MLB Player News

Myers is expected to compete with Derek Hill for the Marlins' starting job in center field, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.

Both players hit from the right side, so a traditional platoon isn't on the table, but some sort of timeshare might be the most likely outcome of the spring job battle. Myers has a career .265/.315/.407 slash line in the majors with four homers and five steals over 178 plate appearances and might offer more offense than Hill, but he has less experience at the position and saw more action in right field than center in 2024. Victor Mesa, 23, who once had some prospect cache in the Marlins' system and showed signs of improvement at Triple-A last year, is out of minor-league options and could also push his way into the competition with a strong spring.

Ramirez is expected to begin the season with Triple-A Jacksonville, but a strong performance in spring training could force the Marlins' hands, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.

The headliner in the Jazz Chisholm deal with the Yankees last year, Ramirez slashed .250/.351/.419 in 68 games between Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Jacksonville at the Triple-A level with nine homers and nine steals, but he performed much better in the Marlins' system after the trade, posting an .829 OPS in 163 plate appearances for Jacksonville compared to a .692 mark for Scranton. Miami will be in no rush to start his service clock, but the team also has very little standing in his way at catcher, with Nick Fortes having failed to reach a .600 OPS in either of the last two seasons. If Ramirez stands out in camp, the Marlins could consider accelerating the timeline for the 23-year-old.

Bride will head into training camp at the top of the Marlins' depth chart at first base, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.

However, the 29-year-old could face a serious challenge this spring from former Cub prospect Matt Mervis, who has significantly more power potential. Bride provided Miami with a solid bat after joining the big-league roster for good in late July last season, slashing .279/.365/.485 over 241 plate appearances with 11 homers in only 58 games, but his career track record suggests he could have a hard time matching that output over a full campaign. Bride and Mervis could also end up platooning at first base, with Bride on the short side, if rookie slugger Deyvison De Los Santos wins the DH job this spring.

Mervis will be given a chance to win a starting role with the Marlins in spring training, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.

Jonah Bride is penciled in as the starting first baseman headed into camp, but the 29-year-old doesn't profile as much of an offensive threat given his career .667 OPS and 12 homers over 565 big-league plate appearances. Mervis is coming off a brutal 2024 campaign that included a .235/.329/.434 in 81 games for Triple-A Iowa in the Cubs' system, but the 26-year-old was viewed as one of the top first-base prospects in baseball just one year before after slugging 22 home runs with a .282/.399/.533 line in 100 appearances for Iowa. If Mervis can regain that form, he should quickly seize a spot at the heart of a Marlins' batting order that is lacking in established power threats. Mervis and Bride could also end up platooning at first base, with Mervis on the strong side, if rookie Deyvison De Los Santos shows enough this spring to break camp as the team's starting DH.

De Los Santos seems likely to begin the season with Triple-A Jacksonville, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.

Acquired from the Diamondbacks in the A.J. Puk trade, the 21-year-old led the minors in home runs last season with 40 over 137 games split between Double-A and Triple-A, and he could provide a power-starved Marlins lineup with a legitimate long-ball threat if he can win a starting job in spring training. De Los Santos also struck out 144 times in those 137 contests while only drawing 33 walks, however, and Miami may want him to prove his plate discipline has taken a step forward before beginning his big-league service clock. Defensively, De Los Santos will likely be limited to DH in the majors, although he did play 108 games at first base in 2024.

Alcantara (elbow) is expected to be ready to take the mound Opening Day, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.

The 29-year-old right-hander didn't pitch at all in 2024 after undergoing Tommy John surgery the prior October, but he was facing live hitters last September and should have no restrictions when spring training begins. Alcantara won the NL Cy Young Award in 2022 on the strength of a 2.28 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 207:50 K:BB over 228.2 innings, but he'll carry plenty of risk as a fantasy asset this season until he can demonstrate he's fully recovered from the surgery and has something close to his pre-injury command and control.

Scott (elbow) said Wednesday that he's about a month away from beginning a throwing program, SNY.tv reports.

Scott is nearly five months removed from a hybrid Tommy John surgery and internal brace procedure on his right elbow. He will miss the entire 2025 campaign, but assuming all goes well with his rehab, should be ready to go for the start of the 2026 season.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy indicated in a recent interview that he does not expect Woodruff (shoulder) to be ready by Opening Day, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Woodruff underwent surgery in October of 2023 to repair the anterior capsule in his right shoulder. His rehab had to be paused in August when he wasn't progressing as hoped, and while things have gone well with his recovery since then, he will be behind at the start of camp. A clearer timetable for when Woodruff will be ready for his season debut could be available at some point during spring training.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy said recently that he doesn't expect Yelich (back) to be 100 percent at the start of spring training, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Yelich underwent a microdiscectomy procedure in August to address a herniated disc in his lower back. His recovery has come along well and there doesn't seem to be any concern about his availability for Opening Day, but he will be brought along slowly in camp. Yelich was terrific last season before being shut down, slashing .315/.406/.504 with 11 home runs and 21 stolen bases over 73 contests.

Phillips recorded a 2.49 ERA while striking out 24 over 21.2 innings in his last five starts in 2024.

Phillips, who made his major-league debut in 2023, was rocked at Triple-A Louisville last year. The Reds sent him to the Arizona Complex League in late June after 14 starts with a 10.11 ERA, 7.9 BB/9 and 2.4 HR/9 with the top affiliate. After a two-month reset in the desert, the 23-year-old right-hander returned to Louisville, where he finished strong. Phillips then pitched in the Arizona Fall League and, apart from one clunker, was effective. He needs to find the strike zone with more consistency -- he walked 14 batters in 19.1 innings in the AFL -- but he made adjustments and is trending in a positive direction again following the lowest point of his professional career.