MLB Player News

Casas (thumb) took batting practice at Boston's minor-league camp Friday, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

Casas, the Red Sox's top pick in the 2018 draft, suffered a right thumb injury in his second professional game last June and underwent season-ending ulnar collateral ligament repair surgery. The gigantic third baseman -- the media guide lists the 19-year-old at 6-foot-5, 240 pounds -- is healthy once again. RotoWire ranks him fifth among Boston's prospects, but he may be the best power hitter in the system.

Dalbec hit a home run in the second inning of Friday's 6-0 spring victory over Northeastern University.

The Red Sox kicked off spring competition Friday with their traditional game against a Boston-area college. Dalbec slammed the first pitch he saw over the fence in center field. The 23-year-old is Boston's highest-placed power prospect after launching 32 big flies last year between High-A Salem and Double-A Portland. He's expected to open the season at Portland.

Alonso will now go by the first name "Pete," Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.

The first base prospect was previously referred to as "Peter," but it seems he now wants people to call him by his preferred, shortened version. Alonso is firmly in the running for the Mets' starting first base job this spring, though questions about his defense as well as service time considerations are making his Opening Day roster status a bit murky. It seems like he has the bat to succeed in the majors, however, as he produced a strong .285/.395/.579 slash line across Double-A and Triple-A last season.

Smith will only play first base this spring, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

Smith played 13 games in left field last season as the Mets attempted to find ways to get him playing time. At the moment, though, his bat isn't good enough to play anywhere, let alone first base, as he's hit just .210/.259/.406 in 105 major-league games. With Peter Alonso about to arrive, Smith doesn't appear to have an obvious place in the short term or long term with the Mets.

Mountcastle was spotted going through drills at first base during Monday's workout, Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun reports.

Mountcastle was drafted as a shortstop, and after transitioning to third base for the 2018 season, it appears he could be in line for another position change. The 22-year-old insisted that the shift to first base isn't permanent just yet, although, given his impressive bat, first base may be the quickest path to the big leagues for the 2015 first-round pick. "It was just trying to get me to play more positions," stated Mountcastle. "Flores had me working there the last few days, just trying to get comfortable with it so whenever they need me out there at first, they can put me out there and feel confident."

Votto spent the offseason analyzing his swing to find out why his power dropped off, and believes that the issue was mechanical and not a matter of physical strength, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. "I thought there was something in my swing, the angle as it came through the zone," Votto said. "A lot of my hard-hit balls were poorly directed. I think it was very much a mechanics thing and not a physical thing."

Votto has a reputation for having a sterling work ethic and an ability to diagnose his swing issues. He's gotten off to slow starts in recent years and is redoubling his efforts to overcome that shortcoming. With an NFBC ADP of 73, he's as affordable as ever this season.

Gurriel will play spring-training games at second and third base, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Manager A.J. Hinch concocted a similar plan during spring training last season, too, but that idea was squashed after Gurriel underwent hand surgery in late February. Still, he appeared in 21 games at third base during the regular season, staring there eight times. He also made five starts at second base. With super-utility man Marwin Gonzalez no longer around, Gurriel and fellow Cuban Aledmys Diaz will be packing multiple gloves.

Alonso will be given a chance to earn an Opening Day roster spot, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

Alonso looked big-league ready last season after hitting .285/.395/.579 across the two highest levels of the minors, but the Mets didn't give him a September call-up, presumably to secure an extra year of team control. To follow through on such a move would require the team to keep him down for at least a couple weeks at the start of the season. General manager Brodie Van Wagenen wasn't in charge last year, though, so it's possible he has different ideas and wants his best players on the roster on Opening Day. Manager Mickey Callaway hinted at that Saturday, calling Van Wagenen "a player's guy," though it would be an unconventional (if commendable) move for the Mets to open with Alonso on the roster.

Guerrero is expected to begin the season at Triple-A Buffalo, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com reports.

General manager Ross Atkins didn't rule out having the top prospect on the Opening Day roster, but he also said that the most likely starter at the hot corner for the first game is Brandon Drury. This is almost certainly a trick to get an extra year of team control over Guerrero, so the most likely scenario is that he will be up with Toronto after a few weeks.

Blandino (knee) has been hitting and taking groundballs at the Reds' spring training facility, and expects to be ready by Opening Day, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Blandino had surgery to reconstruct both a torn ACL and MCL, and he might not be ready for the start of full-squad workouts next week. When he is ready, he's far from guaranteed a roster spot.