MLB Player News

The Reds optioned Balcazar to minor-league camp Friday.

Balcazar was added to the Reds' 40-man roster this winter, but he wasn't under real consideration for an Opening Day roster spot. The 21-year-old had a .677 OPS across 51 games with Double-A Chattanooga last season and will head back there to begin the 2026 campaign.

Bauers is 6-for-11 (.545) with a home run, a double, two RBI, two steals and a 1:3 BB:K through four games this spring.

Bauers has tallied at least one hit in all four contests he has appeared in and has made a couple marks in both the power and speed departments. Bauers can cover both first base and a corner outfield spot, and he is slated to open the season in a reserve role for the Brewers.

The Reds optioned Rodriguez to minor-league camp Friday.

Rodriguez went 2-for-13 with one stolen base across nine Cactus League contests. The outfielder will turn just 22 next week but could play a role with the Reds at some point later this season.

The Reds optioned Franco to minor-league camp Friday.

After getting a spot on the 40-man roster earlier this offseason, Franco impressed in Cactus League play with an 8:1 K:BB over 4.2 innings. He should open the 2026 campaign in the rotation at Triple-A Louisville and could debut in the big leagues later on this summer.

The Reds optioned Arroyo to minor-league camp Friday.

Arroyo netted a spot on the Reds' 40-man roster this offseason, but he wasn't under real consideration to crack the Opening Day roster. The 22-year-old will get his first taste of Triple-A Louisville this season.

Mitchell went 2-for-3 with a home run, a double, four RBI and a walk in Thursday's spring game against the Rockies.

Mitchell had recorded only five plate appearances all spring prior to Thursday, but he showed no signs of rust, opening the contest with a homer and reaching twice afterward. Health has always been the biggest question for Mitchell, who did not take the field after April last year due to a shoulder injury that ultimately required surgery. He is healthy now, and if he remains so he is slated to open the season as the primary option in center field for the Brewers.

The Reds optioned Aguiar to minor-league camp Friday.

Aguiar is back healthy after Tommy John surgery, but he was always a good bet to begin the season in the minors. The 24-year-old will begin the season in the rotation at Triple-A Louisville.

Correa was scratched from Friday's Grapefruit League lineup versus the Nationals due to stiffness on the right side of his neck, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Astros manager Joe Espada said of Correa that "we'll see how he feels tomorrow," so it's fair to call the veteran infielder day-to-day for now. Correa had been slated to start at third base Friday, but he is a candidate to slide over to shortstop if Jeremy Pena (finger) isn't ready for Opening Day.

Nelson allowed two runs on three hits and struck out three over 2.2 innings in Thursday's start against the Cubs.

Nelson was knocked around in the first inning before settling in to retire the final seven batters he faced in his second Cactus League start. He upped his pitch count to 42 (30 strikes). "Honestly, it felt like the stuff was good," Nelson told Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. "Pretty happy with how everything's coming out right now. Just got to clean a couple things up." The right-hander is looking to add more secondary offerings to complement the four-seamer that he threw 62 percent of the time in 2025. On Thursday, Nelson threw 20 four-seamers along with 11 cutters and nine curveballs.

Lopez (elbow) is scheduled to start Sunday's Cactus League game against the Angels.

The left-hander built up slowly early in camp after finishing 2025 on the injured list due to an elbow strain, and he's now ready to make his Cactus League debut this weekend. Lopez received his first extended look in the majors last season and was a decent rotation piece for the A's with a 4.08 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 113:37 K:BB across 92.2 innings. The 27-year-old is expected to open the campaign as a member of the starting rotation.