MLB Player News

Fontana was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake on Thursday.

The Angels trimmed their roster with a round of cuts Thursday, optioning four other players alongside Fontana. Both Fontana and Kaleb Cowart were battling for a utility role, but now it seems Jefry Marte is the leading candidate to win that job after this round of cuts. Fontana struggled at the dish all spring, slashing .100/.250/.200, but his defensive versatility could help him make his way up to the Angels later in the season.

The Tigers reassigned Rodriguez to their minor-league camp Thursday.

Rodriguez spent the 2017 campaign with Triple-A Columbus in the Indians organization, hitting .291 with 17 home runs and 15 steals across 483 plate appearances. While those numbers hint at some toolsiness, his unwillingness to draw walks tempers enthusiasm about his prospects at the major-league level. The Tigers evidently believed that the likes of Alexi Amarista, Niko Goodrum and JaCoby Jones were more attractive utility options than Rodriguez.

Alvarez was dealt to the Rangers in exchange for cash considerations.

Alvarez was recently designated for assignment by the Phillies on Friday following the addition of Pedro Florimon to the 40-man roster. The second baseman appeared in 54 games at the Double-A level in 2017, slashing .247/.321/.382 with four home runs, 26 RBI and eight stolen bases.

Marte was deployed as the starting second baseman and No. 6 hitter in Tuesday's 6-5 exhibition loss to the Angels in what could be a preview of the Diamondbacks' Opening Day lineup, Owen Perkins of MLB.com reports.

Following his promotion to the big leagues in late June, Marte secured a starting gig and ran with it, finishing the 2017 campaign with a strong .260/.345/.395 line across 255 plate appearances. While Marte wasn't as aggressive on the bases as he had been in the past, stealing just three bags in four attempts, he showed more power than expected, racking up 17 extra-base hits in less than a half season of work. Don't expect Marte to see his involvement pick up dramatically in the run game based on his projected spot in the bottom half of the order, but his full-time role should make him a serviceable source of counting stats from the middle infield.

Motter is batting .314 with a home run and six stolen bases over 51 at-bats in Grapefruit League play.

Motter's six steals were tied for the second-most among all players in spring training entering action Tuesday. Though he continues to flash the power and speed combination that made him a solid fantasy performer early last season when he was picking up regular at-bats in place of an injured Jean Segura, Motter eventually fell back into a bench role and faded down the stretch to finish with a .198 average. A .232 BABIP contributed heavily to his demise, as Motter's 31 percent hard-hit rate suggests he probably deserved a better fate. Motter will be worth keeping an eye on if a long-term injury opens up steady playing time for him in the infield or outfield.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Monday that Hernandez could be used on the short side of a platoon at second base with Chase Utley to begin the season with Justin Turner (wrist) set to miss multiple weeks, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Turner's absence due to the fractured wrist creates an opening at third base that will primarily be filled by Logan Forsythe, which clears up the keystone for the lefty-hitting Utley and the righty-hitting Hernandez. The news doesn't really change Hernandez's outlook much, as the Dodgers have always made a concerted effort to give the 26-year-old starts against southpaws while deploying him at a number of positions. Hernandez's stellar .270/.364/.518 career line against lefties makes him an appealing DFS play nearly every time he's in the lineup for those matchups.

The Mets optioned Guillorme to their minor-league camp Tuesday.

A glove-first prospect, Guillorme doesn't offer much appeal in dynasty formats due to his lack of power and impact on the basepaths. He's expected to open the campaign at Double-A Binghamton or Triple-A Las Vegas.

Rengifo was traded to the Angels on Tuesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The young infielder was the player to be named later in the deal that sent C.J. Cron to the Rays. Rengifo batted just .250 at both Low-A Clinton and Bowling Green last season, but he made up for it with 12 homers and 34 stolen bases. He'll likely start the season with either the Angels' Low- or High-A affiliate.

Rodgers was re-assigned to minor-league camp Tuesday, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.

Rodgers had a strong showing this spring, hitting .286/.352/.490 in 23 games. He was never a real candidate to break camp with Colorado, though, as he's played just 38 games at the Double-A level. He hit an unremarkable .260/.323/.413 for Hartford last season and will likely return there to start the 2018 campaign.

The Pirates optioned Bostick to Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday.

Bostick was vying for a spot on the Pirates' Opening Day roster as a reserve infielder, but never gained much momentum with those efforts after going 6-for-35 (.171 average) at the dish during Grapefruit League action. The 24-year-old should handle a full-time role at Indianapolis to begin the season and could earn another look with the big club later on in 2018 when injuries hit the infield. His lack of standout tools makes him a rather uninteresting prospect.