MLB Player News

Hedges was told by Padres manager Jayce Tingler that his opportunity to stick with the team is dependent on his ability to get on base, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Hedges' defensive acumen is unquestioned, but the 27-year-old slashed a paltry .176/.252/.311 last season and saw his power output drop for the second straight campaign. That's unacceptable for any big-league starter, even one with Hedges' elite pitch-framing skills. While Francisco Mejia -- Hedges' main competition for time behind the plate -- has struggled at times defensively, he wields a more potent stick and may have passed Hedges on the depth chart. In addition, Luis Torrens -- who represents a mix of Hedges' strong defense and Mejia's offensive potential -- is said to be in the mix for a roster spot, which could affect Hedges' playing time, especially if he gets off to a slow start.

Perez (illness) was activated off the 10-day injured list Tuesday, Lynn Worthy of The Kansas City Star reports.

Perez spent time on the 10-day injured list after testing positive for COVID-19, but he was able to be activated after spending the minimum amount of time on the list. He'll be available for the Royals' intrasquad game Tuesday, signaling that he's cleared intake testing. It's unclear whether he will be ready for Opening Day on July 24.

Rutschman was transferred to the Orioles' alternate training site in Bowie on Tuesday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Rutschman had been working with the 60-man roster at Camden Yards over the past several days, but he'll move to the team's alternate facility ahead of the regular season. The Orioles have been impressed with the top prospect's performance since being added to the 60-man roster July 10. However, the team is unsure whether the 22-year-old will get a chance to play in the majors this season given his lack of experience against upper-level talent. He'll at least get to develop alongside other top prospects within the organization in Bowie to begin the 2020 season.

Caratini will serve as Yu Darvish's personal catcher this season, Tim Stebbins of NBC Chicago reports.

The pair reportedly have a good rapport and worked well together last season. The assignment will make Caratini's playing time slightly easier to predict than it would be for most backup backstops, though it remains to be seen how often he's in the lineup with other pitchers on the mound. Caratini is one of the better backup catchers in the league, as he hit a solid .266/.348/.447 last season, but he's stuck behind one of the better starting catchers in Willson Contreras.

Thaiss (undisclosed) arrived at the Angels' camp Sunday, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Thaiss wasn't at camp for the first several days for an undisclosed reason, but his presence with the team signals that he's cleared intake testing and will be able to partake in team activities. Thaiss is expected to serve as a reserve corner infielder for the Angels this season. It's unclear whether he'll be ready for Opening Day.

Cartaya arrived at the Dodgers' summer camp Saturday and logged time behind the plate in an intrasquad game, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Cartaya made his first appearance of summer camp, coming on in the sixth inning as a defensive replacement. The 18-year-old is an intriguing prospect given his mix of defensive and offensive skills, but he's likely too raw to be ready to contribute to the big-league squad this season.

Gallagher has tested positive for COVID-19, Lynn Worthy of The Kansas City Star reports.

Gallagher played in the team's intrasquad game Friday and said he felt great, but he found out Saturday that he tested positive for COVID-19. The 27-year-old is asymptomatic, but he'll need to self-isolate and have two tests come back negative before MLB protocol allows him to rejoin the team.

Manager Gabe Kapler said Friday that Bart is unlikely to serve as the Giants' primary catcher to begin the 2020 season, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports.

Bart was unlikely to make the Opening Day roster heading into summer camp, but the Giants' catcher position opened up Friday after Buster Posey announced that he is opting out of the 2020 season. However, both Kapler and general manager Farhan Zaidi said that they feel as though Bart still has some development left and isn't a likely candidate to replace Posey. Tyler Heineman and Rob Brantly are the most likely options to handle the bulk of the work behind the plate this year.

Davis joined the Orioles' player pool Friday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Davis will provide the Orioles with extra depth behind the plate, but he's unlikely to play a significant role. The 30-year-old has only received 39 big-league plate appearances in his career.

Sanchez caught five innings in an intrasquad game Tuesday and expects to be ready to catch a full game by Opening Day, Lindsey Adler of The Athletic reports.

Sanchez dealt with a sore back and a bout with the flu in early March, but the long layoff has provided adequate time for him to get well. As long as he can maintain his health, the 27-year-old should again rank among the premier power-hitting backstops in the game this season.