MLB Player News

Atlanta reassigned Leblanc to minor-league camp Thursday.

Leblanc faced an uphill battle to make the roster out of spring training. He fared reasonably well in the Grapefruit League, going 5-for-16 with a home run and a steal, but it wasn't enough to break camp with the big club. The 28-year-old will likely open the season at Triple-A Gwinnett after spending most of last season with Triple-A Salt Lake in the Angels organization.

Gonzales is expected to serve as the Pirates' primary second baseman in 2025, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

Gonzales got his first prolonged look in the majors in 2024 and held his own by posting a 94 wRC+ and .709 OPS. That performance combined with his prospect pedigree sets him up as a key contributor for the 2025 season, with the majority of his playing time likely coming at second base. Across 28 plate appearances this spring, Gonzales has struck out only 14.3 percent of the time, though that's also come with just two extra-base hits.

The Cardinals reassigned Wetherholt to minor-league camp Wednesday.

Wetherholt was given lots of playing time this spring but didn't do much at the plate, going 2-for-20 with one home run, three stolen bases and a 5:6 K:BB. The top prospect is slated to open the 2025 season either at High-A Peoria or Double-A Springfield.

Brujan will travel with the Cubs for their two-game series against the Dodgers in Tokyo on March 18 and 19, Jesse Friedman of MLB.com reports.

Brujan will serve as infield depth in Tokyo with Nico Hoerner (forearm) not making the trip. Rule 5 pick Gage Workman also made the roster. Hoerner's eventual return could squeeze both players out of the picture, but for the time being, Brujan appears set to see time at second base alongside Jon Berti, while Workman will also be in the mix. All three players could also see time at third, though top prospect Matt Shaw is seemingly the top option there.

Bote was reassigned to minor-league camp by the Dodgers on Tuesday.

Bote impressed during the spring, batting .400 with two home runs, nine RBI and seven runs scored over 30 at-bats in 14 games. The 31-year-old signed a minor-league deal with Los Angeles in December and he'll now likely open the season with Triple-A Oklahoma City.

The Dodgers optioned Kim to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday.

Kim began spring training with a chance to win a spot in the Dodgers' infield unit. However, he slashed just .207/.303/.310 across 33 plate appearances during Cactus League play, so the team will send him to Triple-A to continue developing. The 26-year-old was a career .304 hitter during his eight seasons in Korea, so there's still plenty of reason to believe he'll contribute for the big-league club eventually.

Chavis was reassigned to minor-league camp by the Dodgers on Tuesday.

Chavis latched on with Los Angeles in February on a minor-league contract and went on to hit .214 with two runs scored over 14 at-bats in seven games during spring training. The infielder will not make the trip to Japan for the Tokyo Series and appears set to begin the 2025 campaign with Triple-A Oklahoma City.

The Pirates optioned Valdez to Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday.

Valdez joined the Pirates over the offseason in a trade with Boston, but his tenure with the organization will officially begin in the minors. The 26-year-old owns a .686 OPS across 371 career plate appearances, though his ability to play in both the infield and outfield could help his chances at returning to Pittsburgh over the course of the season.

Edwards went 2-for-3 with a walk, a double, a run scored and two stolen bases in Monday's split-squad game against the Nationals.

The steals were the first of the spring for Edwards, who is batting .320 (8-for-25) through nine Grapefruit League appearances. After a breakout 2024 season, the shortstop is looking to build on a performance that saw him swipe 31 bags in 35 attempts over just 70 games while delivering a .328/.397/.423 slash line.

Norby went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Monday's split-squad game against the Nationals.

The third baseman took Shinnosuke Ogasawara deep in the first inning, giving Norby his first homer of the spring. The 24-year-old slashed .247/.315/.445 with seven homers and 17 RBI in 36 games last season for the Marlins after being acquired from the O's, and while his minor-league track record suggests he can improve on those numbers once he gets comfortable in the Show, his 32.1 percent strikeout rate with Miami needs work. Norby's gone 8-for-28 (.286) through nine appearances this spring, but that comes with a 1:7 BB:K.