MLB Player News

Turner, 22, is batting .467/.600/.533 with one RBI and five steals through five games for Triple-A Syracuse.

It won't be long before Turner gets the call to the bigs. Danny Espinosa, the starting shortstop for the Nats, is batting just .150 through eight games.

Mateo, 20, is batting .346/.414/.538 with three RBI and three steals through six games for High-A Tampa.

Mateo has been scalding the ball out of the gate, but speed remains his primary weapon. The speedster swiped 82 bags in 117 games in 2015.

Crawford, 21, is slashing .355/.412/.516 with one home run, two RBI and one stolen base through seven games for Double-A Reading.

The top prospect in the Philadelphia organization has posted a .928 OPS to begin the year. Crawford should make his MLB debut before the end of the 2016 campaign.

Baez (thumb) is nearing a return to the Cubs, the Chicago Tribune reports. "He's getting close," manager Joe Maddon said. "We just want to make sure he's well and feels good at the plate and seeing the ball well. But he's close."

Exactly when Baez could return is unclear, but it may be as soon as this weekend. The 23-year-old, who has played in the outfield and the infield during this Triple-A stint, is slated to play left field for Iowa on Thursday. The organization is expected to comment on the situation after Thursday's Triple-A game, so look for an update later in the afternoon.

Story went 3-for-4 with two triples, an RBI and three runs Wednesday against the Giants.

Despite all those homers to open the year, Story hadn't picked up a double or triple in the first seven games. Nonetheless, he's still your MLB leader in homers and RBI in the early going. We should see Story take off on some steal attempts before long too -- he just needs to hit a few more singles first.

Bogaerts went 2-for-4 with a double, two steals and two RBI in Wednesday's win over the Orioles.

That's hits in six straight for the young shortstop, and the two early swipes are nice to see after Bogaerts increased his output to 10 steals last year. He makes a lot of good contact, which helps him hit for average, but it'd be nice to see Bogaerts boost his power totals as well as his speed. At just 23 years old, he's certainly in position to do so.

Mondesi, 20, is batting .280/.333/.640 with two home runs, six RBI and four steals through six games at Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

This could be the breakout season for Mondesi, who has always had a bit more speed than power, though still may be developing a power stroke at his young age. He has been pushed hard by the Royals, but has not been overwhelmed at any level thus far. Mondesi is on pace to battle for a big-league roster spot in 2017.

Tejada (quad) will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Springfield on Thursday, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reports.

Tejada is ready to get back on the field after sitting out most of the last two weeks with his injured quad. He could rejoin the Cardinals as early as Sunday, which is an indication he will not require a lengthy minor-league stint. His role upon rejoining the big club has not been explicitly determined, but he was the favorite for the regular shortstop job prior to being injured, so he could provide some stability at a position that has been a revolving door for the Cardinals early this season.

Anderson was diagnosed Wednesday with a left wrist strain and will miss three-to-five days, MLB.com's Scott Merkin reports.

This is a minor ailment that should not affect Anderson's season as a whole, but look for the White Sox to be extra careful with when they bring him back, as he is easily the team's top prospect. Unsurprisingly, Jimmy Rollins is slashing .160/.185/.320 as the big league shortstop, so if Anderson can get healthy and get going offensively at Triple-A, he could receive a call-up before the All-Star break.

Owings is back in the lineup Wednesday against the Dodgers.

Socrates Brito got the start for the series opener Tuesday, but Owings will take his spot in center Wednesday with left-hander Alex Wood on the mound for the Dodgers. Owings will continue to see regular playing time in center field when the Diamondbacks face southpaws and is talented enough to get the lion's share of the playing time in center over Brito.