MLB Player News
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Marcelo Mayer SS | BOS
Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: Healthy for spring training
Mayer (back) took batting practice Wednesday and appears to be a full participant for the start of spring training, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.
Mayer finished the 2024 season on Triple-A Worcester's 7-day injured list while he dealt with a lumbar strain, but he was cleared to resume baseball activities early in the offseason and doesn't look to be operating under any restrictions during his first big-league camp. The 22-year-old isn't a serious candidate to make the Opening Day roster, but a midseason debut is possible if he displays improved durability with Worcester while maintaining the improved plate skills he demonstrated with Double-A Portland. Before getting promoted to Worcester and being placed on the IL soon after, Mayer slashed .307/.370/.480 with eight home runs, 13 stolen bases and a 19.7 percent strikeout rate over 335 plate appearances at Double-A.
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Zachary Neto SS | LAA
Angels' Zach Neto: Ahead of schedule
Neto said he received "good news" on his surgically repaired right shoulder Tuesday and is ahead of schedule in his recovery, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
Details of Neto's shoulder operation remain scarce, and the shortstop did not further elaborate on the "good news" he received, nor did he know whether he would be ready for Opening Day. Neto has been hitting off a tee but has not yet been cleared to throw. The prevailing expectation is that the 24-year-old will begin the season on the injured list, but further clarity on his situation should arise as spring training rolls along.
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Javier Baez SS | DET
Tigers' Javier Baez: Expected to be ready for opener
Baez (hip) is going through full hitting and defensive drills and is expected to be ready for Opening Day, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Baez continues to rehab after he underwent a right hip labral repair in September and will continue a running progression upon his arrival to camp. While the veteran shortstop is expected to be ready for Opening Day, his role on the Tigers is in flux, as Trey Sweeney is in line to serve as the club's primary shortstop.
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Hao Yu Lee SS | DET
Tigers' Hao-Yu Lee: Invited to spring training
Lee will participate in spring training with the Tigers as a non-roster invitee, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.
Lee came to Detroit in the Michael Lorenzen trade last summer and is one of the Tigers' top prospects. The 22-year-old infielder played well for Double-A Erie last year following the trade, slashing .298/.363/.488 with 12 home runs and 16 stolen bases in 87 regular-season games. Lee could push his way up to Triple-A for the first time in 2025 and may not be too far off from making his MLB debut if he continues to impress in the minors.
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Vaughn Grissom SS | LAA
Red Sox's Vaughn Grissom: Adds 20 pounds of muscle
Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said Tuesday that Grissom added about 20 pounds of muscle over the offseason, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.
Grissom appears motivated to bounce back from a lost season in 2024 that saw him play only 86 regular-season games between the majors and minors due to groin and hamstring problems. He posted just a .465 OPS with the Red Sox but did close with a .333/.370/.417 line and two steals over eight games in September. Grissom enters spring training in the mix for Boston's second-base job but will have to fend off Kristian Campbell and David Hamilton.
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Tim Anderson 2B | LAA
Angels' Tim Anderson: Chance to be Opening Day shortstop
Anderson will compete to be the Angels' Opening Day shortstop while Zach Neto (shoulder) is sidelined, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
It's not yet clear how much time Neto might miss, but a stint on the injured list to begin the season is expected. Anderson was inked to a minor-league contract in January and will compete with Kevin Newman, Scott Kingery and Kyren Paris to be the placeholder at shortstop. While Anderson is the only one of the four competitors not on a major-league deal, Bollinger has projected him to win the shortstop gig. That said, given Anderson's woeful .235/.271/.274 batting line over the last two seasons, he will have much to prove this spring before he's handed a roster spot.
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Zachary Neto SS | LAA
Angels' Zach Neto: Expected to begin season on IL
Neto (shoulder) is not expected to be ready for Opening Day, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
Neto underwent right shoulder surgery in early November, but the Angels haven't revealed the type of procedure he had or how long he might be sidelined. While a stint on the 10-day injured list to begin the season is expected, Bollinger writes that the team is "optimistic" the young shortstop won't miss much time. There should be further clarity on Neto's situation this week once position players arrive in Angels camp. Tim Anderson, Kevin Newman, Scott Kingery, Luis Rengifo and Kyren Paris are the candidates to fill in at shortstop until Neto is ready.
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Gabriel Arias SS | CLE
Guardians' Gabriel Arias: Competing for keystone gig
Arias will compete during spring training for the Guardians' second base job, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.
Bell currently projects Juan Brito to win the job but acknowledges it's a coin flip between him and Arias. Tyler Freeman, Daniel Schneemann and Angel Martinez will also be in the mix. Arias, who turns 25 later this month, has slashed only .212/.274/.350 with a 32.3 percent strikeout rate in parts of three major-league seasons and spent the entirety of the second half last season in the minors. However, he hit well in the Venezuelan Winter League and boasts a career 42.3 percent hard-hit rate.
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Juan Brito SS | CLE
Guardians' Juan Brito: In running for second base job
The Guardians "continue to express their extreme excitement" at getting a look at Brito at second base this spring, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.
Joe Noga of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported in January that Brito might be a long shot to win the second base job. However, Bell has listed Brito as the starter at the keystone in her first Opening Day roster projection, though she acknowledges the competition will be "back and forth between Brito and Gabriel Arias all spring." The 23-year-old Brito slashed .256/.365/.443 with 21 homers and 13 steals in 2024 at Triple-A Columbus and offers the most offensive upside out out Cleveland's second-base candidates. Tyler Freeman, Daniel Schneemann and Angel Martinez are also in the mix to replace Andres Gimenez, who was traded to the Blue Jays.