MLB Player News

Rivas was spotted at Wrigley Field on Wednesday and could make the Opening Day roster if the Cubs keep 14 position players, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

It sounds like the roster breakdown could determine Rivas' fate. If the Cubs opt for 15 pitchers and 13 position players, the 25-year-old might not make the cut. But selecting one extra hitter might keep Rivas in the majors. He likely won't play a ton even if he does stick around, but Rivas offers some interesting offensive potential if his role expands. The season starts Thursday and that will bring more clarity on how Rivas fits in.

Raley was optioned to Triple-A Durham on Wednesday, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

Raley was traded from the Dodgers to the Rays in mid-March, but he was unable to land a spot on the Opening Day roster. He'll likely be a candidate to fill in as depth in the outfield at some point in 2022.

Torkelson's contract was selected by the Tigers on Wednesday.

The Tigers announced last weekend that Torkelson had made the Opening Day roster, and the move was made official Wednesday. The No. 1 overall pick from 2020 slashed .258/.385/.484 with a homer, four doubles, four runs, four RBI and a steal this spring, and he'll begin the year as Detroit's primary first baseman.

The Guardians announced Wednesday that Naylor (lower leg) is scheduled to begin a minor-league rehab assignment.

Naylor is on the 10-day injured list to begin the 2022 campaign, but his rehab assignment as the minor-league regular season gets underway signals that he'll likely be able to rejoin the Guardians following a relatively brief absence. Bradley Zimmer and Oscar Mercado are expected to fill in as options in right field while Naylor is unavailable.

Singleton went 1-for-4 with a home run in Tuesday's season opener with Triple-A Nashville.

Singleton signed a minor-league deal with the Brewers over the offseason, and he wound up going deep in his first official appearance since 2017. Now 30 years old, the once-heralded prospect has mostly lost his shine, but he showed Tuesday he still has some pop. He's going to need a stretch of success at the Triple-A level to earn another shot in the big leagues, but a promotion at some point is not out of the question.

Bohm will make the Phillies' Opening Day roster, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Bohm's roster spot appeared to be in some doubt thanks to his poor spring and the strong performance of the Phillies' top hitting prospect Bryson Stott. While Bohm's roster spot is secure for now, his playing time may not be, with Stott making the team as well. If the pair wind up platooning at third base, the right-handed Bohm would see less than half of the available starts, though it's likely Bohm still gets to start against some righties. He can spell Rhys Hoskins at first base on occasion, while Stott can start at either middle infield spot.

Votto has been dialed in this spring, hitting .297/.333/.622 with two homers. He's been getting more plate appearances than other regulars on the team, in an attempt to get off to a quick start, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports. "He's really committed to getting off to a good start," manager David Bell said. "Just seeing that happen for him, it's just impressive, everything about it."

Despite the teardown of the roster around him, Votto is no less dedicated to his craft. He will get fewer opportunities to compile runs and RBI with presumably lesser players around him in the lineup, however.

Pasquantino went 9-for-23 with two homers, two doubles and 2:7 BB:K this spring, producing a .391/.440/.739 batting line. However, he will be starting the season in Triple-A.

Those stats jump off the page, but that's nothing new for Pasquantino, who crushed to the tune of .300/.394/.563 with 24 homers, 84 RBI and six steals in 116 games across High-A and Double-A last year. Most impressively, he put up a brilliant 64:64 BB:K, reflective of his rare bat-to-ball skills. Incumbent first baseman Carlos Santana is in his decline phase and won't be a huge impediment to Pasquantino's progress to the major-league level, but fellow prospects Nick Pratto and MJ Melendez might be. Either way, if he rakes in Triple-A the way he has everywhere else so far, it's going to be impossible to keep him down for too long.

Tellez went 0-for-3 with two RBI in Monday's spring game.

Monday's contest was a microcosm of Tellez's spring, as he owns just a .233 batting average and .286 OBP over 11 exhibition games but has also recorded two homers, seven RBI and a .753 OPS. Tellez is set to be the Brewers' primary first baseman and will occupy a spot in the middle of the batting order.

Kirilloff (knee) will start in left field and bat seventh in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox.

Kirilloff was out of the lineup for the last two days with minor left knee soreness, but the injury doesn't look like it'll be anything that keeps him from playing when the Twins begin their regular season Thursday versus Seattle. The 24-year-old should be a mainstay in the lineup against right-handed pitching, seeing most of his work in left field, at first base or at designated hitter. Kirilloff showed intriguing potential as a rookie in 2021 with a .722 OPS across 231 plate appearances, but improving upon his elevated 48.8 percent groundball rate will be imperative for him to tap into the sort of power typically associated with a corner player.