MLB Player News

Agnos has an outside shot of winning a spot in the big-league bullpen this spring, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

The Rockies have no shortage of high-end relief pitching prospects, with Seth Halvorsen and Jaden Hill impressing in the big leagues late last season, but Agnos is right up there with them from a stuff standpoint. He boasts a four-seam fastball that can reach the upper-90s, a low-90s cutter, a slider and a splitter, and he saved 44 games in the minors over the past two seasons. The 24-year-old righty logged a 1.95 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 33 strikeouts in 27.2 innings at Double-A Hartford last year. Halvorsen is the Rockies reliever drawing the most attention in early fantasy drafts, but there is a path for Agnos to be the team's closer by the end of 2025.

The Diamondbacks signed Graveman (shoulder) to a one-year, $1.35 million contract Friday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

The deal could reach $3.3 million if he hits all of his incentives. Graveman underwent right shoulder surgery in January of 2024 to repair a torn labrum and clean up his rotator cuff. He is now considered fully healthy, although the Diamondbacks figure to ease him into things in spring training. If he's healthy and able to regain his pre-surgery form, Graveman could be part of the late-inning bullpen mix in Arizona. The 34-year-old has a 2.74 ERA and 193:82 K:BB over 187.1 innings since 2021, when he became a full-time reliever.

Garcia signed a minor-league contract with the Dodgers on Thursday that includes an invitation to spring training, Aram Leighton of JustBaseball.com reports.

Garcia split the 2024 season between the Angels and Red Sox and struggled to a 4.88 ERA and 1.29 WHIP across 59 innings. He still maintained a solid 53:15 K:BB so there is some hope for a bounceback, though he'll have to fight for a roster spot in a loaded Dodgers' bullpen.

Rockies manager Bud Black said Thursday that Gilbreath (shoulder) has been fully cleared for spring training, Patrick Lyons of JustBaseball.com reports.

Gilbreath didn't make his 2024 debut for the Rockies until mid-August after he completed his recovery from his March 2023 Tommy John surgery, and he made just three appearances before going back on the injured list Aug. 26 due to left shoulder inflammation. The southpaw seems to have moved past the injury over the offseason and will now work to solidify his spot in the Rockies' Opening Day bullpen during spring training. Gilbreath is likely to serve in a middle-relief role if he makes the club.

Pallante will receive a $2.1 million salary for 2025 after winning his arbitration hearing against the Cardinals on Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

The Cardinals had filed for a $1.925 million salary for Pallante, who was arbitration-eligible for the first time. Pallante submitted a weak 9.0 K-BB% over 121.1 innings across his 29 appearances (20 starts) in 2024, but thanks to his ability to keep the ball on the ground and generate weak contact, most of his ERA estimators (4.15 SIERA, 3.89 xFIP, 3.46 xERA) were roughly in line with his actual ERA (3.78). He should have a firm grasp on a full-time rotation spot in 2025, though his poor strikeout rate will likely make him less valuable in fantasy leagues than in real life.

Uribe will go slow as he comes back from right knee surgery, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

He underwent surgery to repair a lateral miniscus tear in mid-June of 2024. This is a vague report, but it sounds like Uribe's status is questionable for Opening Day. Brewers closer Trevor Megill is dealing with an undisclosed injury, so if Uribe can get up to speed and Megill's injury lingers, Uribe could figure into the ninth-inning mix.

Megill has been pushed back at the outset of spring training due to some minor health issues in recent throwing sessions, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

Manager Pat Murphy said Megill seems "fine," per McCalvy, but Megill is dealing with something that is preventing him from ramping up on a normal schedule this spring. While Megill's delayed schedule could end up being a non-issue, fantasy managers should still view him as a higher-risk option than he was prior to pitchers and catchers reporting. Abner Uribe (knee) is being brought along slowly, so 30-year-old Joel Payamps may be best suited to step up in the ninth inning if Megill is unable to get up to speed by Opening Day.

The Brewers signed Alexander to a one-year contract Wednesday.

Alexander was non-tendered by the Rays earlier this offseason but has managed to land on his feet with a major-league deal in Milwaukee. The left-hander split time between the rotation and bullpen last season with Tampa Bay, finishing with a 5.10 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 90:24 K:BB across 107.2 innings. The Brewers will have a vacancy in their rotation if Brandon Woodruff (shoulder) isn't ready to start the season, but it seems likelier that Alexander will wind up in the bullpen or perhaps a swingman role.

Hoeing will remain in the Padres' bullpen rather than being stretched out as a rotation option, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports.

Hoeing has plenty of past starting experience and San Diego had given consideration to building him back up. However, the club has ultimately decided he'll provide more value by staying in the bullpen. Hoeing made 32 relief appearances and two starts between the Marlins and Padres in 2024, collecting a 2.18 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 43:14 K:BB over 53.2 innings.

Kolek will be stretched out as a starting pitcher this spring, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports.

All 42 of Kolek's appearances with the Padres last season came in relief and he was a full-time reliever in the minors in 2023, as well. However, the 27-year-old made 25-plus starts on two occasions during his time in the minors, so starting is not completely foreign to him. Stretching Kolek out makes sense for a Padres team that lacks rotation depth, but he's a long shot to break camp as one of the team's starting five. Kolek missed the final two months of last season with a forearm issue but appears to be healthy as camp opens.