MLB Player News

Drury could be in line to see a lot of time at second base in 2017, MLB.com's Steve Gilbert reports. "We're going to try and get as many at-bats for our best players, so he would be one of those," general manager Mike Hazen said.

The new leadership team has expressed a desire to improve the outfield defense, play Jake Lamb almost every day at third base, and get Drury as many at-bats as possible, which leads to the idea that he could win the starting job at second base during spring training. Drury played primarily in the outfield last season, despite playing only third base and second base in the minors. Despite the position change, he still posted a .282/.329/.458 slash line with 16 home runs in 499 plate appearances, and he could possibly improve upon those numbers if his defensive responsibilities are simplified. Chris Owings, Ketel Marte and Nick Ahmed will be competing for the shortstop job in spring training, and whoever loses out will likely also be considered at second base, but based on his production in 2016 and the statements from the new brass, Drury appears to have the inside track.

Frazier will take over the team's primary utility role in 2017 following the departure of Sean Rodriguez, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

He saw playing time at second base, third base and in the outfield, but will only qualify in the outfield in fantasy leagues with a 20-game minimum (at least to start the season). Frazier hit .301/.356/.411 in 160 plate appearances. While he lacks power and isn't an effective base stealer -- he's been thrown out in 40 of 93 minor-league stolen base attempts -- the left-handed hitter could help fantasy teams in the batting average category. He has little competition for the utility role with Rodriguez landing in Atlanta.

Arroyo will likely start the season at Triple-A Sacramento if he is unable to win a starting job out of spring training. It is reported that he will exclusively play third base in 2017, according to Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area.

Arroyo split time evenly at short and the hot corner last season, but with the Giants having an everyday shortstop in Brandon Crawford, they will switch their top prospect to third base to create an easier path to the majors. While unlikely, there is a chance the 21-year-old can earn a spot on the 25-man roster if he performs well during spring training. Arroyo slashed .274/.316/.373 in 517 plate appearances with Double-A Richmond last season.

Dubon was traded to the Brewers on Tuesday as part of a three-player return package for Tyler Thornburg, the Boston Globe's Pete Abraham reports.

Travis Shaw headlined the return for the Brewers, but Dubon was the second most noteworthy piece. While he would have only profiled as a utility player in Boston, there is a chance he could earn more playing time when he reaches the big leagues on the rebuilding Brewers. After performing as a slightly above average hitter in the lower levels of the minors, Dubon exploded after a promotion to Double-A last year, slashing .339/.371/.538 with six home runs and six steals in 269 plate appearances. His slight 6-foot, 160-pound frame won't lend itself to power in the majors, but he has the contact skills to hit for a solid average while stealing double-digit bases over a full season. The 22-year-old shortstop played some outfield in the Arizona Fall League, but will likely return to the middle infield with an assignment to Triple-A Colorado Springs. The most likely outcome is that Dubon serves as a utility infielder for Milwaukee in 2018, but if a spot opens up at second base, he has the potential to be an average regular there.

Renda cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Louisville on Monday.

Renda hopped up to the big leagues for a pair of stints late last season, but his defensive versatility and advanced eye at the plate weren't enough to overcome the .183 batting average he put up in 60 at-bats in Cincinnati, leading the Reds to cast him off the 40-man roster. Renda does possess a bit of speed and got on base at a .363 clip in the minors last season, but he projects as little more than organizational depth moving forward.

Marte was traded along with Taijuan Walker to the Diamondbacks as part of a five-player trade Wednesday night.

Marte likely won't provide the Diamondbacks with flashy numbers at the plate, but he did steal double-digit bases in 119 games with the Mariners last season and hit .259/.287/.323. The Diamondbacks don't have any studs in the middle infield, so Marte could see some playing time with Jean Segura's departure opening up second base in a more hitter-friendly environment.

Joseph signed a minor league contract with the Nationals on Sunday, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post reports.

Joseph, who was formerly a member of the Orioles organization, put together a great year at Triple-A Norfolk in 2016. Over 85 games he posted a .305 batting average to go along with a .797 OPS. However, with Daniel Murphy leading the charge at second base for Washington, Joseph is likely to spend the bulk of his time at Triple-A Syracuse.

Alvarez was added to the Cardinals' 40-man roster Friday.

Alvarez hasn't advanced past the Low-A level but with five professional seasons now under his belt, he had to be added to the 40-man or else exposed to the Rule 5 draft. The 22-year-old hit .323/.404/.476 from the left side with Peoria in 2016, adding 36 steals in 51 attempts.

Rosario was added to the Mets' 40-man roster on Friday, ESPN's Adam Rubin reports.

In one of the least shocking moves of the day, the Mets will protect their top prospect from the Rule 5 draft. After a breakout 2016 campaign, Rosario established himself as one of the best shortstop prospects in the game. With Asdrubal Cabrera under contract for one more year and Neil Walker accepting the team's qualifying offer this fall, the middle infield spots are spoken for this season. Barring an injury or underperformance on the part of Cabrera, Rosario should spend most of 2017 at Triple-A.

Sweeney was traded to the Dodgers on Friday along with Darin Ruf in exchange for Howie Kendrick.

The 25-year-old will return to the Dodgers, with whom he spent most of his first four professional seasons after being drafted in the 13th round in 2012. Sweeney mostly struggled at the Triple-A level in 2016, batting .233/.299/.345 with a strikeout rate north of 22 percent. However, he can take a walk, has some power and speed and can play the middle infield positions as well as center field.