MLB Player News

Alvarez was designated for assignment Friday, Meghan Montemurro of The Athletic Philadelphia reports.

Alvarez was removed from the 40-man roster after the Phillies selected the contract of Pedro Florimon. The 23-year-old Alvarez reached the Double-A level last year, hitting an unspectacular .247/.321/.382 in 209 plate appearances.

Rosario went 2-for-4 with a double and a solo home run in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals.

His fourth-inning two-bagger was the only hit the Mets scrounged up against a dominant Max Scherzer, while Rosario's deep shot to left field in the eighth was his first homer of the spring. Injuries have cost the 22-year-old some time this spring, but he appears to be rounding into form well ahead of Opening Day.

Young was moved from the Cubs' spring training to minor-league camp Tuesday, Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reports.

Young's bat was silent this spring, as he went 4-for-29 (.138) over 16 games. Due to Chicago's astounding depth around the infield, Young's chances of reaching the majors this season are slim. He'll likely report to Triple-A Iowa, where he hit .256/.311/.311 over 120 games last season.

Herrera (shoulder) cleared waivers Tuesday and was outrighted to Triple-A Louisville, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic Cincinnati reports.

The 24-year-old had been limited to DH duty lately due to a shoulder injury, and it seems that took him out of the running for a big-league roster spot. Rather than beginning the season in Cincinnati on the disabled list, Herrera will likely report to Louisville to get regular playing time once his shoulder is fully healed. He does have two-plus years of experience at Triple-A, but a relatively crowded infield could keep him in the minors for a while.

Urias was re-assigned to minor-league camp on Tuesday.

This comes as no surprise, as Urias only has 15 plate appearances under his belt at Triple-A. He hit .286/.394/.464 with a 6:5 K:BB in 28 spring at-bats, more than holding his own as a 20-year-old in big-league camp. True to form, he didn't hit a home run or steal a base. The 5-foot-9 second baseman has one of the best hit tools in the minors and should make his big-league debut this summer.

Herrera (shoulder) has been limited to DH duty since returning to action and will likely continue to be limited for another week, C. Trent Rosecrans from The Athletic reports.

This adds a wrinkle in the Reds' Opening Day roster possibilities. If Herrera can't play the field, the team could have the ability to put him on the DL to begin the season and start him in Triple-A, which they couldn't otherwise do because he's out of options. Given that they already have Cliff Pennington on the roster as a utility infielder, that plan might be their most optimal early roster set-up.

Rosario hit ninth in Sunday's Grapefruit League game and is expected to begin the season slotted in at the bottom of the Mets' batting order, Kevin Kernan of The New York Post reports.

There's a small chance the young shortstop could see some work in the leadoff spot early in the season while Michael Conforto (shoulder) is on the DL, but manager Mickey Callaway is intent on loading some OBP at the top of his batting order, and at this stage of Rosario's career that's not part of his offensive profile -- he drew a walk in only 1.8 percent of his 170 plate appearances during his big-league debut last season. Hitting ahead of the pitcher in the No. 8 spot won't help Rosario's fantasy value, but the 22-year-old has the raw talent to work his way higher in the lineup with a strong start to 2018.

Frazier went 2-for-4 with his first home run of the spring Sunday -- an opposite-field, two-run shot -- against Toronto.

After starting spring training in left field, Frazier has seen time at second base following the acquisition of left fielder Corey Dickerson. Frazier is a below-average defensive second baseman, but Pittsburgh will work hard to find a way to get his bat in the lineup. The lefty is hitting .588 in 17 exhibition at-bats. He'll likely start 2018 on the bench, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him serving as a starter before long.

Rosario went 1-for-2 with a leadoff double in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees.

He also looked good in the field, and Rosario's groin issue appears to be behind him. The 22-year-old will begin the season as the Mets' starting shortstop, and while his primary fantasy contribution will likely come via the stolen base, he's capable of better than the .248/.271/.394 slash line he posted in 46 major-league games last year.

Young is back in Saturday's lineup after suffering a contusion during Thursday's outing, Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reports.

Young sustained the injury after colliding with Anthony Rizzo in pursuit of a foul popup. There don't appear to be any lingering effects, so the second baseman should be good to go for the rest of spring camp.