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Vidal Brujan SS | NYM
Cubs' Vidal Brujan: Could get squeezed
Brujan may get bumped off of Chicago's roster once Nico Hoerner (forearm) is able to return, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports.
Brujan or Gage Workman are the two players most likely to lose their spot to Hoerner, but Workman would have to be returned to Detroit as a Rule 5 pick if he gets pushed off the MLB roster. Brujan is out of minor-league options himself, so he would need to be designated for assignment in that scenario. Hoerner could be ready for the domestic season opener or soon after, so neither player will have much time to make a positive impression.
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Mason McCoy SS | SD
Padres' Mason McCoy: Makes Opening Day roster
The Padres selected McCoy's contract Saturday.
McCoy entered spring training in competition for a utility role, and he has seemingly earned a roster spot after slashing .273/.368/.515 across 33 at-bats in Cactus League action. He isn't likely to be a regular in the lineup but should be a primary backup at most infield positions.
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Tyler Wade SS | TEX
Padres' Tyler Wade: Swats spring homer
Wade went 2-for-3 with a home run, three total RBI and a walk in Friday's Cactus League victory against the Cubs.
Wade plated three of San Diego's five runs, laying down an RBI bunt single in the fourth inning and slugging a two-run shot to right field in the sixth. The first of the two hits was more in line with Wade's skill set, as he ranked in the 85th percentile in sprint speed last year and has just seven home runs over eight big-league regular seasons. Wade has a .205/.279/.333 slash line this spring as he competes for a roster spot as a utility man for the Padres.
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Gavin Lux SS | TB
Reds' Gavin Lux: Swats first spring homer
Lux started at third base and went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Friday's spring game against Seattle.
Lux poked his first Cactus League homer in the second inning and has an .858 OPS through 16 spring games. He's played a lot of third base (11 starts) and figures to see ample time there in the regular season along with starts at second base and in left field. However, it may take a while to determine a pattern of who plays and when. Jeimer Candelario is expected to share third base with Lux and first base with Christian Encarnacion-Strand. Corner infield will get muddier once Spencer Steer (shoulder) is ready to play the field.
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Nasim Nunez 2B | WAS
Nationals' Nasim Nunez: Misses Opening Day roster
The Nationals optioned Nunez to Triple-A Rochester on Friday.
Nunez turned heads in Nationals camp with a .419/.486/.484 slash line through 35 plate appearances and seemed to be making a real push for the Opening Day roster. He'll instead begin the season in Triple-A, which will allow the 24-year-old infielder to continue developing while playing every day -- something he wouldn't have been able to do in Washington.
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Nasim Nunez 2B | WAS
Nationals' Nasim Nunez: Forcing tough decision on Nats
Nunez may be playing his way onto the Opening Day roster, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.
This was not part of the plan for the 24-year-old Nunez, a Rule 5 pick in 2024 who essentially lost a year of development while spending the whole season on the Washington bench and seeing just 78 plate appearances over 51 games. He's been one of the standouts in camp for the Nats, batting .419 (13-for-31) with a 3:4 BB:K and seven steals in nine attempts while playing excellent defense, and he is making a strong case for a utility spot on the 26-man roster. CJ Abrams and Luis Garcia are locked in at shortstop and second base however, so the most likely scenario is for Nunez to begin the year in a starting middle-infield role with Triple-A Rochester -- a level he has yet to play at after being plucked from Double-A in the Marlins' organization last year.
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Garrett Hampson SS | CIN
Diamondbacks' Garrett Hampson: Exercises out-out clause
Hampson exercised the opt-out clause in his minor-league contract Friday, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.
Hampson remains in the running for a spot on the Diamondbacks' Opening Day bench, but triggering his opt-out clause now allows him to reach free agency if he does not make the team. The utility player is battling Ildemaro Vargas for Arizona's final bench spot.
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Masyn Winn SS | STL
Cardinals' Masyn Winn: Back in action Friday
Winn (wrist) is starting at shortstop and batting leadoff in Friday's split-squad game against the Astros, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Winn has been sidelined the past few days due to wrist soreness, but he'll return to the lineup Friday on his 23rd birthday. He has a .098/.156/.098 slash line through 45 plate appearances in spring training but is expected to begin the campaign as St. Louis' leadoff man after posting a .730 OPS as a rookie last year.
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Elly De La Cruz SS | CIN
Reds' Elly De La Cruz: Swats fourth spring homer
De La Cruz went 2-for-3 with a walk, a two-run home run and an additional run scored in Thursday's spring game against the Royals.
De La Cruz mashed a two-run, opposite-field home run in the first inning and followed it up with a five-pitch walk and a hard-hit single. The De La Cruz of previous years may have tried to take another bag after the ball trickled into short center field, but he stayed at first base and eventually came around to score on an Austin Hays double. The home run was De La Cruz's fourth this spring.
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Luke Williams 2B | ATL
Braves' Luke Williams: Outrighted to Triple-A
Williams cleared waivers Thursday and was sent outright to Triple-A Gwinnett.
Williams was battling for a spot on Atlanta's Opening Day bench, but he ultimately missed the cut after going 5-for-32 with three RBI and five runs scored in 16 spring games. He doesn't have any minor-league options remaining, so his demotion to Triple-A will cost him his spot on the 40-man roster.