MLB Player News

Cruz, who saw his first action at the Double-A level in 2019, has received his first invitation to major-league spring training, DK Pittsburgh Sports reports.

"My goal is to make it to the big leagues this year," Cruz said. "I want to do everything possible to make it to the big leagues this year. For me, there's nothing impossible." The 21-year-old prospect is an oddity because of his size -- he stands 6-foot-7 -- and the position he currently plays, shortstop. While some projections have Cruz delivering monster power, he's hit just 32 home runs over his last three seasons. Since there are few size comparisons for Cruz, predicting his path may prove difficult. After returning from an early-season foot fracture in 2019, he hit well in High-A (.301/.345/.515) before jumping to Double-A (.269/.346/.412) for the final month. He then struggled in the Arizona Fall League, batting .190 with a 7:21 BB:K mark in 42 at-bats. Cruz is one of Pittsburgh's brightest prospects and it will be interesting to see how the team's new management handles his progression.

Camargo, who committed to improving his conditioning and fitness this offseason, will compete in camp with Austin Riley for the starting job at third base, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

The 26-year-old lost nearly 20 pounds this winter while working out with a performance coach in Tampa rather than staying home in Panama. Camargo saw his numbers drop across the board last year and could be a better fit as a utility player, but if Riley hasn't yet figured out big-league pitching, Camargo could get a chance to rediscover the form that saw him slug 19 homers with an .806 OPS through 134 games in 2018.

Velazquez was designated for assignment Friday.

The transaction clears a spot on the 40-man roster for the newly signed Domingo Santana. Velazquez is just 25 years old and can play both infield and outfield, which could entice a team to claim him off waivers, though he hasn't done much in the big leagues yet, hitting .152/.222/.242 in a small sample of 36 plate appearances.

Edman is expected to see action at as many as six different positions in spring training, as the Cardinals envision him filling an everyday role as a super-utility man in 2020, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

St. Louis is eager to open up everyday playing time for Edman after he posted a team-best .850 OPS last season following his promotion from Triple-A Memphis in early June. After playing 55 games at third base and 29 games at second base as a rookie, Edman should already carry dual-position eligibility in most fantasy leagues entering 2020, and the Cardinals could work him into the mix at all three outfield spots as necessary. Any additional eligibility he gains as the season rolls along will only provide another boost to the ascending value of Edman, who could make a run at a 20-20 season if he gets 600-plus plate appearances.

Rays senior vice president of baseball operations Erik Neander said "we want Wander to be in our plans this year" during the team's Fan Fest last weekend, Mari Faiello of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

This is going to be a common topic for the Rays this spring and throughout the season, and the team's brass is not shying away from the notion that the game's top prospect could debut in his age-19 season. He walked almost twice as much as he struck out while slashing .339/.408/.464 at High-A as an 18-year-old, so he could make quick work of Double-A and Triple-A pitching. If Tampa is really serious about fast-tracking him, he could even skip one of those levels on his path to the majors. Given Willy Adames' defensive prowess at shortstop, Franco will likely debut at the keystone.

The Diamondbacks will not feel the need to rush Perdomo's development, after the team extended shortstop Nick Ahmed through the 2023 season, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.

The 20-year-old Perdomo is among the organization's top prospects and finished 2019 with a 26-game stint at High-A Visalia. Extending Ahmed allows Perdomo to take a more measured path to MLB. The shortstop survived the cooler spring months before busting out over the second half of the season, posting a .325/.426/.430 slash line, while also stealing a combined 20 bags between Visalia and Low-A Kane County.

Ahmed agreed to a four-year extension with Arizona on Monday.

Ahmed will make at least $32.5 million over the course of the deal, with the potential for more in incentives, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports. The shortstop had been scheduled to reach free agency after the 2020 season, so the deal buys out three extra years and keeps him under club control through his age-33 season. He's never had an above-average batting line, but his .254/.316/.437 line last season was good for a 92 wRC+, an acceptable figure for a player with a strong defensive reputation at shortstop.

Garcia was given an invitation to the Reds' big-league spring training camp, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Garcia broke out last year at High-A Daytona after initially struggling following his signing as a minor league free agent from Cuba. This year will help the Reds determine whether he's their shortstop of the future, or just a player that performed well while being a little old for the level.

The Dodgers have agreed to send Alex Verdugo, Connor Wong, and Downs to the Red Sox in exchange for Mookie Betts and David Price, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

Downs spent most of the 2019 season with High-A Rancho Cucamonga, hitting .269/.354/.507 with 19 home runs, 78 runs scored and 75 RBI in 479 plate appearances. The 21-year-old also stole 23 bases for the Quakes. Downs was considered expendable while playing below elite middle infield depth within the Dodgers' organization, according to Jim Bowden of The Athletic. The change of scenery early in the shortstop's career may provide Downs with a more favorable opportunity to climb the minor league ladder during his next few seasons.

Herrera joined the Yankees as a non-roster invitee Monday.

Herrera has appeared in 149 career big-league games, spending time with the Reds, Royals and Marlins. He hasn't found much success at the plate, hitting .225/.286/.316 with three homers. His ability to play both middle infield spots and center field theoretically helps him toward earning a bench role, but his bat appears to be too weak for that to happen on a contending team.