MLB Player News

Vogelbach was optioned to Triple-A Iowa on Monday, the Chicago Sun-Times' Gordon Wittenmyer reports.

While he is on the 40-man roster, Vogelbach was never going to make the big league roster out of camp, as he profiles as a designated hitter and therefore would simply be a pinch hitter in the majors on a National League roster. Vogelbach slashed .214/.353/.500 with a home run and a double in 14 spring at-bats. He is pretty obvious trade bait, considering he belongs in the American League, but if he is still on the roster when the Cubs have a prolonged interleague stretch in late July and early August, Vogelbach could be called up to make his big league debut as the team's DH.

The Pirates reassigned Ramirez to Double-A Altoona on Monday, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

The outfielder, who went 11-for-19 in Grapefruit League action, has never played above the High-A level. He's already left the Pirates' campus to help his home country of Columbia qualify for the World Baseball Classic. Ramirez likely boosted his stock as much as any position player this spring, though the organization already features one of the best outfield trios in the major leagues.

Turner (knee) will make his Cactus League debut at third base Monday, Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register reports.

It's encouraging that Turner is making his debut in the field, as a full performance Monday would signal he's ready for Opening Day. It has been a long road to recovery for Turner, who received the surgery last fall, but he should be good to go, barring any setbacks.

Stanton (knee) is serving as the Marlins' DH for their Grapefruit League game Sunday against the Mets, Craig Davis of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.

The Marlins had shelved Stanton due to a sore knee over the past few days, but after upping his activity of late, it looks like he's back at close to full strength. He'll be eased back into action by only hitting in Sunday's game, but look for him to return to his usual duties in the outfield before long.

Vargas is hitting just 1-for-17 in eight games this spring. He doesn't appear to be in Minnesota's plans for the major league roster, LaVelle Neal of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Vargas began last season as Minnesota's starting DH after hitting .274/.316/.456 with nine home runs in 53 games in his major league debut in 2015. He struggled in his second season with a .642 OPS and just five home runs in 47 games before being demoted to the minors in early July. He then hit 13 home runs with a .910 OPS between Double-A and Triple-A. However, the Twins signed Byung-ho Park in the offseason which pushes Vargas farther down the depth chart.

McCutchen stroked his first dinger of spring training Friday, giving him two hits in 13 Grapefruit League at-bats.

The homer is a positive sign, considering he's a slow starter and didn't go deep in 32 spring training at-bats last year. Pittsburgh has lost two of its lefthanded power threats in Pedro Alvarez and the switch-hitting Neil Walker, making it possible McCutchen will see less pitches to hit. John Jaso and Gregory Polanco are the only two lefties projected to start as positional players for Pittsburgh.

Manager Dave Roberts suggested Friday that Trayce Thompson is not currently a threat to Pederson's role as the primary center fielder, Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register reports.

Thompson's heavy spring usage has led to speculation that he could be in the running for regular time in center, but it remains Pederson's job for now. However, if Pederson struggles as badly as he did down the stretch last year, Thompson and/or Enrique Hernandez could force a platoon or perhaps eventually an outright swap at the position.

Brantley (shoulder) took batting practice Friday for the first time this spring, MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez reports.

He continues to progress in his recovery without setbacks, and it remains to be seen what the next step will be. This upcoming week will be a big stretch for his Opening Day chances. It still seems unlikely that he will be ready for the start of the season, but if he can get into game action next week, all bets are off.

Winker will miss a couple days with a strained hip flexor, the Cincinnati Enquirer's C. Trent Rosecrans reports.

The Reds' top prospect was involved in a collision in Thursday's game, and while Winker insists he is fine, the club will take a cautious approach and sit him for a couple games this weekend. He should start the season at Triple-A, but could be up in May or June if he gets off to a good start, at which point he would be worth a pickup in most formats. However, the uncertainty surrounding his callup date, along with questions about his offensive ceiling make him a risky stash in standard leagues.

Turner (knee) hopes to make his Cactus League debut Monday, MLB.com's Ken Gurnick reports.

He will have had about 35 at-bats in minor league camp by then, and has not experienced any setbacks with his knee injury. If he does indeed get in the lineup with the big league club Monday, he would be on track to be ready for Opening Day.