MLB Player News

Mayer started at second base and went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Friday's spring game against Atlanta.

Mayer's Grapefruit League debut was worth the wait. In his second at-bat, the lefty-hitting infielder turned on a changeup from Atlanta closer Raisel Iglesias for a solo home run to right field. While he defended second base Friday, the 23-year-old is expected to see time at third base, too, as he and Caleb Durbin will toggle between the two positions.

Seager was scratched from Friday's lineup against the White Sox due to an illness, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

Manager Skip Schumaker said Seager will be sidelined for at least a couple days. Cameron Cauley is starting at shortstop versus Chicago on Friday.

Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said Martinez will primarily focus on the outfield, particularly center field, during spring action, Joe Noga of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Martinez bounced between second base and the outfield in 2025 and will still be a versatile asset going forward, but the plan during Cactus League games is for him to be out on the grass rather than the dirt. All three of Martinez's spring appearances have come in center field, including Thursday's contest against Seattle in which he belted a double and drew a walk. There are a lot of moving parts in the Guardians' outfield, but Martinez could still land a regular gig in center.

Manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that Volpe (shoulder) has begun hitting off a tee, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.

Volpe began taking dry swings last week and has since been cleared to take the next step in his hitting progression, though Boone noted that the 24-year-old infielder is still several weeks away from being able to dive on his surgically repaired left shoulder. He's slated to begin the regular season on the injured list, leaving Jose Caballero to work as New York's primary shortstop for the time being.

Mayer is expected to make his spring debut Friday on the road against Atlanta, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

Mayer's hitting progression was being slow walked at the start of camp due to a July 2025 wrist injury that eventually required surgery and ended his season. "Now, he's just adding to his hitting program. He's doing everything," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "He's just adding the velo machine and the Trajekt." Caleb Durbin has been filling in at third base while Mayer was held back. A better indication of how Mayer and Durbin will eventually fit on the diamond should emerge once Mayer takes the field. Each player has experience at second and third base.

Montgomery (illness) will start at shortstop and bat cleanup in Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Reds.

After falling ill, Montgomery was scratched from the starting nine ahead of Monday's game against the Rockies, but the young infielder looks to be good to go following a couple days of rest and recovery. Montgomery is poised to enter 2026 as the White Sox's everyday shortstop after slugging 21 home runs in just 71 games as a rookie last season, but trimming down his 29.3 percent strikeout rate will likely be essential if he's to improve upon his middling .239 batting average.

Mariners manager Dan Wilson said Wednesday that Crawford is tending to a shoulder issue and is expected to make his Cactus League debut at some point next week, Shannon Drayer of SeattleSports.com reports.

Wilson downplayed any concern about Crawford's availability for Opening Day, noting instead that the Mariners are merely taking a cautious approach with the shortstop in the early stages of spring training. Crawford's absence from the lineup in the Mariners' initial Cactus League games will open up more opportunities for top prospect Colt Emerson to see some reps at shortstop, though Emerson still appears likely to open the season at Triple-A Tacoma.

Emerson went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored in Tuesday's Cactus League matchup against the White Sox.

It was a nice showing for Emerson, who'd gone 0-for-5 in his first three spring appearances. The 20-year-old infielder is competing with Cole Young to earn the starting second-base job on Opening Day, though it seems more likely that Emerson will start the year with Triple-A Tacoma. He's coming off an excellent campaign in the minors, where he slashed .285/.383/.458 with 16 home runs and 14 stolen bases in 130 games across three levels. Even if Emerson doesn't break camp with the Mariners, he's almost certain to make his MLB debut at some point in 2026.

Rangers GM Ross Fenstermaker said Tuesday that Walcott could be ready for game action in August, "if all things according to plan" in his rehab from the internal brace procedure he underwent on his right elbow, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Walcott could return to hitting within a 5-to-6 month timeline, but it'll likely be longer before he's cleared to take the field. The 19-year-old is Texas' top prospect, and getting him back into game action, even in a limited capacity, would set him up nicely heading into 2027. Walcott spent the 2025 campaign at Double-A Frisco, where he totaled 13 homers, 32 steals and a .255/.355/.386 slash line in 124 contests.

Walcott underwent internal brace surgery on his right elbow last week, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.

The good news is he did not require a full Tommy John surgery. The bad news is he will still be sidelined for 5-to-6 months before resuming hitting, so he could still miss the entire season. One of the game's top prospects, Walcott slashed .255/.355/.386 with 13 home runs and 32 stolen bases over 124 games in 2025 at Double-A Frisco. He will turn 20 in March.