MLB Player News

What you're seeing Brandon Belt do in spring training (.417 average, four home runs, 1.294 OPS) is exactly what he did in the minor leagues -- he had a .343 average over two seasons, with a 1.052 OPS and 27 total steals over 670 at-bats.

The major-league version of Belt has been less impressive for the San Francisco Giants: a .259 average and .762 OPS in 598 at-bats. Belt isn't incapable of performing, or even excelling, at the major league level. He was bounced around between outfield and first base in 2011, and started to hit a stride last year, but was still bumped occasionally so Buster Posey could play first base. In other words, his development could have been stunted a bit by all the moving around and somewhat erratic playing time. 

Belt is still just 24, and that power could start popping this season. He currently has an ADP of 262, which will probably start to rise as more Fantasy players take note of the spring stats and dig into his minor league past. Consider him a viable starting first base candidate in mixed leagues. And if you do that, you can use those early round would-be first base picks to strengthen other positions. 

Bryce Harper is going in either the second or third round of most drafts, a spot that shows a lot of optimism for the Nationals' 20-year old. Personally, I like him to do big things in 2013, following in the footsteps of Mickey Mantle, Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey, Jr. -- who all had relatively unimpressive 19-year-old seasons and then exploded the next year. It stinks that the hype has pushed Harper so far up (I was banking on him as a solid fifth-round pick), but you  might get him at a decent price in auctions, if he stays around $28-$31. It's a hefty price, but history points to Harper taking a major step forward in 2013. 

The Toronto Blue Jays have optioned infielder Ryan Goins to Triple-A Buffalo. He spent all of 2012 at the Double-A level, hitting .289/.342/.403 with seven home runs and 15 SBs in 618 plate appearances.

CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman reports the Cardinals are planning for infielder Pete Kozma to start at shortstop in Rafael Furcal's absence since Daniel Descalso and Matt Carpenter are both playing well battling for the starting second base job. Kozma is having a great spring, batting .382 (13 for 34) with two homers, three doubles, six runs and seven RBI in 11 spring games.

After taking a pitch off his left triceps over the weekend, Phillies outfielder Darin Ruf returned to action in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees. He went 1 for 3 with a home run in the 6-2 loss. Ruf launched a solo shot off David Aardsma in the sixth inning for his first long ball of the spring.

Bryce Harper hit a three-run homer off Matt Harvey in the first inning and added an RBI single in the seventh inning, leading a Washington Nationals split squad to an 8-5 victory over the New York Mets Wednesday. Harper is batting .444 (16 for 36) with one triple, two doubles, three homers and eight RBI through 13 spring games. Harper, who batted second for Washington last season, is now hitting behind new leadoff hitter Denard Span and Jayson Werth. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman is in the cleanup spot. Nationals manager Davey Johnson thinks Harper has shown more patience at the plate this season because he learned from last season, when he got off to a quick start before pitchers started attacking him in different ways. "What he went through last year was very important for him, to be able to struggle and make adjustments," Johnson said. "That's what you do up here. You make adjustments. Pitchers are always trying new tricks to get your timing off. He's shown from day one in the spring that he's a lot more patient."

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper continued his strong spring Wednesday, as he clubbed a three-run home run off Mets' starter Matt Harvey in Grapefruit League action. Harper went 2 for 4 overall in the game, adding an RBI single to bring his total for the game to four. He raised his batting average to .444 in the spring, with three home runs and eight RBI in 13 games. Harper is expected to bat third this season while playing left field for the Nationals. 

Through March 10, Giants first baseman Brandon Belt is tied with five other players for the spring training lead in home runs with four. Belt is having a pretty strong spring season, batting .467 with one triple, two doubles, eight runs and nine RBI in 10 games. His .467 average is fifth best among all spring hitters.

The Miami Marlins made their second wave of roster cuts this spring and announced the following moves: pitchers Alex Sanabia and Brad Hand -- who were both in the mix for the fifth spot in the rotation -- were optioned to Triple-A New Orleans. Outfielder Kyle Jensen and pitcher Evan Reed were also sent to New Orleans. The team optioned pitchers Sam Dyson and Edgar Olmos and outfielder Marcell Ozuna to Double-A Jacksonville. Pitcher Jordan Smith and catcher Wilfredo Gimenez were re-assigned to the minor-league camp.

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley returned to Cactus League action on Sunday against the Rangers after missing time due to a lacerated left arm. Serving as DH, he went 0 for 2 in the 7-6 loss. Brantley has gone 5 for 8 (.625) with two RBI through four spring games. "He's fine," manager Terry Francona told MLB.com. "He's been doing stuff. He'll be just fine. He might've lost his timing a little bit, but he's got plenty of time to get it back."