MLB Player News

McNeil is expected to primarily work in left field to start the 2019 season, Matt Ehalt of The Bergen Record reports.

McNeil spent much of 2018 at second and third base, making just two appearances in left field. However, with the additions of Robinson Cano and Jed Lowrie during the offseason, the Mets decided to make McNeil an outfielder for 2019. As things stand, the Mets plan to employ McNeil in left field against right-handed pitching, with Brandon Nimmo in center field and Michael Conforto covering right field to begin the season. This likely means McNeil will be in a platoon situation with Keon Broxton or Juan Lagares, which could limit McNeil's at-bats over the course of the season.

Urias (hamstring) won't face any restrictions in camp, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Urias was unable to play winter ball this offseason after suffering a setback in his recovery from a hamstring injury, but it sounds like the issue is behind him heading into spring training. Manager Andy Green said Urias will be "involved in every drill," adding that he won't be held back at all. The 21-year-old is expected to open the season as the Padres' starting shortstop before likely shifting to second base following the promotion of Fernando Tatis.

Garcia was invited to the Nationals' major-league camp Tuesday.

Garcia has no real shot at making the Opening Day roster, as he's still just 18 years old and hasn't played above High-A, but that won't stop the Nationals from getting a look at the exciting youngster, who posted a combined .298/.336/.406 slash line with seven homers and 12 stolen bases in 127 games between Low-A Hagerstown and High-A Potomac in 2018. Garcia will likely open the 2019 campaign back with Potomac or with Double-A Harrisburg.

Dubon (knee) announced via his personal Twitter account Monday that he's been cleared to play in games.

Dubon went through a long recovery process after tearing his ACL in May of 2018, but he's finally been given the green light to start participating in game action. Given this most recent news, there's little reason to believe he'll face many restrictions during spring training.

McNeil is now viewed as an outfielder and not an infielder according to Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen, Matt Ehalt of The Bergen Record reports.

McNeil was almost exclusively an infielder in the minors, but with Robinson Cano locked in at his preferred position (second base) and no other clear openings, he'll have to look elsewhere for at-bats. Center field appears to be the Mets' weakest position, with Keon Broxton, Juan Lagares and Rajai Davis providing good defense but not much at the plate. The team could elect for an offense-first approach, putting McNeil in an outfield corner with Brandon Nimmo or Michael Conforto sliding over to center field.

Espinosa signed a minor-league contract with the Mets on Friday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training.

Espinosa had stints with the Blue Jays, Dodgers and Phillies in 2018 but spent the entirety of the year with their Triple-A affiliates. The 31-year-old bounced around three teams in 2017 as well, slashing .173/.245/.278 in 295 major-league plate appearances. Espinosa should provide organizational infield depth given the revamping of the Mets' infield this offseason.

Lux received an invitation to Dodgers' major-league spring training, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Lux took a huge step forward at the plate last season as he slashed .324/.399/.514 in 116 games between High-A Rancho Cucamonga and Double-A Tulsa. The Dodgers' top prospect is unlikely to make the jump from Double-A to be a major-league contributor in 2019, but a good showing at Triple-A Oklahoma City could have the 21-year-old seeing the big leagues in the not-too-distant future.

Adames signed a minor-league contract with the Cubs on Wednesday that includes an invitation to spring training.

Adames spent all of 2018 at the Triple-A level in the Marlins organization. He hit .269 and made contact a whopping 85.1 percent of the time with New Orleans, but he displayed little power or speed. There doesn't seem to be a spot on the major-league roster for Adames even with his ability to play each infield position, so he seems destined for another year at Triple-A as an organizational depth piece.

Rodgers earned an invitation to the Rockies' major-league camp Wednesday.

The invitation comes as no surprise, as Rodgers was reported to be in contention for the team's starting second-base job earlier in the offseason. Rodgers' unimpressive .232/.264/.290 line in 19 games at Triple-A Albuquerque suggests he needs a bit more time to develop, and the Rockies would probably prefer to keep him down to start the year in order to secure another year of team control. Rodgers could push likely favorite Garrett Hampson for a job later in the season should he start strong at Triple-A.

Franklin signed a minor-league contract with the Pirates on Wednesday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.

The 27-year-old spent time in the Brewers organization last season and attempted to add the catcher position to his already expansive defensive toolset. However, he only appeared in three games behind the dish at the Double-A level. Then, when he finally got his chance to go to the majors, he injured his quad just four innings into his season debut and missed the rest of the season. Franklin will have a chance to crack the major-league roster out of spring training as a utility man, but he will need to outperform players like Pablo Reyes, Erik Gonzalez, Kevin Kramer and Kevin Newman during spring training in order to break camp.