MLB Player News

Astros manager Joe Espada said Saturday at the team's FanFest event that Dezenzo will play a lot in left field during spring training, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

An infielder by trade, Dezenzo's experience in left field is limited, though he did start three games there last season at Triple-A Sugar Land and played eight games in the outfield in the Puerto Rican Winter League. Left field currently looks to be Dezenzo's best shot at playing time with the Astros, although that could change if Jose Altuve moves there to accommodate the signing of Alex Bregman.

Correa declared himself ready for spring training Saturday after spending the first part of the offseason rehabbing from plantar fasciitis in his right foot, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

The 30-year-old played through the injury during the final weeks of the regular season, but he indicated his recovery and rehab this winter was "more natural" than the previous offseason, when he was working back from plantar fasciitis in his left foot. Correa had a .905 OPS in 2024 but was limited to 86 games due to the injury, and his durability remains a concern heading into 2025.

White Sox general manager Chris Getz said Thursday that he expects Montgomery to be the team's shortstop at some point this season, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Getz was asked about the possibility of Montgomery cracking the Opening Day roster, of which he replied that the youngster would "get a lot of opportunity come spring training." Montgomery is on the 40-man roster, but a bit more seasoning in the minors seems likely after he slashed just .214/.329/.381 at Triple-A Charlotte in 2024. The shortstop turns 23 in February.

Berti signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Cubs on Wednesday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

A calf injury limited Berti to just 25 regular-season games in 2024, during which he slashed .273/.342/.318 with six RBI and five stolen bases across 74 plate appearances with the Yankees. If healthy this season, the 35-year-old infielder has a path to semi-regular playing time in Chicago, which is facing some uncertainty at third base. However, he'll likely face some competition during spring training in the form of top prospect Matt Shaw.

Swanson (abdomen) expects to be a full participant in spring training, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic report.

Swanson underwent core muscle surgery in October for an injury which he revealed he'd been dealing with since 2023. However, he is not expected to have any limitations in camp and will be ready to roll for the Cubs' March 18-19 series against the Dodgers in Tokyo.

Gray was designated for assignment by Pittsburgh on Monday, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

Gray will vacate the 40-man roster to make room for Andrew McCutchen, who was officially added to the roster Monday after putting pen to paper on a one-year deal in December. Gray found little success at the big-league level in 2024 during stops with the Marlins and Athletics, going 3-for-28 with one double and three walks over 15 games.

Winn said during the Cardinals' Winter Warm-Up fan event Sunday that he's hoping to steal 30-40 bases this season, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Winn stole only 11 bases in 16 attempts last season during his 150-game rookie campaign. However, with a sprint speed in the 87th percentile and an average of more than 30 stolen bases per season during his three years in the minors, Winn certainly seems capable of upping his steals total in 2025. It would be a big boost to his fantasy prospects if he is more aggressive on the basepaths this season.

The Orioles outrighted Soto to Triple-A Norfolk on Friday, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

Soto is no longer on Baltimore's 40-man roster but will remain in its organization. The utility infielder went 3-for-13 at the plate in 2024 between brief stints with the Reds and Orioles.

The Cardinals have extended Wetherholt an invitation to big-league camp during spring training.

Wetherholt has just 29 games of professional experience under his belt after being taken with the seventh pick of the 2024 First-Year Player Draft, but the Cardinals will give their top prospect a look this spring. The 22-year-old will likely begin the 2025 season either at High-A Peoria or Double-A Springfield. In addition to Wetherholt, the Cardinals also invited top pitching prospect Quinn Mathews to camp.

The Orioles claimed Amaya off waivers from the White Sox on Thursday.

Amaya had been designated for assignment after slashing only .179/.225/.194 over 23 games for the White Sox down the stretch of the 2024 season. He is out of minor-league options, so Amaya will have to make the Orioles' Opening Day roster or go through waivers again.