MLB Player News

Escarra has a "stranglehold" on the Yankees' backup catcher job behind starter Austin Wells, Jack Curry of YES Network reports.

Escarra has crushed the ball this spring, sporting a 1.032 OPS with three home runs in 14 Grapefruit League contests. The 29-year-old is on the 40-man roster but will be making his major-league debut when he gets into a game. Ben Rice will also be on the Opening Day roster and is capable of catching, but he's likely to focus mostly on designated hitter duties.

Campbell started at second base and went 1-for-3 with a walk and a double in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Orioles.

Given recent news that Campbell is behind David Hamilton in the battle for the second-base job, it was interesting to see the prospect start along with eight definite regulars. He improved his positioning during Monday's game in what was his best all-around performance of the spring, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. "He did a good job, made some plays," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "He's going to get more reps there. He'll play [Tuesday in Tampa against the Yankees], too. It feels like he's getting comfortable." Cora said earlier this week that there were aspects of defense that Campbell needs to fine tune -- mostly on throws and how he receives a throw -- but his positioning was on point during Monday's contest. He's moved between the infield and outfield during the Grapefruit League season, but second base is the best path for Campbell to break camp with the team.

Schmidt (shoulder) could start Wednesday's Grapefruit League game at the Phillies, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

There were positive reports after Schmidt threw a 24-pitch bullpen session Monday and again Tuesday morning, as Schmidt noted his shoulder felt good the day after. Even if cleared to be in the season-opening rotation, the right-hander would likely have some workload limitations early on, as manager Aaron Boone admitted Tuesday that "he's obviously not going to be built up," per Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Schmidt staying behind in Florida to get stretched out for an extra week or two at the start of the season is also being considered.

Hedges started at designated hitter and went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Monday's Cactus League game against Cincinnati.

The Guardians put out what looked like a normal regular-season lineup, except for Hedges. His main role is as a backup catcher, and he doesn't hit well enough to be a viable DH. At any rate, it was the second Cactus League home run for Hedges, who is batting .133 (11-for-30) with three extra-base hits and three RBI this spring.

Bibee allowed one hit and one walk while striking out four over six scoreless innings in Monday's Cactus League start against the Reds.

This was just the second Cactus League outing for Bibee, who looked like he's ready to be Cleveland's ace. He's allowed three hits and two walks while striking out seven over nine Cactus League innings. Guardians manager Stephen Vogt has yet to name his Opening Day starter -- Cleveland is one of two teams that have not named one (Arizona is the other) -- but it would be a shock if the right-hander isn't given that honor. Bibee's five-day schedule lines up perfectly for him to get the ball against the Royals on March 27.

Smith may not break camp as Houston's everyday right fielder, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reported Monday.

Rome's dispatch contradicts a report provided Monday by Will Kunkel of Fox 26 Houston, who relayed that Smith has a "good" chance of making the roster, per a source familiar with the situation. Rome isn't completely ruling out the possibility of Smith breaking camp with the club, adding that "even if Smith isn't on the Opening Day roster, this spring has showcased that he should make his major-league debut this season." Still, Rome's report throws some cold water on the idea of Smith being promoted aggressively, while suggesting that the Astros might not want to give up on Chas McCormick as a near-everyday player just yet. Last week, manager Joe Espada left the door open for Smith to make the team, telling Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com that "it's super exciting to see young players showcasing themselves and putting us in a tough spot to make tough decisions."

Rodgers has gone 8-for-28 with six strikeouts in Grapefruit League games.

Rodgers is in Houston camp on a non-roster deal and is vying for the second base job. If he can't wrestle the role from Mauricio Dubon, Rodgers could miss out on a roster spot altogether due to his lack of defensive versatility. Included in his contract is an opt-out, per Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle, so he could find work elsewhere.

Isbel went 2-for-3 in Monday's spring training win over Arizona. He's hitting .265 (9-for-34) with a .686 OPS this spring.

Isbel will return as Kansas City's starting center fielder but likely needs to improve at the plate to keep from losing playing time. He hit just .240 last season with a .662 OPS, but his elite glove kept him in the lineup. Isbel has ranked in at least the 95th percentile in Outs Above Average each of the last three seasons. He'll also sit against most left-handed pitching as he hit just .161 with a .450 OPS against lefties last season. The Royals have experimented with Maikel Garcia in center field this spring, so Kansas City could look at other options if he struggles at the plate.

Lee has gone 10-for-25 with four extra-base hits in Cactus League games.

Lee has a 49 wRC+ across 490 big-league plate appearances, so success across a small sample in relatively meaningless games isn't all that reassuring. However, he appears likely to enter the regular season as Chicago's primary catcher and his performance this spring could buy him some additional time over top prospects Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero.

Topa (shoulder) worked one inning of relief in Monday's 4-2 Grapefruit League loss to the Pirates, striking out two while giving up an earned run on one hit.

Topa made his first Grapefruit League appearance since March 6, when he exited that game due to shoulder tightness. He made an appearance in a minor-league game Friday and checked out fine, prompting the Twins to include him back on the Grapefruit League pitching schedule. Topa will look to re-establish himself as a key setup man for Minnesota in 2025 after throwing just 2.1 innings last season due to a left knee injury.