MLB Player News
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Tim Anderson 2B | LAA
White Sox's Tim Anderson: Starting Monday
Anderson (illness) will start at shortstop and bat second in Monday's Cactus League game against the Padres, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Anderson was sidelined over the weekend with a stomach virus, but he'll get the green light to rejoin the spring lineup after reporting to the ballpark healthy Monday. He'll slot behind Yoan Moncada in the lineup, and those two players are expected to regularly occupy the Nos. 1 and 2 spots in some order once Opening Day arrives.
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Geraldo Perdomo SS | ARI
Diamondbacks' Geraldo Perdomo: Reassigned to minor-league camp
Perdomo was reassigned to the Diamondbacks' minor-league camp Monday.
Perdomo was able to spend some time with the major-league coaching staff to begin the spring, but he'll head to minor-league camp to get ready for the 2020 season. The 20-year-old is one of Arizona's top prospects, but he'll need some more time to develop in the minors prior to making his debut in the majors, especially since shortstop Nick Ahmed received a contract extension during the offseason.
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Rosell Herrera SS | KC
Yankees' Rosell Herrera: Impressing in spring camp
Herrera has gone 7-for-14 with four RBI in Grapefruit League action and has "opened eyes" in camp, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Herrera hasn't hit well thus far in the majors -- he owns a career .225 average in 383 at-bats -- but his versatility in the field and hot start to spring have impressed team officials. Still, the 27-year-old is not on the 40-man roster and remains a longshot to make the Opening Day roster in spite of a rash of injuries to Yankee position players this spring.
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Anthony Volpe SS | NYY
Yankees' Anthony Volpe: Gets first career spring at-bat
Volpe grounded out as a pinch hitter in Sunday's Grapefruit League loss to Detroit.
The Yankees' first-round pick in the 2019 draft entered for Gary Sanchez in the eighth inning and nearly collected a hit on a foul ball down the left-field line before grounding out to shortstop in his only at-bat. Volpe is 18 years old and hit .215 in rookie ball last year, so he is likely years away from being seriously considered for the big-league roster.
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Javier Baez SS | DET
Cubs' Javier Baez: Hits second spring home run
Baez went 2-for-2 with a walk and a solo home run in Sunday's Cactus League game against the Mariners.
Baez looks great in the early going, as he now has two home runs and an absurd 1.914 OPS through five Cactus League games. The 27-year-old has established himself as an MVP-caliber player and should post elite numbers once again in 2020.
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Adalberto Mondesi SS | BOS
Royals' Adalberto Mondesi: Nearing game action
Mondesi (shoulder) doesn't have a set date for his spring debut, but it could occur this week, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports.
Mondesi took a big step Saturday by seeing limited action in an intrasquad game as he continues his recovery from the left shoulder surgery he underwent in September. Manager Mike Matheny reiterated the young shortstop remains on track to be ready for Opening Day.
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Xander Bogaerts SS | SD
Red Sox's Xander Bogaerts: Not near game action
Interim manager Ron Roenicke said Sunday that Bogaerts (ankle) is "still a ways away" from playing in games, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.
Roenicke reiterated that he still believes his shortstop has enough time to be ready for Opening Day, but Bogaerts' status will remain in limbo until he's cleared for game action. The 27-year-old had the ankle soreness crop up early in camp and has been able to hit in the cage, take batting practice and field grounders.
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Jorge Mateo SS | ATL
Athletics' Jorge Mateo: Good chance at roster spot
Mateo, who's 3-for-12 this spring, has a good chance of making the Opening Day roster as he's out of minor-league options, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Mateo has just under 1,100 plate appearances at the Triple-A level over the last two seasons, and he showed signs of finally hitting his stride in 2019 with a .289/.330/.504 line that included career bests in home runs (19) and RBI (78). Gallegos reports Mateo has already impressed early in camp with his above-average athleticism and speed, and because he's out of minor-league options, the A's run the risk of losing him to waivers if they try to send him back to Triple-A Las Vegas.
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Wander Franco SS | TB
Rays' Wander Franco: Leads off in first spring start
Franco started and hit leadoff in Friday's Grapefruit League win over the Nationals, going 1-for-4 with a run.
Franco was making his first Grapefruit League start, but he'd made his debut Thursday in a split-squad win over the Tigers when he entered the game as a defensive replacement for Willy Adames and grounded out to the pitcher in his only at-bat. The teenage phenom, who turns 19 on March 1, has rocketed through three minor-league stops over the last two seasons, hitting well over .300 at the Rookie, Low-A and High-A levels. Franco will gain valuable experience in big-league camp this spring, and he could potentially put it to use later this season if his meteoric rise through the ranks continues.
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Willy Adames SS | SF
Rays' Willy Adames: Slugs first spring homer
Adames went 2-for-2 with a two-run home run and two runs overall in a Grapefruit League split-squad win over the Tigers on Thursday.
The 24-year-old came into the game without his first spring hit, but he remedied that with a second-inning two-run shot off Tigers starter Jordan Zimmermann. Adames was eventually pulled for phenom Wander Franco to open the sixth inning, but not before kick-starting his Grapefruit League ledger with the multi-hit effort. Adames heads into the 2020 campaign looking to build on the career-best 20 home runs and 52 RBI he garnered last season across 584 plate appearances.