Merrill went 2-for-2 with a two-run home run Sunday in a Cactus League loss to Kansas City.

Merrill's homer was a massive 443-foot shot to center field. The 21-year-old is preparing for his second big-league campaign after posting an .826 OPS over 156 regular-season games last year en route to finishing second in NL Rookie of the Year voting. Merrill has looked good so far this spring, going 4-for-11 with four RBI through five contests.

Manager Clayton McCullough said Sunday that Sanoja is likely to see playing time at every position in the field except first base and catcher during spring training, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

The 22-year-old made his big-league debut in September and had a .229/.250/.286 slash line in his first 15 MLB games, and he's now attempting to earn a spot on Miami's Opening Day roster. Sanoja isn't likely to receive regular playing time even if he secures a roster spot, but the defensive versatility could allow him to carve out a larger role.

Shaw (oblique) will start at third base and bat second in Sunday's Cactus League game against the Reds.

Shaw is ready to make his spring debut Sunday after the Cubs elected to ease him into action while he recovered from an oblique injury that he suffered shortly before the start of spring training. Heading into the spring, Shaw was viewed as the leading candidate to begin the season as the Cubs' everyday third baseman, but he'll need to prove his health and put together a strong showing in the Cactus League to ensure he breaks camp with the big club. The Cubs will open their regular season with a two-game set versus the Dodgers on March 18 and 19 in Tokyo, and even if Shaw isn't activated for those contests, he could still be added to the 40-man roster and 26-man active roster ahead of the team's domestic season opener March 27 in Arizona.

Schmitt went 2-for-3 in Saturday's spring game and is hitting .222 with a .722 OPS in six games. He's battling Brett Wisely, Osleivis Basabe, Jake Lamb and Christian Koss for a utility role this spring, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Schmitt is likely the favorite and the Giants could keep two backup infielders on the roster. Schmitt hit .252 with six homers and a .760 OPS with the Giants last season. Schmitt may have the best glove of the group at third base which could help his case.

Koss has a chance to win a utility role with the Giants this spring, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. He started at shortstop and went 1-for-3 in Saturday's spring game. "He's continuing to impress, and he hit a ball down the line for a double and he's playing with a lot of confidence," said manager Bob Melvin. "We're giving him some reps right now. It's nice to see because we're putting an emphasis on defense and he's played great defense every place we've put him."

Koss is hitting .333 (4-for-12) with a home run in eight games this spring. He's a long shot but the final bench spot appears wide open for the Giants early this spring. Koss had just a .757 OPS at Triple-A last year (54 games) and hasn't been regarded as a top prospect (he's 27 years old), but his glove could help him find a way on to the roster.

Manager Torey Lovullo said Friday that Alexander suffered a Grade 1 right oblique strain and will be unavailable for Opening Day, Jack Sommers of SI.com reports.

It's unclear when exactly Alexander sustained the injury, but his last appearance in a Cactus League game came Monday versus the Guardians. The 25-year-old was fighting to earn a roster spot as a utility infielder but now appears set to begin the campaign on the injured list. Once healthy he could be headed to Triple-A Reno.

Basabe will not throw for a few days after being diagnosed with a right shoulder strain, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

It's not clear how or when Basabe was hurt, but the Giants do not seem overly concerned about the injury at this time. That said, the injury could impact Basabe's chances at winning a utility role, which already had seemed pretty low.

With Nico Hoerner (forearm) set to miss the Cubs' two-game, season-opening series in Tokyo, Berti is an option to slide in as the starter at second base, Jesse Rogers of MLB.com reports.

The Cubs will face the Dodgers in Tokyo on March 18 and 19, and with Hoerner still recovering from flexor tendon surgery, the team won't rush him back for the quick set. Berti and Vidal Brujan could see time at second in the meantime, though Hoerner could be ready to go later in the month, which would push both players back to bench roles.

Shaw (oblique) said Thursday that he expects to make his Cactus League debut within the next few days, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.

Shaw suffered an oblique injury back on Feb. 5 before camp began, but he's been working out with no issues lately and is not expected to have any restrictions once he's officially cleared for games. The Cubs' season-opening series in Tokyo versus the Dodgers is less than three weeks away, and it's not clear whether Shaw will have enough time to fully ramp up for that two-game set. Shaw is the favorite to serve as the Cubs' primary third baseman this season.

McLain went 3-for-3 with two doubles, a home run, two RBI and an additional run scored in Wednesday's spring game against the Angels.

McLain made his third Cactus League appearance, all coming as the second baseman. He's led off in two of those games, including Wednesday, and could be the leadoff batter against left-handers this season. The lefty-hitting TJ Friedl is expected to lead off against righties.