MLB Player News

Reds first baseman Joey Votto has had a productive spring so far as he is hitting .359 with three homers and 10 RBI in 39 at-bats. He also is slugging .641 with a solid 1.109 OPS.

Despite his stellar numbers, Votto told the Cincinnati Enquirer that he does not concentrate on Cactus League stats much.

"I’ve hit some balls hard in parts of the park where I’ve had some good results," Votto said Sunday. "Unless I can continue to move toward the type of hitter I prefer to be, I’m not going to have the same results as last year or previous years, and I am moving toward that, which is a good thing. As far as my numbers, I put nothing into it. Frankly, they’re very deceiving."

One storyline I'm eager to watch this season is if Indians catcher Carlos Santana is ready for a breakout season. 

Santana's has had some good power numbers in the past, but he's yet to match the production he had in the minors. In case you are unfamiliar, Santana hit .290 with a .401 on-base percentage, .500 slugging percentage and .900 OPS in 527 minor-league games. If he posts those kind of numbers in the majors, then he would challenge Buster Posey as the top Fantasy catcher. 

I'm thinking with all the lineup upgrades Cleveland made this offseason that Santana might finally have the lineup protection he needs to get closer to what he did in the minors.

Clearly, I'm not the person who is buying into this theory as Santana is the second-highest drafted catcher in Head-to-Head formats and third-highest in Rotisserie leagues.

With it looking more and more likely Chris Carter is going to end up as the Astros' starting left fielder, it's time to start assessing his Fantasy value and whether or not a change of scenery is going to make a major difference. 

Looking at Carter's spring numbers, I don't think he's changed much from the hitter he was with the A's. He still has great power (slugging .554 in 21 spring games), but he continues to hit for a so-so average (.268) and is striking out a lot (20 Ks). He slugged .514 in 67 games for Oakland last season, but he also struck out 83 times.

It's going to be a plus for Carter that he will play regularly with the Astros. He's also expected to hit in the heart of their lineup and the short porch in left field at Minute Maid Park should definitely play big for the right-handed slugger. 

But I'm not sure all the positives are ready to wipe out all the negatives for Carter. Looking at his minor-league stat line (.283/.378/.535/.913), you can see the kind of potential Carter brings to the table. But the Astros aren't expected to contend this season, so Carter's RBI potential could also be limited. I still view him as nothing more than a late-round flier in deeper Fantasy formats. 

Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera was scratched from the lineup for Sunday's Cactus League game and is also expected to sit Monday after tweaking his back while hitting in the batting cages, The Plain Dealer reports. Manager Terry Francona was not concerned with Cabrera's status for the start of the season. "It seemed like a silly time of the year to have Asdrubal play through an something like that," Francona said.

Marlins second baseman Donovan Solano is targeting a return to the lineup later this week after an MRI on his sore back revealed only muscle tightness, the Palm Beach Post reports. Solano, projected as the team's starting second baseman, is hitting .409 with a .426 on-base percentage this spring.

"Trainers say he's doing much better," manager Mike Redmond said. "We’re hoping Wednesday, Thursday maybe to get him back in a game. ... We’re hopeful he’s on board for the start of the season. That’s the guy we need in the lineup and kind of helps make that whole lineup come together."

I'm loving the fact Fantasy owners are buying into Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. The 25-year-old slugger is the 10th-highest drafted first baseman in Rotisserie formats and 12th-highest in Head-to-Head leagues.

First base is obviously a deep Fantasy position and there's great value to be had late in drafts at the position. But Goldschmidt is on the verge of a breakout season and apparently I'm not the only one sensing it. 

Goldschmidt got off to a slow start last season, but he hit .303 with a .379 on-base percentage, .528 slugging percentage and .907 OPS in his last 113 games. Those definitely are numbers we want to see from a first baseman, but here's one stat where Goldschmidt brings added value -- stolen bases. He had 18 last season and has two through 23 spring games. It's not a reason for Goldschmidt to rank up with the elite Fantasy first baseman, but it's definitely a nice bonus.

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt had a solid performance in Saturday's Cactus League game against the Royals. He went 3 for 3 with two doubles and a sacrifice fly as he drove in four runs in a 11-10 loss. Goldschmidt is hitting .412 with a home run and 10 RBI in 51 at-bats this spring.

"He's a professional," Willie Bloomquist said. "He works hard and does what he's supposed to do. Good things happen to those sort of players. He's pretty even keel whether he's hitting .150 or .450, you would never know it. He just goes about his business the right way every day."

Chris Carter put together a solid spring game for the Astros on Friday against St. Louis, as he went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

Carter is now hitting .278 on the spring season with good power -- the double was his eighth extra-base hit of the spring in 54 at-bats. The Astros' likely opening day left fielder owns a sharp .574 slugging percentage this spring.

Angels outfielder Kole Calhoun has been held out of action since Saturday due to tightness in his lower back, which was caused by lifting, according to MLB.com. Calhoun, who is competing for a back-up job this spring, has been taking part in baseball activities and is scheduled to return to the lineup Saturday.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman homered twice during an 18-9 rout of the Pirates on Wednesday. Freeman hit a two-run homer off Kyle McPherson in the second inning and followed with a two-run homer off Vin Mazzaro in the fifth inning.

Freeman finished the game 4 for 4 with one double, three runs and four RBI. Freeman is batting .373 (22 for 59) with one triple, one double, seven homers and 15 RBI in 20 spring games.

“Maybe the most naturally talented hitter we have in the lineup," manager Fredi Gonzalez told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.