MLB Player News
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Ruben Tejada SS | BAL
Yankees' Ruben Tejada: Signs minor league deal with Yankees
Tejada signed a minor league deal with the Yankees on Monday that includes an invitation to spring training, ESPN's Jerry Crasnick reports.
He will enter the year behind Didi Gregorius and Ronald Torreyes on the organizational depth chart at shortstop. If one of those two were to suffer an injury, Tejada could join the active roster, as the Yankees' shortstop prospects are not quite ready to help out. Still, as a glove over hit shortstop, he is unlikely to offer much fantasy value, even if he finds his way into the big league mix.
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Matt Williams SS | LAA
Angels' Matt Williams: Selected in Triple-A Rule 5 draft
Williams was selected by the Angels in the Triple-A portion of the Rule 5 draft Thursday.
The 27-year-old shortstop slashed .263/.355/.346 for Triple-A Memphis in the Cardinals' organization last season. In his 395 plate appearances over 113 games, he didn't do anything too substantial, hitting just one home run, stealing 11 bases in 18 attempts and knocking in 35 RBI to go along with his mediocre slash line. He will serve as organizational depth for the Angels next season.
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Josh Rodriguez SS | NYM
Athletics' Josh Rodriguez: Signs minor league deal with A's
Rodriguez has signed a minor league contract with the A's that includes an invite to spring training, CSN Bay Area reports.
The soon-to-be 32-year-old attended big-league camp with the A's last spring but opened the year at Double-A. Rodriguez eventually returned to the Triple-A level and posted a 24:25 BB:K with the top affiliate, and he also has a bit of power, but he will be a long shot to break camp with Oakland. He's bounced between with five different organizations in his 11 pro seasons and hasn't reached the majors since 2011.
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Rey Navarro SS | NYY
Angels' Reynaldo Navarro: Returns to Angels on minor league deal
Navarro agreed to a minor league contract with the Angels on Tuesday, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports.
Navarro was cast off the 40-man roster earlier in the month after mustering just a .227 batting average at Triple-A Salt Lake last season. With that in mind, it seems like he'll just be an organizational depth piece unless his bat comes back to life in 2017.
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Jorge Mateo SS | ATL
Yankees' Jorge Mateo: Added to 40-man roster
Mateo was added to the Yankees' 40-man roster Friday.
This was a no-brainer for the Yankees as Mateo is a top prospect in the system and needed to be protected from the Rule 5 draft. He did endure some growing pains at High-A Tampa in 2016, but Mateo has elite speed and there's optimism about his hit tool developing in time. There's been talk about him potentially moving to center field long term.
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Rey Navarro SS | NYY
Angels' Reynaldo Navarro: Outrighted to Triple-A
Navarro was outrighted to Triple-A Salt Lake on Friday.
His chances of holding onto his 40-man spot throughout the winter were slim, to put it nicely. Navarro put up just a .227/.253/.325 line at the Triple-A level in 2016 -- in the hitter-friendly PCL. He will provide organizational infield depth in 2017.
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Richard Urena SS | WAS
Blue Jays' Richard Urena: Added to 40-man roster
Urena was added to the Blue Jays' 40-man roster on Friday, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet reports.
Urena splitting time between High-A Dunedin and Double-A New Hampshire, combined to hit .295/.335/.434 with eight home runs and 59 RBI. He figures to stay with New Hampshire to begin 2017 since he only spent 30 games there, but he has progressed enough that protecting him from the Rule 5 draft became necessary.
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Willy Adames SS | SF
Rays' Willy Adames: Added to 40-man roster
Adames was added to the Rays' 40-man roster Friday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Adames hit .274/.372/.430 with 11 homers and 13 steals in 132 games with Double-A Montgomery in 2016, solidifying his status as the top prospect in the organization. He will presumably advance to Triple-A early on in 2017 with a chance to break through to the majors before the end of the year.
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Adalberto Mondesi SS | BOS
Royals' Raul Mondesi: Second base an option again in 2017
Mondesi is among the candidates vying for the Royals' starting job at second base in 2017, the Kansas City Star reports.
Despite a PED suspension early in 2016 while he was in the minors, Mondesi debuted with the Royals in late July as a 20-year-old and struggled to find regular playing time down the stretch as he hit .185/.231/.281 in 47 games. Prior to his suspension, Mondesi displayed a combination of power and speed that was previously unseen in his profile, and a significant part of his long-term value comes from his defensive ability shortstop, where he's currently blocked by Alcides Escobar. He'll get an opportunity to compete for the job at the keystone in spring training with the likes of Whit Merrifield, Cheslor Cuthbert, and Christian Colon.