MLB Player News

Chapman arrived at the Athletics spring training facility Thursday and looked to be in excellent shape, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports. "I hit him some ground balls yesterday and I didn't see anything different," Melvin said during a Zoom call Friday. "We just gave him a few. I didn't make him go too far, but he's eager. It's going to be more trying to hold him back than trying to get him ready."

Chapman's strong work ethic makes his early arrival -- position players aren't required to report until Monday -- wholly unsurprising, especially when considering the Gold Glove third baseman was likely anxious to check on his mobility following last year's hip surgery. Not only did the 27-year-old seem to have as good a range as he did pre-surgery according to Melvin, but he also appeared trimmer following an arduous post-op rehab. The manager noted his biggest concern regarding Chapman will be tempering the latter's drive to push himself, with part of his load management plan involving some at-bats at designated hitter in early Cactus League action.

Urshela (elbow) is getting close to 100 percent, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Urshela underwent surgery to remove a bone chip from his right elbow in early December. Previous reports indicated he was expected to be ready for Opening Day, and that still appears to be the case. He's been throwing across the diamond for about a week without issues.

Madrigal (shoulder) should be ready for Cactus League play by early March, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Madrigal underwent shoulder surgery during the offseason that carried a recovery timeline of 5-to-6 months. While he likely won't be available to begin Cactus League play, the 23-year-old should be able to appear in exhibition games for several weeks leading up to Opening Day. Assuming he's fully healthy, Madrigal should have an everyday role at second base for the White Sox in 2021.

Chapman, who had hip surgery in September, is not expected to have any restrictions when the Athletics begin full-squad workouts next Monday, Shayna Rubin of The Mercury News reports.

The slugging third baseman recently posted video of his rehab work at Southern California facility ProSport on his personal Instagram account, where Chapman appeared to be pulling a small weighted sled device with his right hip free of any difficulty. The 27-year-old alluded to spending the majority of the last four months working his way back from labrum surgery, which cut short his 2020 season. Chapman managed to churn out a .232/.276/.535 line with 21 extra-base hits (nine doubles, two triples, 10 home runs) across 152 plate appearances despite being incessantly bothered by hip pain, so there is naturally plenty of optimism for a resurgent campaign in 2021.

Lewis received an invitation to the Twins' big-league camp Monday.

Lewis is just 21 years old and has just 33 Double-A games under his belt (in which he posted a modest 88 wRC+), so he probably still needs a bit of time in the minors before being seriously considered for a roster spot. The 2017 first-overall pick is a huge talent, though, so a debut later this season certainly can't be ruled out if he takes the next step at the Double-A or Triple-A level.

Henderson was invited Friday to join the Orioles' major-league spring training camp.

Henderson will get the chance to work out with the team's big-league coaching staff, though he's still a few years away from joining them on a permanent basis. He's played just 29 career professional games, all at the rookie-ball level, and the canceled minors schedule last year prevented him from continuing up the ladder.

Groshans received an invitation Friday to the Blue Jays' major-league spring training, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports.

The 2018 first-round pick spent last season at the alternate training site, so he still received some developmental work despite the canceled minor-league season. Groshans last appeared at the Low-A level in 2019 and had a .909 OPS in 23 games, and he could begin 2021 at Double-A with a strong showing at spring training.

Reynolds signed with the White Sox as a non-roster invitee Thursday.

Reynolds hasn't done much with his 251 career MLB plate appearances, hitting .212/.282/.323 with four homers and zero steals. He's appeared in just three games over the last two seasons and doesn't seem particularly likely to add many to that tally this season, barring an injury crisis ahead of him.

Freeman received an invitation to the Indians' major-league camp Wednesday, Emily Waldon of The Athletic reports.

The 21-year-old spent 2020 at Cleveland's alternate training site and showed off some of his power with eight home runs, and he'll now receive another chance to showcase himself for the organization. Freeman topped out at High-A in 2019 and had a .751 OPS in 62 games, and he could be ticketed for the upper minors in 2021.

Urshela (elbow) may not be ready for the start of spring training but expects to be available for Opening Day, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

The 29-year-old underwent surgery in early December to remove a bone chip from his right elbow, and he apparently won't be fully healthy in time for the first spring training game Feb. 27. A delayed start to spring training would still give Urshela plenty of time to ramp up for the regular season, but it's worth keeping an eye on his progression in the Grapefruit League.