MLB Player News

The Nationals have received big contributions from young players in recent years, and they will need another big prospect to step up if they want to get back to the playoffs in 2016. Shortstop Trea Turner got his first taste of the majors last season and struggled a bit, but has plenty of upside for Fantasy players to dream on this season.

Turner hit just .225 in his 44 plate appearances a year ago, with a strikeout in 27.2 percent of his trips to the plate, an uncharacteristic struggle for a player who hit .322 with a 19.9 percent strikeout rate in the minors. If Turner's game is going to translate to the majors, it will be because he can get that average up near .300, allowing his gap power and baserunning abilities to play up.

His struggles last season likely mean he won't have a job from day one -- thanks Dusty Baker! -- but he is the highest-upside play the Nationals have to choose from, and that upside -- 35 steals, 10 homers, .300 average -- makes him worth stashing even if he isn't starting from day one.

Carlos Correa stepped into majors as a fully-formed star, hitting 22 homers in just 99 games and posting one of the best offensive seasons by a 20-year-old shortstop in major-league history. If you want him on your Fantasy team this season, you're probably going to have to pay the price of a mid-first round pick, and that isn't a decision without risk.

Correa was remarkably consistent last season, clubbing at least five homers and sporting an OPS no lower than .827 in every month. There's no doubting Correa's skill set, but for someone with just 28 homers in 282 minor-league games, a 30-homer pace in his first season in the majors seems hard to replicate. Correa sported a 24.2 percent home run-to-fly ball ratio as a rookie, good for sixth-highest in baseball. However, his hard-hit ball average of 32.9 percent ranked just 47th -- which might be a better indicator of his raw power.

Correa is a no-doubt stud, but if you are expecting a repeat of last year's power explosion, you may be setting the bar too high for him to clear.

Tejada, who fractured his fibula as a result of Chase Utley's late, takeout slide in the playoffs, has shed his walking boot and is working out in Panama, ESPN New York reports

Tejada may report to Port St. Lucie on Monday, three weeks before the required reporting date. He is slated to be the back up at second base and shortstop, though it's still possible the Mets try and deal him to clear some salary or designate him for assignment to create room on the 40-man roster.

Cecchini (hip) received a spring training invite from the Mets, Adam Rubin of ESPN New York reports.

Cecchini hit .317/.377/.442 in 109 games with Double-A Binghamton last year, building off the mild success he had the prior season. The jury is still out if he will hit enough and be good enough defensively to be a starter in the majors, as some feel he will settle in as a utility infielder.

Tejada agreed to a one-year, $3 million contract with the Mets on Friday, Matt Ehalt of The Record reports.

Tejada will get a pay bump of $1.12 million in his second year of arbitration, now putting that part of the offseason behind him. The 26-year-old will now look to unseat Asdrubal Cabrera for playing time at shortstop, though he'll likely enter spring training behind the veteran on the depth chart.

Gordon agreed to a five-year, $50 million contract with the Marlins on Wednesday, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports.

Gordon won the NL batting title last season and posted a career-best .777 OPS, so the Marlins decided to lock him in through 2020. The deal also includes a $14 million vesting option that could make him a Marlin for another season beyond that. Gordon will continue as the Marlins' regular second baseman and leadoff hitter in 2016 and beyond.

Ciriaco signed a minor league deal with the Rangers on Wednesday. The contract includes a spring training invite.

The veteran spent last season with the Braves organization, seeing time in 84 major league contests while appearing in 26 minor league games. Ciriaco hit .261 with 15 RBI and eight doubles for the Braves while playing all over the infield, in addition to making a couple of appearances in the outfield. The 30-year-old will look to make the roster outright in spring training, but he could end up at Triple-A.

Berti received an invite to go to big league camp for spring training.

Last year Berti played second base, third base, center field and left field across stops at Double-A and Triple-A, so his versatility could be his ticket to the 25-man roster at some point in 2016. That said, apart from above average speed, the soon-to-be 26-year-old doesn't offer much in terms of offensive potential.

Urena received an invite to go to big league camp for spring training.

Of the top-three dynasty league prospects in the Jays system, Urena has the most upside, but he also carries the most risk. Offensively he has a very similar profile to San Diego's Javier Guerra, where plus power potential at shortstop makes him very intriguing. Unlike Guerra, however, he has a very iffy approach, and is far from a lock to stick at shortstop. Still, the bat should play anywhere, and the chance that he sticks at shortstop makes him a top-100 prospect in dynasty leagues. Look for him to head to High-A to start 2016.

Diaz inked a minor league contract with the Yankees on Friday, Matt Eddy of Baseball America reports.

Diaz doesn't have much major league experience under his belt at age 30, but has seen a taste in each of the past three campaigns. He'll once again serve as organizational depth in 2016, but this time it will come with the Yankees rather than the Blue Jays.