MLB Player News

Leblanc was reassigned to minor league camp Thursday.

Leblanc had signed a minor league deal with the Angels in November. He spent all of 2023 with the Marlins' Triple-A affiliate. The infielder slashed .252/.384/.423 with 12 home runs and four steals in 94 games in the International League.

Garcia went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins.

The second baseman took Jesus Luzardo deep in the third inning, the first of three Nats homers off the southpaw and Garcia's first long ball of the spring. The 23-year-old has had a sluggish start to camp, going 2-for-17 with five strikeouts against zero walks, but the team doesn't have an obvious alternative for him at the keystone and seems willing to give him at least one more chance to establish himself as CJ Abrams' long-term double-play partner.

Biggio (shoulder) will start at second base and bat second Thursday versus the Tigers in his Grapefruit League debut.

Biggio has been brought along methodically this spring after coming into camp with tendinitis in his left (non-throwing) shoulder, but he's been ramping up of late and is now ready to test himself in a game setting. The 28-year-old is likely to fill a super-utility role for the Blue Jays this season, seeing time at second base, third base and right field.

Guillorme (quad) took on-field batting practice Thursday, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Guillorme has been dealing with a sore quad lately but is now able to re-incorporate some baseball activities. The hope is that he will be ready to return to Grapefruit League play soon.

Polanco is hitting .400 (4-for-10) with a double, two RBI, four walks and a run across six Cactus League games.

The noteworthy offseason acquisition has pair of two-hit efforts in his last three games after starting off Cactus League play 0-for-3 over his first three exhibitions. Polanco is penciled in as the everyday second baseman and can also fill in at the hot corner. The veteran switch hitter could be a candidate to hit the 25-homer threshold if good health prevails, considering he belted 30 homers over 184 games his last two seasons in Minnesota.

Urias made his spring debut on defense in the Mariners' Cactus League loss to the Rangers on Tuesday, going 0-for-1 and playing three innings.

Urias' ability to play the field was an important step, considering he's been dealing with right shoulder soreness and had therefore been limited to designated hitter duties over his first three spring appearances. Now that he's been able to get on the diamond, the next step for the 26-year-old is to get his bat going -- he's just 1-for-6 with an RBI over his first four Cactus League contests.

Rojas is hitting .357 (5-for-13) with two doubles, a home run, five RBI, three walks, a stolen base and three runs over his first seven Cactus League games.

Rojas went 1-for-2 with an RBI single, a bases-loaded walk and a run in the Mariners' Cactus League win over the Royals on Wednesday, his latest taste of spring success. The 29-year-old produced a solid .272/.321/.400 line over 46 games after coming to Seattle in a trade with the Diamondbacks last season, and he appears set to primarily split time with Luis Urias at third base while also occasionally filling in for Jorge Polanco at second in the coming season.

Hoerner went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Angels and is now batting just .188 this spring.

Hoerner has gone 3-for-16 with five strikeouts across six Cactus League contests, but he should still be locked in as the Cubs' leadoff hitter heading into the season. The infielder has batted .280 or better each of the last three years, and he also chipped in a career-best 43 stolen bases in 2023. With some strong hitters behind him, Hoerner should once again be an effective tablesetter for Chicago, with his fantasy value likely coming from steals and runs scored.

Castro went 1-for-2 in Philadelphia's 3-2 loss to Baltimore on Tuesday.

Castro has tallied 16 plate appearances in eight spring training games to date as it's clear the team wants to give the infielder every opportunity to make the Opening Day roster. While he has accumulated considerable experience over three seasons in the majors, Castro's high strikeout rate limits his offensive potential. If Castro makes the roster, he figures to be positioned as the team's rotational utility infielder.

Marcano (knee) took live at-bats against Joe Musgrove on Saturday, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Marcano's ability to face live pitching marks an important milestone in his recovery from the ACL repair surgery he underwent last August, but the 24-year-old utility man is still sporting a brace on his right knee and has yet to be cleared for running. He's likely to open the 2024 season on the 10-day injured list and will presumably require an extended minor-league rehab assignment before being activated.