MLB Player News

Cronenworth will start at shortstop and bat leadoff in Monday's Cactus League game against the Athletics.

With the Padres set to move their primary leadoff hitter from 2025, Fernando Tatis, into the middle of the order during the upcoming season, first-year manager Craig Stammen is looking to settle on a new table setter before Opening Day. Xander Bogaerts has thus far been the Padres' most frequent leadoff man through the first 10 Cactus League games, but with Bogaerts away until at least March 12 while he plays in the World Baseball Classic, other players will get looks atop the San Diego lineup. Cronenworth will get his first look in the leadoff role Monday, though he's still expected to represent more of a fallback option to Bogaerts at that spot once the season gets underway. When the Padres have all their key position players available, Cronenworth is likely to slot somewhere in the bottom half of the lineup.

The Dodgers reassigned Hiura (hand) to minor-league camp Monday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Hiura saw action in eight games in the majors with the Rockies last season but never appeared to be a likely candidate to break camp with a loaded Dodgers squad. The 29-year-old exited his most recent Cactus League appearance Saturday after being hit on the hand by a pitch, but assuming he avoided any structural damage, he should be ready to go when Triple-A Oklahoma City opens its season in late March.

The Dodgers reassigned Gorski to minor-league camp Monday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Gorski reached the big leagues for the first time in 2025 and appeared in 15 games with the Pirates, but after being cut loose by Pittsburgh last July and then catching on with the Dodgers on a minor-league deal, he missed the rest of the season while recovering from a left hand injury. The 28-year-old first baseman didn't appear in any Cactus League games prior to being reassigned, so it's unclear if he's fully healthy at this point. Whenever he's deemed ready to play, Gorski will head to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

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.