MLB Player News

What you're seeing Brandon Belt do in spring training (.417 average, four home runs, 1.294 OPS) is exactly what he did in the minor leagues -- he had a .343 average over two seasons, with a 1.052 OPS and 27 total steals over 670 at-bats.

The major-league version of Belt has been less impressive for the San Francisco Giants: a .259 average and .762 OPS in 598 at-bats. Belt isn't incapable of performing, or even excelling, at the major league level. He was bounced around between outfield and first base in 2011, and started to hit a stride last year, but was still bumped occasionally so Buster Posey could play first base. In other words, his development could have been stunted a bit by all the moving around and somewhat erratic playing time. 

Belt is still just 24, and that power could start popping this season. He currently has an ADP of 262, which will probably start to rise as more Fantasy players take note of the spring stats and dig into his minor league past. Consider him a viable starting first base candidate in mixed leagues. And if you do that, you can use those early round would-be first base picks to strengthen other positions. 

Bryce Harper is going in either the second or third round of most drafts, a spot that shows a lot of optimism for the Nationals' 20-year old. Personally, I like him to do big things in 2013, following in the footsteps of Mickey Mantle, Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey, Jr. -- who all had relatively unimpressive 19-year-old seasons and then exploded the next year. It stinks that the hype has pushed Harper so far up (I was banking on him as a solid fifth-round pick), but you  might get him at a decent price in auctions, if he stays around $28-$31. It's a hefty price, but history points to Harper taking a major step forward in 2013. 

CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman reports the Cardinals are planning for infielder Pete Kozma to start at shortstop in Rafael Furcal's absence since Daniel Descalso and Matt Carpenter are both playing well battling for the starting second base job. Kozma is having a great spring, batting .382 (13 for 34) with two homers, three doubles, six runs and seven RBI in 11 spring games.

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper continued his strong spring Wednesday, as he clubbed a three-run home run off Mets' starter Matt Harvey in Grapefruit League action. Harper went 2 for 4 overall in the game, adding an RBI single to bring his total for the game to four. He raised his batting average to .444 in the spring, with three home runs and eight RBI in 13 games. Harper is expected to bat third this season while playing left field for the Nationals.