MLB Player News

Diaz will spend time at both second base and shortstop this season, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

Although he was signed as a shortstop, the 20-year-old split time between second base and shortstop last season as well. In 587 plate appearances with Low-A Wisconsin last year, Diaz slashed .264/.358/.469. while hitting 20 home runs. He'll look to showcase that same power potential with High-A Carolina, where he is expected to start the season.

Albies hit leadoff and went 1-for-2 with a run scored in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees.

He didn't miss a beat in his first game action since fracturing his elbow in the Southern League playoffs last year, lashing a single up the middle, scoring from first on a double and turning a nifty unassisted double play in the field. Albies will begin the season with Triple-A Gwinnett and could spend most or all of the campaign in the minors following the Braves' acquisition of Brandon Phillips, but the 20-year-old should be Dansby Swanson's middle infield partner in the majors by 2018.

Marte was scratched from Wednesday's lineup due to illness, the Arizona Republic reports.

All signs point to Marte beginning the season as a backup to Chris Owings and Brandon Drury at the two middle-infield spots. Through seven games this spring, Marte is 4-for-18 (.222) with a homer, four RBI and a 3:1 BB:K mark. If he can show signs of getting on base at a clip closer to his 2015 level in Seattle, Marte can become a threat to overtake Owings for the starting job at short at some point this season.

Herrera (shoulder) has resumed throwing activities but is still limited to being the designated hitter, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Herrera was held back from throwing early in camp due to soreness in his right shoulder, but he has since resumed his throwing program. He has DH'd in eight games so far, which is promising for the once-heralded Mets prospect, but manager Bryan Price noted "It'll probably still be a little while. I couldn't even put a timetable on it." It could be another couple weeks before he is back at second base, which could eventually hurt his chances at making the roster out of camp.

Albies (elbow) has been cleared by doctors and will start at second base in Thursday's exhibition, 680 The Fan's Kevin McAlpin reports.

He missed the start of Grapefruit League play as he was still working his way back from elbow surgery, but will be able to return in time to make a strong impression on the big league coaching staff. Albies is a uniquely advanced hitter for a 20-year-old, and should make his big league debut later this season. He has the speed to steal 20-plus bases annually, but is unlikely to ever hit double-digit homers in a season.

Forsythe led off and went 2-for-3 with an RBI in Tuesday's spring training loss to the Giants.

Forsythe led off against the left-handed Matt Moore, a role he is likely to serve in during the regular season. It is unclear if manager Dave Roberts will bat Forsythe atop the order against righties, but the veteran second baseman is making his case with four hits in nine plate appearances against righties this spring. We should get a better idea of what Roberts' batting orders will look like as we get closer to the regular season, but Forsythe will have value wherever he bats in what looks to be a loaded Dodgers lineup.

Albies (elbow) is expected to make his first appearance of the spring sometime this week, David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Although Albies was originally slated to return to action Tuesday, his spring debut was pushed back due to a scheduling issue with his doctor, and not due to any lingering issues with the prospect's elbow. "I was going to play him (Tuesday)," manager Brian Snitker said. "He's ready. He's doing good. It's just that in the protocol of how they do things, they want to see you one more time before they turn you loose." The 20-year-old should be cleared by a doctor and ready to see his first action of spring within the week.

Solarte went 2-for-4 with a double, a pair of RBI, a stolen base and a run scored in Monday's spring training win over the White Sox.

Solarte's bat finally woke up after starting Cactus League action in a 1-for-15 slump. He has already locked down an everyday role with the club, so there isn't much for him to prove during exhibition play. The 28-year-old put up career numbers as the Padres starting third baseman last year, slashing .286/.341/.467 with 15 homers and 71 RBI in 443 plate appearances. He could have sneaky mixed-league value if he can repeat last year's success while receiving north of 550 plate appearances.

Albies (elbow) says he hopes to make his spring debut Tuesday, but the Braves will not rush his return to action, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

The 20-year-old has been recovering from offseason elbow surgery this spring, but finally appears to be getting close to game action. Nonetheless, the Braves have exercised caution with their prized prospect and have little incentive to rush him back since Albies is almost certain to begin the year in the minors. Look for the young second baseman to get plenty of Grapefruit League at-bats before spring is over.

Forsythe (knee) is in the Dodgers' Cactus League lineup Friday, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

The 30-year-old recently received lubricant injections in his knee, and it looks like they helped. Forsythe, who hit 20 home runs last year, will lead off as he continues to compete for that role during the season. Winning it would raise his fantasy value in a deep, potentially dangerous lineup.