MLB Player News

Cron is likely to be a full-time starter for the Rays, Steve Carney of Sports Radio 620 WDAE reports.

After being acquired by Tampa Bay, it was thought that Cron might be set for a role as the short side of a platoon with the left-handed Brad Miller, but manager Kevin Cash says he wants to give Cron a full-time role. Even with full-time at-bats, it's fair to wonder what his ceiling looks like, as he owns a career .262/.307/.449 slash line and has hit just 24 home runs per 600 plate appearances, a very modest home-run rate for a first baseman at the present time. At the very least, however, the appeal in targeting him deeper formats has increased with the prospect of better counting stats, and the Rays' lack of middle-of-the-order pop potentially leaving him in the heart of the lineup on a regular basis.

Diaz (groin) is currently without restriction following the right groin strain suffered in November, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Diaz sustained the injury playing in the Venezuelan Winter League for Leones del Caracas, but has since undergone successful rehab in time for spring training. The 25-year-old slashed .263/.352/.327 in 179 plate appearances for the Indians in last season, with most of his at-bats coming as a third baseman. Diaz is likely to serve a similar role for Cleveland in 2018, and his potential role should become clearer with spring training now underway.

Olson (hamstring) will be in the lineup for Friday's Cactus League contest against the Angels, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Olson was sidelined with a Grade 2 hamstring strain toward the end of the 2017 season, but appears to be at full health as spring camp gets underway. The first baseman slashed .259/.352/.651 with 24 home runs and 45 RBI in 59 games last year and will settle into a middle-of-the-order role with the club in 2018.

Gurriel will be played at various spots around the infield this season, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Gurriel played almost exclusively as a first baseman last season, but Astros manager A.J. Hinch wants to use him occasionally at second base, third base and shortstop in 2018. He was primarily a third baseman and second baseman in Cuba and Japan before coming to the United States, so the positions wouldn't be foreign to him, though moving back up the defensive spectrum at age 33 would be an unusual move. If he does receive enough time at one of those positions to gain eligibility it would be a boost to his fantasy value, as his bat isn't particularly noteworthy for a first baseman.

The right-field fence at Angel Stadium has been lowered from 18 feet to eight feet, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

The Angels had one of the tougher parks for lefties to hit homers in last season, but this change should make things a bit easier for left-handers like Calhoun. With his above-average pull rate (44.7 percent last year), Calhoun could be the player most affected by this change. Don't expect a major boost, but he could show a little more power than the projections expect as a result of this change.

Calhoun won't necessarily operate in a right field platoon even after the signing of Chris Young, Jeff Fletcher of the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin reports.

Some thought that a platoon could be put in place given how much success Young had against lefties previously (.861 OPS versus lefties from 2015-2017), but a move like this doesn't seem to be imminent. Fletcher makes it seem like Young is purely a backup to all three outfield spots, implying that Calhoun will still get a fair amount of starts against southpaws. The 30-year-old struggled against lefties last season, but he is only a year removed from batting .290 in 155 at-bats against them. This situation will likely gain some clarity as Cactus League games are played.

Abreu showed up to camp 15 pounds lighter, and is aiming to become a better defender in 2018, Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com reports.

During Abreu's first four years in the major leagues, he's finished with 25-plus home runs and 100-plus RBI in each season with the White Sox. The 31-year-old first baseman slashed .304/.352/.552 in 2017 and worked hard in the offseason to cut weight in order become a better defender -- he also wants permission to swipe more bags, despite having just six career stolen bases. Expect more of the same from Abreu in 2018, as he's in a position to put up yet another impressive year.

Carter agreed to a minor-league contract with the Angels on Sunday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Carter started the 2017 season with the Yankees, but a disappointing performance led to him being designated for assignment and joining the A's on a minor-league deal. With New York, Carter played in 62 games and slashed .201/.284/.370. Carter, who typically sacrifices batting average in exchange for power, hit just eight home runs over that time. Should he appear in the majors with the Angels, Carter will likely act as a reserve option at first base.

The Angels traded Cron to the Rays on Saturday in exchange for a player to be named later.

Cron wasn't expected to see much playing time behind Albert Pujols and Luis Valbuena, so the Angels decided to ship him off to Tampa Bay, where he'll enter camp with a chance to emerge as the team's starting first baseman. The 28-year-old, who hit .248/.305/.437 with 16 homers in 100 games last season, will compete with Brad Miller for the starting gig in spring, though it's also possible the two settle into a platoon together. In a surprising corresponding move, Corey Dickerson was designated for assignment to clear a roster spot for Cron.

Kirilloff is fully recovered from Tommy John surgery that he underwent in March of 2017, Mike Berardino of Baseball America reports.

Berardino also reported that Kirilloff has added 30 pounds of muscle since the summer of 2016. The No. 15 overall pick in the 2016 draft, Kirilloff should not be forgotten in dynasty leagues, as he still has special offensive potential. He has plus raw power and excellent contact skills that could allow him to someday hit second or third in a big-league lineup. The fact that he missed all of 2017 may allow for a brief window to buy low. If he impresses in his first taste of full-season pitching this year, he will shoot up prospect lists.