MLB Player News

Frazier was named the Pirates' starting second baseman Monday, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.

Frazier started 40 games at second base last season as well as 13 more in left field. His .230/.297/.364 slash line was rather unimpressive, but the Pirates aren't exactly loaded with talent at the big-league level right now. Erik Gonzalez, Kevin Newman and Cole Tucker are the team's top alternatives at second base, with someone among that group likely to start at shortstop in most games.

Peguero wasn't present Monday for the Pirates' first workout for position players at spring training while he contends with visa issues, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic reports.

In addition to Peguero, fellow infielders and Dominican countrymen Erik Gonzalez and Wilmer Difo were absent from camp while they look to resolve their respective immigration statuses. Whenever he arrives at camp, the 20-year-old Peguero will get the opportunity to train with some of the Pirates' MLB players and higher-level minor-leaguers, but he's not a serious candidate to break camp with the big club. Look for the shortstop to open the 2021 campaign at the Low-A or High-A level.

Arizona manager Torey Lovullo and general manager Mike Hazen have discussed lineup permutations depending on what position Marte plays, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

The Diamondbacks envision the flexibility Marte affords them, bouncing between center field and second base, but the decision-makers want to get the player's input first. "The luxury it affords us is that it allows us to be even more creative with how we feel we're putting the best eight hitters on the field on a given day," Hazen said. "The downside to that is what impact does that have on Ketel, because he's always the guy who has to make the adjustment." If outfielder Tim Locastro or catcher/outfielder Daulton Varsho have good springs, Marte could play second base; if infielders competing for a spot -- Josh Rojas, Josh VanMeter, Asdrubal Cabrera, Wyatt Mathisen or Andy Young -- impress this spring, then Marte could make center field his primary spot. But it all starts with Marte buying into such an arrangement.

Vargas was invited to the Dodgers' major-league spring training Tuesday, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.

Vargas looked good at the Low-A and High-A levels in 2019, hitting .308/.380/.440 while stealing 13 bases, but the canceled minor-league schedules last year prevented him from continuing up the ladder. He'll need to prove himself in the upper minors before pushing for a roster spot.

Stott will join the Phillies at spring training as part of the team's minor-league mini-camp.

Stott won't technically be part of big-league camp but will get to be around the major-league team for a few weeks. He's still a year or two away from joining the team on a permanent basis, however, as he's played just 48 professional games, none of which have come in full-season ball.

Marte could see most of his time in center field in 2021 after the Diamondbacks signed Asdrubal Cabrera, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.

The Diamondbacks appear to view the switch-hitting Cabrera as a third baseman, who could force Eduardo Escobar to second base on days when he starts. The domino effect of that is Marte moving off second to center field, where he primarily played in 2019. Marte played 41 of 45 games in 2020 at second base.

The Cardinals plan to have Gorman take reps in the outfield and at second base in addition to third base during spring training, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

Gorman has played exclusively at third base through his first four professional seasons, but he won't have a clear path to that position at the big-league level following the Cardinals' recent acquisition of Nolan Arenado, who would remain under contract through 2027 if he elects not to exercise opt-out clauses following the 2021 or 2022 seasons. As a result, the Cardinals are eager to expose the top prospect to other positions in order to find more playing time for him when he eventually reaches the majors. If Gorman's initial returns at outfield or second base aren't encouraging, he would still have a future with the Cardinals as a designated hitter, given the likelihood that the next collective bargaining agreement will make room for another hitter in National League lineups.

The Brewers announced Wednesday that Turang will attend big-league spring training as a non-roster invitee, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

The 21-year-old is among a handful of the Brewers' top prospects who will get the opportunity to showcase his skills at big-league camp before likely being reassigned to the minors shortly before Opening Day. Since the 2020 minor-league season was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, Turang's last affiliated-ball action came in 2019, when he split time between Low-A Wisconsin and High-A Carolina. Though Turang provided a lowly .707 OPS between the two levels, the Brewers could still choose to have him open 2021 at Double-A Biloxi to make up for the lost developmental year.

Peguero was invited to Pittsburgh's big-league spring training Tuesday.

Peguero presumably won't be auditioning for a job on the Opening Day roster, as he's just 20 years old and is yet to advance to full-season ball. He's yet to play in a game for the Pirates' organization after coming over from Arizona in the Starling Marte trade in January of 2020 but did get to participate in the team's player pool last year.

Gonzales will join the Pirates' major-league camp this spring.

Gonzales is highly unlikely to be given the chance to actually compete for a roster spot, as the canceled minor-league season robbed last year's seventh overall pick from making his professional debut. He'll get the opportunity to work with the Pirates' big-league coaching staff this spring in hopes of joining that group on a permanent basis sometime in the next few years.