MLB Player News

Manager Dave Roberts said Saturday that the Dodgers will look to use Kim in center field during spring training in addition to second base and shortstop, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Kim has a bit of experience playing in the outfield from his time in Korea, though he was only ever used in the corners. The Dodgers -- eager to add another lefty-hitting option in center field -- believe the 26-year-old's speed will allow him to succeed in the new role, but Kim is still expected to serve primarily as a second baseman once the regular season begins.

Norby believes his can hit 30 homers this season, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

The 24-year-old spent the offseason refining his swing mechanics to keep his bat in the zone longer, and Norby is confident his natural loud contact will produce plenty of power without him needing to sell out and swing for the fences. "I'm here to prove that I want to be one of the best players in the league, and I think I can do that," Norby said this week. "That's what it's about -- and helping the team win games." Thirty homers may not be an unreasonable goal for Norby, even if loanDepot Park tends to suppress right-handed power. Over 139 games last season split between Triple-A and the majors in the O's and Marlins organizations, he went yard 26 times.

Ortiz will start at shortstop and bat sixth in Saturday's Cactus League opener against the Reds, Sophia Minnaert of Bally Sports Wisconsin reports.

Manager Pat Murphy said to not look into the positional alignment too much, but it's still notable that the 26-year-old is getting the first exhibition start at shortstop following the offseason departure of Willy Adames. Ortiz provided strong defense at third base last season and had a .239/.329/.398 slash line with 11 homers and 11 steals in 142 regular-season games. Brice Turang is also being considered for a shift shift to shortstop, but it may make more sense to keep him at second base since that's where he won the Platinum Glove Award last year.

Arraez said Wednesday that "I feel like I got a new thumb" following surgery in October to repair a torn ligament, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union Tribune reports.

Arraez tore the UCL in his left thumb on a slide on June 25 and played through "a lot" of pain before eventually undergoing offseason surgery. He managed to win his third straight batting title in 2024, although Arraez's .314 average in the regular season was down 21 points and his slugging percentage dropped 53 points from over the previous two years. The 27-year-old could have a mini bounce-back 2025 season, although he is likely to remain largely a one-category specialist.

Frazier (thumb) took live batting practice against Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller during Wednesday's full-squad workout, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Frazier will begin his second stint in Pittsburgh in 2025 after he signed a one-year, $1.525 million contract with the Pirates in January. He's projected to serve as a utility man for the Pirates, with his playing time likely to be contingent on the health of Pittsburgh's everyday players. During his time with the Royals last season, Frazier produced a career-low .576 OPS and struck out at a career-high 20.1 percent clip over 294 plate appearances.

Yorke has been working out at second base to begin spring training, but he could be an option to fill in at first base in the absence of Spencer Horwitz (wrist), Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Yorke has put up excellent numbers at most of his minor-league stops, but he has an uncertain defensive home. Nick Gonzales is the favorite to start at second base, while the addition of Tommy Pham likely shuts the door on Yorke's potential to play regularly in the outfield. However, Horwitz's injury opens up potential playing time at first base, though there are several other options at the position.

Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller said Thursday that he sees Arraez as the team's first baseman this season, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Manager Mike Shildt also added of Arraez and Jake Cronenworth that "they're everyday guys that'll be on the field," implying that Arraez is expected to be the everyday first baseman rather than the designated hitter. Cronenworth, meanwhile, is expected to settle in at second base. The Padres don't currently have a clear favorite for DH duties, but they could use the spot to rotate players or potentially acquire some help from outside the organization.

Donovan will earn $2.85 million in 2025 after losing his arbitration case Wednesday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Arbitration-eligible for the first time, Donovan had been hopeful to work out a multi-year extension with the Cardinals this offseason, but the two sides couldn't come to an agreement before the Jan. 9 deadline. He then filed for a $3.3 million salary for 2025, but he'll ultimately have to settle for $450,000 less than that amount after losing his case. The lack of an extension shouldn't affect Donovan's standing in the organization, as he's still expected to serve as a near-everyday player in 2025 after slashing .278/.342/.417 with a career-high 14 home runs and 73 RBI over 652 plate appearances last season.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Tuesday that Mauricio (knee) isn't expected to play in Grapefruit League games until mid-March, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

It effectively rules him out for Opening Day, which isn't a surprise. Mauricio underwent right ACL surgery in December 2023 and then had a cleanup operation on his knee in August, forcing him to miss the entire 2024 campaign. He will be brought along slowly and either begin the season on the injured list or at Triple-A Syracuse.

The Phillies believe Stott's offense was limited by elbow soreness last season, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Stott never went on the injured list in 2024, but he evidently dealt with a sore elbow for much of the season that the club believes affected his ability to drive the ball. The numbers back up the theory, as the 27-year-old's regular-season slugging percentage fell from .419 to .356, his home-run total dropped from 15 to 11 and his doubles output dipped from 32 to 19. Stott is expected to be healthy at the start of spring training and could be in line for a bounce-back year at the plate.