MLB Player News

Brantley (shoulder) is continuing to progress in his recovery and is now hitting off a tee, Tom Withers of the Associated Press reports.

The 29-year-old is still working toward resuming full baseball activities, but this is certainly a positive sign. It appears Brantley is tentatively on track to be ready for spring training as he continues the long road back from shoulder surgery.

Choi signed a minor league contract with the Yankees on Monday that includes an invitation to spring training.

It's not surprising that Choi could not find a big league deal after electing free agency rather than accept an outright assignment to Triple-A in the Angels' organization. He posted a 67 wRC+ last year while getting 125 of his 129 plate appearances with the platoon advantage. Greg Bird, Tyler Austin and Rob Refsnyder all figure to be ahead of him on the organizational depth chart.

Miller and the Rays avoided arbitration Friday with a one-year, $3.575 million deal, Roger Mooney of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Miller experienced a massive power spike in 2016, slugging a career-high .482 and 30 home runs while splitting time between shortstop and first base. Expect him to settle in at the latter spot for the Rays this season.

Choi has passed through waivers unclaimed and been outrighted to Triple-A Salt Lake.

Choi was the roster casualty of Ben Revere's one-year deal with the Angels and will now join the team's Triple-A affiliate after a disappointing rookie campaign. It's possible he will join the Angels at spring training as a non-roster invitee, but his .170/.271/.339 batting line at the top level last season and expected lack of opportunities at the major league level in 2017 make him an undesirable fantasy asset in the majority of fantasy formats.

Brantley (shoulder) began taking non-contact swings over the holiday break, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

A September report shed doubt on Brantley's four-month timetable, suggesting he could miss significant time in 2017, but the Indians have been adamant that Brantley will be ready for spring training. He played in just 11 games last season before being shut back down and ultimately undergoing a second shoulder surgery. Brantley turns 30 in May.

Choi was designated for assignment on Friday, the Los Angeles Times' Mike DiGiovanna reports.

The Angels needed to clear a spot on the 40-man roster after the signing of Ben Revere to a one-year deal, and Choi was the casualty. He was pretty underwhelming in his first year in the big leagues last season, slashing .170/.271/.339 with five home runs in 129 plate appearances. His .170 ISO indicates noteworthy pop, and his .173 BABIP points to some bad luck, but he does not profile as someone who will play enough or hit for a high enough average to be useful in standard leagues anytime soon.

Goins, who lost his utility-infielder role to Darwin Barney last season, will begin working in the outfield to increase his chance of making the 2017 roster, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com reports.

Barring injuries, the Jays starting infield is locked in, and Barney, who had an outstanding 2016 campaign, can fill in at shortstop, second and third base whenever needed. Goins is out of minor league options, meaning the 28-year-old will be waived if he doesn't remain on the 25-man roster or DL for the duration of 2017. After playing 128 games in 2015, Goins was awful for the Jays in 2016 before suffering a forearm injury and spending most of the second half in the minors. His fantasy value is tied to his extended positional eligibility, but (assuming he makes the 25-man roster) Goins is best-suited for deeper leagues.

Soler was traded to the Royals on Wednesday in exchange for Wade Davis, MLB.com's Jeffrey Flanagan reports.

Of the Cubs' young hitters, Soler was the most likely to be moved this winter, as he would have struggled to see the field, and may have been confined to a role as a lefty-mashing bench bat, given the team's other options. In Kansas City, however, he figures to be the everyday right fielder, and could bat as high as fourth or fifth in the lineup. He has a career .258/.328/.434 slash line and 27.6 percent strikeout rate, but there is still considerable room for growth entering his age-25 season. He has plus power and could hit 25-plus homers if he can stay healthy, although the transition to the American League could lead to a bit of a learning curve initially.

Lewis is ahead of schedule in his rehab from the knee surgery he underwent in July, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports.

Lewis was batting .299 with three home runs in 30 games with short-season Everett prior to tearing his ACL, so it's a very welcome sight to see the top prospect getting back into shape so quickly. Divish also reports that the Mariners are insistent that they will not rush him back into action, which keeps his expected return date sometime in June.

Brantley (shoulder) is expected to resume hitting after Christmas and remains on track to be ready for spring training, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

The 2016 season proved to be quite a disappointment for Brantley, who appeared in only 11 games for the Indians after experiencing several setbacks in his return from shoulder surgery. The talented outfielder will make for an intriguing draft-day gamble, as he possesses the upside to win some fantasy leagues, but also comes with a fair amount of risk due to his recent injury history.