MLB Player News

D'Arnaud went 1-for-3 with a solo home run off Marlins closer A.J. Ramos in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game.

His offseason work to simplify and improve his swing has paid quick dividends to begin the spring, and d'Arnaud is now hitting .500 (4-for-8) through the Mets' first few Grapefruit League games. He remains little more than a lottery ticket in shallower fantasy formats, but the 28-year-old catcher still has time to get his career back on track if he can just stay off the DL.

Sanchez (foot) entered Monday's game off the bench and went 0-for-2 in a spring training loss to the Angels.

Sanchez fouled a ball off his foot a couple of days ago, but it wasn't considered serious and he needed just a couple of days to heal. He is currently on the Padres as a non-roster invitee, and he has a good shot at winning the backup catcher spot if he can produce at the plate this spring.

Contreras hit his first spring training home run in Monday's 4-4 tie against the White Sox.

Contreras went deep in the fourth inning off of Anthony Swarzak. The 24-year-old only recorded 252 at-bats in 76 games with the Cubs last season, but he still managed to hit 12 home runs. While it remains to be seen how Contreras adjusts to being a full-season MLB catcher, the potential is certainly there for 20 or more home runs, which makes him a great option at a thin position.

The Reds are not planning to play Mesoraco in spring training games in the immediate future. "Until we're getting closer with workload, I'd hate to try and target a date because then it's disappointing if we don't reach it by playing by a certain date," manager Bryan Price said. "He's certainly getting closer."

The Reds are treating Mesoraco with supreme caution, which doesn't hurt because spring training is extended this year due to the WBC.

Bethancourt will make his first Cactus League pitching appearance Wednesday, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

After lots of work in the offseason to develop him as a pitcher, the right-handed fireballer will finally get to strut his stuff against major league competition. He's also scheduled to DH later in the week, showing that the Padres want to keep all options open for the future, but if his spring debut goes well, Bethancourt could work his way into more consistent bullpen work throughout the season.

X-rays on Plawecki's left knee came back negative following his departure from Saturday's Grapefruit League game, James Wagner of the New York Times reports.

It appears that Plawecki, who was on the receiving end of a brutal collision Saturday, is fortunately dealing with little more than a contusion and some soreness with the knee, which likely takes a long-term absence off the table. Plawecki will presumably miss at least a few Grapefruit League games while he recovers from the injury, but he appears at limited risk of missing Opening Day.

Plawecki left Saturday's Grapefruit League game after he was upended in a home plate collision with Rafael Bautista.

In a scary moment, Plawecki needed assistance getting off the field after he was knocked off his feet when Bautista slid into home. The initial reports suggest that he suffered a left knee contusion, though he will receive X-rays this afternoon to confirm the severity of the injury. The 25-year-old is competing with Rene Rivera for a backup catching spot this spring.

D'Arnaud went 2-for-2 in Friday's Grapefruit League opener against the Red Sox.

After retooling his swing in the offseason, this was exactly the kind of start d'Arnaud was looking for this spring. He's locked in as the starting catcher to begin 2017, but will need to stay healthy and continue hitting to keep Rene Rivera and Kevin Plawecki from cutting into his playing time.

Jackson will be given a try at catcher this season, Braves general manager John Coppolella said during a Twitter question and answer session.

Coppolella previously has admitted that catcher is a significant area of need for the future, and Jackson's bat hasn't lived up to an outfielder billing. Still, the Mariners' 2014 first-round pick could find new life at the position that made him a strong high school prospect. He'll restart that trek in 2017, likely with Atlanta's High-A Brevard County, and is worth watching or stashing in fantasy dynasty leagues.

Grandal worked on hitting right-handed in the offseason, having fully recovered from knee and shoulder injuries that have hindered his ability to conquer left-handed pitching in recent years, Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register reports.

The switch-hitter, who also adopted a meatless diet this offseason, said he was struggling to "sit back (on his right leg) and turn on it" when he was in the righty box, and after his 2013 knee injury, he hit just one home run in his next 126 at-bats from that side. According to Plunkett, the 28-year-old's launch angle as a right-handed hitter last year was 7.7 degrees, nearly half of the 14.0 he generated as a lefty, and it produced a 53.6 percent groundball rate. Already one of the most intriguing fantasy hitters among catchers, Grandal, who cranked 27 home runs last year, could soar into elite territory if he can refine that part of his plate work, which could help give him a useful batting average (unlike his career .238 mark). He'll be in high demand during the middle rounds of a mixed draft, especially in OBP variations.