MLB Player News

Gimenez is a likely beneficiary if big-league teams are allowed to use expanded rosters to accommodate a shortened or compacted schedule, Deesha Thosar of The New York Daily News reports.

Proposals have been floated that would see a 29-man roster in MLB for at least the first month of a shortened season. In that scenario, Gimenez -- the Mets' No. 6 fantasy prospect -- could find a home on the bench, giving the club extra insurance at second base in case Robinson Cano is unable to return to form. The 21-year-old's bat still appears to be behind his glove, however, so expectations for Gimenez's offensive production should be kept in check if he does get playing time in the majors this season.

Garcia spent the spring working on his hitting mechanics to use his lower half more and drive the ball, Byron Kerr of MASN Sports reports. "That's how we started it the first day," Nationals minor-league hitting coordinator Troy Gingrich said this week. "We went in there and compared him [to Juan Soto's swing], because he loves Juan obviously. So we threw him up there next to Juan and he could see the difference in how Juan uses his lower half compared to how [Garcia] uses his lower half. He focused hard on this."

The organization's No. 2 fantasy prospect, Garcia's outstanding hit tool and strong defensive work have carried him through the minors so far, but he'll need to become a bigger offensive threat if he's going to realize his full potential. Gingrich expects him to put it all together, though. "Because he trusts his hands so much, a lot times, his lower half will shut down and it will just be a handsy swing," Gingrich said of the 19-year-old. "We are trying to get his legs involved more, to be more connected with his hands to be able to drive the ball a little bit more. So once he's able to get his legs and hands working connected, he's going to start driving balls. He's very athletic and he's very handsy. With him, we are just trying to get him fully rotated with his backside through the baseball. Once that happens, holy cow, this kid is pretty special." A breakout campaign at the plate in the upper minors this season could put Garcia on track to break into the Nats' starting lineup in 2021.

Semien will be credited with a full year of service time even if the 2020 season is canceled outright, keeping him on track to become a free agent next offseason, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Semien's impending free-agent status, along with that of teammates such as Liam Hendriks, Mike Fiers and Yusmeiro Petit, was secured as part of a multi-faceted agreement reached last Thursday between MLB and the MLBPA. There's still a stronger likelihood the 2020 regular season is played in some form as opposed to being canceled outright, but this provision gives Semien some peace of mind. If there's ultimately no 2020 campaign, the veteran shortstop will potentially head into the open market on the strength of a career-best 2019 season that saw him slash .285/.369/.522 with 83 extra-base hits (43 doubles, seven triples, 33 home runs) and 92 RBI across 747 plate appearances while appearing in all 162 games.

Frazier is expected to primarily play at second base in 2020 while occasionally shifting to the outfield when the team utilizes a four-man outfield, The Athletic Pittsburgh reports.

His offensive production in 2019 was fairly pedestrian, with the 28-year-old slashing .278/.336/.417 with 80 runs scored, 10 homers and two stolen bases in 608 plate appearances. Frazier played with a fractured right index finger for the first part of the season, however, and he still contributed defensively with the 37th highest defensive WAR (4.9) in the majors. He hit leadoff early in the season but moved to seventh following the emergence of Kevin Newman. Frazier is expected to bat higher this season, possibly even third, with former No. 3 hitter Starling Marte dealt to Arizona. The second baseman became the subject of his own trade rumors over the winter, but he'll see steady at-bats while he remains in a Pittsburgh uniform.

Kemp, who hit .345 (10-for-29) over 10 Cactus League games before spring training was suspended, appears to have secured a platoon role at second base alongside Franklin Barreto to open the 2020 season, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Kemp entered camp with good odds of securing that exact role, and his performance in Cactus League action served to definitively strengthen his job prospects. The 28-year-old forged a versatile stat line during exhibition play, recording a double, a home run, two RBI, four walks, a stolen base and seven runs. The left-handed hitting Kemp is slated to see time versus right-handed pitching, against which he slugged seven of his eight home runs last season and 13 of his 14 overall in the last three campaigns.

The Red Sox may have the roster flexibility to carry Arauz, a Rule 5 draft pick, if MLB expands rosters from 26 to 29 players for the first month of an abbreviated season, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

As a Rule 5 pick, Arauz must remain on Boston's active roster all season (barring an IL stint) or be offered back to the Astros. Under normal circumstances, it's unclear that Arauz would claim one of the 26 spots to start the regular season. But a shortened season -- where teams can carry 29 players for the first month and expanded 28-man rosters for the final month -- makes it easier for the Red Sox to keep the 21-year-old Arauz. His glove is major-league ready, but Arauz still needs to develop as a hitter.

Estrada could be called back up to Yankees if MLB decides to expand rosters early in the season, Brendan Kuty of NJ Advance Media reports.

The Yankees optioned Estrada to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Thursday after he slashed a meager .200/.226/.233 in Grapefruit League action. While Tyler Wade appears to be the team's primary choice for a utility role, Estrada could be brought up as a second utility player and pinch-running option should the league expand rosters when the season commences, as is widely expected.

Barreto is likely to open the regular season platooning with Tony Kemp at second base, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Barreto helped solidify his grip on an Opening Day roster spot before spring training was suspended by hitting .306 (11-for-36) with four doubles, two triples, four RBI, three walks, a stolen base and six runs across 13 Cactus League games. The 24-year-old has struggled considerably at the plate in three previous big-league stints, so his success offensively this spring is certainly an encouraging sight. It remains to be seen how playing time between the lefty-hitting Kemp and Barreto might be split to start the season, but it's worth noting the latter enjoyed success against either handedness of pitcher (.282 vs. righties, .330 vs. southpaws) at Triple-A Las Vegas in 2019.

India hit .227/.321/.409 with one homer in 28 spring training plate appearances before he was sent to the Reds' minor-league camp.

India made it to Double-A Chattanooga last season, hitting .270/.414/.378 in 34 games. With Eugenio Suarez locked in at third base for the Reds, there's no clear path for India to play at the big-league level, but as yet his performance hasn't created any urgency to promote him to Cincinnati either.

Beckham was released by the Padres on Thursday, Andersen Pickard of MLBDailyDish.com reports.

Beckham agreed to terms with the Padres in February and was competing for a utility role with the club. He failed to collect a hit in 20 plate appearances in Cactus League action, though he did walk five times.