MLB Player News

The Reds optioned Hinds to Triple-A Louisville on Monday.

Hinds made waves last summer when he was called up from Triple-A in July and proceeded to hit five home runs in his first six big-league games, but he faded badly thereafter, slashing .042/.148/.083 with nine strikeouts in his final 27 plate appearances of the season with Cincinnati. Making consistent contact had remained an issue this spring for Hinds, who struck out in six of his 14 at-bats in Cactus League play. He should handle an everyday role in the outfield as he heads back to Louisville to begin the upcoming season, but Hinds likely need to refine his approach at the plate and cut down on strikeouts before garnering serious consideration for a promotion back to the majors.

Lux is scheduled to start in left field Tuesday against the Rockies, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

The plan all spring was for Lux to see most of his time on the infield during the first part of the Cactus League -- he's mostly lined up at third base -- before introducing him to the outfield. Lux is batting .238 (5-for-21) with two doubles, four RBI and one steal over nine spring games.

Perdomo went 1-for-1 with two walks and two stolen bases in Sunday's split-squad game against the Athletics.

Perdomo has delivered for the Diamondbacks this spring after signing a four-year contract extension. He's gone 8-for-24 (.333) with four walks, building off improving on-base skills the last two seasons following a rude introduction to major league pitching during his rookie 2022 season. Sunday's two thefts were his first of the Cactus League. While his overall fantasy profile doesn't grab one's attention, Perdomo does provide some value in steals; he swiped 16 bags in 2023 (144 games) and nine in an injury-shortened 2024 (98 games).

Lee went 1-for-3 with his second home run of the spring in Sunday's loss to Baltimore. He's hitting .308 (8-for-26) in nine spring training games.

Lee is competing with Edouard Julien for the starting second base job this spring with Willi Castro also likely to get time at the position. Lee is outperforming Julien so far this spring at the plate, and Julien has struggled in the field (two errors Sunday). However, Minnesota's plans for second base and Lee's role aren't clear at this point.

The Cubs optioned Cowles to Triple-A Iowa on Sunday, Jared Wyllys of AllCHGO.com reports.

The 25-year-old was added to Chicago's 40-man roster in November in order to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft, but he was never a likely candidate to make the Opening Day roster. Cowles spent last season at the Double-A level with both the Cubs and Yankees organizations, and he had a .286/.372/.457 slash line with nine homers and 14 steals in 92 games.

Montgomery (back) will start at shortstop and bat sixth in Sunday's Cactus League game against the Guardians.

Montgomery will be making his first Cactus League appearance since Feb. 25, after back spasms kept him out of action for nearly two weeks. The 23-year-old shortstop is in contention for a spot on the Opening Day roster, but he'll likely need a strong finish to the spring to earn his place with the big club. Coming off a 121-loss season, the White Sox have no visions of contending for a playoff spot in 2025, so they won't have much motivation to start Montgomery's service clock until they're fully confident that he's big-league ready.

Rocchio went 2-for-3 in Saturday's spring game against San Diego.

Rocchio is showing signs of improvement at the plate during Cactus League play, slashing .450/.476/.650 with four doubles through eight spring games. That builds off a strong 2024 postseason in which the shortstop had a .906 OPS. The 24-year-old was a highly regarded prospect a few years ago, and while he may not provide much in the way of power, Rocchio defends well (five outs above average in 2024) at a premium position and doesn't need to be a five-category contributor to be an asset for the Guardians.

Manager Bruce Bochy said Friday that Duran isn't guaranteed a place on the Rangers' Opening Day roster, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Duran posted a .276/.324/.443 slash line with 14 home runs in 122 games two seasons ago, but he slipped to a .609 OPS in 2024 and now doesn't have a secure role. The 25-year-old is competing for a utility job, but Josh Smith is poised to be the main reserve infielder while Leody Taveras lines up as the No. 4 outfielder.

Barrero could be competing with Jose Fermin for the final spot on the Cardinals' bench, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

Working in Barrero's favor is that the Cardinals lack a true backup shortstop and are also left-handed heavy in the outfield. The right-handed hitting Barrero is a natural shortstop and can also play the outfield, making him a fit to fill a versatile bench role. Barrero, who is in camp as a non-roster invitee, has two home runs and one stolen base in 11 games this spring. The former top prospect hasn't played in the majors since June of 2023.

Neto (shoulder) fielded groundballs and made throws to second base Saturday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Per Fletcher, it was the first time Neto has thrown to a bag this spring, though he began a throwing program in mid-February. The 24-year-old shortstop is progressing in his recovery from offseason shoulder surgery and is expected to begin the campaign on the injured list. Manager Ron Washington stated last week that Neto should be able to make his season debut sometime in April.