MLB Player News

Castillo was assigned to Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday after clearing outright waivers, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

The Orioles DFA'd Castillo on Sunday after claiming him off waivers two days prior. He has been with five different organizations this offseason but will stay in Baltimore's system for the time being. Castillo played 124 games for the Diamondbacks' Triple-A affiliate last season and finished with a .313/.431/.410 line, three home runs and 72 RBIs across 556 plate appearances.

Rosario signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Rays on Tuesday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

It's a good fit for Rosario, who, with a career .298/.339/.467 batting line against left-handed pitching, should see plenty of action in the middle infield spots versus southpaws. The 28-year-old has slashed only .263/.296/.374 in his career against right-handers and is a poor defender, so Tampa Bay figures to use him sparingly versus same-handed pitchers.

Chang signed a minor-league contract with the Rays on Tuesday that includes an invitation to spring training, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Chang spent some time with the Rays in 2022 before playing for the Red Sox in 2023. The 28-year-old utility infielder sports a career .204/.265/.359 batting line over parts of five major-league seasons. Tampa Bay has an opening at shortstop, but Chang would appear far down its list of candidates.

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said Lee will get reps at second base and third base in addition to shortstop this spring, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.

Virtually all of Lee's pro career at this point has been spent at shortstop, but with Carlos Correa holding down that spot with the big club and Royce Lewis pegged for third base, Lee's future might be at second base. If that move winds up happening, Edouard Julien could shift to first base and/or designated hitter. Lee, 23, slashed .275/.347/.461 with 16 home runs and 39 doubles over 125 games between Double-A Wichita and Triple-A St. Paul in 2023.

Seager (groin) told reporters Monday that he hopes to be ready for Opening Day but isn't sure it will happen, Jeff Wilson of RangersToday.com reports.

Seager underwent surgery in January to repair a sports hernia and was just recently cleared for incline walking and riding a stationary bike. It's not clear when he might be able to resume baseball activities and play in games, but it does not appear to be imminent. If Seager needs a stint on the injured list to start the season, Ezequiel Duran would figure to be in line to fill in at shortstop for the Rangers.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said Monday that Mateo took reps at second base over the winter before arriving at spring training, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports. "We're going to keep our options open with him. He really increases the versatility we have on this club," Hyde said of Mateo.

Mateo played all but 20 of his 863 defensive innings in 2023 at shortstop, with the rest coming in center field. After the Orioles retained him on a $2.7 million salary for 2024, Mateo projects to open the season as the team's everyday shortstop, though he may not be long for the job with top prospect Jackson Holliday unlikely to require much finishing time in the minors before making his MLB debut. Given the likelihood that he'll transition into a utility role once Holliday is ready for big-league action, Mateo has been getting exposure to the keystone, in addition to continuing to take reps at shortstop and center field. While he has a path to steadier playing time earlier in the season, Mateo should provide fantasy value on the bases after recording 32 steals in 37 attempts in 2023, but his light power, poor plate skills and likely spot at the bottom of the Baltimore lineup make him mostly a one-category play.

Boston manager Alex Cora believes there's potential for Grissom to add power to his game, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports. "We do believe the stronger he gets, mechanics-wise, there's a few things sequencing-wise, that (hitting coach) Pete (Fatse) has recognized," Cora said. "If we can get that, we're going to have the final product."

The 23-year-old Grissom, who is listed at 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, will have the opportunity for consistent playing time, which could improve all aspects of his game. The Red Sox are banking on him being their everyday second baseman, presenting an opportunity for consistent plate appearances he never had on a deep Atlanta roster. In addition to the experience gained facing MLB pitching, the innings in the field should help him develop defensively, where Grissom is considered average at best.

Castillo was designated for assignment by the Orioles on Sunday.

The 26-year-old was claimed off waivers by Baltimore on Friday, but his stay on the 40-man roster was brief. Castillo has already been with five different organizations this offseason, and a sixth could be added to the list with him being put through the waiver process once again.

Soto was claimed off waivers by the Angels on Sunday.

The 23-year-old was designated for assignment by the Orioles on Friday and will now return to the Angels, who also designated him for assignment in early February. Soto is now back on the Halos' 40-man roster and will provide middle-infield depth.

Leonard is one of several players who figure to compete for Detroit's final bench spot this spring along with new acquisition Keston Hiura, Ryan Kreidler and others, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

Leonard has yet to make his MLB debut, while Kreidler played with the Tigers some last season and Hiura has appeared in 284 games at the MLB level, so Leonard may be third in the pecking order to begin the regular season. However, he has some defensive versatility and posted a .904 OPS in 40 contests with Triple-A Toledo last season, so the youngster could be on the verge of cracking the big-league roster soon. Leonard's cause would be boosted if Kreidler and Hiura struggle at the plate in camp or early in the regular season.