MLB Player News

Altuve went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and a second run scored in Wednesday's spring game against the Cardinals.

Altuve batted leadoff for the third time in four games, as manager Dusty Baker auditions more candidates for the top of the order. Myles Straw got most of the at-bats early in Grapefruit League play followed by Carlos Correa and now Altuve. Whether or not he bats leadoff, Altuve will slot into the top third of the order.

Haggerty, battling for a utility role on the Opening Day roster, went 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, two RBI and a run in a Cactus League win over the Royals on Tuesday.

Despite hitting out of the bottom of the order, Haggerty had quite a busy night enhancing his case to stick on the Opening Day roster, providing the Mariners' only three-hit effort in an offensive barrage. Haggerty boosted his spring average to .269 with Tuesday's production, which snapped him out of the 1-for-14 slump that encompassed his previous six exhibitions.

Gorman, a natural third baseman who's acclimating to second base in the wake of the offseason acquisition of Nolan Arenado, played at the keystone for the first time in a simulated game Tuesday and helped turn a double play, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Despite being thought of as the team's third baseman of the near future before Arenado's arrival, Gorman embraced the possibility of carving out another path to the majors after the former Rockie was inked to a contract that could run through 2027. Gorman made defensive strides at the hot corner in the Low-A and High-A levels during 2019, but his focus on second base this spring has been going relatively smoothly, including in Tuesday's sim game. The 20-year-old could open the season at Double-A, but the goal is to have him at Triple-A Memphis by the end of the 2021 minor-league campaign.

Lowe went 1-for-2 with a double and a run in a Grapefruit League win over the Orioles on Tuesday, with the two-bagger serving as his first extra-base hit across 23 spring plate appearances.

The 2019 All-Star has been scuffling at the plate for the most part this spring, although he does have four walks and three RBI alongside three total hits. That still leaves Lowe's average at .167 through nine exhibitions, but his .270/.347/.530 slash over the last two seasons (551 PAs) supports the notion he'll eventually snap out of his doldrums.

Hoerner (back) is starting at second base and batting eighth in Wednesday's spring game against the Padres.

The 23-year-old was scratched from Sunday's lineup with back tightness and was held out the past couple days, but he'll return to game action Wednesday. Hoerner is competing with David Bote for the starting job at the keystone in camp.

Lopez was removed from the lineup for Wednesday's spring game against the Athletics for an unspecified reason.

It's not yet clear whether Lopez's removal from Wednesday's lineup is due to an injury, but Gabriel Cancel will now play second base and bat ninth. The 26-year-old has gone just 2-for-21 with two RBI, one run, one stolen base, four walks and nine strikeouts to begin spring training, but he should have a starting role for the Royals this year if he's fully healthy for Opening Day.

The Pirates reassigned Peguero to minor-league camp Tuesday.

The top prospect didn't see any Grapefruit League action because he arrived late to camp due to visa issues. Peguero, who hit a combined .326/.382/.485 in 227 at-bats in 2019, will likely start 2021 in High-A.

Bae was reassigned to minor-league camp Wednesday.

Bae worked with the major-league coaching staff to begin spring training but wasn't in contention for a spot on the big-league roster given his lack of experience in the minors. The 21-year-old appeared in 11 Grapefruit League games this year and went 2-for-11 with two runs, one RBI, one walk and three strikeouts.

Mendick was not in Tuesday's lineup for the first time in seven games as Nick Madrigal returned to action.

Madrigal had experienced residual soreness in his surgically repaired shoulder after making his spring debut March 8. Since then, Mendick has filled in at second base but moved back to the bench in favor of Madrigal. Mendick can move around the infield from second base to third base. He's 3-for-25 with one run scored in 12 spring games.

Castro has posted a .227/.261/.318 slash line through his first 22 Grapefruit League at-bats.

Castro hasn't done much in spring training but he was also quiet last spring before posting a .347/.407/.429 line across 22 regular-season games. The 27-year-old should secure a utility role with the Tigers this year, and he has the ability to play across the infield and in the outfield, giving him some fantasy upside if he's able to secure regular playing time at some point.