MLB Player News

LeMahieu said Thursday that he's fully healthy again following October surgery to repair a sports hernia, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports.

LeMahieu noted that he's been able to take batting practice for much of the winter, so getting his timing back at the plate shouldn't be much of an issue once the lockout ends and the Yankees are able to reconvene for workouts. After posting a career-best 1.011 OPS during the 60-game 2020 campaign, LeMahieu took a major step back in the slugging department in 2021, posting an .094 ISO. He was at least able to maintain his strong eye at the plate, walking in a career-best 10.9 percent of his plate appearances while striking out a modest 13.8 percent of the time.

Jung experienced left shoulder discomfort while lifting weights last week and has been shut down with a labral strain, Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports.

Jung is considered one of the more interesting prospects set to debut this season, as he hit .326/.398/.592 across the two highest levels of the minors in 2021 and has a clear path to the third base job in Texas. He's unfortunately now suffered a preseason injury two years in a row, as a stress fracture in his left foot last March pushed his season debut back to mid-June. Exactly how much time this particular injury will wind up costing him won't become clear until a follow-up visit next week and will depend in part on whether or not the season is delayed, but it may mean that Isiah Kiner-Falefa ends up remaining the starter at the hot corner for longer than previously expected.

Bregman (wrist) was cleared to resume hitting Friday, Mark Berman of Fox 26 reports.

Bregman underwent right wrist surgery in early November and appears to be on track in his recovery. The 27-year-old remains hopeful that he'll be ready for the start of spring training.

Castillo signed a minor-league contract with the Royals on Thursday.

Castillo made his major-league debut during the 2021 campaign but spent most of the season at Triple-A El Paso. Across 113 appearances in the minors, the 26-year-old hit .287 with three homers, 47 runs, 45 RBI and 12 stolen bases.

Toro will get some outfield reps in spring training to increase his versatility, Corey Brock of The Athletic reports.

Toro will be eligible at second base and third base already, and it sounds like there's a chance he could also earn outfield eligibility in the coming season. He hit .252 with five home runs and three steals in 60 games for Seattle last season.

Urshela agreed to a one-year, $6.55 million contract with the Yankees on Tuesday to avoid arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Urshela took a step back in 2021 with a .267/.301/.419 slash line in 116 games after posting an OPS over .850 in the previous two seasons, but the Yankees are hoping for a rebound in 2022. The 30-year-old finished the season as New York's starting shortstop after Gleyber Torres was moved to the keystone, but the team's offseason additions figure to dictate where Urshela sees most of his playing time in 2022.

Noel was added to Cleveland's 40-man roster Friday.

Noel is a rare case of a hitting prospect in the lower levels getting added to the 40-man roster as Rule 5 draft protection. However, he is one of Cleveland's best prospects, with a chance to develop a plus hit tool to go with easy plus power. He should spend a good chunk of next season at Double-A.

Freeman (shoulder) was added to Cleveland's 40-man roster Friday.

This move was a given, even though Freeman's 2021 season didn't go as planned. He performed up to his usual standards (.323/.372/.470), but was limited to 41 games at Double-A when a shoulder injury ended his season. He is recovering from left labrum surgery and should spend the bulk of the 2022 season at Triple-A.

Astudillo was designated for assignment Friday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

Astudillo is a fan favorite with a very unique statistical profile, possessing a career 4.7 percent strikeout rate and a 1.9 percent walk rate. He posted impressive small-sample numbers in his debut in 2018 but hasn't done much since then, hitting .254/.278/.382 across 139 games. That line doesn't work even for a player who's nominally a catcher, and Astudillo's poor defense at that spot meant he only started 25 games behind the plate over the last three years.

Miranda was added to the Twins' 40-man roster Friday.

As Miranda was one of the most statistically impressive hitters in the minors last season, his protection from the Rule 5 draft was a cinch. He hit .343/.397/.563 with 17 home runs in 80 games at Triple-A and appears to be big-league ready. Miranda can play second base and third base and could also get some looks at designated hitter in 2022.