MLB Player News

Heller (biceps) signed a minor-league deal with Arizona on Saturday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

Heller recently passed through waivers unclaimed, so it's no surprise he had to settle for a minor-league contract. Heller owns a 2.59 ERA in 31.1 career innings at the major-league level, though that's not remotely supported by his 5.57 FIP. He threw just six major-league innings last season before ending the season on the injured list with a biceps nerve injury. It's not clear whether or not the injury is still affecting him.

Morejon is likely to spend the beginning of spring camp stretching into a starter, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Morejon split time last season between the bullpen and the rotation, though he never went longer than three innings. His high pitch count came in a postseason start against the Dodgers, when he threw 50 pitches and allowed three earned runs over two innings. Morejon has started each of his 43 minor-league appearances, however, and San Diego clearly sees him as a rotation option in the long term. The left-hander is likely to open the season in the big-league bullpen but could be in line to shift to the rotation if a need arises.

Ponce de Leon is a candidate for the No. 5 spot in the starting rotation as spring training begins, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports.

There are several candidates for the final spot in the rotation as spring training opens, as Carlos Martinez, Alex Reyes and even Johan Oviedo are also in contention. Silver points out that if manager Mike Shildt ultimately opts to go with a more steady presence, Ponce de Leon could be the choice, considering he's performed well overall in his 20 career starts and finished 2020 with a 2.65 ERA and 12.7 K/9 in the 17 innings covering his last three trips to the mound. The 29-year-old right-hander has also proven effective as a reliever, however, so there's also the chance he's a victim of his own versatility if Shildt decides Ponce de Leon's services could be better utilized in the bullpen.

Weathers is projected to be stretched into a starter at the beginning of spring camp, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Weathers made his big-league debut in the playoffs last season, coming out of the bullpen to toss 1.1 scoreless innings against the Dodgers in the NLDS. However, the southpaw has worked exclusively as a starter in the minors, compiling a 3.78 ERA and 108:22 K:BB over 114.1 frames. The 21-year-old is likely to open the campaign in the minors, but he could be a candidate for a big-league roster spot if a place in the rotation opens at some point in the season.

Castillo is throwing regular bullpen sessions but will "take it slowly" during spring training, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Castillo has thrown only two-thirds of an inning since his debut 2018 campaign due to a variety of injuries, so it's logical that the Padres will not rush him back into action. That said, manager Jayce Tingler described Castillo as "full-go," so the left-hander could play a key role in the team's bullpen if he's able to stay healthy.

Lamet (elbow) said Friday that he felt 100 percent, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports.

Lamet is no stranger to elbow injuries, having undergone Tommy John surgery back in 2018. He narrowly avoided a second such procedure at the end of last season, as doctors told him he was shut down just in time to avoid serious damage. He underwent platelet-rich plasma therapy instead and said that he felt back to normal after just a few weeks of rest. While his confidence is certainly a good sign heading into the upcoming season, players tend to be rather optimistic about their own health, so it's not nearly enough to conclude that he's completely out of the woods with regard to his elbow issues.

Hernandez has been working on his changeup in hopes of pitching deeper into games this season, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

On a per-inning basis Hernandez was excellent last season, backing up his 3.16 ERA with a 1.01 WHIP, 32.1 percent strikeout rate and 4.7 percent walk rate. The main negative from his statline is that he averaged just 4.3 innings per start. The 25-year-old was almost never asked to go a third time through the order, facing just seven batters for a third time and allowing four earned runs while recording just two outs when he did. Hernandez almost exclusively used his fastball and slider last year, throwing his changeup just 5.7 percent of the time, so if the pitch truly has improved it could certainly help him reach the next level.

Ferguson (elbow) was placed on the 60-day injured list Friday, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.

Ferguson underwent Tommy John surgery in September and isn't expected to pitch in 2021, so it was only a matter of time before he was placed on the 60-day IL. Justin Turner was added to the 40-man roster in a corresponding move.

Nelson (back) was included in manager Dave Roberts' comments about potential starters during the 2021 campaign, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.

Nelson is in camp as a non-roster invitee after missing all of last season due to back surgery, so his path to a roster spot among a deep Dodgers staff appears rocky. Still, the right-hander has enjoyed plenty of big-league success in the past, so a comeback is not out of the question if he's able to prove he still has some gas in the tank during spring training. Nelson has already thrown a bullpen session during camp, so he at least appears recovered from the issues that set him back in 2020.

Hicks was impressive in his first throwing session of spring Thursday, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports. "All the feedback from the pitching coaches, [and from] Jordan, was favorable," manager Mike Shildt said. "Ball was coming out really clean, had life to it. We'll see how he recovers today, but a very positive first day for Jordan Hicks, no question about it."

The right-hander will have plenty of eyes on him as he looks to return to full strength following Tommy John surgery. Hicks last faced bats in live action June 22, 2019, so he'll presumably have plenty of rust to knock off over the next several weeks. Even though he should get plenty of reps in spring camp and Grapefruit League action, he could start the season sharing closing duties with several other experienced ninth-inning options in the relief corps until he's deemed back to 100 percent.