MLB Player News

Newman, who finished eighth in 2019 in the NL batting race with a .308 average, is set to start the 2020 campaign as Pittsburgh's primary shortstop, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

The 26-year-old saw action at both shortstop (104 games) and second base (23) as a rookie last year. He stole 16 bases (in 24 attempts) and spent the offseason working on "speed and defense." As a result, it wouldn't be surprising to see him surpass his projected stolen bases total for 2020. Newman may eventually settle in as the team's second baseman -- his minus-6 DRS at shortstop demonstrates his lack of range -- but he'll qualify at both middle infield spots in many leagues for 2020 and represents sneaky end-game value on a potential cellar-dwelling team.

Senzel has reported early to camp and said that his shoulder feels good, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

Senzel is coming off a season where he fell short of heightened expectations, though he held his own before injuring his shoulder. The Reds have to figure out Senzel's place in the lineup and the field following the acquisitions of Mike Moustakas, Shogo Akiyama and Nick Castellanos, so the greater his availability in spring training, the better.

Urias was claimed off waivers by the Orioles on Tuesday.

The Orioles will be an easier roster to crack than the Cardinals would have been, but Urias' odds of breaking camp in the big leagues don't appear particularly high in Baltimore either. In 142 games at the Triple-A level, he's hit a modest .262/.347/.426.

Segura projects to open the year at second base after the Phillies signed Didi Gregorius in the offseason.

Segura does have experience at the keystone, having played 142 games at second base for Arizona in 2016. It only makes sense for him to shift to the other middle-infield position with Gregorius' arrival, with Scott Kingery slotting in at third, though Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia said back in December that the Phillies will "consider all options in spring training." Segura was below league average by wRC+ in 2019 and his running waned, but assuming he does secure full-time at-bats in spring training, Segura should gain multi-position eligibility early on in 2020.

Urshela will enter spring training as the presumed starting third baseman for the Yankees, Lindsey Adler of The Athletic reports.

General manager Brian Cashman confirmed the starting job at third base heading into 2020 is Urshela's to lose after the 28-year-old hit .314/.355/.534 with 21 home runs across 132 games for the Yankees in 2019.

Urias was designated for assignment by the Cardinals on Thursday.

This move frees up a roster spot for Ricardo Sanchez, who was claimed off waivers by the Cardinals on Thursday. Urias spent the majority of 2019 with Triple-A Memphis, appearing in 96 games and slashing .263/.369/.424 with nine home runs and four stolen bases.

Muncy and the Dodgers came to terms Thursday on a three-year, $24.5 million contract extension, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports. The contract includes a $13 million team option or a $1.5 million buyout for 2023.

Muncy didn't become a full-time regular at the MLB level until his age-27 season in 2018, so he was likely eager to accept a fairly modest extension rather than being subjected to the arbitration process for the next three years. The deal will also allow the Dodgers to potentially buy out his first year of free agency in 2023. Muncy, who has slugged 35 home runs in back-to-back years while showing the ability to play three infield spots, is expected to see most of his action at first base in 2020.

Lewis was invited to the Twins' big-league camp Monday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

The 2017 first-overall pick should eventually make a big impact at the highest level, though that's unlikely to come this season. The 20-year-old still has some things to prove in the minors, as he hit a mediocre .236/.290/.371 (94 wRC+) in 127 games at the High-A and Double-A levels. He looked far better in the Arizona Fall League, hitting .353/.411/.565 in 22 games.

Walls was invited to the Rays' major-league spring training Monday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Walls was promoted to Double-A Montgomery in 2019, posting a .270/.346/.479 slash line with six home runs and 15 stolen bases over 55 games at the Double-A level. In total, the 23-year-old had 10 home runs and 28 stolen bases between the High-A level and Double-A level last season. He'll now get the chance to work with the Rays' major-league coaching staff, but he'll likely still begin 2020 in the minors as he looks to boost his resume against tougher competition.

If Eugenio Suarez (shoulder) has to miss the beginning of the season, Moustakas could move back over to his original third base slot to start the year, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

The Reds have said that Nick Senzel is not a candidate to shift to third base, being in the process of recovering from his own shoulder injury. If Moustakas goes to third base, either Senzel could play second base, or the Reds could go with a platoon involving the likes of Josh VanMeter, Kyle Farmer and/or Alex Blandino.