MLB Player News

Toro will get some outfield reps in spring training to increase his versatility, Corey Brock of The Athletic reports.

Toro will be eligible at second base and third base already, and it sounds like there's a chance he could also earn outfield eligibility in the coming season. He hit .252 with five home runs and three steals in 60 games for Seattle last season.

Urshela agreed to a one-year, $6.55 million contract with the Yankees on Tuesday to avoid arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Urshela took a step back in 2021 with a .267/.301/.419 slash line in 116 games after posting an OPS over .850 in the previous two seasons, but the Yankees are hoping for a rebound in 2022. The 30-year-old finished the season as New York's starting shortstop after Gleyber Torres was moved to the keystone, but the team's offseason additions figure to dictate where Urshela sees most of his playing time in 2022.

Noel was added to Cleveland's 40-man roster Friday.

Noel is a rare case of a hitting prospect in the lower levels getting added to the 40-man roster as Rule 5 draft protection. However, he is one of Cleveland's best prospects, with a chance to develop a plus hit tool to go with easy plus power. He should spend a good chunk of next season at Double-A.

Freeman (shoulder) was added to Cleveland's 40-man roster Friday.

This move was a given, even though Freeman's 2021 season didn't go as planned. He performed up to his usual standards (.323/.372/.470), but was limited to 41 games at Double-A when a shoulder injury ended his season. He is recovering from left labrum surgery and should spend the bulk of the 2022 season at Triple-A.

Astudillo was designated for assignment Friday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

Astudillo is a fan favorite with a very unique statistical profile, possessing a career 4.7 percent strikeout rate and a 1.9 percent walk rate. He posted impressive small-sample numbers in his debut in 2018 but hasn't done much since then, hitting .254/.278/.382 across 139 games. That line doesn't work even for a player who's nominally a catcher, and Astudillo's poor defense at that spot meant he only started 25 games behind the plate over the last three years.

Miranda was added to the Twins' 40-man roster Friday.

As Miranda was one of the most statistically impressive hitters in the minors last season, his protection from the Rule 5 draft was a cinch. He hit .343/.397/.563 with 17 home runs in 80 games at Triple-A and appears to be big-league ready. Miranda can play second base and third base and could also get some looks at designated hitter in 2022.

Lewis (knee) was added to the Twins' 40-man roster Friday.

A foregone conclusion, Lewis was protected from the Rule 5 draft. He missed the entire 2021 season after suffering a torn ACL in February. Lewis should be ready for spring training and 2022 represents an important season for him, especially now that he is on the 40-man roster. He will likely be assigned to Triple-A, where he could spend most of the season as he looks to re-establish himself as a big part of Minnesota's future.

The Orioles announced Monday that Urias recently underwent a core-muscle procedure, but the infielder is expected to be a full participant at the start of spring training, Nathan Ruiz of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Urias' core repair is likely related to the right adductor strain that kept him on the injured list for the final two weeks of the regular season. Before being shut down, Urias had emergency as an everyday player in the middle infield, ultimately finishing the campaign with a .279/.361/.412 slash line, seven home runs, one stolen base, 38 RBI and 33 runs across 296 plate appearances. He'll likely get a chance to compete for a regular role in spring training, but expect the Orioles to bring in some competition for the 27-year-old at either second base or shortstop.

Bregman underwent surgery on his right wrist Monday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Bregman is expected to resume baseball activities in January, leaving him ready for the start of spring training as long as he avoids setbacks. The Astros will hope that Bregman's wrist troubles explain his poor performance late in the year, as he fell off down the stretch before posting a poor .604 OPS in the playoffs. Bregman has now hit a merely good .261/.353/.431 over the last two seasons, a far cry from the .296/.423/.592 line he managed in 2019.

Cleveland exercised Ramirez's $12 million team option for 2022 on Thursday, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.

The five-year, $26 million contract extension Ramirez signed in March 2017 includes options of $12 million for 2022 and $14 million for 2023, making it one of the more club-friendly deals in baseball history. Ramirez has already turned in 28.0 WAR over the first five years of the contract, and he continued to dazzle even in the midst of a rebuilding year for Cleveland in 2021. He finished with a .266/.355/.538 slash line, 36 home runs, 111 runs, 103 RBI and 27 stolen bases across 152 games, with his combination of on-base skills, power, speed and durability making him a major value for those who grabbed him in the first or second round of drafts. He'll likely be a consensus first-round choice in 2022 drafts as he enters his age-29 season.