MLB Player News
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Hagen Smith SP | CHW
White Sox's Hagen Smith: Moved to minor-league camp
The White Sox reassigned Smith to minor-league camp Monday.
The 22-year-old southpaw will open the 2026 season in the minors, likely with Double-A Birmingham. That's where he spent all of last year, posting a 3-3 record across 20 starts with a 3.57 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 108:56 K:BB across 75.2 innings. Per Kyle Williams of the Chicago Sun-Times, Smith will open the year in Triple-A and could make his major-league debut this season.
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Emerson Hancock SP | SEA
Mariners' Emerson Hancock: Favorite for final rotation spot
Hancock is competing to open the regular season as the Mariners' fifth starter, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.
Per Kramer, Hancock currently has a "leg up" on Cooper Criswell to open the year in Seattle's rotation, with Bryce Miller (oblique) unlikely to be ready for Opening Day. The 26-year-old Hancock has made four appearances this spring, posting a 4.76 ERA with a 0.79 WHIP and 17 strikeouts across 11.1 innings. Hancock was the Mariners' primary swingman in 2025 as well, making 22 total appearances (16 starts). He finished the year with a 4.90 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 6.4 K/9 across 90 innings.
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Cristian Javier SP | HOU
Astros' Cristian Javier: Excels in second spring start
Javier struck out five and allowed two hits and one walk over four scoreless innings Sunday in the Astros' 1-0 win over the Marlins in Grapefruit League play.
Taking the hill for his second start of spring training, Javier built up to 56 pitches, spotting 38 of them for strikes while generating 11 whiffs. The right-hander's fastball averaged 92.3 miles per hour on the afternoon, a half tick behind his average from the 2025 season and about a half tick up from the 91.7 mph he averaged during his first start back on March 9, per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Javier is expected to make one final Grapefruit League start during the upcoming week before making his first turn of the regular season in the Astros' four-game home series versus the Angels at the end of the month.
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Shane McClanahan SP | TB
Rays' Shane McClanahan: Dominates in third spring start
McClanahan struck out seven and walked two without allowing a hit or a run in 3.2 innings Sunday against the Pirates.
The lefty's changeup was working well, getting whiffs at a 62 percent clip while he threw it 35 percent of the time. McClanahan's fastball averaged 94.8 miles per hour and touched 97.5 mph -- down from the 97.0 mph he averaged in 2022 and 2023. Still, McClanahan is discounted in drafts and can rack up strikeouts when he's healthy. He's up to eight innings through three spring starts.
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Cade Povich SP | BAL
Orioles' Cade Povich: Headed to Norfolk
Povich was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.
Povich will head to Norfolk after starting three contests during spring training, giving up four runs on three hits and seven walks while striking out six batters over 8.1 innings. The southpaw recorded a 5.21 ERA and 1.50 WHIP with 118 strikeouts over 112.1 innings in 22 appearances, including 20 starts, with the Orioles in 2025. Povich will likely get a shot with the major-league roster in the near future.
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Jake Woodford SP | MIL
Rays' Jake Woodford: Bound for minor-league camp
The Rays reassigned Woodford to minor-league camp Sunday.
Woodford wasn't able to secure a long-relief role with the Rays heading into Opening Day, but he'll provide some valuable organizational pitching depth at Triple-A Durham, where he could be deployed either out of the bullpen or in the rotation. The 29-year-old righty made 22 appearances in the majors with Arizona in 2025, finishing with a 6.44 ERA, 1.60 WHIP and 23:13 K:BB in 36.1 innings.
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Hans Crouse SP | BAL
Orioles' Hans Crouse: Makes spring debut
Crouse (lat) struck out two and allowed two earned runs on three hits over an inning of relief Saturday in the Orioles' 8-6 win over the Pirates in his Grapefruit League debut.
The appearance was Crouse's first of spring training and signals that he's back to full health after he hadn't pitched in a game since April 3, 2025 while he recovered from a right lat strain. After being cut loose by the Angels last April shortly upon suffering the injury, Crouse had remained a free agent until he signed a minor-league deal with the Orioles in January. He's likely to open the season at Triple-A Norfolk.
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Jose Corniell SP | TEX
Rangers' Jose Corniell: Bound for Double-A
The Rangers optioned Corniell (triceps/back) to Double-A Frisco on Sunday.
Though he was able to make his big-league debut late last season, Corniell will end up dropping back down to the Double-A level to begin the 2026 campaign after back and triceps injuries prevented him from gaining much momentum this spring in his bid for a spot in the bullpen. Corniell at least appears to be heading into the season healthy after making his Cactus League debut Friday, issuing one walk and allowing no hits over a scoreless inning of relief.
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Nathan Eovaldi SP | TEX
Rangers' Nathan Eovaldi: Named Opening Day starter
The Rangers announced Sunday that Eovaldi will start Opening Day against the Phillies on March 26.
The veteran right-hander is getting his third straight Opening Day nod for the Rangers, though he may more realistically be considered the club's No. 2 pitcher behind Jacob deGrom. Eovaldi was limited to 22 starts last season due to shoulder issues, but he was dominant when available with a 1.73 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 129:21 K:BB across 130 innings.
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Austin Gomber SP | TEX
Rangers' Austin Gomber: In mix for rotation
Gomber allowed one run on three hits and two walks while striking out two over 4.1 innings in Saturday's spring start against the Reds.
Gomber's been a forgotten arm during spring training since he signed a minor-league deal with the Rangers in January. The competition for a spot in Texas' rotation has been focused on Jacob Latz and Kumar Rocker, but Gomber's name should be added to the calculus. Saturday's outing was his second Cactus League start, and he upped his pitch count to 73 (47 strikes).