MLB Player News

Arias started at second base and went 1-for-2 in Saturday's spring game against Cincinnati.

Second base is one position battle playing out during the Guardians' spring training. Arias was given the first start of the Cactus League -- he lined a slider to center field for a single in his first at-bat -- and he'll be followed by others. Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt told Steve Stockmar of MLB.com on Saturday that "four or five guys" are in the mix. The most anticipated of the bunch may be prospect Juan Brito, who slashed .256/.365/.443 with 21 homers and 13 steals in 2024 at Triple-A Columbus. Over the coming weeks, expect to see Brito along with Tyler Freeman, Angel Martinez and Daniel Schneemann at the keystone.

Montgomery went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run in Saturday's Cactus League loss to the Cubs.

Montgomery, a first-round pick in 2021, is on the verge of debuting in the majors after logging essentially a full season at the Triple-A level in 2024. Interestingly, MLB.com is projecting Montgomery to be the Opening Day shortstop for the White Sox. The soon-to-be 23-year-old could perhaps benefit from more seasoning in the minors, but he will have the opportunity to force the team's hand this spring.

Simpson made two strong defensive plays in center field in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Simpson has elite speed and recorded 104 total stolen bases between High-A and Double-A in 2024. Despite that, Simpson's defensive ability has surprisingly been questionable, though he made two diving plays in center field during Saturday's game. He also has three hits in his first four at-bats while also swiping a bag.

Clement is the favorite to begin the season as the Blue Jays' starting third baseman, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

Toronto's affinity for utility players likely means Clement won't stay at the hot corner, however -- the 28-year-old saw 41 games at shortstop last season in addition to 96 at third base, and he has prior experience at second base and in left field as well. Clement slashed a passable .263/.284/.408 in 2024 with 12 homers and 12 steals over 452 plate appearances, but he'll be pushed for playing time by Will Wagner, Orelvis Martinez, Addison Barger and others as the Jays look for more offense from their lineup.

Martinez will get a real chance in camp to win a spot on the 26-man roster and could push for the starting job at third base, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

Ernie Clement is the nominal favorite to be in the Opening Day lineup at the hot corner, but Martinez is the player that offers the most upside at the position for the Blue Jays. The 23-year-old is coming off a bumpy 2024 campaign that included an 80-game suspension for violating MLB's performance-enhancing drugs policy, but over 74 games at Triple-A Buffalo he slashed .267/.346/.523 with 17 homers. Martinez's most likely route to the Opening Day roster is on the bench, bouncing between second base and third base in a short-side platoon role, but the young slugger could quickly force his way into a more prominent spot if he begins flashing his power in the majors and can provide at least adequate defense at third.

Volpe is scheduled to start Friday in the Yankees' Grapefruit League opener versus the Rays, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Aside from catcher Austin Wells, right fielder Aaron Judge and injured designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (elbow), the Yankees are expected to roll out a starting nine of their projected Opening Day starters in the first game of the exhibition slate. Volpe's placement in the lineup will be one to watch throughout the spring, as he had served as the Yankees' primary leadoff man leading up to the All-Star break last season before slotting between the fifth and ninth spot throughout the second half while Gleyber Torres ultimately took over as the team's table setter. Torres and last season's No. 2 hitter, Juan Soto, have since moved elsewhere in free agency, but their departures won't necessarily clear the way for Volpe to reclaim a spot atop the lineup. While Volpe offers excellent speed in the leadoff role, his .288 on-base percentage over 319 career games has made him a less palatable option. He'll at least be heading into the spring with some momentum following a strong playoff run this past fall in which he produced a .286/.407/.408 slash line to go with five steals in five attempts over 14 games, but Volpe will need to build off that small sample during the Grapefruit League to secure a prominent spot in the batting order.

Sweeney said he's made some "minor swing changes" since the end of last season to hit MLB fastballs better, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

Sweeney seems focused on timing and working to catch up to fastballs better at the MLB level. He had a .245 average and a 19.8 percent whiff rate against the pitch last year, and all four of his home runs came off of breaking balls. Sweeney could be Detroit's Opening Day shortstop, though veteran Javier Baez (hip) is looming as competition as he gets back to full strength. However, Sweeney could parlay a strong start to the year into some job security.

Lee, who has primarily focused on second base in the minors, has also been seeing some time at third in the early stages of camp, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

The Tigers are seemingly working on increasing Lee's positional flexibility, which could expedite his journey to the majors. Third base has some uncertainty in Detroit, as utility man Matt Vierling and youngster Jace Jung are currently the top options. Neither player has the role locked down full time, however, which could open the door for Lee down the road. The 22-year-old slashed .298/.363/.488 with 12 home runs and 16 stolen bases in 87 regular-season games for Double-A Erie last season. He's likely to begin the year with Triple-A Toledo and is not yet on the 40-man roster.

Seager (hip/sports hernia) reported to spring training Monday and isn't expected to face any restrictions during camp.

The Rangers shut Seager down for the season last September after placing him on the 60-day injured list due to hip soreness, and he was diagnosed with a sports hernia later that month that required surgery. After a roughly two-month rehab program following his sports hernia surgery, Seager was cleared for baseball activities over the winter and appears to have had a relatively normal offseason. While durability remains an annual concern, the 30-year-old shortstop has proven himself to be a four-category standout whenever he's on the field.

Angels manager Ron Washington said Monday that Anderson will see some action in the outfield later this spring, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports.

Anderson's main focus will be competing for time at shortstop, where the Angels will likely need a fill-in for the injured Zach Neto (shoulder) for a bit. However, it appears the 31-year-old will also attempt to add to his versatility with some reps in the outfield. Anderson started two games at second base for the White Sox in 2023, which is the only time he's ever played a position other than shortstop.