MLB Player News

Vaughn took his first batting practice of training camp Monday, Lamond Pope of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Vaughn is the latest White Sox prospect entering spring training with buzz. In 2019 it was Eloy Jimenez and last year Luis Robert was the toast of camp. Both of those players cemented full-time roles in the lineup, and now Vaughn begins his competition for the open designated hitter job. The 2019 third overall draft pick hasn't played above High-A, but decision-makers in the organization feel he's ready to hit MLB pitching.

Arizona general manager expects Cabrera to provide at-bats against left-handers, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.

The Diamondbacks added the veteran infielder, who can play third base and second base, to balance a lefty-dominant lineup. The general manager doesn't believe Cabrera's presence will prevent giving playing time to younger infielders, while he'll provide an established clubhouse presence. One obvious role for the 35-year-old is to start at third base against left-handers, with Eduardo Escobar sliding to second and Ketel Marte moving to center field.

Smith missed the Mets' first day of full-squad workouts but is not dealing with any injury, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Several players around the league have faced slight delays while going through intake testing, though the Mets didn't confirm exactly why Smith wasn't available. Manager Luis Rojas said Monday that Smith should arrive by the end of the week, which should give him plenty of time to prepare for the upcoming season.

Tigers manager AJ Hinch said Monday that Torkelson will work exclusively at third base during spring training, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

Though significant questions remain as to whether Torkelson has enough range to stick at the hot corner long term, the Tigers will at least give the 2020 No. 1 overall pick the chance to prove he can play the position as he begins his professional career. Torkelson is already close to big-league ready at the plate, and he'll retain plenty of appeal in dynasty formats even if he's ultimately forced to move to first base.

Hoskins (elbow) has been medically cleared to play and expects to be ready for Opening Day, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Hoskins bounced back from a somewhat disappointing 2019 campaign in last year's shortened season, hitting .245/.384/.503. His campaign was cut short after just 41 games, however, as he suffered an elbow injury in mid-September which eventually required Tommy John surgery. That procedure carries a much shorter recovery timeline for hitters than it does for pitchers, but his readiness for Opening Day still appeared in doubt at the time of the procedure. He's evidently found himself on the fast end of the timetable, so he should have plenty of time to get up to speed and play a full regular season, barring setbacks.

Abreu's arrival at camp is delayed due to COVID-19 testing, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.

The White Sox don't anticipate the delay being a long one, as Abreu is expected to arrive Wednesday. That's just three days before spring training games begin, so Abreu may miss the start of Cactus League play, but he should still have more than enough time to prepare for the start of the regular season.

Manager Brian Snitker told reporters Freeman could bat third this season, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Freeman split time between the second and third spot in the Braves' lineup last season, hitting third on 32 occasions and second 26 times. Looking ahead to the 2021 campaign, Snitker reasoned that with currently no designated hitter in the National League, slotting Freeman into the three hole would allow him more RBI chances.

Solano lost his arbitration case to the Giants on Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Solano had filed for a $3.9 salary for 2021, but he'll have to settle for a one-year, $3.25 million deal after the arbiter's ruling. The 33-year-old should have to compete for playing time in the middle infield in 2021 after the Giants signed Tommy La Stella during the offseason.

General manager Rick Hahn said Wednesday that Vaughn is "very much in the mix" to make the Opening Day roster, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.

Vaughn is one of the organization's top prospects, and he was invited to major-league spring training ahead of the 2021 season. The 22-year-old has appeared in just 55 minor-league games, slashing .278/.384/.449 with six home runs and 36 RBI. Hahn has said he's a viable option at designated hitter in 2021 and there wouldn't have been much doubt regarding Vaughn's major-league readiness if there had been a minor-league season in 2020, offering optimism he could make the club to begin the 2021 campaign.

Diaz reportedly worked on his agility this offseason after experiencing a power drain and struggling some with his defense in 2020, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The 29-year-old's .307 average and .428 on-base percentage were essentially above reproach, but his anemic .386 slugging percentage was largely the byproduct of Diaz lacing just five extra-base hits (three doubles, two home runs) across 138 plate appearances. A hamstring injury also plagued Diaz throughout all of September, and he was limited to just one start at third base when he returned for the postseason because of concerns about his range. The fruits of Diaz's offseason labor will have a chance to reveal themselves during spring training, when his primary spot in the infield should be determined.