MLB Player News

Longoria went 5-for-25 with two doubles and four RBI in 10 games prior to the suspension of spring training.

The veteran third baseman is poised for another season starting at the hot corner for San Francisco, though he didn't find much success before Cactus League play was suspended. Longoria finished 2019 with a .254/.325/.437 slash line, 20 home runs and 69 RBI in 129 contests.

Urshela will be the Yankees' regular third baseman when the 2020 season commences, Pete Caldera of NorthJersey.com reports.

Urshela was a non-roster invitee to spring training last season and started the campaign in the minors. One year later, he is projected to have his name penciled into the potent Yankees lineup on a near-everyday basis due to an out-of-nowhere 2019 showing in which he slashed .314/.355/.534 and flashed impressive glovework. Per Caldera, Urshela's growth can be in part attributed to mechanical adjustments that have resulted in a compacted swing. Though he hit a modest .233/.361/.367 in Grapefruit League play, Urshela should have plenty of opportunity to prove that last season was not a fluke when the 2020 campaign gets underway.

Walls hit just .105 (2-for-19) with one RBI, three walks and two runs over 13 Grapefruit League games before spring training was suspended.

Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports Walls remains one of the organization's top prospects, but he clearly still has a ways to go before his bat is up to the task of holding its own against big-league arms. Walls began 2019 at High-A Charlotte before finishing the campaign at Double-A Montgomery, slashing a solid .270/.346/.479 at the latter stop. It's likely he kicks off 2020 with a return to the Biscuits before potentially bumping up to Triple-A Durham if his performance warrants it.

Ramirez hit .320 with two home runs and seven RBI in nine games during spring training.

Ramirez went 8-for-25 with a pair of home runs and seven RBI, good enough for a .320/.370/.640 slash line. The 27-year-old is on track to open the 2020 campaign as Cleveland's starting third baseman when play resumes. Ramirez hit .255 with 23 homers, 83 RBI and 24 stolen bases in 129 contests a year ago.

Nevin or Colton Welker will have a chance to play first base for the Rockies in the coming years, according to farm director Zach Wilson, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com reports.

Wilson notes that Ryan McMahon has found a home at second base, so as things stand, it could be Nevin or Welker, assuming the Rockies decline Daniel Murphy's mutual option for 2021. Michael Toglia is the best first base prospect in the system, but he is at least a year behind Nevin and Welker. Nevin took advantage of the hitter-friendly conditions at Asheville and Lancaster in 2017 and 2018, but his slash line dipped to .251/.345/.399 in the more neutral conditions at Double-A Hartford.

Duffy could benefit by the uncertainty in the battle for the Rangers' starting job at first base, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports.

Duffy has mostly played third base during his career, but the first-base battle between Ronald Guzman and Greg Bird has the Rangers thinking about alternate plans. Neither player has grabbed hold of the job, which has manager Chris Woodward thinking about moving third baseman Todd Frazier to first base, opening up an opportunity for Duffy or Isiah Kiner-Falefa at the hot corner. The question is whether Duffy can provide offense worthy of a corner infielder.

The Orioles optioned Urias (lower leg) to Triple-A Norfolk on Thursday, Dan Connolly of The Athletic reports.

Baltimore scooped up the utility infielder off waivers from the Cardinals in February, but Urias never had the opportunity to make a serious run at an Opening Day bench job before spring training was suspended last week. Though he battled shin splints about a week before the shutdown, Urias should be fully healthy by the time the minor-league season gets underway.

Escobar batted .208 (5-for-24) with one extra-base hit, two walks and six RBI over nine Cactus League games.

Escobar hit third in the order in all nine games and is expected to be a key piece in the middle of the Diamondbacks' lineup in 2020. He launched a career-best 35 home runs in 2019, his third straight year with more than 20 homers, but there's reason for skepticism about his 2019 achievements: the suspicion about the 2019 baseball, a hard-hit rate that was below league average, and his track record as a power hitter. However, factoring in a regression, Escobar is still worthy of a spot on fantasy rosters. He'll be the everyday starter at third base in 2020, but the 31-year-old infielder is also eligible at second base (32 games played). It's at second base where Escobar gives fantasy teams an edge even with a statistical correction.

Muncy hit .200 (5-for-25) with a pair of home runs and two RBI before Cactus League play was suspended.

In addition to the long balls, Muncy walked six times this spring -- the second highest mark on the Dodgers -- and scored six runs. The base on balls total highlights an often-overlooked part of Muncy's skill set; the slugger walked 90 times last season, second on the squad and seventh in the National League. He's set to be the Dodgers' primary first baseman this season after playing second base in all or part of 70 games in 2019.

Suarez (shoulder) will resume his throwing, swinging and fielding programs next week, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Suarez was set to make his Cactus League debut before spring training was halted, but he'll continue to work towards a return to the field. He was always optimistic he'd be ready for Opening Day as originally scheduled, and the delay in game action should give him a better chance of being in the lineup for a significant portion of the Reds' contests.