MLB Player News

Miller, who went 0-for-3 in Friday's 3-1 Grapefruit League victory over the Twins, handled back-to-back chances at second base cleanly, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The slugging infielder and the Rays were content with Miller's debut effort at second in live action this spring, which drew praise from manager Kevin Cash following the game. Assuming the 27-year-old locks down his new position as expected, the team will be able to deploy Matt Duffy in the shortstop role that he's comfortable in. Miller is expected to see plenty of reps at the keystone this spring in preparation for the regular season.

Canha, who missed the majority of last season due to hip surgery, has earned strong praise from manager Bob Melvin for his performance in early workouts, Joe Stiglich of CSN Bay Area reports. "He worked hard in the offseason. His swing looks good," Melvin said. "He looks like he's in great shape and I think he's out to prove a serious point this year - that he can be a very productive guy at the big league level, as we've seen before."

The 28-year-old saw only 44 plate appearances in 2016 before his injury, which prevented him from building on a solid rookie campaign the season prior. Canha, who's slated to platoon with newcomer Matt Joyce in right field this season, will draw the start in left field and hit cleanup in Saturday's Cactus League opener versus the Cubs.

Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said Cabrera is not a candidate to hit second this year, the Detroit Free Press reports.

The Tigers don't have a prototypical No. 2 hitter, and are considering sluggers Nick Castellanos and J.D. Martinez for the role. However, Ausmus said Cabrera will remain the No. 3 hitter. "Miggy has been pretty successful hitting third," Ausmus said. Cabrera should once again post elite fantasy numbers in a strong Detroit lineup.

Brantley (shoulder) is taking normal batting practice pitching at an indoor cage Friday after previously being restricted to a soft-toss program, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

The outfielder's timetable remains up in the air, and a need to rehab into the season looks highly possible. Still, the fact he's taking cuts off live pitches offers a step in the right direction. In the waning rounds of a mixed fantasy draft, owners still can take a logical chance on at least a partial season from the 2014 AL MVP candidate.

Ozuna will not start in Saturday's Grapefruit League game due to mild shoulder discomfort, and manager Don Mattingly said he'll slowly work Ozuna into the lineup when he's ready, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports.

Ozuna may be available sometime next week if he can heal quickly. The 26-year-old should deliver another 20-homer season in 2017 if he stays healthy, and perhaps a productive showing in RBI, but everything else about his game is up in the air, despite his youth and upside.

Sources say the Indians have no certainty for when Brantley (shoulder) will debut this season, despite the optimism offered by general manager Mike Chernoff and other officials, Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports.

Heyman suggests 2017 is a lot like 2016, in that Cleveland is hoping Brantley can make significant progress. His complex surgeries and recovery should force fantasy owners to express similar caution, though as his price craters, it'll be hard to pass on the talented bat, for whatever portion of the season he plays.

Dickerson (back) feels "substantial improvement" Thursday but remains on the sidelines, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

The nagging back stiffness will probably keep him out at least a few more days, though San Diego won't want to rush him back if it's more serious than initially thought. He'll probably undergo some tests to determine a more concrete timetable, so fantasy players can have a clearer picture on the sneaky power prospect in the coming weeks.

Dickerson (back) was held out of workouts for a third straight day Wednesday and will be examined by team doctors, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

What was initially thought to be a fairly minor ailment seems to be sticking around longer than expected, so the young outfielder will head to the trainer's table to see if there's a larger problem presenting itself. Back injuries are always a rough time given how much every baseball activity utilizes the back, but the severity of this particular issue is currently unclear. Once the results of the examination are revealed, a timetable for Dickerson's return to spring training should become clearer.

Martinez is a candidate to bat second this season, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.

Martinez batted second some last season, but he got most of his at-bats in the No. 5 hole. If he bats second, his RBI potential will go down, but he could score more runs in front of guys like Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, Justin Upton and Nick Castellanos.

Vogelbach, who is likely to platoon with veteran Danny Valencia at first base, has impressed manager Scott Servais with the improved agility he's flashing as a result of offseason workouts, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. "He spent a lot of time on it this offseason. I think he looks great. He's certainly moving a lot better defensively around the bag. He's a lot more flexible. His hands are working better. I like what I see so far."

A 2011 draft pick of the Cubs, Vogelbach arrived in Seattle last July 20 and eventually logged his first 12 major league at-bats late in the season. A burly 6-foot, 250-pounder, Vogelbach worked diligently with his brother, a trainer, this offseason to improve his lateral mobility and first-step quickness. He also added yoga into his stretching routine in attempt to maximize the flexibility of his hips and hamstrings, all with the goal of ensuring himself a roster spot by proving he can be viable defensive option at first base. The 24-year-old's bat is a much more established commodity, as most recently evidenced by his .292/.417/.505 line with 25 doubles, two triples, 23 homers and 96 RBI over a combined 459 at-bats at Triple-A Iowa and Tacoma last season. If he can translate the improvement he's showing in workouts to spring training games, Vogelbach is likely to secure a spot on the 25-man roster and serve as yet another source of power in a potent Mariners lineup.