MLB Player News
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Vidal Brujan 2B | MIA
Marlins' Vidal Brujan: DFA'd by Fish
The Marlins designated Brujan for assignment Friday, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com reports.
Brujan played in a career-high 102 games last season, during which he slashed .222/.303/.319 with 16 RBI and five stolen bases. However, Miami signed Eric Wagaman to a one-year deal Friday, which will force Brujan to give up his spot on the 40-man roster. The 26-year-old's defensive versatility could draw interest from other teams on the waiver wire, though chances are he begins the season in Triple-A.
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Enmanuel Valdez 2B | PIT
Pirates' Enmanuel Valdez: Shipped to Pittsburgh
The Red Sox traded Valdez to the Pirates on Sunday in exchange for minor-league pitcher Joe Vogatsky.
Valdez was DFA'd by Boston on Wednesday, but he'll get a fresh start in the Pirates organization. Valdez slashed .214/.270/.363 with six home runs in 223 plate appearances in 2024 while primarily playing second base.
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Cooper Bowman 2B | OAK
Reds' Cooper Bowman: Snagged in Rule 5 draft
The Reds selected Bowman with the seventh pick in the Rule 5 draft Wednesday, JJ Cooper of Baseball America reports.
Bowman has at least plus speed and isn't a zero in the power department, so he could be fantasy relevant as a rookie if he were to find his way into steady playing time. A natural second baseman who can play a little bit in the outfield, Bowman had a strong run at Double-A in 2024, slashing .281/.378/.466 with 12 home runs, 35 steals, a 12.4 percent walk rate and a 20.2 percent strikeout rate in 80 games. His production slipped in his first exposure to Triple-A pitching, as he slashed .218/.284/.308 with zero home runs, eight steals and a 24.3 percent strikeout rate in 38 games in the Pacific Coast League. The Reds will likely use Bowman as a bench piece unless they're shorthanded, but he has fantasy-relevant tools and is now headed to a great home park to maximize his fringe-average power.
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Echedry Vargas 2B | TEX
Marlins' Echedry Vargas: Dealt to Marlins
The Rangers traded Vargas to the Marlins on Tuesday alongside Max Acosta and Brayan Mendoza in exchange for Jake Burger, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports.
Vargas spent all of last year with the Rangers' Single-A affiliate, where he slashed .276/.321/.454 with 49 RBI and 29 stolen bases in 97 games. The 19-year-old infielder will have an easier path to the majors now that he's joining a rebuilding Marlins organization, though his MLB debut is likely still several years away.
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Thairo Estrada 2B | SF
Rockies' Thairo Estrada: Nabs one-year deal with Colorado
The Rockies agreed to a one-year, $3.25 million contract with Estrada on Tuesday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
Estrada slashed only .217/.247/.343 over 96 games for the Giants in 2024 and finished the season off the 40-man roster. However, the 28-year-old infielder hit .266/.319/.408 while averaging 14 home runs and 22 stolen bases from 2022 to 2023. He should slot in at second base for the Rockies and immediately gains some fantasy appeal playing half his games at Coors Field. The deal includes a mutual option for 2026 with a $750,000 buyout.
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Ronny Mauricio 2B | NYM
Mets' Ronny Mauricio: Begins baseball activities
Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Monday that Mauricio (knee) has begun baseball activities, Abbey Mastracco of the New York Daily News reports.
Mauricio underwent right ACL surgery last December and then had an additional operation on the same knee in August to remove scar tissue. It's been a slow road to recovery for the young infielder, but it appears he's finally ready to start ramping things back up. Whether Mauricio will be 100 percent for spring training is not yet clear.
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Nolan Gorman 2B | STL
Cardinals' Nolan Gorman: Will see significant playing time
Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak has said the team would like to see Gorman receive close to 600 at-bats next season, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
Gorman spent the final five-plus weeks of the 2024 season in the minors and finished with a .671 OPS and 37.6 percent strikeout rate. However, the Cardinals are committed to giving their younger players a long leash in 2025 and Gorman will be one of the beneficiaries. What position Gorman plays is not yet clear. He's seen most of his starts at the major-league level at second base and could play there, but moving back to his natural third base position is also an option if the Cardinals trade Nolan Arenado.
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Santiago Espinal 2B | CIN
Reds' Santiago Espinal: Inks deal with Cincy
Espinal and the Reds agreed to a one-year, $2.4 million contract Friday to avoid arbitration, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
Espinal was traded from the Blue Jays to the Reds in March and had a .246/.295/.356 slash line with nine home runs and 11 steals in 118 games during 2024. He should fill a utility role for Cincinnati again in 2025.
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Rodolfo Castro 2B | PHI
Phillies' Rodolfo Castro: Back in Philadelphia on MiLB deal
The Phillies re-signed Castro to a minor-league contract Wednesday, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
Castro was outrighted off the Phillies' 40-man roster earlier this month but has returned on a minors pact. The infielder missed the bulk of the 2024 season with shoulder and thumb injuries. The 25-year-old Castro sports a career .219/.292/.380 batting line over parts of three major-league seasons.
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Jared Serna 2B | MIA
Marlins' Jared Serna: Protected from Rule 5 Draft
The Marlins selected Serna's contract from Triple-A Jacksonville on Tuesday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
Serna was dealt from the Yankees to the Marlins in the Jazz Chisholm trade and has now joined Miami's 40-man roster. The 22-year-old began the 2024 season at the Low-A level before finishing it at Jacksonville, slashing .251/.337/.414 with 15 homers and 15 steals over three stops. He mostly played shortstop last season but can also handle second and third base.