MLB Player News
-
Alika Williams SS | PIT
Pirates' Alika Williams: Fails to win utility gig
The Pirates reassigned Williams to minor-league camp Sunday.
Williams will start at second base and bat ninth Sunday against the Red Sox in the Pirates' Grapefruit League finale, but the 27-year-old will fall short in his bid for a utility spot on the Opening Day roster. He's expected to report to Triple-A Indianapolis, where he spent the entire 2025 season while slashing .268/.329/.392 with nine home runs and four steals across 394 plate appearances.
-
Mason McCoy SS | SD
Padres' Mason McCoy: Doesn't make Opening Day roster
The Padres optioned McCoy to Triple-A El Paso on Saturday.
McCoy has struggled with the bat this spring, slashing a meager .154/.214/.231 through 18 games. He has a paltry .494 OPS through his first 43 MLB contests, so it remains to be seen if he'll ever hit well enough to stick in the big leagues. McCoy did look better with El Paso last season, slashing .272/.354/.450 with 11 home runs, 59 RBI and 17 stolen bases across 90 contests.
-
Rece Hinds SS | CIN
Reds' Rece Hinds: Sent down to Louisville
The Reds optioned Hinds to Triple-A Louisville on Saturday.
Hinds will head back to the minors to begin the new season despite swinging a scorching bat this spring (1.388 OPS). The 25-year-old was a major offensive threat in the minors last season too, as he slashed .302/.359/.563 with 24 homers, 83 RBI, 79 runs scored and 21 steals across 435 plate appearances. If his impressive offensive performance continues into the start of the 2026 Triple-A season, he could earn a spot on the big-league roster relatively soon.
-
Konnor Griffin SS | PIT
Pirates' Konnor Griffin: Reassigned to minors camp
The Pirates reassigned Griffin to minor-league camp Saturday.
Despite being included in several roster projections, the 19-year-old will officially head back to the minors to begin the 2026 season after going 7-for-38 (.184) in spring training with four homers, nine RBI and seven runs scored. Although he missed the cut for the Opening Day roster, a promotion to Triple-A Indianapolis is certainly possible, and his MLB debut could still come in the near future if he continues to dominate minor-league pitching as he did in 2025 (.941 OPS).
-
Luke Williams SS | ATL
Braves' Luke Williams: Heads to minor-league camp
Atlanta assigned Williams to minor-league camp Friday.
Williams, a 29-year-old utility player, was a long shot to make the big-league roster, and Friday's move confirms he'll open 2026 in the minor leagues. Williams went 6-for-30 (.200) with one homer, one double and a 4:10 BB:K during spring training.
-
Nasim Nunez SS | WAS
Nationals' Nasim Nunez: Swipes two more bags
Nunez went 1-for-2 with a walk and two stolen bases in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals.
Getting the start at second base and batting second against left-hander Quinn Mathews while Luis Garcia played first base, Nunez ran his steals count for the spring up to six in six attempts. It's not yet clear exactly how Nunez will be deployed this season, but Garcia's defensive issues at the keystone could create more playing time than expected for his switch-hitting backup. Nunez's wheels are legit -- he stole 46 bases in 53 attempts between Triple-A and the majors over just 102 games in 2025 -- but he has yet to show he can hit big-league pitching consistently and is batting just .207 (6-for-29) this spring with an 8:9 BB:K.
-
Josuar De Jesus Gonzalez SS | SF
Giants' Josuar Gonzalez: Out with hamstring injury
Gonzalez will be sidelined for multiple weeks due to a hamstring injury, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
Considered one of the best prospects in the Giants' farm system, Gonzalez is now slated to miss the start of the regular season while he recovers from the injury. The 18-year-old infielder slashed .288/.404/.455 across 228 plate appearances in the Dominican Summer League last year and could be bumped up to Single-A once he's healthy.
-
Rece Hinds SS | CIN
Reds' Rece Hinds: Bids for roster spot
Hinds started at designated hitter and went 2-for-2 with a walk, a double and a solo home run in Wednesday's spring game against the Angels.
Hinds has delivered a monster spring, going 15-for-38 (.395) with four doubles, one triple, five home runs, 11 RBI and nine runs scored. In any other year, he might be a no-brainer to claim a roster spot, but the Reds have several productive outfielders this spring. At this point, beyond the projected starters, there appear to be two outfield spots available. Hinds, Will Benson (1,038 OPS, four HR), JJ Bleday (1.072, four HR) and Dane Myers (1.180 OPS) are still in the mix.