MLB Player News

Casas went 0-for-2 in Sunday's spring game against the Twins.

Casas, who was away from the team to address a non-baseball medical issue, made his Grapefruit League debut Sunday. He played both corner infield positions. He may get a few more plate appearances, but the highly regarded prospect will start the season in the minors.

Mountcastle has just two hits in his first 19 spring at-bats.

Mountcastle should still have an everyday role in Baltimore this season regardless of his spring performance, though the Orioles would certainly like for him to find his timing sometime soon. He broke out to hit .333/.386/.492 in his 35-game debut last year, but a .398 BABIP clearly inflated those numbers. Given the Orioles' lack of established options, Mountcastle should still be in the lineup on a regular basis this season even if he goes through a sophomore slump, likely splitting time between first base, left field and designated hitter.

Guerrero hit his first Grapefruit League home run of the spring Friday against the Tigers, crushing a line drive 412 feet to center field that left his bat at 111.2 mph, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports. "He just feels good about himself right now," said Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo after the game. "He's in great shape. He had a great offseason. Not only that, in the intrasquad game we had yesterday, he hit two home runs. His last five at-bats have been hard-hit balls like that. We know what he can do, so that's a good sign for all of us."

The 21-year-old came to camp in much better physical condition in an effort to prove he can handle third base defensively, but a slimmed-down Guerrero has looked great at the plate as well, going 5-for-12 so far with four walks and only one strikeout. Friday's homer was his first extra-base hit in Grapefruit League action however, and it remains to be seen whether improved fitness will help him solve the launch-angle issues that have prevented him from blossoming as expected in the majors.

Tellez has continued to focus on improving his approach with two strikes after chopping his strikeout rate nearly in half in 2020, Kaitlyn McGrath of The Athletic reports.

Working with Blue Jays special assistant Dante Bichette last year, Tellez saw his strikeout rate drop to 15.7 percent after he'd whiffed at a 28.4 percent rate in 2019, and putting more balls in play allowed his natural power to surface more often. "He's going to hit home runs on accident," Bichette said this week. "He doesn't have to try to. He can hit a line drive out of the park; he can pop up a ball out of the park. To me ... his goal was to put the ball in play more often and just square the ball up more often. And he's done that so far. Since we've worked together, he's been really good." Regular at-bats could be tough to come by for Tellez with Vladimir Guerrero at first base and DH being used to occasionally give starters at other positions a partial rest, but if the 25-year-old shows that last season's .283/.346/.540 line was no fluke, Tellez is capable of bashing his way into a consistent spot in the lineup.

Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said Torkelson will continue to play regularly in Grapefruit League games despite his struggles at the plate, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

Torkelson, the No. 1 pick of the 2020 draft, is 0-for-15 this spring with nine strikeouts. "We're gonna keep rolling him out there and getting him some experience," Hinch said. "He wants to make a big impression, and it feels like it's piling up on him, but we still think he's a pretty good player." Torkelson could begin the season at High-A West Michigan, and he has the talent and pedigree to turn things around in a hurry and start piling up hits.

Casas received full clearance to participate in all activities and could play in a spring game this weekend, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

Casas had been away in Boston for a non-baseball medical issue and recently cleared intake protocols. The plan will be to get him at-bats during Cactus League games before the well-regarded prospect is reassigned to minor-league camp.

Voit went 1-for-3 with an RBI in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies.

Voit missed a few games due to a sore right knee, but the issue was clearly minor given the slugger's ability to play -- albeit at DH -- Thursday. Voit felt well enough to test the knee on a tag-up from second base following a flyball to left, and though he was thrown out, he appeared to come out of it none the worse for wear. Per Marly Rivera of ESPN.com, Voit will have a planned day off Friday.

Torkelson went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Blue Jays.

Through seven games this spring, Torkelson is 0-for-13 with eight strikeouts. There will be better days ahead for the uber-talented 21-year-old, but he clearly needs a little seasoning in the minors. Torkelson could begin the season at High-A West Michigan and potentially move up the ladder fairly quickly if he performs well.

Naylor is the leading candidate to be Cleveland's Opening Day right fielder, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.

Cleveland has played Naylor exclusively in the outfield this spring as Jake Bauers and Bobby Bradley compete for the first base job. Naylor could find himself on the strong side of a platoon, but the job appears to be his to lose. He's hitting .214/.267/.357 with zero home runs, two strikeouts and one walk in 14 at-bats during Cactus League play. Prospect Daniel Johnson has outperformed Naylor thus far, but all indications are that Johnson will get more seasoning in the minors to start the year.

Dalbec went 1-for-3 with a grand slam in Wednesday's spring game against Atlanta.

This was his fourth home run of the Grapefruit League. The power he showed in 2020 -- when he hit eight over 80 at-bats -- is for real. Dalbec, who had a 42.4 strikeout rate in 2020, is a free swinger, so his goal is to make contact in key situations, which he did Wednesday. As Boston's projected starter at first base, Dalbec will be given ample opportunity to grow as a hitter in 2021.