MLB Player News

Wong (hamstring) is scheduled to catch seven innings in a minor-league game Saturday.

Wong has been getting at-bats as a rover in several minor-league games all week. Saturday's activity will be his return to the catching. He remains a possibility to make the Opening Day roster, but Wong would need to win out over non-roster invitee Jorge Alfaro to break camp as the backup catcher to Reese McGuire.

Fortes (knee) will start at catcher and bat eighth in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

As expected, Fortes will return to action after missing a week with tendinitis in his right knee. The plan is for him to catch again Sunday as he looks to make up for lost time. The Marlins' projected backup catcher, Fortes is 4-for-16 in exhibition play this spring.

Wallach was reassigned to minor-league camp by the Angels on Friday.

Wallach was attempting to win a backup spot with the Angels after signing as a non-roster invite in November. The 31-year-old backstop will instead provide organizational depth at Triple-A Salt Lake to open the 2023 campaign.

Fortes (knee) is slated to catch in Grapefruit League games Saturday and Sunday, Jordnn McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

Fortes has been battling some right knee tendinitis, but he's well on track to be available as Jacob Stallings' backup for Opening Day. Fortes caught in a back-field game Friday in Marlins camp and said he felt good.

Rogers was told Friday that he has made the Tigers' Opening Day roster, Chris McCosky of the Detroit News reports.

He will open as the No. 2 catcher behind Eric Haase. Andrew Knapp and Michael Papierski did not make the cut. Rogers missed the entire 2022 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he's recaptured his power stroke this spring, and his defense could encourage Detroit to push Haase to DH or a corner outfield spot more frequently this year.

The Tigers optioned Sands to Triple-A Toledo on Friday, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Sands slashed just .214/.241/.250 over 29 plate appearances this spring, so he will return to Triple-A and attempt to right himself in the minors. If he can replicate his .841 OPS in Triple-A from last season, he has a decent shot at returning to the big leagues at some point in 2023.

Sabol is expected to be part of the Giants' Opening Day roster, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Sabol has torched Cactus League pitching with a 1.173 OPS and three home runs. He is in line to operate as the Giants' third catcher and also should see some run in the outfield, especially with the club battling injuries there.

Sanchez continues to look for a MLB opportunity despite a lackluster performance at the World Baseball Classic, Randy Miller of the Newark Star-Ledger reports. "I think Gary will sign with somebody," former Yankee teammate Luis Severino said. "He's been waiting to see the best option."

Sanchez went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts and one walk for the Dominican Republic in the WBC. While it was a very small sample size, it didn't create any buzz for him in free agency. He'll likely need to sign a Triple-A contract and play in the minors initially this season.

Plawecki was released by the Pirates on Thursday, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

The Pirates haven't made an official announcement, but Plawecki's locker was cleaned out after he was informed he wouldn't make the club. The backup catcher job behind Austin Hedges will now go to either Jason Delay or Tyler Heineman.

Caratini is 9-for-23 (.391) with a home run, three RBI and a 3:3 BB:K through 10 appearances this spring.

Caratini owns a .932 OPS over 98 career exhibition games, so his hot spring is not particularly surprising. It has, though, ensured he will break camp as the backup catcher behind William Contreras.