MLB Player News

Madrigal (hamstring) will likely be one of several players that Chicago manager David Ross rotates into the designated hitter spot this season, Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports Chicago reports.

Madrigal was acquired by the Cubs at the trade deadline last summer but was already out for the year following surgery to repair proximal tendon tears in his right hamstring. He's expected to be ready for the start of the regular season, but the Cubs could still ease the 25-year-old back into action by using him as the DH from time to time. Willson Contreras, Ian Happ (elbow) and Clint Frazier were also identified as candidates to serve as the DH, as Ross seems intent on mixing and matching in the spot.

Wisdom (wrist) took live at-bats against teammate Justin Steele during the Cubs' team workout Monday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

The activity is evidence that Wisdom is good to go for the start of the 2022 campaign after he missed the final week of the 2021 season with a sore right wrist. Before the injury cropped up, the 30-year-old was one of the pleasant surprises in a non-contending season for the Cubs, as he paced the team with 28 home runs while driving in 61, scoring 54 times and chipping in four steals. However, a low walk rate (8.6 percent) and a bloated 40.9 percent strikeout rate made him less valuable from a real-life standpoint. Though the big power production he supplied in 2021 locks him into an everyday role heading into Opening Day, Wisdom may need to pare down his strikeouts to ensure he maintains a regular lineup spot for the balance of the season.

Astudillo signed a minor-league contract with the Marlins on Sunday, Craig Mish of SportsGrid.com reports.

Astudillo appeared in a career-high 73 games with the Twins in 2021 and hit .236 with seven home runs, 21 RBI and 17 runs. He's made appearances in the majors in each of the last four seasons and will presumably compete for a roster spot during big-league spring training in 2022.

Farmer enters camp as the Reds' starting shortstop, but Jose Barrero can "force the issue," according to manager David Bell, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Farmer, who played through a sports hernia injury over the second half of last season, was worth 1.6 fWAR in 147 games, largely due to his strong defense. He hit .263/.316/.416 on the year, good for a career-best 91 wRC+. Given the direction of the franchise, the Reds will likely turn to the younger Barrero at some point, if not right out of the gate, unless Farmer tops his 2021 production.

Vargas is attending big-league spring training as a non-roster invitee, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Vargas signed with the Cubs on a minor-league contract back in December after appearing in 15 games with the team over the past two seasons. Chicago added Andrelton Simmons on Friday to cover shortstop, and Nico Hoerner, Nick Madrigal, David Bote and Sergio Alcantara may all see time in the middle infield this year. Vargas provides some veteran organizational depth and offers little fantasy upside in 2022.

Senzel (knee) will focus on center field in spring training, Reds GM Nick Krall told Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer on Saturday.

It's worth noting that Krall merely answered "yes" when Nightengale asked if Senzel would focus on center field -- Krall didn't bring up the topic or elaborate on it. The Reds have moved Senzel around frequently throughout his career, so a little stability in one position wouldn't hurt. Of course, Senzel has to prove that he can stay healthy before any of this matters.

Muncy (elbow) took batting practice and fielded grounders Saturday, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Manager Dave Roberts said Friday that he expects Muncy to be ready for Opening Day in some capacity, and the 31-year-old is approximately 85 percent recovered from his elbow injury that he sustained during the final game of the regular season in 2021. It was encouraging to see him participate in baseball activities now that spring training is underway, and it's possible that he'll serve as the team's designated hitter to begin the year if he isn't cleared to play in the field by Opening Day.

Muncy is about 85 percent recovered from his elbow injury and manager Dave Roberts believes he should be ready for Opening Day in some capacity, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Muncy missed last year's postseason with a torn UCL and a dislocation of his left elbow. He said himself in early March that he expected to be ready for Opening Day, but players have a tendency to be optimistic regarding their own availability, so it's encouraging to hear a similar story from his manager. The introduction of the universal designated hitter could also boost Muncy's early-season value, as he should be able to remain in the lineup regularly even if he's not yet ready for an everyday role in the field.

Walding signed a minor-league deal with the Padres on Tuesday and will convert to catcher, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Walding has spent almost the entirety of his professional career at first or third base, with the only exceptions being lone appearances at shortstop and left field. Moving all the way to the most difficult end of the defensive spectrum is quite a rare transition, but the 29-year-old believes it will help extend his career. If the new spot sticks, it will lower the pressure on his bat, though he showed very little there in his very brief major-league stints in 2018 and 2019, going 1-for-19 with 14 strikeouts.

Maggi signed a minor-league contract with the Phillies on Friday.

Maggi spent three days on the Twins' active roster last September, but he didn't leave the bench and is still awaiting his MLB debut. He's expected to open the upcoming season with the Phillies' Triple-A affiliate after he spent the majority of the 2021 campaign at Triple-A St. Paul in Minnesota's organization. Over 370 plate appearances at St. Paul, the 32-year-old corner infielder hit .252 with 16 home runs and 12 stolen bases.