MLB Player News
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Sem Robberse SP | STL
Cardinals' Sem Robberse: Returning to St. Louis
Robberse (elbow) signed a minor-league contract with the Cardinals on Monday, which includes an invitation to spring training, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Robberse was non-tendered by St. Louis on Friday, but the club has since elected to bring him back on a minor-league deal. He's currently rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and is expected to miss the first few months of the 2026 campaign.
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Carson Spiers SP | CIN
Reds' Carson Spiers: Back with Reds as NRI
The Reds re-signed Spiers (elbow) to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training Monday.
Spiers was non-tendered by Cincinnati last week, but he'll remain in the organization on a minor-league pact. The right-hander is expected to miss most, if not all, of the 2026 season after having Tommy John surgery in late July, so it's likely a two-year minor-league contract.
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Joey Wentz SP | ATL
Braves' Joey Wentz: Settles with Atlanta
Atlanta and Wentz avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract Friday.
Wentz showed some flashes after being claimed off waivers from Minnesota in 2025, finishing with a 4.92 ERA and 64:23 K:BB over 64 innings with Atlanta. The left-hander will compete for a spot in the rotation in spring training but could ultimately settle into a long relief role.
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Evan McKendry SP | CHW
Marlins' Evan McKendry: Gets MiLB deal from Marlins
The Marlins signed McKendry to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training Wednesday, his agent, Gavin Kahn, reports.
McKendry spent the 2025 season at the Triple-A level between the Brewers and White Sox organizations, putting up a 5.15 ERA and 57:18 K:BB over 80.1 innings. Slated to turn 28 in February, McKendry has no experience in the majors and is likely to begin the 2026 campaign at Triple-A Jacksonville.
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River Ryan SP | LAD
Dodgers' River Ryan: Normal buildup in spring training
Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said during the GM Meetings last week that Ryan (elbow) will go through a "normal" buildup during spring training, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
Ryan hasn't pitched since August 2024 Tommy John surgery, but he should have a relatively normal spring training since the righty will be 18 months removed from the operation by that point. The 27-year-old held a 1.33 ERA and 18:9 K:BB over 20.1 innings covering four starts for the Dodgers in 2024, but after a long layoff, he's likely to begin the 2026 season in the minors.
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Gavin Stone SP | LAD
Dodgers' Gavin Stone: Will be ready for spring training
Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said during last week's GM Meetings that Stone (shoulder) will be ready for spring training and have a "normal" buildup, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
Stone missed the entire 2025 campaign while recovering from right shoulder surgery. The operation involved the repair of a full capsule tear and partial tears of the labrum and rotator cuff, so it's uncertain how Stone's stuff will bounce back from such a major operation. However, at least at this time, he appears to be in line for a relatively normal spring training. Given the Dodgers' rotation depth and Stone's long layoff, the 27-year-old is likely to begin the 2026 campaign in the minors.
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Mitch Bratt SP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Mitch Bratt: Joins 40-man roster
The Diamondbacks selected Bratt's contract from Double-A Amarillo on Tuesday.
Bratt joined the D-backs organization from the Rangers at the trade deadline as part of the return for Merrill Kelly. After reporting to Amarillo, Bratt turned in a 3.98 ERA and 1.15 WHIP alongside a 42:5 K:BB across 31.2 innings (six starts). His addition to the 40-man roster will keep him in the organization beyond December's Rule 5 Draft, but he's likely to begin the 2026 campaign with Amarillo or Triple-A Reno.
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Gabriel Hughes SP | COL
Rockies' Gabriel Hughes: Protected from Rule 5 Draft
The Rockies selected Hughes' contract from Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.
Hughes is a 24-year-old right-handed starter who got his first taste of Triple-A action last season. He struggled at that level, posting a 5.11 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and 48:29 K:BB over 61.2 innings spanning 14 starts, but he showed more promise at Double-A prior to his promotion, recording a 3.07 ERA and 0.85 WHIP across nine starts. Hughes was the 10th overall pick in the 2022 First-Year Player Draft, and he underwent Tommy John surgery in July of 2023. The Rockies clearly still see him as an eventual part of their rotation given that they chose to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft.
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Cooper Hjerpe SP | STL
Cardinals' Cooper Hjerpe: Joins 40-man roster
The Cardinals selected Hjerpe's (elbow) contract from Double-A Springfield on Tuesday, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Hjerpe is expected to miss the first portion of the 2026 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in April, but the Cardinals will grant him a 40-man spot anyway to ensure he doesn't get selected by another club during the Rule 5 Draft. The 24-year-old lefty owns a 3.38 ERA and 1.18 WHIP across his minor-league career and will presumably return to Double-A once he's deemed fully healthy.
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Alex McFarlane SP | PHI
Phillies' Alex McFarlane: Protected from Rule 5 Draft
The Phillies selected McFarlane's contract from Double-A Reading on Tuesday.
McFarlane made his return from Tommy John surgery in 2025 and spent most of the season with High-A Jersey Shore, posting a 4.79 ERA and 1.35 WHIP over 73.1 innings. The right-hander is likely still a couple years away from seeing the majors, but the Phillies still opted to protect him from the upcoming Rule 5 Draft.