MLB Player News

Reyes could be a beneficiary of any roster expansion beyond 26 players for the 2020 season, Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Reyes was optioned to Triple-A Memphis back on March 26 after a rocky Grapefruit League stint during which he posted an 8.31 ERA across a modest 4.1-inning sample. However, the unique conditions expected to be part of an abbreviated 2020 campaign -- a higher volume of double-headers and expanded rosters -- could represent ideal circumstances for a Reyes promotion. The right-hander has experience as both a starter and reliever, a level of versatility which Hummel points out would particularly enhance Reyes' chances of a promotion.

Kimbrel was slated to do most of his spring training work toward the end of camp but will instead need to ramp up quickly whenever the regular season is able to begin, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports.

After Kimbrel missed all of last spring training, the Cubs' plan this year was to ease him into Cactus League play and then ramp their closer up over the final week or so of camp. The coronavirus pandemic abruptly changed those plans, meaning Kimbrel will have to hit the ground running whenever the season starts. The 31-year-old struggled out of the gates last year and never really got comfortable in Chicago, and he wasn't off to a great start this spring either with a 10.13 ERA, albeit in just 2.2 innings of work. Fantasy owners would have preferred to see Kimbrel find some success before the regular season started, but they'll instead have to trust that he can find the form that made him a dominant reliever over the previous eight years.

Holmes (foot) is scheduled to throw off a slope this week, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic reports.

Holmes suffered a fractured foot early on in spring training when he was hit by a groundball. The injury forced him into a walking boot for several weeks, but the right-hander was able to keep his arm in shape by throwing from one knee. Now that the fracture is fully healed, Holmes can start the progression from a slight incline to a full mound, and he may be able to start throwing to live batters before long.

Cabrera would be a likely beneficiary of expanded rosters in an abbreviated 2020 season, Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

The southpaw was optioned to Triple-A Memphis on March 26, but Hummel notes both Cabrera's stuff and ability to serve as a spot starter when necessary render him an appealing resource to utilize an extra roster spot on. The 23-year-old can exceed 96 mph with his fastball and flashed his ability to miss bats during spring training, posting a 1.50 ERA and 8:2 K:BB across six innings over four appearances (two starts). Another factor that could contribute to Cabrera's chances of opening the campaign on the big-league roster is the chance the minor-league season is canceled altogether, a development that would offer the Cardinals further incentive to keep the promising pitcher in an environment where he can still see occasional game action.

Kolarek's role as a left-handed specialist could be challenged by MLB's new rule requiring pitchers to face at least three batters or pitch to the end of the half-inning, Cary Osborne of Dodger Insider reports.

Kolarek was very effective for the Dodgers in 2019 after coming over from Tampa Bay in a trade deadline deal, posting a 0.77 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in 26 games. However, he hurled only 11.2 innings over those 26 appearances as a majority of his outings covered one or two batters. His best work came against left-handed hitters -- the southpaw allowed only three earned runs over 29.2 innings against lefties with the Rays and Dodgers versus 17 earned runs over 25.1 innings against righties -- but the league's new three-batter minimum rule will challenge Kolarek's usage as a left-handed specialist. As it stands, he is not guaranteed a spot on the Opening Day roster after struggling in Cactus League action this spring, allowing eight earned runs and 10 hits over 4.2 frames.

Morejon was being stretched out as a starter in spring training before play was suspended, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Though Morejon started every minor-league game in which he pitched last season, he was used primarily as an opener, logging only 36 innings over 16 outings. He then functioned as an opener and bullpen piece during his five outings in the big leagues, allowing nine earned runs over eight innings. Morejon's diverse arsenal -- he throws a mid-to-upper-90s fastball along with two changeups and a curveball -- bodes well for his potential a starter, but he has yet to show that he can stay healthy enough to endure the workload that accompanies such a role.

Weathers is expected to begin the 2020 campaign with High-A Lake Elsinore, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Weathers was mostly impressive in his first full season in 2019, posting a 3.84 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 90:18 K:BB over 96 innings at Low-A Fort Wayne. Though his command remained consistent throughout the campaign, Weathers wore down somewhat in the second half, posting a 4.42 ERA and .300 BAA after the All-Star break. Still, the Padres' 2018 first-round draft pick showed enough to ascend to the next level, although the status of the 2020 minor-league season remains in limbo due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Underwood is a candidate for a bullpen spot with the Cubs when the regular season is able to begin, Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports Chicago reports.

Underwood is out of options, so Chicago would have to pass him through waivers if it wanted to move him to the minors. The 25-year-old could benefit from what will likely be an expanded roster when the season is able to start and work as a long reliever for the Cubs if they play a compacted schedule with regular doubleheaders.

Hudson posted a 2-1 record, 2.92 ERA and 0.97 WHIP across 12.1 innings over four Grapefruit League appearances before spring training was suspended.

The right-hander is firmly entrenched as the No. 3 starter when the starting rotation is at full strength, and despite some control issues in his last start of spring March 8, Hudson enjoyed a productive exhibition slate overall. The 25-year-old stretched out to 74 pitches in that outing, and he'll presumably also have a ramp-up period to the regular season to complete his preparations. Hudson enjoyed a standout 2019 campaign -- his first as a full-time starter in the majors -- posting a 16-7 record and 3.35 ERA across 174.2 innings.

Graterol's placement for the start of the 2020 campaign remains in question, Cary Osborne of Dodger Insider reports.

Though the Dodgers expect Graterol to play a major role in their bullpen at some point, the team has enough pitching depth and talent to allow the right-hander more time to develop in the minors if desired. However, Graterol's ability to hit triple digits and his effectiveness in Cactus League play -- he pitched three scoreless innings and posted a 3:0 K:BB -- may be enough to earn him a spot on the big-league roster out of the gate. The 21-year-old held his own in the majors last season, allowing five earned runs and striking out 10 batters across 9.2 innings with Minnesota.