MLB Player News

Cron was removed from Sunday's Cactus League game against the Diamondbacks in the top of the fifth inning after being hit in the head by a pitch, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.

Cron went down hard after being hit by a pitch, but he got up shortly after and was able to walk to first base. However, manager Bud Black opted to remove the 32-year-old from the game. It's not yet clear whether he'll be forced to miss additional time, but Connor Joe will likely step in at first base if Cron is sidelined.

Vaughn was taken off the field on a cart after suffering an apparent injury in Sunday's Cactus League game against the Dodgers, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Vaughn started Sunday's matchup in right field but went down after making a diving catch in the bottom of the fourth inning. While the exact nature and severity of Vaughn's injury aren't yet known, it's discouraging that he was unable to walk off the field under his own power. If the 23-year-old is unavailable to begin the regular season, Gavin Sheets and Adam Engel are candidates to see additional playing time.

Aranda was optioned to minor-league camp Sunday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Aranda was added to the 40-man roster in the offseason after racking up 322 plate appearances at Double-A Montgomery in 2021. He experienced plenty of success there, delivering a .325/.410/.540 line with 10 home runs and three stolen bases. Aranda could begin the season at Triple-A, though it's unclear where he'd fit on the big-league roster without injuries at any point in 2022.

Naylor (lower leg) could be in the lineup for Cleveland's Cactus League game against the Dodgers on Tuesday, Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Naylor is working his way back from a serious leg injury that cost him around half of the 2021 season. He's recently participated in minor-league spring games but is looking to re-join the big-league club in short order. Both Naylor and the team have spoken positively about his recovery, though it's unclear when he might be available to take the field for his first regular-season game.

Solano (side) is starting at third base and batting sixth in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Rockies, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Solano had been sidelined since being hit by a pitch Tuesday against the Dodgers, but he'll rejoin the lineup after taking a few days to recover. The 34-year-old is poised to work in a utility role after inking a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the Reds in mid-March.

Montero was optioned to minor-league camp Saturday.

Montero appeared in seven Cactus League games this spring and went 5-for-19 with a home run, a double, three RBI, two runs and a strikeout. He progressed to Triple-A Albuquerque last year and will likely report there to begin the regular season in 2022.

White was diagnosed with a sports hernia Saturday and will undergo surgery in the near future, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

White tweaked his hip in Thursday's Cactus League game, and an MRI the following day revealed the specific issue. Though the team has not announced an official timeline for his return to the field, White will likely miss at least the first two months of the season. White was not projected to be an everyday starter for the club, but his absence should solidify Ty France as the starting first baseman in Seattle.

Torkelson is batting eighth and playing first base in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies, and manager A.J. Hinch said it could be a preview of his Opening Day lineup, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Hinch said more needs to be decided in spring training, but Torkelson seems to be positioned to serve as Detroit's regular first baseman as soon as the season begins. This is obviously good news for fantasy managers, as the 22-year-old is an exciting prospect and should be able to post solid numbers in his debut campaign, though some growing pains are always likely for a rookie.

Clemens was optioned to Triple-A Toledo on Saturday.

Clemens made seven Grapefruit League appearances this year and went 3-for-12 with a homer, two runs, two RBI, a walk and two strikeouts. He'll begin the regular season in Toledo, where he slashed .247/.312/.466 with 18 homers, 66 runs, 59 RBI and four stolen bases across 97 appearances in 2021.

Steer was reassigned to minor-league spring training Saturday, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Steer appeared in four Grapefruit League games to begin the year and went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts. The 24-year-old hit .241 with 14 homers, 45 runs, 42 RBI and four stolen bases across 65 games at Double-A Wichita last year, and he'll likely begin 2022 in Wichita or at Triple-A St. Paul.