MLB Player News

Yoenis Cespedes and Yasiel Puig have both made big impacts in the major leagues since defecting from Cuba. However, Cuban baseball expert and author Peter Bjarkman told USA Today White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu might be the best of the bunch.

"Abreu is a better hitter than either Puig or Cespedes, and he should be the best (biggest impact) Cuban player to come to the majors during the three decades of the defectors era," Bjarkman said. "Abreu is definitely the real deal."

Cespedes calls Abreu a four-tool player, citing he only lacks speed, but he added the 6-3, 255-pound slugger has "got a very good future."

Though he has yet to play a game, the White Sox seem happy with what they have seen from Abreu.

"We've seen his big-time power to all fields, which is probably the tool for which he gets the most notoriety," White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. "But we really view him as an all-around quality hitter. He's very serious about his craft, prepares very well, knows the strike zone. He's up there to do damage but also gives you a quality at-bat."

Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera saw his offensive production decline for a second straight season in 2013. However, manager Terry Francona doesn't foresee the declining trend continuing in 2014, according to MLB.com.

"I think Cabby will be coming in with something to prove," Francona said. "He got nicked up a number of times (in 2013). It happens to somebody every year. He was playing catch-up and his swing got long, and he tried to go two or three for one, and you can't do that. You see it happen. Every team has it happen to somebody. I do think he'll show up with something to prove."

While Twins first baseman Chris Colabello could have made more money had he signed a deal to play in South Korea, he didn't want money to be the main reason for heading overseas, according to the Pioneer Press.

"A lot of people have told me: 'This is an opportunity you can't pass up,'" Colabello said of playing in South Korea. "I don't think I've ever chased money in my life. Why start now?"

Colabello will be battling for a spot on the Twins' bench this spring. The opportunity to make the major-league roster was enough for him to turn down the more lucrative overseas offer.

"For me, in my heart, what it came down to was I want to pursue this to the fullest extent, whatever that means," Colabello said. "I think I owe it to the Twins, I owe it to myself and I owe it to my family to do that. I didn't want to have any regrets."

The questions continue to pour in about new White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu. Manager Robin Ventura is the latest to offer his opinion about the Cuban infielder after scouting him during the team's minicamp last week.

"Again, you are just watching him take batting practice and things like that," Ventura told MLB.com. "But he's got a good swing, it comes off of his bat really nice. He looks like a professional hitter. That's more than probably people gave him credit for.

"He doesn't look like just a guy who is trying to yank everything down the left-field line. He does have the ability to hit it the other way, which turns out to be what you need to survive in the game."

While Carlos Santana seems pretty confident he could handle playing third base regularly, Indians manager Terry Francona isn't ready to rush to any decisions about who will be the team's primary third baseman in 2014.

"We don't need to make any kind of decisions today, nor will we at the beginning of spring training," Francona said, per MLB.com. "I've never even seen the guy play third. ... We've got a lot of time to let that play out."

Carlos Santana told ESPNDeportes.com if the season started today, he believes he would play regularly at third base. Santana, who hasn't played at third base since 2008, is also expected to see playing time at first base and DH as the Indians hand the starting catcher duties over to Yan Gomes.

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu, who signed a six-year, $68 million contract in October, took part in Tuesday's minicamp and gave White Sox personnel plenty to rave about.

"That's a strong man right here," White Sox hitting coach Todd Steverson told MLB.com. "That's a big man. He has a nice smooth, compact approach. He didn't try to do too much with the ball and the ball was flying off his bat. I think he has a nice bright future coming up with him."

White Sox general manager Rick Hahn is doing his best to temper his excitement, but he was having a hard time doing so after watching Abreu take several rounds of batting practice.

"We try to keep in mind that it's Jan. 14 and we still have a ways to go," Hahn said. "But just watching Jose go through his work, you saw that professionalism as well as the plus-plus power on display today in only his first couple of rounds of BP. He's a very serious hitter. He's one who goes up there with a plan and has a great deal of ability, and it's going to be fun to see how this plays out over the next couple of years."

The Indians continue to toy with the idea of using Carlos Santana at third base. Santana hasn't played third base since he was a minor leaguer with the Dodgers, but he's playing third base in the Dominican Winter League to increase his versatility.

Though, it's been a shaky transition for Santana, who committed four errors in his first eight games playing third in the Dominican Winter League.

"The most important thing is that he's working hard at it," Indians general manager Chris Antonetti told MLB.com. "He's committed to being the best player he can be at the position, which is great. That's all we're looking for at this point. We're months away from having to make any sort of evaluations or decisions."

During an interview with the Houston Chronicle, Astros manager Bo Porter gave no indication who might start at first base. The Astros have plenty of candidates, though, including Brett Wallace, Jesus Guzman, Chris Carter and prospect Jonathan Singleton.

"It’s going to be a heated competition," Porter said. "I like the guys that we have. At the end of the day, I believe that the player that ends up winning the first-base job will obviously make our lineup and make us a better team."

MLB.com Angels' beat writer Alden Gonzalez suggests Angels first base prospect C.J. Cron could make his MLB debut as soon as the middle of the 2014 season. Gonzalez feels Cron could be an option at DH for the Angels this season.

Cron is considered the Angels' second-best prospect by MLB.com. Cron hit .274 with a .428 slugging percentage and .746 OPS in 134 games for Double-A Arkansas in 2013. He had 14 home runs, 36 doubles and 83 RBI.

Gonzalez said Cron struggled with some of the bigger parks in the Texas League. However, Cron did very well in the prospect-laden Arizona Fall League, batting .413 with a .700 slugging percentage and 1.167 OPS in 20 games. He also had one triple, five home runs, six doubles and 20 RBI.