MLB Player News

Crawford put together a strong Cactus League resume before spring training was suspended and is ticketed for a major role this season as the everyday shortstop, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

The 24-year-old shortstop worked to put on muscle this offseason, and the extra strength was paying some nice dividends this spring. Crawford slashed .400/.429/.560 with two triples, five RBI, two walks, two stolen bases and two runs across 10 exhibitions before the pause in play, raising the already robust expectations for him ahead of the 2020 season. Crawford will look to improve on both contact and hard-hit rates this season after posting pedestrian 75.9 and 28.4 percent figures in those categories, respectively, in 2019.

Diaz batted .167 (4-for-24) with three extra-base hits, three RBI, three runs scored and was hit by two pitches over 11 spring games.

Diaz returns to Houston as the team's utility infielder after he was limited to 69 games due to injuries in 2019. If healthy, Diaz will be the primary backup at all four infield positions and can play left field if needed. He will also be the leading choice for a pinch hitter from the right side of the plate.

Gordon is slated to serve as a backup at both second base and shortstop in the coming season, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

The veteran is set to serve as the elder statesman behind the promising Shed Long and J.P. Crawford at second base and shortstop, respectively. Gordon also logged 53 games in center field back in 2018, so his versatility and solid bat seemingly gives him plenty of job security going into the regular season. Gordon slashed .275/.304/.359 across 117 games in 2019, and he went 6-for-18 with two doubles, one RBI, one walk, two stolen bases and three runs across eight Cactus League games before the pause in play.

Adrianza will enter the season as the backup at shortstop and second base, Patrick Reusse of the Star Tribune reports.

Since joining the Twins, the switch hitter has 99 starts at shortstop, 46 at third base, 16 at first base, 14 at second base, 11 in left field and five in right field. He will reprise a role where he moves all over the place, and may play most regularly as a second baseman when the Twins face a left-handed pitcher -- left-handed hitting Luis Arraez has stark splits and is a weaker defender. Adrianza got off to a slow start last year, but after hitting .120 in his first 21 games, he hit .390 with three home runs over his next 32 contests. While his super utility role is valuable for Minnesota, his fantasy value is limited to deeper AL-only formats.

Velazquez has hit .200/.273/.200 with three stolen bases and one RBI over 23 plate appearances this spring.

Velazquez had a limited sample size during spring training, but he struggled to generate consistency in getting on base while demonstrating his speed when he did manage to appear on the base paths. The 25-year-old is in consideration for a utility role once the season gets underway as a result of his defensive versatility, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports. However, it wouldn't be surprising to see him work in the minors to begin the 2020 campaign so he can develop more consistent production.

Chang was optioned to Triple-A Columbus on Thursday.

Chang was in camp competing for a reserve infield spot but won't be winning the job. That would appear to leave Christian Arroyo with a safe grip on a bench role.

Fletcher is expected to play "just about any position except first base and catcher" this season, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Fletcher played all or part of at least 20 games at four different positions last season, often making in-game defensive position switches. He logged the most time at third base and second base, though his playing time at those spots is likely to be cut down dramatically this season with the signing of Anthony Rendon and the return to health of Tommy La Stella. While Fletcher did not see time in center field in 2019, he played the position for the first time in spring training and could make some appearances there in 2020 if needed. Per Bollinger, Angels manager Joe Maddon views Fletcher as "a Ben Zobrist-type player who can play in both the infield and outfield without any issues." That should enable Maddon to get Fletcher's bat -- and elite contact skills --into the lineup on a near-everyday basis.

Mondesi (shoulder) will start at shortstop and bat second in Thursday's Cactus League game against the Mariners, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.

The Royals have been pleased with the progress Mondesi has made this spring following his prolonged recovery from October surgery on his left shoulder, so he'll get the green light to enter the spring lineup for the first time. It's worth noting that rain is in the forecast in Arizona in advance of the game's 4:05 p.m. ET start time, so it's possible the contest gets postponed and Mondesi's spring debut is pushed back to Friday. In any case, Mondesi will likely only need to play a handful of games during the Cactus League slate to guarantee his availability for the March 26 regular-season opener.

Mondesi (shoulder) is taking part in more baseball activities alongside the rest of his teammates, though he's yet to get into game action, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.

Manager Mike Matheny described Mondesi as "tracking well," though the fact that he's yet to appear in a game with Opening Day just 15 days away doesn't seem to bode well for his ability to avoid a trip to the injured list. The Royals have yet to officially announce when Mondesi is expected back from labral repair surgery.

Correa went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored in Monday's spring game against the Tigers.

Three of Correa's six spring hits have been doubles. The Astros made a series of cuts this week, so regulars like Correa should get more at-bats and work on timing over the next couple of weeks. The shortstop is coming off a third consecutive year impacted by injuries, although when healthy, Correa makes a fantasy impact out of the middle infield.