The Reds selected Bowman with the seventh pick in the Rule 5 draft Wednesday, JJ Cooper of Baseball America reports.

Bowman has at least plus speed and isn't a zero in the power department, so he could be fantasy relevant as a rookie if he were to find his way into steady playing time. A natural second baseman who can play a little bit in the outfield, Bowman had a strong run at Double-A in 2024, slashing .281/.378/.466 with 12 home runs, 35 steals, a 12.4 percent walk rate and a 20.2 percent strikeout rate in 80 games. His production slipped in his first exposure to Triple-A pitching, as he slashed .218/.284/.308 with zero home runs, eight steals and a 24.3 percent strikeout rate in 38 games in the Pacific Coast League. The Reds will likely use Bowman as a bench piece unless they're shorthanded, but he has fantasy-relevant tools and is now headed to a great home park to maximize his fringe-average power.

The Rangers traded Vargas to the Marlins on Tuesday alongside Max Acosta and Brayan Mendoza in exchange for Jake Burger, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports.

Vargas spent all of last year with the Rangers' Single-A affiliate, where he slashed .276/.321/.454 with 49 RBI and 29 stolen bases in 97 games. The 19-year-old infielder will have an easier path to the majors now that he's joining a rebuilding Marlins organization, though his MLB debut is likely still several years away.

The Guardians traded Gimenez to the Blue Jays on Tuesday alongside Nick Sandlin in exchange for Spencer Horwitz and Nick Mitchell, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Gimenez had a down year offensively in 2024, slashing just .252/.298/.340 with 63 RBI in 152 games. However, the 26-year-old infielder is coming off his second consecutive 30-steal campaign and has developed into one of the game's best defenders. His glove will almost certainly keep him in the lineup everyday for Toronto, and he still has potential to bounce back at the plate after posting an .837 OPS just two seasons ago.

The Rockies agreed to a one-year, $3.25 million contract with Estrada on Tuesday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Estrada slashed only .217/.247/.343 over 96 games for the Giants in 2024 and finished the season off the 40-man roster. However, the 28-year-old infielder hit .266/.319/.408 while averaging 14 home runs and 22 stolen bases from 2022 to 2023. He should slot in at second base for the Rockies and immediately gains some fantasy appeal playing half his games at Coors Field. The deal includes a mutual option for 2026 with a $750,000 buyout.

Jung underwent a minimally invasive surgical procedure on his right wrist in October, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Jung had been dealing with right wrist inflammation late in the season and the 24-year-old is expected to be ready to go for spring training in February. Jung appeared in 34 games with the Tigers during the 2024 regular season, producing a .241 average with five doubles, three RBI and 14 runs scored over 79 at-bats. Manager A.J. Hinch noted Monday that Jung will be given an opportunity to win a job during spring training, and he'll see work at third base, second base and in the designated hitter slot, per Petzold.

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Monday that Mauricio (knee) has begun baseball activities, Abbey Mastracco of the New York Daily News reports.

Mauricio underwent right ACL surgery last December and then had an additional operation on the same knee in August to remove scar tissue. It's been a slow road to recovery for the young infielder, but it appears he's finally ready to start ramping things back up. Whether Mauricio will be 100 percent for spring training is not yet clear.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak has said the team would like to see Gorman receive close to 600 at-bats next season, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

Gorman spent the final five-plus weeks of the 2024 season in the minors and finished with a .671 OPS and 37.6 percent strikeout rate. However, the Cardinals are committed to giving their younger players a long leash in 2025 and Gorman will be one of the beneficiaries. What position Gorman plays is not yet clear. He's seen most of his starts at the major-league level at second base and could play there, but moving back to his natural third base position is also an option if the Cardinals trade Nolan Arenado.

The Blue Jays signed Stefanic to a minor-league contract Wednesday, Nate Heisler of Klutch Sports reports.

Stefanic elected free agency after being outrighted off the Angels' 40-man roster in October. The 28-year-old has slashed just .232/.317/.275 over parts of three big-league seasons and will likely begin 2025 as a utility infielder at Triple-A Buffalo.

The Orioles signed Jackson to a minor-league contract Monday, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.

Jackson played in 121 games with Double-A Binghamton in 2024, batting .206 with 19 home runs, 61 RBI, 49 runs scored and 11 stolen bass as a member of the Mets organization. He will now get a shot to prove himself with Baltimore ahead of the 2025 campaign.

The Orioles signed Barreto to a minor-league contract Monday, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.

Barreto played in 29 games with Triple-A Rochester in 2023, batting .202 with seven home runs, 15 RBI, 17 runs scored and two stolen bases over 99 at-bats. He spent the 2024 season with the Diablos Rojos del Mexico, producing a .343 average with 16 home runs and 63 RBi over 76 games. Barreto will now look to make the most of his opportunity with Baltimore ahead of the 2025 season.