel is expected to miss the first few weeks of the season after undergoing surgery to remove the hook of the hamate bone in his left hand Wednesday. He reportedly went through his workout with no pain. Marwin Gonzalez is the most likely candidate to fill in at first base until Gurriel returns.

Gurriel (hand) will rejoin the team Sunday after undergoing surgery earlier in the week, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Gurriel had the hook of the hamate bone removed from his left hand and will miss 5-6 weeks, putting him on a mid-to-late-April return. The Astros have plenty of candidates to take his spot at first base, though we expect to see Marwin Gonzalez get the most at-bats.