MLB Player News

Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts and committed an error during his major-league debut in Washington's 2-0 loss to the Mets on Sunday. Selected sixth overall in the 2011 draft out of Rice, Rendon was called up from Double-A Harrisburg to fill in for injured third baseman Ryan Zimmerman.

It's very interesting to see that as good as Brewers shortstop Jean Segura has been to begin the season, he's still only the 12th-highest Fantasy scoring shortstop in standard Head-to-Head leagues. A lack of home runs and RBI are certainly holding Segura back and probably will all season.

Though, Segura is still worth holding onto in Fantasy because he's a good enough contact hitter that he could use his speed to leg out extra-base hits. Let's not forget his most valuable contribution this season could end up being his stolen-base total. It's just that Segura probably won't break into the upper echelon of Fantasy shortstops because of his lack of home run power and RBI production.

Shortly after promoting him from Double-A Harrisburg, Nationals top prospect Anthony Rendon was inserted into the starting lineup for Sunday's series finale against the Mets. Rendon, who filled the roster hole created by Ryan Zimmerman's move to the disabled list, hit sixth in the batting order while patrolling third base.

The Nationals expect Zimmerman to spend the minimum amount of time on the DL and appear committed to providing Rendon -- the sixth overall pick in the 2011 MLB Draft -- everyday playing time in his absence. At Harrisburg, the 22-year-old was hitting .292 with a robust .462 on-base percentage after averaging a walk per game.

"I don't like to bring a youngster up and have him sit," manager Davey Johnson told The Washington Post on Saturday. "He's been swinging the bat pretty good down there. It's no slight against some guys I got here."

Brewers shortstop Jean Segura stayed hot with a double, single and stolen base against the Cubs Saturday, his second-straight game with two hits and a steal. He boosted his line to .386/.417/.526 and has three steals this year.

Nationals prospect Anthony Rendon is expected to be in the starting lineup Sunday against the Mets. The 22-year-old will likely be hitting sixth, according to the Washington Post.

General manager Mike Rizzo expects Rendon to return to the minors once Zimmerman comes off the disabled list. Zimmerman is expected to miss the minimum 15 days with a hamstring injury.

"I would think that when Zim comes back, we'll probably send [Rendon] down for more seasoning," Rizzo said. "But we'll take that as it comes. We see him as a long-term component of the team."

Just this week, I looked in on Nationals prospect Anthony Rendon's progress in the minors. I noted that although his bat was looking major-league ready, the team had no place for him to play in Washington. That changed Saturday when Rendon got the call from Double-A Harrisburg after third baseman Ryan Zimmerman injured his hamstring and is headed to the disabled list. What does this callup mean for Fantasy owners?

For one thing, it means Baseball America's No. 30 prospect is set to make his major-league debut after just 225 plate appearances in the minors. Rendon has looked advanced for Double-A in his brief chances this season, after struggling in a late call-up a year ago. Through 14 games, Rendon was batting .292, with six extra-base hits in 48 at-bats. Most impressively was the former No. 6 overall pick's advance command of the strike zone. He had 14 walks against nine strikeouts.

Rendon is going to be challenged much more by big-league pitchers who have nothing to fear from a 23-year-old, no matter how highly touted. It would be foolish to expect him to control the zone with such authority against the Clayton Kershaws and Adam Wainwrights of the National League. Still, plate discipline is a skill that can translate right away, while a young player is still developing the rest of his game.

Rendon is going to get plenty of chances to start over the span of at least a few weeks with Zimmerman out, and it will be interesting to see what he is capable of against top-flight competition.  At the very least, he is worth a speculative add off the waiver wires, with the caveat that his stay in the majors is unlikely to be permanent once Zimmerman recovers from his injury.

The Nationals have recalled prospect Anthony Rendon from Double-A Harrisburg Saturday, the Washington Times reports. The 22-year-old, who was the team's top pick in the 2011 draft, is expected to take Ryan Zimmerman's place in the starting lineup.

Rendon is hitting .292 with a .962 OPS. He also has two homers in 14 games at Double-A Harrisburg.

A day after launching a home run for the second straight game, Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez was held out of the starting lineup Saturday against Braves left-hander Paul Maholm. Alvarez is boasting a three-game hitting streak but strikeouts continue to limit the young slugger as he's whiffed 20 times in 52 at-bats this season.

Alvarez has also struggled against lefties, collecting just one hit in 16 at-bats with nine strikeouts. Russell Martin took his spot at third base.

Rockies third base prospect Nolan Arenado ended an impressive streak Thursday night, going 0 for 4 with one run scored in a game for Triple-A Colorado Springs. It was the first time in nine games Arenado failed to pick up an extra base hit after collecting nine doubles and one home run since April 11.

Arenado has hit .417 with three home runs, 18 RBI and 11 doubles in 48 at-bats this season.

Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez hit his first home run of the season Thursday, a no-doubter to straightaway center field off Braves starter Julio Teheran. It was the only hit of the game for Alvarez, who also drew a walk to lift his season line to .104/.204/.167 in 54 plate appearances.