MLB Player News
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Jacob Stallings C | BAL
Pirates' Jacob Stallings: Reaches base three times Monday
Stallings went 2-for-2 with a double and an HBP against the Yankees on Monday.
The 30-year-old is expected to serve as Pittsburgh's primary catcher in 2020. He saw his first sustained action last season, slashing .262/.322/.410 with six homers in 309 plate appearances. Primarily known for his defensive skills behind the plate, Stallings has batted .291 (in 523 at-bats) over his last three minor-league campaigns with nine homers and two steals.
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Jose Trevino C | CIN
Rangers' Jose Trevino: Avoids fracture
Trevino suffered nothing worse than a bruise after getting hit by a foul tip on his knuckle Monday.
Trevino was forced to leave the game and was sent for X-rays, but the tests confirmed he suffered no serious injury. He should still receive plenty of at-bats this spring to make his case for a bench spot.
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Rafael Marchan C | PHI
Phillies' Rafael Marchan: Impresses manager
Marchan earned rave reviews from manager Joe Girardi following Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Orioles, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
Girardi called Marchan the "block master" and also praised his arm during an in-game interview. Marchan hasn't played above the High-A level and struggled to a .231/.291/.282 line there in 22 games for Clearwater, so he's unlikely to be considered for a big-league job any time soon. The 20-year-old has good contact ability, with a career .285 average and a 9.3 percent strikeout rate in four minor-league seasons, but he's yet to hit a professional home run. He profiles as a defense-first backup.
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Deivi Grullon C | BOS
Phillies' Deivy Grullon: Absent for dental work
Grullon has missed the Phillies last two Grapefruit League games due to an infected tooth, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
The issue doesn't appear likely to significantly impact Grullon's readiness for Opening Day. It's cost him the chance to play a temporarily increased role while Andrew Knapp is out due to a rib injury, but he'll likely still have plenty of chances to state his case to earn the backup catcher job.
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Jose Trevino C | CIN
Rangers' Jose Trevino: Sent for X-rays
Trevino is scheduled to undergo X-rays on his right index finger, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Trevino exited Monday's Cactus League game against the Reds after getting hit by a foul tip on the knuckle of his right index finger. The severity of the injury, along with a timetable for the backstop's return, should come into focus once the test results are disclosed.
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Jose Trevino C | CIN
Rangers' Jose Trevino: Exits with apparent injury
Trevino exited Monday's Cactus League game against the Reds with an apparent finger injury, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Trevino was checked out by trainers during the first inning but was able to stay in the game and finish off the inning. The backstop was ultimately replaced by Blake Swihart prior to the start of the second frame. Before exiting, Trevino went 1-for-1 with a pair of RBI.
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Yasmani Grandal C | PIT
White Sox's Yasmani Grandal: Likely to miss another week
Manager Rick Renteria estimated that Grandal (calf) would miss between seven and 10 games prior to appearing in Grapefruit League matchups, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.
Grandal has been battling a mild calf strain over the beginning of spring training, but he's been able to participate in hitting and catching drills. The 32-year-old is scheduled to perform sprinting drills Monday, but he'll likely be sidelined between one and two weeks prior to appearing in Grapefruit League games. However, the injury is not expected to affect his availability for Opening Day if his recovery continues smoothly.
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Victor Caratini C | MIN
Cubs' Victor Caratini: Goes deep in spring debut
Caratini went 2-for-2 with a solo home run and a double in Sunday's 4-2 Cactus League loss to the Dodgers.
Caratini started his spring on a nice note after a solid 2019. The 26-year-old will serve as a backup at catcher and first base this year, and his fantasy value could rise if an injury opens up a more regular role.
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J.T. Realmuto C | PHI
Phillies' J.T. Realmuto: Starting at catcher
Realmuto (knee) is in the lineup for Sunday's spring game against the Pirates, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
Realmuto's 2019 campaign came to a close when he underwent surgery to address a meniscus issue in his right knee, but his recovery went as planned over the offseason, and he is ready to jump into action Sunday. Realmuto will start behind the plate and hit second in the Phillies' batting order.
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Jonah Heim C | ATH
Athletics' Jonah Heim: Impressing early
Heim, who has a chance to earn a backup catcher job this spring, has impressed in camp and in Saturday's 12-2 Cactus League loss to the Cubs, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports. "He was real calm back there. Got all the signs I gave him. He had a lot going on back there with their guys swinging the bat well," manager Bob Melvin said. "For a first start, you would think a guy like that has some nerves, but he certainly didn't show it."
Projected Opening Day catcher Sean Murphy (knee) is expected out until at least March 2, which will afford Heim extra reps in his bid to earn a backup catcher job this spring. The 24-year-old has yet to log any regular-season major-league action, but he opened eyes last season with a .358/.412/.557 line across 119 plate appearances at Triple-A Las Vegas. He kept his bat warm over the winter as well while playing in the Dominican Republic, slashing .301/.386/.411 over 20 games with the Toros del Este. Heim played six innings versus the Cubs on Saturday and went 1-for-2 with a single, while also flashing his renowned defensive skills by cutting down Jason Heyward after digging out a throw in the dirt.