MLB Player News
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Marcell Ozuna DH | PIT
Pirates' Marcell Ozuna: Lands $12 million deal with Pirates
The Pirates signed Ozuna to a one-year, $10.5 million contract Monday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports. The deal includes a $16 million mutual option or $1.5 million buyout for 2027.
Ozuna produced a disappointing .232/.355/.400 batting line with 21 home runs over 145 games for Atlanta in 2025. However, a nagging hip injury was likely at least partly to blame, and he is just a year removed from a 39-homer season. Ozuna will slide into the designated hitter role in Pittsburgh, likely pushing Ryan O'Hearn to left field and Jake Mangum to a fourth outfielder role.
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MJ Melendez RF | NYM
Mets' MJ Melendez: Inks deal with NYM
Melendez agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Mets on Sunday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
The 27-year-old was non-tendered by the Royals in November, but he was eventually able to land an MLB contract for 2026. The Mets have avoided spending big on a left fielder this winter with top prospect Carson Benge on the cusp of his major-league debut, but Melendez represents a low-cost option that provides short-term depth. Melendez clubbed 51 homers from 2022 to 2024 but has a career .215 average in the majors and played in just 23 big-league games last season.
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Johan Oviedo SP | BOS
Red Sox's Johan Oviedo: Positive fastball signs in return
Oviedo's fastball improved significantly upon his return from elbow surgery in 2025, Mike Petriello of MLB.com reports.
Surface indicators aren't particularly kind to Oviedo, but the Red Sox took a deeper dive and liked the direction of the right-hander's fastball. Prior to undergoing Tommy John elbow surgery in 2024, Oviedo had a decent-enough campaign over 177.2 innings for the Pirates in 2023. That's when he finished 11th in MLB with a plus-11 Run Value on his slider. His fastball, however, was at the other end of the spectrum, minus-10 (178th out of 179 qualified starters). Oviedo's four-seamer had respectable velocity (96 mph) but poor vertical movement. Upon his return in 2025, both metrics showed significant improvement. The pitch that allowed a .275 batting average and .465 slugging percentage in 2023 dropped to .149/.383, while its Whiff rate climbed from 18.5 percent to 31.3. Its Stuff+ metric rose from 82 in 2023 to 115 last year. The Red Sox believe they're getting in on Oviedo at the right time, but it's important to note the small sample size in 2025 -- just 40.1 innings -- and that Oviedo's already troublesome walk rate (4.2 BB/9 in 2023) ticked higher to 5.1 in 2025.
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Brett Baty 3B | NYM
Mets' Brett Baty: Will get reps in left field
Baty has been working out in left field this offseason, and he'll continue getting reps at the position this spring, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
Top prospect Carson Benge appears to be the Mets' Plan A in left, but the 23-year-old may not be quite ready to make the leap to the majors after playing only 24 games at Triple-A last year with a poor .583 OPS. That would leave Baty and Tyrone Taylor as the best remaining options to fill LF, potentially in a platoon that would favor Baty as the left-handed hitter. Baty does have a bit of experience in left field, playing 29 games there for Double-A Binghamton in 2021-22, and the offseason acquisitions of Marcus Semien, Bo Bichette and Jorge Polanco leave no room in the infield for the natural third baseman. Baty is also a better hitter than Taylor, whose value mainly comes from his glove -- from Aug. 1 to the end of the regular season in 2025, Baty slashed .308/.370/.496 with seven homers in 146 plate appearances.
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Sandy Alcantara SP | MIA
Marlins' Sandy Alcantara: Likely Opening Day starter
Alcantara is the favorite to get the Opening Day start for the Marlins, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
It's an honor the right-hander has been given five times previously, and after he surprisingly was one of the starting pitchers Miami didn't trade this offseason, Alcantara's only real competition for the assignment is Eury Perez. Alcantara also believes he's much more prepared to regain his top form in 2026 than he was last season in his return from Tommy John surgery. "Coming back from TJ, you're not going to do great since the first day," he said Friday. "You've got to be step by step. Mentally, I was thinking too much, people talking negative about myself... I've just got to be able to be healthy this year, showing the people in Spring Training that I can do great and just got to keep believing." Alcantara did seem to turn a corner over the final six weeks of 2025, posting a 2.68 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 52:10 K:BB over his last eight starts and 53.2 innings.
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Jose Berrios SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Jose Berrios: Role uncertain heading into camp
Berrios (elbow) doesn't have a clear path to a spot in the Blue Jays rotation to begin the season, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Berrios endured a tough 2025, finishing the regular season on the IL due to a sore elbow and then getting left off the postseason roster. The veteran right-hander has made 30-plus starts in five straight seasons, with last year's 166.0 innings representing his lowest total for a full campaign since 2017 with Minnesota, but Toronto's offseason moves to bring in Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce seem to have Berrios ticketed for the Opening Day bullpen. He still has three years and $67 million left on his contract as well, which will make him tough to trade given his mediocre 4.17 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 11.8 percent K%-BB% in 2025. With Shane Bieber (forearm) and Trey Yesavage both having potential workload concerns, however, Berrios could still end up getting plenty of starts in 2026 while filling a swingman role.
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Ryne Nelson SP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Ryne Nelson: Prepared for 30-plus starts
Nelson focused on getting physically stronger this offseason so that he can handle the rigors of 30 or more starts in 2026, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.
The right-hander has bounced between the rotation and bullpen the last three seasons but threw a career-high 154.0 innings in 2025. His first 10 appearances were out of the bullpen, before he shifted to the rotation in late May when Corbin Burnes required Tommy John surgery. With Burnes projected to be out until the second half of 2026, Nelson enters spring training with a guaranteed spot in the rotation, per general manager Mike Hazen. Nelson has relied heavily on his fastball but has also worked on his slider and curveball, and both pitches showed promise in 2025.
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Keegan Akin RP | BAL
Orioles' Keegan Akin: Unsuccessful in arbitration
Akin lost his arbitration case against Baltimore and will earn $2.975 million during the 2026 season, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
Akin had filed for $3.375 million. The lefty reliever is expected to be one of the Orioles' top setup men in 2026 after finishing last year with eight saves, 16 holds and a 3.41 ERA in 64 appearances.
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Lou Trivino RP | PHI
Phillies' Lou Trivino: Invited to Phillies' camp
Trivino signed a minor-league contract with the Phillies on Saturday and received an invitation to spring training, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.
Trivino finished the 2025 campaign in Philadelphia, where he allowed two earned runs over nine innings while striking out eight batters and walking five. His strong finish will buy him another opportunity with the Phillies, though it's likely he begins the season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
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Conner Capel RF | COL
Rockies' Conner Capel: Signs minors deal with Rockies
Capel signed a minor-league contract with the Rockies on Thursday.
Capel spent all of 2025 with Atlanta's Triple-A affiliate, slashing .230/.311/.353 with 10 home runs, 39 RBI, 42 runs scored and 21 steals across 117 games. Signing with the Rockies will provide an easier path back to the majors, but the 28-year-old figures to remain a minor-league depth piece to begin this season.