MLB Player News

Herrera will be a part of the Orioles' 60-man player pool this season.

Once a noteworthy prospect with the Mets, Herrera was in camp on a minor-league deal this season. He could provide infield depth but is unlikely to play enough to provide fantasy value.

Brujan is projected to be part of the 60-man player pool that will report to the Rays' summer camp, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The 22-year-old second baseman is already on the 40-man roster, and it appears he'll have a chance to continue his professional development this year even if the minor-league season is cancelled outright. Brujan has steadily progressed through the organization since beginning his career in 2016, and he posted a solid .266/.336/.391 line at Double-A Montgomery in 2019 while swiping 24 bases for the second consecutive professional stop.

Lowe got in both batting practice and fielding work at Tropicana Field on Monday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Lowe was part of a contingent of six Rays position players that was present Monday for the team's ongoing small-group, informal workouts, and Topkin's report implies the versatile infielder put in a full workload under the circumstances. Live batting practice is supposed to be on the menu for the first time in Wednesday's workouts, a particularly timely development considering there now appears to finally be a tangible chance for a 60-game regular season that would begin in late July. Lowe, who impressed during Grapefruit League play before spring training was suspended, should have about a month to ramp back up and continue developing a tweaked swing that now includes a heel tap.

Lowe recently revealed on a podcast appearance that he's tweaked his swing by adding a heel tap, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Lowe elaborated on the adjustment to Neil Solondz of Rays Radio, explaining that he picked up the heel tap from former teammate Avisail Garcia last season. Lowe saw Garcia hit a career-high 20 home runs with that approach in 2019, which likely made a strong impression on the emerging 25-year-old. Lowe has been able to engage in batting practice regularly at home while spring training has been suspended, and he'll enter a potential 2020 season with high expectations after hitting .350 during Grapefruit League action before play was paused.

Jones is a candidate to earn big-league playing time in 2020 if the season takes place with expanded rosters, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Jones slashed .250/.250/.450 with a home run and a double across 20 Cactus League plate appearances before play was suspended. He was optioned to Triple-A in March and was expected to open the season there. However, with the minor-league season in limbo and a potential major-league campaign likely to include expanded rosters and a 20-man taxi squad, Jones could feasibly find his way to the Angels at some point during the campaign.

Rengifo may make the big-league club if the 2020 season takes place with expanded rosters, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Prior to the suspension of play, Rengifo was expected to open the season in the minor leagues. That could change with expanded rosters, particularly given his ability to fill in at multiple infield spots and be used as a pinch runner. Though Rengifo succeeded in only two of seven stolen base attempts last season, he displayed more encouraging baserunning skills with 41 thefts in 57 tries as a minor leaguer in 2018.

Semien, who is due to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason, may find it difficult to maximize his earnings with the Athletics or another team due to the depressed financial climate expected from an abbreviated or canceled 2020 campaign, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Semien is already guaranteed to receive a full year of service time for 2020 under any circumstance as part of an agreement reached between MLB and MLBPA in late March. However, his original $13 million salary for the delayed regular season will be significantly depleted due to the reduction in games expected, and Semien's ability to begin making up for lost income with his next contract could also be compromised. Slusser reports the veteran shortstop is already a longshot to re-sign with the Athletics on a multi-year deal due to the organization's goal of retaining at least one of Matt Chapman and Matt Olson, but she adds that they could even struggle to extend him a qualifying offer that is still likely to be in the $18 million range due to financial hardship.

Espinal and fellow Blue Jays minor leaguer Forrest Wall have been staying in Florida with Bo Bichette during the shutdown, Gregor Chisholm of The Toronto Star reports.

Bichette's father, four-time All-Star Dante Bichette, has a gym and batting cages near his home, giving Espinal all the facilities he needs to stay in shape. The 25-year-old had already been optioned to Triple-A Buffalo when spring training was put on pause, but his impressive Grapefruit League showing (.417/.462/1.000 and seven extra-base hits in 26 plate appearances) and strong defense mark him as the most likely internal replacement at shortstop should anything sideline Bichette during the regular season, and Espinal could still find a spot on an expanded big-league roster.

Lowe is getting regular batting practice in at home while spring training remains suspended with the help of his wife Madison, a former college softball player, Karen Loftus of WFLA-TV reports. "I thank God every day to have someone that understands everything that I'm going through on a daily basis and to have someone that I can confide in and stuff like that," Lowe said. "She can actually have a good conversation about what she sees when she's in the stance or I can come up to her and say can you give me some front toss or can we go outside and throw?"

Madison Lowe was a pitcher at Maryland, where Brandon played college baseball. In addition to getting in his swings, the versatile 25-year-old is working out in a personal garage gym that he recently showed off via his personal Twitter account. Lowe, who hit an impressive .350 (7-for-20) before Grapefruit League play was suspended, is expected to primarily handle second-base duties whenever the regular season does get underway.

Torres assessed his performance in Grapefruit League play as "not really good," Pete Caldera of NorthJersey.com reports.

Torres had a mildly disappointing spring at the plate -- he hit .200/.241/.360 with a home run and six RBI in 29 plate appearances -- but defense was his primary struggle as he committed five errors in 23 total chances. Per Caldera, Torres has kept in touch with ex-teammate Didi Gregorious, taking tips from the team's starting shortstop last season in an attempt to solidify his own mechanics on the field. Torres remains locked in as the Yankees' everyday shortstop, and the team will no doubt practice patience with his defensive development as long as he continues to produce offensively.