MLB Player News

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.

Petit was non-tendered by the Angels on Friday, making him a free agent.

Petit was designated for assignment by the Angels in late November to make 40-man room, and will now take his talents elsewhere. The 31-year-old posted a .245/.299/.348 line in 2016 while playing five different positions on defense, so he could have some value to teams as a utility man.

Torres will begin the 2017 season with Double-A Trenton, George A. King of the New York Post reports.

The highly-acclaimed prospect, who was acquired from the Cubs in the Aroldis Chapman trade, began the transition to second base and slashed .254/.341/.386 in 138 plate appearances for High-A Tampa following last season's trade. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Torres will begin the season with Trenton and get introduced to cold weather for the first time, with his performance determining a potential promotion, despite being just 19 years old.

Petit was designated for assignment by the Angels on Monday.

Petit was designated for assignment after the Angels agreed to a one-year deal with outfielder Ryan LaMarre. At 31 years old, Petit appeared in 89 games with the Angels in 2016 as a utility infielder and finished the year slashing .245/.299/.348. Assuming he accepts his assignment, he will likely begin the 2017 season with Triple-A Salt Lake.

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.

Fontana was claimed off waivers by the Angels on Tuesday.

Fontana struggled mightily at the Triple-A level, holding a batting average below the dreaded Mendoza Line and striking out in more than one-quarter of his at-bats, which led the Astros to expose him to waivers. That being said, the 25-year-old does possess some defensive utility across the infield and has a knack for drawing walks, but these positives likely limit his upside to that of a reserve at the major league level even if his batting average improves.

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.