MLB Player News

While Cubs fans might be expecting or hoping for top prospect Kris Bryant to win the starting job at third base this spring, Mike Olt still expects to be in the mix as well, per MLB.com.

"I'm just making sure I'm ready and making the adjustments I need and that I learned from last year," Olt said. "I took a lot out of last year. It took me a while to kind of get over a lot of negative things, but when I started focusing on the positive things I did and the things I can improve on, which were slightly easy adjustments, I think it'll help me."

Olt was the Cubs' opening-day starter at third base in 2014, but he struggled offensively and was even demoted to the minors for a stretch last season.

"I just lost confidence, and that's the most important thing about baseball is confidence," Olt said. "If you can get positive things out of the negatives, and build on that, you can get back on track, and that's what I'm trying to do."

Olt said he will try not to swing so hard at the plate in an effort to make him a more consistent offensive player.

"It's tough to say but when you swing hard, everything starts to fly open, and if I can be quick to the ball, I'll let the natural power take over," he said. "It's tough to tell yourself but when you can calm yourself down, you get in a good position."

Rockies infielder DJ LeMahieu is expected to be the team's primary second baseman for a third straight year in 2015 after he took home his first Gold Glove award in 2014.

Barring any unforeseen issue, LeMahieu would be the first Rockies player to be the primary second baseman for three consecutive years since Clint Barmes (2008-10).

"That's huge for me -- I want to be that guy, and I want to be out there every single day," LeMahieu said, per MLB.com. "Plus our infield defense is the best in the league. It's fun to be a part of this team."

While LeMahieu is a strong defender, his offense is not quite at the same level. He has just a career .276/.314/.361/.676 slash line.

"I've spent a lot of time this offseason working on being the player that I am, getting better at that, than trying to be the player I'm not," LeMahieu said.

Blue Jays infielder Danny Valencia won his arbitration case Friday and will be paid a $1.675 million salary for the 2015 season, according to the Associated Press. The Blue Jays were offering $1.2 million.

The Blue Jays acquired Valencia in a July trade with the Royals. He hit .258 with four home runs, 16 doubles and 30 RBI in 86 games last season between Toronto and Kansas City.

Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos doesn't see the team adding a second baseman before the start of the regular season, but the team is still exploring options to add to the bullpen via trade or free agency, MLB.com reports.

"Second base, I don't expect anything to change between now and the time camp starts," Anthopoulos told reporters Thursday. "We had some things we worked on, we just couldn't get close. The bullpen, those are still open, both in trade and free agency."

The Blue Jays appear ready to address the second-base position with one of four internal candidates: Ryan Goins, Maicer Izturis, Steve Tolleson or Danny Valencia. Goins, Tolleson and Valencia all had between 150 and 200 at-bats with the Blue Jays last season, while Izturis racked up 365 at-bats with the team in 2013.

Though the team is exploring bullpen options, the Blue Jays may not necessarily add a high-profile closer, as Anthopoulos and manager John Gibbons expressed confidence that left-hander Brett Cecil or right-hander Aaron Sanchez could handle the role.

The Phillies have begun training third baseman Cody Asche on outfield drills, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Monday.

"He’s still our third baseman," Amaro Jr. said. "We view him as our opening day third baseman. But we have introduced him to some outfield. He’s doing some light drills out there, getting acclimated to outfield drills, rudimentary stuff."

Ache has been utilized and trained on a variety of positions while coming up through the minors, including left field, first base and second. 

Amaro thinks he has the ability and athleticism to pay a new position.

"It’s important to find out if he can do it," Amaro said. "It’s also important to create some versatility. At some point we may ask him to go out there. It might be later this year. It might not be. But it behooves us to take a peek."

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado is progressing through his rehab and says he's "ready to roll" for the upcoming season.

"I have a lot of time to get ready. That is the key: having a regular offseason," Machado said Saturday. "Was doing my rehab in Sarasota and then went to Miami to do my regular weightlifting and get ready for the season. Been exciting. Looking forward to spring training."

Machado has taken part in baseball activities for the past few weeks since having surgery on Aug. 27 after tearing a ligament in his knee.

"It will be awesome," he said of the prospect of having a normal spring. "I'm dying to get back on the field. Spring training is key for a lot of players to get your at-bats and your reps. I think some take it for granted but it's a very big key for success for the year."

Machado hit .278 in 2014 with 12 home runs and 32 RBI for Baltimore.

While Danny Santana is considered the front-runner to be the Twins' starting shortstop, first-year manager Paul Molitor said nothing has been decided yet. Santana will compete with Eduardo Escobar for the starting job this spring.

"It's probably been one of the more awkward things for me this winter in dealing with that situation," Molitor said, per MLB.com. "Obviously, I have to go in there open-minded about how it will play out. I can't say Santana will be the shortstop because things can change. Escobar deserves an opportunity to play and whether it's spotting around the organization or he has to go back to shortstop, I can't tell you it all will work out."

Escobar started a team-high 86 games at shortstop in 2014 for Minnesota. He made it clear he wants to play every day, but is willing to play where Molitor needs him.

"This season is important for me," Escobar said. "I'm coming in ready to play. I don't know if I'm going to be the starting shortstop or not, but I've been working hard to be ready for spring training. If Molitor wants me to play shortstop, or wherever, I'm ready for it."

Santana said he is excited he is moving back to shortstop after making a team-high 62 starts in center field last year. He's been fielding 200 grounders per day in the Dominican Republic to get ready for the season.

"I'm very happy about playing shortstop. I was waiting for that moment," Santana said. "Shortstop is my natural position. I just need to keep working and I can do the same thing as last year."

Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe said he has fully recovered from the broken left forearm he suffered on Sept. 24 and his working out as scheduled.

"I got to take the time off that I needed to rest it and let it heal," Plouffe said. "I've been rehabbing it out in Southern California. It really didn't set me back as far as timeline, as far as the gym, weightlifting and my baseball activities. It's obviously not something you want to have happen, but it was a good time for it to happen."

Plouffe hit .258 in 2014 with 14 home runs and 80 RBI in 520 at-bats, but knows his statistics aren't the focus for the team this season.

"I'm just going to try to continue to improve in every facet of the game," Plouffe said. "The big thing for us this year is just wins, putting all the personal statistics aside. I think Mollie's going to bring that to the clubhouse. We just want to win. We want to win games. We've made some additions that are going to help that."

Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer said Monday the trade of third baseman Luis Valbuena to Houston and third-base prospect Kris Bryant's roster situation are "totally independent" of each other.

Hoyer added Mike Olt, Tommy La Stella and Arismendy Alcantara could play at third base until Chicago feels Bryant is ready for the majors.

"We are not going to speed up that clock," Hoyer said, per ESPN.

Bryant, who was selected with the No. 2 pick in the 2013 MLB draft, has developed into one of the top prospects in baseball. He hit .325 with 43 home runs and 110 RBI in 138 games in the minors in 2014.

Pirates second baseman Neil Walker has filed for $9 million in arbitration, while first baseman Pedro Alvarez has filed for $5.75 million, MLB.com reports.

Nine Pirates were able to avoid arbitration, but the team has yet to settle on deals with Walker, Alvarez and Vance Worley. Walker was offered $8 million, while Alvarez was offered $5.25 million.