MLB Player News

McLain is expected to be the Reds' primary second baseman when the season starts, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

McLain played mostly at shortstop in 2023 but made 34 starts at second base, mostly as a replacement when Jonathan India (foot) was sidelined. McLain is considered a plus defender at both middle infield positions. The move to second appears likely, as the club revealed its plans to have Elly De La Cruz focus mostly on shortstop -- he had also played third base last season. As for India, who was the primary second baseman last season, he'll add first and third base to his resume and possibly left field.

Castillo was designated for assignment by the Phillies on Tuesday.

Castillo was claimed off waivers by Philly early last week but won't stick on the 40-man roster. The 26-year-old spent last season at the Triple-A level and had an .841 OPS in 124 contests. Kaleb Ort, who was claimed off waivers from the Marlins, will take Castillo's place on the Phillies' roster.

Reds manager David Bell said Tuesday that De La Cruz will focus on playing shortstop during spring training, Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

De La Cruz was used at third base in addition to shortstop during his time with the Reds last season, but the plan is for him to settle in at short this spring and during the regular season. Also worth noting is that the switch hitter has shortened his leg kick from both sides of the plate in hopes that it will help cut down on strikeouts. De La Cruz slashed .235/.300/.410 with 13 home runs, 35 stolen bases and a 33.7 percent strikeout rate over 427 plate appearances with Cincinnati in 2023.

Lopez was acquired by the Giants from the Blue Jays on Tuesday in exchange for cash considerations.

Lopez was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays on Friday, and the Giants opted to acquired him via trade rather than risk losing out on a waiver claim. The 25-year-old utility player has just eight big-league games under his belt and struggled offensively at the Triple-A level last season with a .258/.313/.343 slash line in 84 contests.

Lawlar will likely open the year at Triple-A Reno if he doesn't win the starting job at shortstop, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

Gilbert projects Geraldo Perdomo as the starting shortstop, but Lawlar should get plenty of reps this spring. Perdomo experienced a nice jump during his second full season in MLB, which included an All-Star nod. The offseason addition of Eugenio Suarez solidified third base, so there may not be an obvious way for both Lawlar and Perdomo to co-exist. The organization may best be served by letting Lawlar get regular reps for the Aces in the Pacific Coast League, where he had just 80 plate appearances in 2023.

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns implied Monday that Lindor (elbow) is fully healthy ahead of spring training, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Stearns noted that lefty David Peterson (hip), infielder Ronny Mauricio (knee) and right-hander Kyle Crick (calf) are the only players who will be held out of drills to begin camp, which suggests that Lindor has a clean bill of health after he underwent surgery in October to remove a bone spur from his right elbow. The injury didn't cost Lindor any time in 2023, with the 30-year-old finishing his third season with the Mets with a .254/.336/.470 slash line to go with 31 home runs and 31 stolen bases over 160 games.

The Cubs announced Friday that Shaw received an invitation to major-league spring training.

Fellow top prospect Owen Caissie will join Shaw in big-league camp. A first-round pick in the 2023 Draft, Shaw slashed .357/.400/.618 with eight homers and 15 steals across three levels in his pro debut, reaching Double-A Tennessee. He's mostly played shortstop and second base to this point, but Shaw's offseason workouts have been focused mainly at third base, where he has the clearest path to playing time with the Cubs. An Opening Day roster spot is unlikely, but we could see the 22-year-old sometime in 2024.

Owings signed a minor-league contract with the Dodgers on Thursday that includes an invitation to spring training, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Owings has spent more time in the minors than the majors the last few years, most recently going 4-for-25 in 10 games with the Pirates and posting a .798 OPS in 86 contests at Triple-A Indianapolis in 2023. The 32-year-old utility player is likely headed to Triple-A Oklahoma City to begin the 2024 campaign.

Berti isn't expected to remain atop the Marlins' depth chart at shortstop as the club looks at available free-agent options, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

Tim Anderson is the biggest name still on the market at shortstop, with Amed Rosario, Nick Ahmed and Adalberto Mondesi also said to be on Miami's radar. Berti saw a career-high 424 plate appearances last season, playing 64 games at short but also 41 at third base, 15 at second base and 19 between the corner outfield spots, and the Marlins still view him as a better fit in a utility role. If the team elects not to bring in a free agent, Jacob Amaya and Vidal Brujan could also get looks this spring as potential starting options at shortstop.

The Phillies claimed Castillo off waivers from the Yankees on Monday.

Castillo has now been in four organizations this offseason as he continues to bounce around via waivers. The utility player hasn't found his footing at the major-league level to this point but slashed .313/.431/.410 in 556 plate appearances with Arizona's Triple-A affiliate in Reno last season. He'll compete for a reserve role in Philadelphia.