MLB Player News
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Kyle Teel C | CHW
White Sox's Kyle Teel: Headed to minors
The White Sox reassigned Teel to minor-league camp Monday.
Though Teel and Edgar Quero are two of the more highly regarded catching prospects not just in the White Sox organization but in all of baseball, the duo will likely split time behind the plate and at designated hitter at Triple-A Charlotte to begin the season before making their respective MLB debuts later on in 2025. The White Sox appear set to proceed with Korey Lee as their No. 1 catcher, but after he posted a .591 OPS over 394 plate appearances in 2024, he likely won't be tough to dislodge atop the depth chart once the organization is confident Teel and/or Quero are big-league ready. As a member of the Red Sox organization last season, Teel slashed .288/.386/.433 with 13 home runs and 12 steals over 112 games at the Double-A and Triple-A levels.
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Sandy Leon C | ATL
Braves' Sandy Leon: Cut from big-league camp
Atlanta reassigned Leon to minor-league camp Monday.
Leon's dismissal leaves Atlanta with just two healthy backstops in big-league camp: Drake Baldwin and Chadwick Tromp. Barring an addition from outside the organization, the two will begin the season as Atlanta's catching tandem until Sean Murphy (rib) is ready to make his 2025 debut. Leon is likely to open the campaign as organizational catching depth at Triple-A Gwinnett.
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Curt Casali C | ATL
Curt Casali: Cut by Atlanta
Atlanta released Casali on Monday.
Atlanta had assigned Casali to minor-league camp Sunday, but rather than accepting a likely assignment at Triple-A Gwinnett to open the 2025 season, the veteran backstop was instead given the opportunity to try to find work on the open market. Casali spent the 2024 season in the Cubs and Giants organization, logging 125 plate appearances in the big leagues with the latter club and slashing .194/.293/.250 with one home run and eight RBI.
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Hayden Senger C | NYM
Mets' Hayden Senger: Making push for 26-man roster
Senger could open the season as the Mets' No. 2 catcher behind Luis Torrens, Tim Britton of the Athletic reports.
Internal options for catching depth are limited with Francisco Alvarez (hand) set to begin the campaign on the IL, but Senger's defensive skills behind the plate could make him the choice over Jakson Reetz and Chris Williams. The 27-year-old Senger doesn't offer much upside with his bat however, managing a .724 OPS with three homers over 48 games for Triple-A Syracuse in 2024, and the Mets could look outside the organization for Torrens' backup once other teams begin to trim their rosters at the end of camp.
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Connor Wong C | BOS
Red Sox's Connor Wong: Homers in return
Wong started at catcher and went 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI in Sunday's spring game against Minnesota.
Wong returned to Boston's lineup after coming down with an illness last Wednesday. He made an immediate impact with a run-producing sacrifice fly in the first inning then a solo home run to lead off the fourth. The home run was his second of the spring. He's had just 15 at-bats in Grapefruit League action but is expected to be ready for the regular season.
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Luis Campusano C | SD
Padres' Luis Campusano: Makes impression with homer Sunday
Campusano hit a three-run home run in his only at-bat during Sunday's Cactus League loss to the Diamondbacks.
Campusano didn't start the game, but he entered as a defensive replacement at catcher in the seventh inning. The 26-year-old then made the most of his lone plate appearance, smashing a three-run homer to left field in the eighth frame. It was a much-needed big hit for Campusano, who entered Sunday having gone just 3-for-21 this spring. He's competing with Elias Diaz to be San Diego's primary catcher to open the campaign, and Diaz has also struggled at the dish in Cactus League play with a 3-for-22 line. With that in mind, Campusano could turn the competition in his favor if he's able to build upon Sunday's performance during what's left of spring training.
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Ben Rice 1B | NYY
Yankees' Ben Rice: Making strong case for roster spot
Rice went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run in Sunday's Grapefruit League win over Tampa Bay.
Rice batted leadoff in the spring game and played the entire contest at DH. His big hit was a two-run blast to left-center field in the fourth inning. That marked the second homer in three days for Rice, and he has five hits during that span. The 26-year-old is competing for a spot on the Yankees' Opening Day roster as the backup first baseman behind Paul Goldschmidt, and he could also log significant time at DH with Giancarlo Stanton (elbows/calf) having no timeline for his return.
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Tyler Soderstrom C | ATH
Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom: Starts another spring game at catcher
Soderstrom started at catcher in Sunday's spring training loss to the Giants. While it's unlikely that Soderstrom will be the backup catcher in addition to being the starter at first base, manager Mark Kotsay said he could play the position during the regular season, MLB.com reports.
Jhonny Pereda has likely won the backup catcher job behind Shea Langeliers, but it's possible Soderstrom could get enough playing time at catcher to qualify in some fantasy leagues. Soderstrom played just one game at catcher in the majors but logged 21 games at the position in Triple-A in 2024.
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Gavin Collins C | STL
Cardinals' Gavin Collins: Sent to minor-league camp
The Cardinals reassigned Collins to minor-league camp Sunday.
Collins will be heading into his second season in the Cardinals organization after producing a .796 OPS over 216 plate appearances at Triple-A Memphis in 2024. The 29-year-old is primarily a catcher, but he's also capable of playing first base in a pinch.
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Curt Casali C | ATL
Braves' Curt Casali: Assigned to minor-league camp
Atlanta assigned Casali to minor-league camp Sunday.
Casali was brought in by Atlanta on a minor-league deal in January after appearing in 41 regular-season games for the Giants in 2024. Even with Sean Murphy rehabbing from a fractured rib on his left side, Casali will start the 2025 campaign in Triple-A, leaving Drake Baldwin, Chadwick Tromp and Sandy Leon to battle for catching duties to begin the campaign.