MLB Player News

Lowe hit .227 (5-for-22) with two doubles, two RBI, two walks and one run across 11 Grapefruit League games during spring training.

Lowe arrived in camp approximately 20 pounds lighter, but as his spring line indicates, that hasn't yet translated to increased success at the plate. The 24-year-old did make a strong case for himself over his 50-game major-league debut last season, slashing .263/.325/.454 with 15 extra-base hits (eight doubles, seven home runs), 19 RBI, 13 walks and 24 runs across 169 plate appearances. Lowe put in time at first base (21 games), third base (four games) and designated hitter (17 games) in 2019; that versatility should help keep his chances of securing an Opening Day roster spot relatively strong, although the offseason arrivals of Jose Martinez and Yoshi Tsutsugo does make it more of a challenge.

Beaty is competing with Edwin Rios for the final spot on the Dodgers' Opening Day roster, Pedro Moura of The Athletic reports.

While manager Dave Roberts has indicated that Beaty has the "inside track" for a roster spot due to his ability to play third base (per Ken Gurnick of MLB.com), both he and Rios remain in the running to break camp with the big-league squad. The competition may have narrowed due to Beaty's rough spring -- he hit only .190, though he did draw five walks -- and Rios' solid .296 batting average and six RBI in Cactus League play.

Walker batted fifth in one of the final Cactus League games before MLB was suspended, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.

The lineup manager Torey Lovullo fielded Mar. 9 against the Royals looked like an Opening Day batting order. That lineup had the right-handed hitting Walker fifth behind lefty David Peralta and ahead of lefty Kole Calhoun. Lovullo may tweak the order so that he can alternate right-handed and left-handed batters, but Walker should be comfortable in the five hole. That's where he had his most plate appearances in 2019, when he took command of the first base job and swatted 29 home runs. The man he replaced at first base, Jake Lamb, had a good spring, but the job belongs to Walker right now and will be his whenever MLB opens its doors for the regular season.

Santana hit the ball up the middle at the highest rate of his career in 2019, contributing to his strong campaign at the plate, Joe Noga of Cleveland.com reports.

Santana recorded a .364 BABIP when he hit the ball up the middle, helping him to career-best .281 batting average. He remained one of the most shifted against players in 2019, but he credited the change in batted ball profile to a more consistent routine at the plate with the help of an assistant within the organization, Victor Rodriguez. Now entering his age-34 season, it may be difficult for Santana to replicate his 135 wRC+ from last season, though it is encouraging that he purposefully changed his approach at the dish.

Blandino got extra playing time in spring training as a result of Freddy Galvis's injuries, and hit .458/.536/.792 in 28 plate appearances. He's competing with Kyle Farmer to be the Reds' middle infield backup.

The Reds don't have a true shortstop beyond Galvis on the major-league roster, so they have to make due with what they'll get from either Blandino or Farmer as the backup until Jose Garcia is ready for the big leagues, which is probably a year away.

Smith could be squeezed off the Mets' 26-man roster if the delayed start to the regular season allows both Yoenis Cespedes (ankle) and Jed Lowrie (knee) to avoid the injured list.

When spring training started, Smith's bench spot seemed secure even after the offseason addition of Matt Adams, as both injured veterans seemed unlikely to be ready to play by the end of March. With Opening Day now pushed off into the future, however, Cespedes and Lowrie could get enough recovery time, giving the club some tough decisions. For his part, Smith wasn't doing much in camp to force his way onto the roster -- he'd gone 3-for-28 (.107) with zero extra-base hits and a 1:8 BB:K when the Grapefruit League schedule was put on pause.

Vaughn batted .304/.448/.522 with three extra-base hits and five RBI over 23 spring at-bats.

Vaughn showed off his advanced bat and plate discipline during the Cactus League. The 21-year-old first baseman projects to hit for average and power while working counts and getting on base at healthy clips. Jose Abreu at first base and Edwin Encarnacion at DH are blocking Vaughn in 2020, but Chicago's first-round pick (third overall) in the 2019 draft could be around in September and the postseason, should the White Sox qualify. A 2021 placement in Chicago seems likely.

Mountcastle was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on Thursday, Dan Connolly of The Athletic reports.

Mountcastle is an interesting prospect, though he didn't appear to be a favor to break camp with the team, and his uninspiring .235/.235/.412 slash line in 34 spring plate appearances didn't exactly help his case. After hitting .312/.344/.527 with 25 homers in 127 games for Norfolk last season, however, he doesn't have a whole lot left to prove in the minors.

Kirilloff hit .429 with two home runs and a 3:1 K:BB in 22 plate appearances in big-league camp.

Manager Rocco Baldelli noted that Kirilloff looks 100 percent healthy and has really impressed in his at-bats, per Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com. A wrist injury robbed Kirilloff of part of the 2019 season and impacted his performance when he did report to Double-A Pensacola. However, he finished strong and picked up where he left off in spring training. The Twins don't have an immediate need at first base, left field or right field, but Kirilloff does not appear to need much more seasoning in the minors before he is ready to help the big-league club.

Cooper is a candidate to platoon with Matt Joyce in right field once the regular season begins, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

The 29-year-old is facing competition from Lewis Brinson, Monte Harrison and Harold Ramirez for the role. Cooper put up solid offensive numbers in 2019 when he was healthy, but the rebuilding Marlins may prefer to give a younger player like Brinson another chance to establish themselves.