MLB Player News

The Reds reassigned Toglia to minor-league camp Monday.

Non-tendered by the Rockies in November after hitting just .190 with a 39.2 percent strikeout rate in 88 games in the majors last season, Toglia caught on with the Reds on a minor-league deal over the winter and received the chance to compete for a spot on the Opening Day roster. However, Toglia showed no signs of improving his poor contact rate during the early stages of Cactus League play, striking out in four of his nine at-bats. The 27-year-old switch-hitter should get the chance to play on an everyday basis at Triple-A Louisville to begin the season, but he'll likely need to cut down on his strikeouts before he gets another look in the majors.

Vaughn is 6-for-14 (.429) with a home run, three RBI and a 3:1 BB:K through five games this spring.

The homer is Vaughn's lone extra-base hit to date, but he is both getting hits and reaching base with regularity -- something he did far more often after joining the Brewers than in his four-plus seasons with the White Sox. There is reason to be skeptical of Vaughn given that he has appeared in just 64 regular-season games for Milwaukee, but the Brewers seem convinced, and he is slated to open the season as the team's primary first baseman.

Hiura was removed from Saturday's Cactus League game against the Cubs after getting hit on the hand by a pitch, Jack Vita of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Hiura was pulled immediately after taking a 97-mph sinker off his hand in the fifth inning. The severity of his injury is unknown, but the Dodgers should provide more information in the near future and will likely give him at least a day or two off to recover.

Encarnacion-Strand (hamstring) will serve as the Reds' designated hitter and bat seventh in Saturday's Cactus League game against the Brewers.

Encarnacion-Strand missed the Reds' first several spring contests while recovering from a hamstring injury he suffered in January. He's now been given the green light to return to a competitive environment, but a late start won't help his already slim chances of making Cincinnati's Opening Day roster.

Eldridge went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run, a walk and an additional run scored during Wednesday's 13-12 Cactus League loss to the Brewers.

With two outs and Christian Koss on first base, Eldridge cracked a 391-foot homer to left-center field in the third inning, giving San Francisco a two-run lead. He also drew a walk in the fourth before coming around to score. The 21-year-old made his big-league debut last September and appeared in 10 regular-season games in 2025, during which he slashed .107/.297/.179 with four RBI and two doubles across 37 plate appearances. For now, he appears likely to split playing time between DH and 1B with Rafael Devers this season.

Crim suffered an oblique strain during Monday's spring game, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Crim received his first taste of the big leagues in 2025 and had a .732 OPS in 20 games between the Rockies and Rangers. The severity of the strain has yet to be disclosed, but his availability for the start of the regular season is now in question.

Mervis went 1-for-1 with a walk, a double, two RBI and one stolen base during Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies.

Mervis wasn't penciled into the starting lineup Monday, but that didn't prevent him from making an impact. He walked in his first at-bat and later swiped a bag, and he smacked a two-run ground-rule double in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the game. Mervis isn't expected to open the 2026 campaign on the big-league squad, but more performances like this could help him throw his hat in the ring for a roster spot.

Stewart started at second base and went 0-for-1 with two walks in Saturday's spring game against Cleveland.

Stewart, who entered camp as the favorite to be the team's primary first baseman, was given an opportunity at second base in the Cactus League opener. A slimmed down version of Stewart -- he shed 26 pounds during the offseason -- makes it possible for him to be deployed at the keystone this season.

Reds manager Terry Francona said Thursday that Encarnacion-Strand (hamstring) could play in Cactus League games next week, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.

Encarnacion-Strand has been slowed early on in camp by a hamstring injury he suffered in January, but he's been working out and it seems he'll miss only the first few spring training games. Given the number of bodies ahead of him at the infield corners and designated hitter, the 26-year-old is facing long odds to make the Opening Day roster.

Atlanta signed Smith to a minor-league contract Tuesday that includes an invitation to spring training, Chad Bishop of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Smith played well in 63 games with the Giants last season, slashing .284/.333/.417 with five home runs. The 30-year-old has not started a game at a position other than first base since 2021, when he was the Mets' regular left fielder. Matt Olson has played all 162 games in each of his four seasons in Atlanta, which means Smith is almost certainly ticketed for Triple-A Gwinnett.