MLB Player News

O'Hearn is in the mix to fill the Royals' vacancy at first base, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports.

The 24-year-old struggled a bit in his first taste of Triple-A last season, batting just .252 to go with 18 homers and 53 RBI. This ultimately led to a demotion, although there's no denying his excellent raw power. Manager Ned Yost brought up the prospect's name when discussing potential options to play first if Eric Hosmer doesn't return, and it's not totally out of the realm of possibility given O'Hearn's ability to get take walks (9.7 percent walk rate at Triple-A last season) and extra-base power (.198 ISO at Triple-A). That said, he seems to be behind fellow prospect Hunter Dozier in the pecking order heading into spring training, so there's a good chance O'Hearn could head back to the minors for more seasoning. Things should become clearer once Cactus League action begins.

The Diamondbacks confirmed that they will employ a humidor at Chase Field in 2018, general manager Mike Hazen told the Arizona Republic's Nick Piecoro.

This is expected to have a significant drag on power in Chase Field. Goldschmidt will obviously be affected by this change, though clearly not the only one. We will knock a handful of homers from his and other Diamondbacks in our projections.

Flores is expected to see some time in the outfield this spring, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.

The utility man has never played in the outfield -- this would be a welcome addition to his already-diverse positional tool set. Flores produced a .795 OPS in 336 at-bats for the Mets last season, and it seems like the Mets are doing what they can to ensure he can continue playing on at least a semi-regular basis. Asdrubal Cabrera is expected to take on primary duties at second base with the addition of Todd Frazier.

Alonso will attend spring training as a non-roster invitee, Abbey Mastracco of NJ.com reports.

Alonso will enter camp with little hope to make the major-league roster, but he'll get the chance to see some live arms this spring. He smashed 16 home runs and drove in 58 runs at High-A St. Lucie in 2017 before being promoted to Double-A Binghamton. Alonso is currently the No. 4 prospect within the Mets' minor-league system, and he will look to build on the success he had last season.

Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill said Saturday that Cooper will likely see time in left or right field in addition to first base during spring training, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.

If Cooper proves capable of manning either corner-outfield spot in spring camp, it would improve his odds of breaking camp with the big club, as the Marlins likely wouldn't be eager to keep a bench spot open for a player who can only man first base. In any event, Cooper still projects to see most of his action at first base this season, likely on the short side of a platoon with Justin Bour. The 27-year-old slashed an astounding .359/.425/.634 across 350 plate appearances in the minors last season and found success in a small sample of at-bats with the Yankees, so he could make for an interesting late-round dart in NL-only leagues.

Smith said last week that he now checks in at 224 pounds, about 30 less than he weighed at the end of the 2017 season, Ken Davidoff of the New York Post reports. "I feel more athletic than I've ever been," Smith said. "In spring training, I've always looked the part, but as far as my mobility and loosening up some hips and being more flexible, more agile as an athlete, I feel like this is the most advanced I've been for sure in my career."

After slashing a disappointing .198/.262/.395 across 183 plate appearances for the Mets upon being promoted from Triple-A Las Vegas last August, Smith may have felt some pressure to transform his body with the organization giving him no assurances that he would open the 2018 campaign in the big leagues. The 22-year-old is slated to battle veteran Adrian Gonzalez for the everyday first base gig during the spring and would likely report to Las Vegas if he fails to win the starting job.

Hoskins heads into spring training as the Phillies' primary left fielder, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

This will be an interesting switch for Hoskins, as he played first base exclusively prior to the 2017 season. He did log 30 games in left in the majors, so it's not entirely new to the slugger. However, this should help his fantasy stock nicely for 2018. He's currently eligible at both first base and outfield, which is outstanding when paired with his elite power potential. Hoskins projects to be a staple of the Phillies lineup for years to come, making him a valuable fantasy commodity.

Joseph seems to be on the outside of the 25-man roster looking in heading into spring training, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

This ominous outlook certainly isn't due to lack of production. Although his average and OPS dipped a bit last season, Joseph bashed 43 homers and 42 doubles over the past two seasons, helping him to drive in 116 runs in that span. The biggest reasons for his roster spot being in question are the emergence of Rhys Hoskins and the signing of Carlos Santana. At this point, it seems like Joseph is the third option at first base, and the only other position he played in his career is catcher (not counting his one-game stint as a third baseman in the minors). General manager Matt Klentak commented that he respects what the 26-year-old has done the past two seasons and that he's currently considered a part of the active roster. However, he noted that Joseph will have to earn his spot during spring training "just like everybody else," which could make things difficult if he struggles during Grapefruit League action.

Wade has been invited to join the Twins' big-league camp for spring training, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

The 24-year-old reached Double-A Chattanooga last year, hitting for a strong .292/.397/.408 slash line. The invitation will allow the Twins' major-league staff to work with Wade this spring, though he's likely still at least a year away from contending for a big-league roster spot.

Cabrera figures to see consistent playing time at second base after the Mets signed third baseman Todd Frazier, Matt Ehalt of The Bergen Record reports.

Cabrera was formerly in the mix to play third base during the 2018 campaign, however, his role quickly changed after the Mets signed Frazier on Monday night. With third base solidified, Cabrera will be used at second or off the bench. The 32-year-old batted .280 with 14 home runs and 59 RBI a season ago, and will look to replicate those numbers in the upcoming year.