MLB Player News

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.

Manager Mike Matheny said March 6 that O'Hearn could begin the season in a "soft platoon" at first base with Ryan McBroom, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports.

O'Hearn burst onto the scene with a .950 OPS and 12 home runs over 44 games in 2018, but he struggled in a larger role last season with a .650 OPS and 14 homers in 105 contests. The 26-year-old was impressive prior to the suspension of spring training, posting a .343/.395/.679 slash line with five home runs in 35 at-bats, though McBroom also had a .314/.368/.657 slash line. O'Hearn would be in the strong side of the platoon as the left-handed bat, so he would still be in line for regular at-bats if Matheny employs that strategy.

Mountcastle hit .235/.235/.412 with one home run and nine strikeouts over 34 plate appearances this spring.

Mountcastle was working at first base and in the outfield before spring training was suspended, although it's unlikely that he'll be on the major-league roster when play resumes. However, designated hitter Renato Nunez has been working at third base this spring, which could open up more opportunities for Mountcastle if he makes his likely debut in 2020, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Abreu believes the White Sox will be competing for a playoff spot in 2020, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Abreu has spent six seasons with the White Sox, who have finished no better than third (in 2019) in the AL Central and never made the playoffs during his tenure. After the development of young prospects into stars and offseason acquisitions, the expectations for the team are huge in 2020. "The expectations are high with this team, and every Sox fan should be excited because we have a good team,'' Abreu said. ''It's time for us to start competing and to be one of the teams fighting for a playoff spot." Abreu has been remarkably consistent over his first six MLB seasons and, thanks to a better supporting cast, jumped up to a career- and AL-high 123 RBI in 2019. He'll have an even stronger group surrounding him in 2020. Abreu will return as the starting first baseman and bat third with any number of reputable hitters to protect him in the batting order.