MLB Player News

Jones may get reps at second base this spring, Josh Mayhood of Halos Heaven reports.

Jones grabbed an infielder's glove for some workouts Wednesday morning, and when Rex Clevinger of Halos Heaven asked him why he needed that glove in addition to his outfield mitt, Jones replied that he might be playing some second base. A move to second base actually would make a lot of sense for Jones, who is perhaps the best athlete in the Angels' system, but at 6-foot, 215 pounds, he is built like a second baseman and his plus speed may tick down in the coming years, which would make him less of an asset in the outfield. Additionally, the Angels' other elite prospects, Jo Adell and Brandon Marsh, play the outfield, and the team already has plenty of depth there at the big-league level. A move to second base would boost Jones' dynasty-league value, as it would make it more likely that he could break through as an everyday player. After hitting .302/.368/.488 in 41 games at High-A last year, Jones might be ticketed for Double-A to begin the 2018 campaign.

Andrus will not participate in any workouts Wednesday as he continues to deal with back spasms, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.

Andrus blamed the issue on the cold weather and admitted that he battles this problem every spring. There shouldn't be too much concern regarding his status, but the team will likely be cautious with the 29-year-old for the time being.

The Diamondbacks agreed to trade Drury to the Yankees on Tuesday as part of a three-team deal with the Rays, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.

Drury's name had been mentioned in trade rumors throughout the winter. A deal finally materialized, and the landing spot is favorable as he goes to a hitter's park and his early-season role is less up in the air with the Yankees needing help at both second base and third. Drury could stand to take more walks, but he has shown he can hit for a decent average and some power when given the opportunity. He won't turn 26 until August.

Andrus cut his morning workout short Tuesday due to back spasms, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports.

Andrus missed out on some defensive drills as a result. It's unclear if the issue will keep him sidelined for any Cactus League action, but the Rangers will likely proceed cautiously with their stud shortstop given how early it is in camp.

Joseph signed a minor-league contract with the Orioles on Monday, Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports reports.

The 29-year-old infielder had previously been a member of the Orioles' organization back in 2015 and 2016, spending time at Double-A and Triple-A. His only major-league experience came in a two-game stint for the Yankees back in 2013. He's unlikely to be more than organizational depth for Baltimore.

Manager Aaron Boone said Torres (elbow) is expected to be a "full go" when spring games begin, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

This isn't all too surprising, as Torres, who underwent Tommy John surgery in June, has been working out in Florida for over a month now and recently said he's feeling 100 percent, per Erik Boland of Newsday. The highly touted prospect is expected to push for an Opening Day roster spot as the team's starting second baseman, though he may ultimately open the year in the minors in order to secure the Yankees an extra year of team control. Either way, the job should be his sooner than later.

Manager Aaron Boone said that Estrada was shot in the right hip during a robbery attempt in Venezuela a few weeks ago but has already reported to camp and should be able to play the "bulk" of the season, Jack Curry of YES Network reports.

It's obviously a good sign that Estrada is getting back into the swing of things at camp, although there was no word on his current condition outside of Boone's statement that he's "in a good frame of mind right now." The 21-year-old will begin ramping up his cardio within the next week by doing some stationary bike work, and there should be an update on his status once he's able to begin baseball activities. In 2017, Estrada slashed .301/.353/.392 with six home runs. 48 RBI and eight stolen bases in 122 games with Double-A Trenton.

Elmore agreed to a minor-league deal with the White Sox which includes an invitation to spring training, MLB.com's Scott Merkin reports.

Elmore spent the entire 2017 campaign at the Triple-A level, compiling a .236 batting average with one home run, 41 RBI and 12 stolen bases in 110 games split between New Orleans and Buffalo. The 30-year-old most recently played in the big leagues with Milwaukee in 2016, earning 78 at-bats, but slashed just .218/.371/.244 during 59 contests. He will add some extra organizational depth to the White Sox's infield moving forward.

Jones was invited to the Angels' spring training as a non-roster invitee, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

A strong start at Low-A Burlington earned Jones a promotion to High-A Inland Empire during the 2017 season. Over 41 games with Inland Empire he hit .302 with an .856 OPS. His speed was on display at the two levels as well, as he combined to steal 27 bases. However, he was also caught stealing on 13 occasions.

Torres (elbow) says he is feeling 100 percent this spring, Erik Boland of Newsday reports.

Torres underwent Tommy John surgery on his left elbow back in June. He has been working out down in Florida for almost a month and says he feels very good. That's good news for the Yankees, who are seemingly leaving the second base job open for him next season. Even with good health, however, Torres could open up in the minors for a few weeks in order to secure the Yankees an extra year of team control.