MLB Player News

Hicks caught Sandy Alcantara on Sunday, and the Marlins' ace came away impressed by his game-calling and pitch framing, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.

Hicks was selected in the Rule 5 draft from Detroit, giving Miami every incentive to keep him on the 26-man roster, but Hicks is showing early in camp he can make an immediate contribution as well. The 25-year-old backstop went 1-for-2 at the plate Sunday, but it's his work behind the plate that will likely keep him in the majors. Hicks has yet to play above Double-A, and he slashed .264/.379/.357 over 113 games at that level in 2024 split between the Tigers' and Rangers' organizations. If he does secure a spot on the Marlins' roster, he'll back up Nick Fortes to begin the season.

Wynns (shoulder) went 0-for-2 with a strikeout in Sunday's 5-2 loss to the Giants in Cactus League action.

Wynns made his spring debut Sunday, making his return to game action for the first time since undergoing shoulder surgery in July. The catcher appeared in seven games with the Reds in 2024, batting .368 with four doubles, two RBI and three runs scored over seven games.

Smith (ankle) might be ready to make his Cactus League debut by Thursday or Friday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Smith has been slowed early on in camp by an ankle injury, but it hasn't kept him from catching bullpen sessions or taking live batting practice and he's almost ready to play in a game. The Dodgers open their season on March 18 in the first of two games against the Cubs in Tokyo and Smith is expected to be ready to roll by then.

Murphy has been diagnosed with a mid-back disk herniation and is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Murphy was given an epidural injection and will be re-evaluated in a few weeks. The 33-year-old entered camp as the favorite to be the Giants' backup catcher behind Patrick Bailey, but now Sam Huff and Max Stassi will compete for that gig. The Giants have also promoted Adrian Sugastey from the minor-league side of camp to supplement their catching depth.

Hernandez signed a minor-league deal with the Marlins in November.

Hernandez is starting in left field and batting ninth in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros. He was once a top prospect with the Rays but he slid down the defensive spectrum and hit .187 in 44 games at Triple-A last year.

Huff could make the Opening Day roster as the backup catcher with Tom Murphy sidelined with an oblique injury, The Athletic reports. Huff went 1-for-2 with a walk and home run Saturday in his spring debut.

Huff will compete with Max Stassi for the backup role to Patrick Bailey if Murphy begins the season on the injured list. Huff's performance in the spring training opener can only help his chances.

Moreno started at catcher and went hitless in his lone plate appearance in Friday's spring opener against Colorado.

Moreno, who will be the primary catcher during the regular season, worked with Arizona's big-ticket offseason addition, Corbin Burnes, who praised the backstop's work in their first turn together. Burnes struck out the side and later told Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports that he left the pitch calling/sequencing up to Moreno. The catcher was also 2-for-2 on pitch challenges, as MLB experiments with the Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS) this spring.

Del Castillo will be limited to designated hitter duty initially in Cactus League play due to right arm fatigue, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.

The injury does not appear to be a long-term concern, as the Diamondbacks expect Del Castillo to be ready to catch in games by early March. The 25-year-old is competing with Jose Herrera for the backup catcher job behind Gabriel Moreno.

Murphy believes the oblique injury he suffered Opening Day last season prevented him from ever getting comfortable with his swing, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports. "It was a combination of a bunch of things," Murphy said this week. "Missing that much time at the beginning, that's not how I wanted to begin the season. I'm not sure my swing ever felt correct coming off the oblique, not that I was in any pain or hurt. Some things just fell off, and I never caught up and found a way to adjust."

The 30-year-old backstop roared out to an .843 OPS with 21 homers and 68 RBI -- all career highs -- over 108 games in his first season for Atlanta in 2023, but Murphy's production cratered in 2024 through 72 contests after he returned from the oblique strain. The team seems confident that the poor performance was an aberration, however, as Travis d'Arnaud was allowed to leave in free agency, leaving only Chadwick Tromp, Curt Casali and prospect Drake Baldwin competing for the backup job in camp. Murphy still has four more seasons left on the six-year, $73 million contract he signed in 2022, with Atlanta holding a $15 million club option for 2029, so he will be given every chance to regain his previous offensive form.

Contreras (finger) said recently that he added 10-to-12 pounds of muscle over the offseason, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Contreras is moving from catcher to first base this season and is less concerned about flexibility, freeing him up to add some bulk over the winter. The 32-year-old didn't play after Aug. 24 last season due to a fractured right middle finger, but he didn't require surgery and appears to be fully healthy for spring training, as Contreras said that "the ball is jumping a lot better than last year" during his hitting early on in camp. Contreras will remain eligible at catcher in fantasy leagues in 2025, and the move to first base should allow him to play more often and hopefully have a better chance of staying healthy, making him an intriguing selection in draft rooms.