MLB Player News

Tomlinson is one of several options being considered to serve as a primary backup infielder this spring, CSN Bay Area reports.

Tomlinson has now had two stints in the majors as a backup infielder for the Giants and he has thrived in that role both times, slashing .299/.362/.377 with 10 steals in 313 career plate appearances. He doesn't offer much in the power department, but his speed makes him stand out on a roster that failed to produce a player with more than 15 steals last season. He will have to earn his spot on the roster, but Tomlinson has to be considered the early favorite to win the job heading into spring training.

Braves manager Brian Snitker said Albies (elbow) will spend the early portion of spring training rehabbing and won't play in the first few weeks of games, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Albies underwent surgery in September to address a fractured elbow, and though the 20-year-old hasn't had any major setbacks in his recovery, he'll still need a little more time to heal up. It's still expected that Albies will be ready to play by the beginning of the minor-league season, and he'll likely open 2017 at Triple-A Gwinnett. The Braves have no reason to rush Albies to the big leagues after recently acquiring Brandon Phillips to man the keystone, but the promising prospect is viewed as the future at that position and could make his MLB debut at some point in the second half.

Adames' roster spot could be in jeopardy with Alexi Amarista vying for a reserve utility role this spring, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Adames was afforded a sizable amount of playing time last season after Trevor Story (thumb) went down due to injury, but his batting line at the end of the season sat at a measly .218/.304/.302. The one thing going for the switch hitter is that he is out of options, meaning the Rockies would need to expose him to waivers if they wanted to send him back to the minor leagues, although with Amarista now in tow and prospect Pat Valaika also in the mix, Adames appears to be the odd man out as things stand now. This could change if the 25-year-old has a strong spring showing, although it's hard to fathom that the Rockies wouldn't give the nod to Amarista after investing over $1 million in him over the offseason.

Following the Brandon Phillips trade to Atlanta, Herrera will get more spring training reps at second base.

Herrera still might begin the year in the minors, as he doesn't profile as a utility player, and the Reds still have Jose Peraza and Zack Cozart ahead of him. But the team is also trying to peddle Cozart once he proves to be healthy, and if/when that happens, Peraza would move over to shortstop and Herrera would play second base.

Albies' rehab from surgery to repair a fractured elbow has gone well, and he should be ready for the beginning of spring training, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

He posted a video of himself hitting off a tee to his Instagram account, and the 20-year-old showed no ill effects from the elbow injury he suffered in the Double-A playoffs last season. Albies is a long shot to break camp with the Braves -- primarily due to his age and the fact that he's not yet on the 40-man roster -- but he could be manning the keystone in Atlanta and forming one of the most dynamic young double-play combos in the league alongside Dansby Swanson before the All-Star break.

Beckham signed a minor league contract with the Giants on Wednesday that includes an invitation to spring training, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports.

Beckham will compete with Jae-Gyun Hwang and others for an infield spot on the 25-man roster. The 30-year-old played in only three games for San Fransisco last September after being acquired from the Braves. Never known for his hitting, Beckham batted just .217 with 30 RBIs in 88 games last season and likely won't get many opportunities in a crowded Giants infield -- even if he does make the squad.

Herrera won't be a utility player with the big league club in 2017, at least initially. "[Herrera]'s value for our club is not to be sitting on the bench five days a week," manager Bryan Price said. "He's either playing regularly in the big leagues or he's playing in Triple-A."

Herrera's usage came up as a contrast to how the Reds will use Jose Peraza, in the wake of Brandon Phillips turning down another trade. As a result, with the current roster composition it's unlikely that he'll break camp with the big league club.

While Frazier will begin 2017 as the team's super utility player, GM Neal Huntington envisions a full-time spot for him in the future. "We believe Frazier will evolve into a very versatile defensive player who can swing the bat," Huntington told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "We also see a role in which he progresses into a regular, where he takes a position, grabs hold and never let's go. It's just we have somebody in front of him right now in some places. His opportunity is going to be to bounce around the field and do what he does well."

Frazier struggled defensively last year, learning a new position (right field) in the majors. "All of a sudden he comes to the big leagues," Huntington said, "and we do something we don't like doing - asking a player to do something he hasn't done before - at the highest level." A left-handed batter, Frazier hit .329 at Triple A in 2016 against southpaws, an advantage he's enjoyed throughout his pro career. He's hit only five homers in four years but offers a career batting mark of .300 and position flexibility.

Green agreed to a minor league deal with the Nationals on Friday that includes an invitation to spring training, the Washington Post's Chelsea Janes reports.

Green does not figure to break camp with the big league club, as he is behind Stephen Drew and Wilmer Difo on the organizational depth chart, among the club's backup middle infield options. He has a career .251/.286/.339 slash line with four home runs in 350 career MLB plate appearances, and most recently washed out of the Giants organization.

Manager Dave Roberts said that he expects Forsythe to be his leadoff hitter for the 2017 season, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

The 30-year-old was the Rays' primary leadoff hitter last season, so it comes as no surprise that Roberts sees him as a competent option to set the table every night. With this spot in the batting order, Forsythe will likely be in line for more run-scoring opportunities thanks to his position in front of mashers like Corey Seager, Justin Turner and Adrian Gonzalez.