MLB Player News

Grandal is set to split time with Austin Barnes at the catcher position in 2018, although the former will likely receive a majority of the at-bats against right-handed pitching, according to manager Dave Roberts, Andy McCullough of The Los Angeles Times reports.

It appears as though Grandal will officially begin the season atop the Dodgers' depth chart after being supplanted by Barnes in the postseason. Grandal was the primary backstop in 2017, slashing .247/.308/.459 with 22 home runs and 58 RBI. This will be a situation to monitor throughout spring training and it wouldn't be surprising at all if Barnes surpasses Grandal early on this year.

Hedges worked with assistant hitting coach Johnny Washington during the offseason to adjust his swing, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

The defensive whiz struggled a bit at the plate last year, posting just a .214 batting average. Given that, it's not surprising his primary focus this winter was hitting. Reports say he hasn't removed the leg kick from his swing, so the alterations hopefully won't sap the power that helped him hit 18 homers in 2017. The new plate approach is geared more toward making contact and having better patience, although the new swing hasn't actually been seen yet. The fantasy implications of this adjustment should become apparent once Hedges employs his new swing in Cactus League action.

Stewart signed a one-year major-league contract with the Braves on Wednesday.

The 11-year veteran has played for six teams in his major-league career. The journeyman backup has only once received more than 190 plate appearances. He'll begin the season as the Braves' third catcher behind Tyler Flowers and Kurt Suzuki, though his major-league contract means he has a good chance to be the first catcher called upon in the event of an injury.

Murphy is expected to be in the mix for backup catching duties to start the 2018 season, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Murphy was expected to be in the mix for the starting gig in 2017, but injuries incurred during spring training and struggles in the minors kept him from ever garnering that role. Now that Chris Iannetta is in the fold, it seems that the prospect will need to settle for backup duties for now. His main competition is Tony Wolters, although Murphy seems to possess more offensive potential given his raw power ability. Regardless, Murphy will need to show that 2017 was simply a fluke if he wants to regain his high standing in the organization.

Diaz will report to the Pirates' spring training facility in Bradenton, Fla. on Monday after his mother, Ana Soto, was rescued three days after being kidnapped in Venezuela, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic Pittsburgh reports.

With his scary family situation now having been resolved in welcome fashion, Diaz can now turn his focus to winning an Opening Day roster spot for the Pirates. The 27-year-old will likely open the season in a backup role behind Francisco Cervelli, but the latter's health woes in recent seasons could put Diaz in store for extended playing time at some point in 2018.

Jackson has received a non-roster invite to spring training.

Jackson spent 2017 at Double-A Mississippi, where he slashed .255/.317/.427. The 22-year-old catcher has shown steady improvement throughout his first four seasons in the minors, especially at the plate. He'll need to focus his attention on improving defensively behind the dish if he wants to make it to the major leagues.

The Astros have engaged in trade talks for Realmuto, Craig Mish of SiriusXM reports.

Houston is reportedly considering Miami's request of outfielder Kyle Tucker, who currently is the second-ranked prospect in the Astros organization, per RotoWire. The Astros appear to be well-stocked at catcher with Brian McCann, Evan Gattis and Max Stassi, but Gattis is expected to take on a greater role as the designated hitter while Stassi has just 89 plate appearances at the MLB level over five seasons. The World Series champions may not be comfortable heading into 2018 carrying catchers with such limited MLB experience backing up or sharing time with the soon-to-be 34-year-old McCann. Realmuto's attractive value among fantasy backstops has been defined by his across-the-board offensive steadiness and nearly uninterrupted playing time in Miami. It'd be difficult to think Houston would heavily side with McCann over Realmuto, given the offensive upgrade the latter would provide. Still, he might be stuck in a near-even split, depending on what batteries the staff impose. That being said, holding a place in this stacked lineup, even in part-time duty, likely would sustain Realmuto as a top-10 fantasy catcher in most mixed formats.

Stephenson (thumb) successfully made it through instructional league games in Arizona without aggravating his thumb injury and will move up to High-A Daytona to start 2018, MLB.com's Mark Sheldon reports.

Stephenson was able to avoid surgery on his thumb after seeking and receiving a second opinion on the injury. He has played only 119 games the last two seasons due to multiple injuries.

Realmuto will make $2.9 million in 2018 after losing his arbitration case, Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports.

Realmuto proposed a figure of $3.5 million. The catcher is set for his fourth season as the primary catcher for Miami, and although he didn't maintain his batting average from 2016, he did end up with better slugging numbers last season. In total, he compiled a slash line of .278/.332/.451 with 17 home runs and 65 RBI in 141 games, while also sprinkling in eight stolen bases. He should have solid value heading into this upcoming season, although his RBI numbers may come down a tad given the state of the club's current roster.

Smith has been invited to the Dodgers' major-league camp this spring, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Smith will join fellow catching prospect Keibert Ruiz at big-league camp, though both backstops are expected to open the 2018 campaign in the minors given the trio of catchers already on the Dodgers' 40-man roster. The 22-year-old spent most of his season with High-A Rancho Cucamonga, hitting .232/.355/.448 with 11 homers in 72 games before earning a promotion to Double-A Tulsa. He appeared in just one game for the Drillers, as he was hit by a pitch on the hand and forced to miss the remainder of the season. Smith should return to Tulsa to start the season.