Ruiz went 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals.

Neither blast came against a particularly noteworthy pitcher -- he took Tekoah Roby deep for a two-run shot in the fourth inning before lofting a solo homer off Leonardo Taveras in the sixth -- but it was still a strong showing from Ruiz. The 26-year-old backstop may have worn down last season, stumbling to a .229/.260/.359 slash line with 13 homers in 127 regular-season games, but the Nats made no move to add a backup in the offseason who could potentially take some of the workload off him.

Ramirez went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against Atlanta.

Liam Hicks got the start at catcher for Miami, but Ramirez's first long ball of the spring still came against a reliever with a good chance of breaking camp on Atlanta's 26-man roster in Angel Perdomo. Ramirez is expected to begin the campaign back at Triple-A Jacksonville, where he slashed .270/.368/.461 in 39 games last season after being acquired from the Yankees in the Jazz Chisholm trade, but Nick Fortes (groin) has been banged up early in camp and offers very little with his bat even when he's healthy. If Ramirez has a quick start to the year in Jacksonville, he should make his big-league debut this summer, and a more serious injury for Fortes could accelerate that timeline even further.

Smith went 1-for-3 with a solo home run Thursday in a Cactus League win over the Rangers.

Smith got a late start to spring action due to a lingering ankle issue, and he exited Tuesday's game against Cincinnati after being hit in the knee by a pitch. However, the All-Star backstop appears to have avoided a significant injury on the HBP, as he started at catcher Thursday and took Caleb Boushley deep to left field in the fourth inning. Smith posted a career-worst .760 OPS over 544 regular-season plate appearances last season, but he contributed 20 home runs and 75 RBI and continues to be regarded as one of fantasy's most reliable catchers.

Bart has gone 4-for-11 with two home runs and six RBI in Grapefruit League action.

Bart homered for the second consecutive game Wednesday, blasting a fastball over the fence in center field during a win over the Blue Jays. He's expected to be the Pirates' primary catcher in 2025, and his start to spring training has seemingly solidified that role.

Romo is likely to begin the 2025 season at Triple-A Albuquerque, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reports.

Manager Bud Black has praised Romo this spring for his improvement in blocking skills and in managing a game. However, Saunders suggests that the Rockies will opt to keep Hunter Goodman on the Opening Day roster thanks to his superior skills as a hitter. Even if Romo begins the season in the minors, there's a strong chance he'll be in Colorado at some point in 2025.

Smith (knee) will start at catcher and bat sixth in Thursday's Cactus League contest versus the Rangers, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Smith was removed from Tuesday's game against the Reds after being hit on the left knee by a pitch, but his exit was deemed precautionary and he's back out there following a day of rest. The bigger worry for the 29-year-old catcher is an ankle injury suffered last year that lingered into camp this spring, although it's not expected to affect Smith's Opening Day availability.

The Padres reassigned Salas to minor-league camp Thursday, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Salas, 18, was a spring training invitee but always destined to return to the minors to begin the 2025 season. He's a gifted defensive catcher, but the top prospect slashed only .206/.288/.311 at High-A Fort Wayne in 2024, so he'll be looking to take a step forward offensively this season.

Fortes was removed from Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals in the first inning due to a groin contusion, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Fortes suffered the injury when a foul ball struck him in the lower body while he was catching in the top of the inning. Rob Brantly entered the contest in place of Fortes, who can be viewed as day-to-day.

Manager Dave Roberts said after Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Reds that Smith's (knee) removal was precautionary, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Smith exited the game after getting hit in the left knee by a pitch, though the team isn't concerned about it, and Roberts added that Smith wasn't going to stay in the game for more than another inning anyway. The 29-year-old backstop may get a day off to recover from any lingering soreness, but his Opening Day availability hasn't changed.

Smith was removed from Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Reds after getting hit in the left knee by a pitch, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Tack on another lower-body injury for Smith, who just made his spring debut last week after beginning camp behind schedule due to a bone bruise in his ankle. He can be considered day-to-day for now, though the Dodgers will presumably take a closer look at him to confirm he didn't suffer any serious damage.