MLB Player News
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Gabriel Hughes SP | COL
Rockies' Gabriel Hughes: Protected from Rule 5 Draft
The Rockies selected Hughes' contract from Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.
Hughes is a 24-year-old right-handed starter who got his first taste of Triple-A action last season. He struggled at that level, posting a 5.11 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and 48:29 K:BB over 61.2 innings spanning 14 starts, but he showed more promise at Double-A prior to his promotion, recording a 3.07 ERA and 0.85 WHIP across nine starts. Hughes was the 10th overall pick in the 2022 First-Year Player Draft, and he underwent Tommy John surgery in July of 2023. The Rockies clearly still see him as an eventual part of their rotation given that they chose to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft.
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Kahlil Watson SS | CLE
Guardians' Kahlil Watson: Selected to 40-man roster
The Guardians selected Watson's contract from Triple-A Columbus on Tuesday, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.
Watson split the 2025 season between Double-A and Triple-A, slashing .250/.346/.467 with 16 homers, 61 RBI, 53 runs scored and 17 stolen bases over 429 plate appearances between the two levels. Now that he owns a place on Cleveland's 40-man roster, the 22-year-old outfielder is ineligible for the Rule 5 Draft and will most likely remain at Columbus for the start of the 2026 campaign.
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Angel Genao SS | CLE
Guardians' Angel Genao: Shielded from Rule 5 Draft
The Guardians selected Genao's contract from Double-A Akron on Tuesday, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.
One of the Guardians' top prospects, Genao missed the start of last season with a shoulder injury and never got on track after returning, logging a .259/.323/.359 slash line with two home runs and six steals in 77 games as a 21-year-old at Double-A. The switch-hitting shortstop is a strong bounce-back candidate in 2026, and while he may return to Double-A at the start of the year, he should spend the bulk of the year at Triple-A and could even make his big-league debut next summer.
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Jake Fraley RF | TB
Rays' Jake Fraley: Designated for assignment
The Rays designated Fraley (oblique) for assignment Tuesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Timesreports.
The veteran outfielder was claimed off waivers by the Rays in early November but has already lost his place on the 40-man roster. Fraley finished the season on the IL due to an oblique strain and totaled 76 games between Atlanta and Cincinnati. He had a .241/.332/.382 slash line with six home runs and four steals in 217 plate appearances.
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Weilnton Herrera RP | COL
Rockies' Welinton Herrera: Placed on 40-man roster
The Rockies selected Herrera's contract from Double-A Hartford on Tuesday, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.
Herrera is a lefty hurler who advanced to Double-A for the first time last season. Over 37 relief appearances at that level, he posted a 70:19 K:BB over 46.1 innings along with a 3.69 ERA and 1.30 WHIP. Herrera notched a combined 16 saves between High-A and Double-A in 2025, and the Rockies may be eyeing him as a future closer at the major-league level.
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Christopher Morel DH | MIA
Rays' Christopher Morel: DFA'd by Tampa Bay
The Rays designated Morel for assignment Tuesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Morel played in 105 games for the Rays last season but was inconsistent at the plate with a .219/.289/.396 slash line and 35.7 percent strikeout rate in 105 plate appearances. The 26-year-old clubbed 26 homers with an .821 OPS for the Cubs in 2023 but posted a .651 OPS over the past two regular seasons.
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Austin Peterson SP | CLE
Guardians' Austin Peterson: Added to 40-man roster
The Guardians selected Peterson's contract from Triple-A Columbus on Tuesday, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.
Peterson struggled a bit after being promoted to Triple-A in June, posting a 4.27 ERA and 1.37 WHIP across 90.2 innings compared to the 1.47 ERA and 0.82 WHIP he held in 55 frames at Double-A Akron. The 26-year-old's addition to the 40-man roster will prevent him from being selected in the Rule 5 Draft, but the Guardians will likely keep him in Triple-A to begin the 2026 campaign.
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Braiden Ward CF | COL
Red Sox's Braiden Ward: Traded to Red Sox
Colorado traded Ward to Boston on Tuesday in exchange for left-handed reliever Brennan Bernardino, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.
Ward is a 26-year-old speedster who stole 57 bases in 64 attempts across Double-A and Triple-A last season. He also batted a healthy .290 over 97 games, but he has very little power, as he went deep just twice in the minors in 2025. Ward has played all three outfield positions as well as second base and third base in the minors, so if he makes it to the majors, he best profiles as a utility player and speed specialist.
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Luis Vazquez SS | BAL
Orioles' Luis Vazquez: Designated for assignment
The Orioles designated Vazquez for assignment Tuesday.
Vazquez re-signed with Baltimore on a one-year contract in late October but will end up having a short stay on the 40-man roster. The 26-year-old appeared in 36 games for the O's last season and had a .160/.208/.240 slash line in 53 plate appearances.
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James Triantos 3B | CHC
Cubs' James Triantos: Shielded from Rule 5 Draft
The Cubs selected Triantos' contract from Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday.
Triantos' dynasty value has taken a hit over the past year, as he has been a below-league-average hitter in 128 games at Triple-A dating back to 2024. A bat-first player, Triantos has shown remarkable pure hitting ability at Double-A and in the Arizona Fall League, so the Cubs will still protect him from the Rule 5 Draft despite the fact he slashed .258/.315/.369 in 102 games at Triple-A in 2025. If Triantos can take a step forward as a hitter, his propensity to steal bases could eventually come in handy in fantasy -- he has stolen 78 bases over the past two seasons.