MLB Player News

Brantley (ankle) has been able to begin some partial hitting drills and will start to work in agility drills in the coming weeks, MLB.com's Jordan Bastian reports.

Brantley is also throwing and doing some straight-line running but hasn't started cutting or sprinting at this point in time. It appears as though he's on schedule to be fully cleared by Opening Day, although more should be known once he's allowed to start more extensive agility drills to test the ankle.

Manager Bud Black said Wednesday that the Rockies are contemplating moving Blackmon down in the order to take advantage of his power, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reports.

The Rockies will experiment with batting Blackmon lower in the lineup during Cactus League action, and Black suggested there's a real chance Blackmon could be in the heart of the order on Opening Day. Raimel Tapia, Ian Desmond and David Dahl were all mentioned as possible replacements for Blackmon in the leadoff spot. If this change sticks, it would likely result in Blackmon seeing fewer stolen-base opportunities while shifting his counting production more toward RBI than runs.

Soler has dropped 20 pounds during the offseason due to an improved diet and has also worked to retool his swing, Maria Torres of The Kansas City Star reports.

Upon being traded to the Royals last winter, Soler was expected to seize a full-time role in the majors in 2017, something that hadn't been afforded to him in a crowded Cubs outfield the prior two seasons. The 25-year-old ended up falling well short of expectations, slashing just .144/.245/.258 while striking out in 32.7 percent of his plate appearances across 35 games with the Royals, resulting in the outfielder spending most of the year at Triple-A Omaha. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds last season, Soler is hoping a lither frame in addition to the adjustment in his approach in the batter's box will be enough to help him improve his outfield defense and contact rate, respectively, without sacrificing his signature power. Soler's pedigree makes him an intriguing late-round target in fantasy drafts, but in order to win an Opening Day starting gig, he'll need to convince the coaching staff in spring training that the changes he's made in the offseason will set him up for more success in 2018.

Rays manager Kevin Cash said last week that Miller (groin) is considered the leading in-house candidate to serve as the team's primary first baseman in 2018, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Logan Morrison, who served as the Rays' everyday first baseman during a breakout 2017 campaign, remains a free agent, and it's unclear how much interest Tampa Bay has in re-signing the veteran or exploring any other available options at the position. If the team opts to stand pat, Miller would be poised to gain eligibility quickly at first base in 2018, though any late additions to the roster wouldn't completely close off his path to regular at-bats against right-handed pitching. As the roster currently stands, the Rays are prepared to stage an open competition at second base, where Miller would likely slot in as the top option on the depth chart if the team decides to sign or trade for another first baseman.

Solak has been invited to the Yankees' spring training camp as a non-roster invitee.

Solak is unlikely to compete for a major-league job, as he's played just 30 games above High-A. The 2016 second-round pick hit .286/.344/.429 in those 30 games for Double-A Trenton last year. Another strong season could leave him in line for a major-league call-up at some point in 2019, though he's likely to be blocked by the highly rated Gleyber Torres at second base.

Reyes had offseason wrist surgery, Kyle Glaser of Baseball America reports. He received an invitation to major-league spring training.

According to Glaser, Reyes was going to be added to the 40-man roster this offseason until it was revealed that he would undergo surgery on his wrist. The 22-year-old, 6-foot-5 slugger hit .258/.322/.464 with 25 home runs in 135 games at Double-A and figures to open the 2018 season with Triple-A El Paso. His spring training invite suggests that he will be game ready in a few weeks.

Goins agreed to a minor-league contract with the Royals on Wednesday which includes an invitation to spring training.

Goins will move on from Toronto after being non-tendered by the club following eight years with the organization, as the second baseman looks to find a role with the Royals in 2018. Last season, he appeared in a career-high 143 major-league games, slashing .237/.286/.356 with nine home runs and 62 RBI, both of which were also career bests. The soon-to-be 30-year-old should provide a solid safety net at both the second base and shortstop position for Kansas City, but obviously has limited upside for fantasy purposes.

McCutchen, who was acquired by the Giants on Monday via trade, was told he'll play a corner outfield spot for his new club in 2018, Buster Olney of ESPN reports.

While McCutchen has primarily played center field throughout his professional career, the 31-year-old isn't completely unfamiliar with the corner outfield; he spent the first 13 games of the 2017 campaign in right field before a suspension to Starling Marte allowed him to shift back to center. It sounds like McCutchen will play right field with Hunter Pence lining up opposite him. With McCutchen and Pence situated in the corners, the Giants could look to bring in a center fielder from outside the organization or turn to prospect Steven Duggar.

McCutchen was traded to the Giants on Monday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

The deal is reportedly all but done, pending an exchange of medical information, and according to Andrew Baggarly of The San Jose Mercury News, the Pirates will receive Kyle Crick and Bryan Reynolds in return. McCutchen bounced back last season after his lackluster 2016 campaign, hitting .279/.363/.486 with 28 homers and 11 stolen bases across 156 games. While the 31-year-old likely won't return to his MVP form, he proved he still has something left in the tank and figures to play an important role for the Giants this season.

The Brewers and Choi agreed to a minor-league contract Sunday that includes an invitation to spring training, Sung Min Kim of Sporting News reports. The deal is worth $850,000 at the major-league level.

Choi had a brief run with the Yankees last season as part of a platoon at first base, appearing in six games and swatting two home runs before being outrighted off the 40-man roster. With Eric Thames and Jesus Aguilar performing effectively for the Brewers last season as part of the timeshare at first base, it will probably take an injury or two before Choi gets a look in Milwaukee in 2018. He's likely to see the bulk of his at-bats with the Brewers' Triple-A affiliate in Colorado Springs.