MLB Player News

The Nationals optioned Garcia to Triple-A Rochester on Monday, Matt Weyrich of NBC Sports Washington reports.

Manager Dave Martinez said over the weekend the young infielder was unlikely to make Washington's Opening Day roster, and Garcia was then included among nine players cut from big-league camp Monday. The 22-year-old appeared in 70 major-league games last season and hit .242/.275/.411 with six home runs and 22 RBI in 247 plate appearances. Garcia is likely to see the big leagues at some point in 2022, but Alcides Escobar and Cesar Hernandez are set to open the campaign as the starters in the middle infield, with Ehire Adrianza filling a utility role.

The Brewers reassigned Mathias to their minor-league camp Monday.

Mathias is healthy again after missing the entire 2021 campaign while recovering from right shoulder surgery, but he'll likely have to produce at Triple-A Nashville before garnering another look from the big club. The 27-year-old utility man made his big-league debut with the Brewers in 2020, seeing action in 16 games and hitting .278 with three doubles and a stolen base across 36 plate appearances.

Urias (quadriceps) will open the season on the injured list, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

Urias injured his left quadriceps while running the bases in mid-March. He ran on the field Saturday -- one week after he suffered the injury -- and he's expected to resume swinging and playing catch soon. If he continues progressing without setbacks, he'll have the chance to avoid a long absence, but he'll miss at least a bit of time to start the year. Jace Peterson has the inside track on a temporary starting role at third base in his absence.

The Angels reassigned Wong to their minor-league camp Monday.

Wong received 66 plate appearances over 32 games with the Angels in 2021, but he won't break camp with the big club this season after re-signing with Los Angeles this offseason on a minor-league deal. The 27-year-old is expected to fill a utility role at Triple-A Salt Lake for the majority of the upcoming season, though his versatility could make him an option for a call-up if the Angels' infield or outfield depth is tested at any point.

Gorman (back) is listed among the Cardinals' available reserves for Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Gorman was scratched ahead of Sunday's game against the Mets due to lower-back tightness, but he looks as though he'll have the chance to see some game action a day later. The 21-year-old has gone 2-for-16 at the dish during spring training and is likely to open the season at Triple-A Memphis, where he'll likely continue to make starts at both second base and third base to give him multiple avenues to playing time at the big-league level.

Barreto (elbow) will start at second base and bat ninth Monday in the Astros' Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

He'll be making both his spring and Astros debuts after he agreed to a minor-league deal with Houston last week. Once a highly-touted prospect, Barreto's star has dimmed in light of his poor body of work at the big-league level between stops with the Athletics and Angels from 2017 through 2020. He missed the entire 2021 season due to an elbow injury that eventually required Tommy John surgery, but his inclusion in the lineup Monday at a middle-infield position implies that he's back to full health. Barreto is expected to open the season with the Astros' Triple-A affiliate in Sugar Land.

Marte signed a five-year, $76 million contract extension with Arizona on Sunday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

Marte has developed into a strong second baseman across the last several seasons, and he'll now have his two upcoming option years guaranteed while remaining under contract with the team through the 2027 season. The 28-year-old appeared in 90 games last year and slashed .318/.377/.532 with 14 homers, 52 runs, 50 RBI and two stolen bases.

Bannon was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Bannon made eight Grapefruit League appearances this spring and went 4-for-12 with a home run, a double, four runs, four RBI, four walks and four strikeouts. He'll begin the regular season in the minors but will be in consideration to serve as major-league depth if he performs well in Norfolk.

Jones was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Jones was in the mix for a major-league roster spot this spring, and he performed well in Grapefruit League action by going 5-for-14 with three doubles, four runs, an RBI, two walks and five strikeouts across seven appearances. He'll begin the year in the minors but should be in consideration for a call-up at some point in 2022.

Biggio went 1-for-2 with a walk and a solo home run in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees.

He took Michael King deep in the third inning, turning around a high fastball and depositing it over the right-field wall for his first homer of the spring. Biggio is coming off a career-worst .356 SLG and .678 OPS in an injury-plagued 2021, so any flash of power is a positive sign, but his hold on the starting second base job for the Blue Jays is a tenuous one.