MLB Player News

Haase has changed his offseason workout routine to try to be more "explosive" when he plays in the outfield, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

Detroit manager A.J. Hinch previously said Haase is a "catcher first," though it seems clear from his offseason focus on speed and quickness that he will appear at multiple positions this season. That should help the 29-year-old play more frequently and potentially pick up eligibility at a few different spots. Haase is coming off a career year in which he blasted 22 home runs across 98 games.

Rortvedt (oblique) was cleared to resume hitting off a tee Monday, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports.

Rortvedt has taken another step forward in his recovery from an oblique strain, but he'll likely need to graduate to hitting soft-toss pitching and then live batting practice before being deemed ready for Opening Day. The young catcher doesn't look like he'll have enough time to gain clearance for the April 7 season opener versus Boston, but he shouldn't be in store for a lengthy stay on the injured list to begin the campaign. In the meantime, Kyle Higashioka is expected to serve as the Yankees' top backstop while Rortvedt is idle.

Higashioka is slashing .500/.538/1.250 with three home runs, four RBI and four runs scored over 13 Grapefruit League plate appearances.

Higashioka entered camp expecting to work in a platoon with Ben Rortvedt behind the plate, but Rortvedt has yet to get into a contest due to an oblique injury. Higashioka has seized upon the opportunity with a power-packed spring performance that includes a team-best three homers. If Rortvedt is unable to get ramped up in time for Opening Day, Higashioka would likely open the campaign as the team's everyday catcher. However, a platoon remains the most likely scenario for the bulk of the season, especially considering Higashioka's tepid .181/.246/.389 slash line over 67 games for the Yankees last season.

Moreno was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo on Monday, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

The catcher is ranked as the Blue Jays' top prospect but the team will opt to go with Danny Jansen and Alejandro Kirk as the primary options behind the plate to open the season. Moreno failed to play in any of the team's spring outings before being sent down Monday, but he hit .356 last year in 35 games between Double-A and Triple-A while adding eight long balls and 46 RBI.

Murphy, who went 1-for-2 with a double in a Cactus League loss to the Mariners on Sunday, is hitting .545 (6-for-11) with four doubles, a home run, four RBI, a walk and two runs in his first five exhibition appearances.

The 27-year-old backstop's numbers underscore how blistering hot he's been to start spring, certainly an encouraging sign after Murphy's lackluster .216/.306/.405 slash line in 2021. While he did record a career-high 17 home runs and 59 RBI last season, Murphy's early showing this spring offers some hope he'll be able to get on base more consistently in 2022 while hopefully ceding only occasional playing time to the returning Stephen Vogt.

Wong was optioned to Triple-A Worcester on Sunday, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.

Wong made six big-league appearances last season and was on the roster for the wild-card game, but he won't be with the team for Opening Day. He appeared in 50 games for Worcester last year and had a .730 OPS with eight home runs, 26 RBI and seven stolen bases.

Pinto was optioned to minor-league camp Sunday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Pinto was in big-league camp after being added to the 40-man roster in November but never had much of a chance at making the Opening Day squad with Mike Zunino and Francisco Mejia healthy. He'll open the season at Triple-A Durham, where he hit .299/.327/.532 with 12 homers and 35 RBI in 52 games last season.

Bemboom (illness) went 0-for-2 in Saturday's 14-5 win over the Pirates.

Bemboom was sidelined for a couple of days due to an illness, but it was never expected to be a long-term issue. The 32-year-old catcher will continue to compete for a spot on the big-league roster, with Robinson Chirinos, Jacob Nottingham and Beau Taylor also in the mix while Adley Rutschman (triceps) works his way back from injury.

Haase went 1-for-2 with a walk and a three-run home run in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies.

Haase relieved Tucker Barnhart and proceeded to hit his first spring home run. Haase is now batting .300 with a 1.162 OPS in Grapefruit League action, while Barnhart is batting just .077 with a .154 OPS. It's a small sample size and still very early, of course, but Haase may be able to secure more playing time during the regular season if he looks this much better at the plate than Barnhart. As it stands, Barnhart is the de facto No. 1 catcher, though the two players could split time fairly evenly to start the year. Haase may also see some time at DH, particularly if the Tigers keep Dustin Garneau on the roster as a third catcher.

It remains unclear when Moreno will return to game action, though he will get reps at catcher and third base this spring, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Moreno was delayed arriving to camp while awaiting a visa, though he has been working up to game speed across the last couple days. His work behind the plate will remain a priority, though he will also get reps around the infield. Third base is the most likely position for Moreno to add to his repertoire, as he appeared in two games at the position in the Arizona Fall League.