MLB Player News

Nationals manager Dave Martinez said Friday that Abrams could work his way to the top of the batting order with a strong spring, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

Abrams will hit leadoff in the Nats' Grapefruit League opener Saturday against the Cardinals, though Lane Thomas is probably going to have that role when the real games begin. Abrams seems to be a potential option for the No. 2 spot if he displays enough improvement in the on-base department over the next five weeks. The 22-year-old slashed just .246/.280/.324 across his first 302 major-league plate appearances last season between San Diego and Washington.

The Pirates announced Wednesday that Cruz (ankle) is a "full go" for spring training, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.

Though Cruz sustained what was reported to be a minor ankle injury in December while he played in the Dominican Winter League, his availability for the start of spring training was never believed to be in much question. It's reassuring nonetheless that the Pirates have cleared him for full activity for the first week of camp, ensuring that the 24-year-old can continue to hone his craft in the field and at the plate during the Grapefruit League slate. Last week, Cruz told Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic that he expects to turn in a "30/30 or 40/40" season, and while that type of lofty production probably isn't realistic, a 20/20 season is certainly attainable for the toolsy shortstop if health prevails and he shows some growth as a hitter. In 361 plate appearances with the big club as a rookie last season, Cruz notched 17 home runs and 10 stolen bases, but a bloated 34.9 percent strikeout rate weighed down his batting average (.233).

Luciano (back) is ramping up his hitting progression and fielding grounders Wednesday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Luciano is still recovering from a back injury sustained in the Dominican Winter League. It doesn't appear this injury will impact the start of his season, where he's expected to make the jump to Double-A Richmond to begin the year. Barring setbacks, Luciano should have a chance to get into at least a couple of spring games.

DeJong has removed a high leg kick from his swing, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

DeJong has a tumultuous 2022, which saw him in and out of the mix for the starting shortstop job. He ended the campaign with a paltry .157/.245/.286 slash line across 77 games in the majors, which prompted him to work on his plate mechanics during the offseason. DeJong figures to be in competition for a spot on the major-league roster throughout spring training -- a number of moving parts in the infield, such as where Tommy Edman plays, will likely have an impact on DeJong's role.

Rojas (hand) was spotted taking part in fielding drills at shortstop Monday during the Dodgers' spring workout in Arizona, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Rojas underwent surgery in mid-January to remove a loose piece of bone between the thumb and index finger on his right hand, but his ability to field grounders and throw across the infield Monday suggests he's at full strength for his first spring training with the Dodgers. After being acquired from the Marlins in January and then signing a two-year extension less than a month later, the 33-year-old Rojas is clearly valued by the Dodgers, but he's still likely to be ticketed for a utility infield role when Los Angeles is at full strength. The Dodgers are giving top prospect Miguel Vargas (finger) a chance to lock down an everyday role at second base in spring training, while Gavin Lux is shifting from the keystone to shortstop in the wake of Trea Turner's move to Philadelphia this offseason. The presence of Vargas and Lux looks as though it'll block Rojas from seeing steady reps at either middle-infield spot.

Lindor had been dealing with discomfort dating back to August of 2021, but he's feeling better after undergoing an appendectomy in October, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.

The discomfort evidently wasn't a major issue, though it reached a new level at the tail end of last season. Lindor's 125 wRC+ in September and October was a near match for his 128 mark over the rest of the year, so it doesn't look as though the pain showed up in his stats. It's possible that putting the problem behind him allows for even better numbers going forward, but it would probably be unwise to expect a significant difference.

Turner is likely to open the season as the Phillies' leadoff hitter, manager Rob Thomson said Thursday, per John Foley of 2008Philz.com.

Thomson indicated that things could change when Bryce Harper (elbow) returns around midseason, but initially Turner appears pegged for the top of the batting order. His RBI total could take a hit in the role after he drove in 100 runs for the first time in 2022 while batting primarily second and third for the Dodgers. However, Turner will score a ton of runs from the leadoff spot and might also be more aggressive as a base stealer after going 27-for-30 on stolen-base attempts last season.

Schmitt will likely start 2023 with Triple-A Sacramento, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Schmitt split 2022 between High-A and Double-A, logging a combined .299/.370/.500 slash line with 22 home runs and 80 RBI in 126 games. Some combination of David Villar, J.D. Davis and Wilmer Flores will likely man the hot corner for the Giants to begin this season. Schmitt has just a total of 33 contests in the upper minors, so he should be expected to see the bulk of his time this year with Sacramento.

The Giants announced Wednesday that Luciano is taking part in a normal hitting and throwing progression in spring training after suffering a stress fracture in his lower back over the offseason, Melissa Lockard of The Athletic reports.

The injury explains why Luciano appeared in only five games for Estrellas de Oriente of the Dominican Winter League before sitting out the rest of the schedule. The fact that Luciano is taking part in baseball activities suggests that he should be ready to play at some point during the Cactus League slate, putting him on track for the start of the minor-league season. The 21-year-old shortstop prospect posted an .817 OPS with 11 home runs in 65 games last summer between the Arizona Complex League and High-A Eugene.

Amaya (undisclosed) was spotted taking part in defensive drills during the Marlins' team workout Monday at big-league spring training, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

The 24-year-old infielder is attending his first camp with the Marlins after Miami acquired him from the Dodgers in January in the deal that sent veteran shortstop Miguel Rojas to Los Angeles. Amaya closed the 2022 campaign on Triple-A Oklahoma City's 60-day injured list due to an unspecified injury, but his participation in the early stages of spring training suggests he'll enter the 2023 season at full health. Look for him to open his time in the Miami organization at Triple-A Jacksonville.