Jason Castro Off To Strong Start Offensively

Los Angeles Angels catcher Jason Castro is off to a strong start in summer camp with the bat, as he doubled on Tuesday and tripled off the wall on Friday. Castro is set to be the team's primary catcher in 2020. The 33-year-old former Stanford product is more of a defensive backstop, but he did […]

Giants Think Joey Bart Needs More Development

San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler reiterated what president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said about catching prospect Joey Bart not being a likely candidate to jump in right away and replace Buster Posey, who has opted out of the 2020 season amid the coronavirus pandemic. "We all feel strongly that Bart has some development […]

Donta Hall Signing Deal With Nets

Brooklyn Nets center DeAndre Jordan and forward/center Nicolas Claxton (shoulder) won't be joining the team for the upcoming NBA restart, which left Jarrett Allen as the only man at the center spot until the Nets signed forward Donta Hall. He's listed as a power forward but has the height to play the center position. Hall […]

Thomas Bryant Tests Positive For COVID-19

Washington Wizards center Thomas Bryant has reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 and did not travel with the team to Orlando. This is unfortunate news since Bryant mentioned recently he was fully healthy after dealing with a foot issue. There is a decent chance he opts out, but Bryant has not decided yet. Davis Bertans has […]

Johnathan Motley, Amir Coffey Sitting Out Of Restart

Los Angeles Clippers center Johnathan Motley and forward Amir Coffey will not join the organization for the NBA restart in Orlando. Motley has seen minimal playing time this season and would've been the fourth center on the depth chart behind Joakim Noah. Coffey was getting spotty playing time whenever Kawhi Leonard would sit out. He […]

Adley Rutschman, Others Added To Player Pool

The Baltimore Orioles added catcher Adley Rutschman, Keegan Akin, Michael Baumann, Issac Mattson, Cedric Mullins and Taylor Davis to their 60-man player pool on Friday, according to manager Brandon Hyde. The team's No. 3 prospect, DL Hall, is another candidate to join the player pool soon. Per MLB Pipeline, Rutschman is the club's top prospect, […]

Giants Could Consider Russell Martin

The San Francisco Giants could consider free-agent catcher Russell Martin in their search for experienced catchers now that Buster Posey has decided to opt out of the 2020 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Martin is 37 years old, but the Dodgers loved his experience and leadership last year. With Aramis Garcia unlikely to play this […]

Buster Posey Opts Out Of 2020 Season

San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey is opting out of the 2020 season amid the coronavirus pandemic. Posey and his wife are adopting identical twin girls that were born prematurely and stable, but they will be in the intensive-care unit for some time, which surely contributed to the decision. Posey missed time in summer camp […]

Buster Posey Still Weighing Decision To Play In 2020

San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey was absent on Thursday for a second straight day and missed a practice for the third time since summer workouts started at Oracle Park. Manager Gabe Kapler said Posey is dealing with a personal matter away from the field and is still weighing the option of sitting out of […]

No Progress In J.T. Realmuto Contract Negotiations

Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto is no closer to a contract extension than he was in March. The All-Star catcher was negotiating a contract extension during spring training, but those talks have reportedly stalled. Realmuto said he isn't concerned about not having an extension yet and understands it's a business, which sounds like the team […]

Brice Turang, Ethan Small Among Players Added To Roster

The Milwaukee Brewers added 12 players to their 60-man roster on Thursday. Headlining the group are outfielder Corey Ray (first-round pick in 2016), left-handed pitcher Ethan Small (first-round pick in 2019) and shortstop Brice Turang (first-round pick in 2018). These players will report to the alternative camp in Appleton, WI. The Brewers roster currently stands […]

Hunter Pence Has Foot Pain, Buster Posey Misses Practice

San Francisco Giants outfielder Hunter Pence (foot) took batting practice on Wednesday but wasn't able to run the bases or play the outfield as a precautionary measure because of minor pain in his foot, according to manager Gabe Kapler. Catcher Buster Posey missed another practice Wednesday because of a personal issue that kept him away […]

Nolan Gorman, Matthew Liberatore Added To Roster

The St. Louis Cardinals added top prospects Nolan Gorman and Matthew Liberatore to their organizational roster on Wednesday. Jordan Walker and Masyn Winn, the team's top two picks in last month's draft, and outfielder Tre Fletcher, were three of the 12 players the team added. These younger prospects were added to the team's second summer […]

Tigers Announce Positive COVID-19 Tests

Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila announced on Wednesday that individuals in the organization have tested positive for COVID-19, but no names were released. Avila also said those that tested positive "were isolated, retested, and passed the protocols to permit them to resume baseball activities." The Tigers began summer camp workouts at Comerica Park last […]

Pau Gasol Nearing Deal With Barcelona

Free-agent center Pau Gasol is reportedly nearing a deal with Barcelona in order to prepare for the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo. Gasol has not played any basketball since May of 2019 due to a navicular stress fracture in his left foot. The last time he played in the NBA was during the 2018-2019 season with […]

Tom Murphy Returns To The Field

Seattle Mariners catcher Tom Murphy (foot) was back on the field for the full morning workout on Tuesday after he sat out on Monday with a bruised left foot from a ball that he fouled off himself on Sunday. Murphy should be just fine and should see the majority of starts behind the plate this […]

WPC+ Videocast: New ATC Projections for Hitters

Pierre Camus and Nicklaus Gaut are joined by Ariel Cohen to discuss his revised ATC projections for the 2020 MLB season. How should hitters be valued over a 60-game season and what can the projections tell us on draft day? Like and subscribe to the RotoBaller channel on Youtube to get all our latest podcasts […]

Victor Caratini Could See At-Bats At DH

Chicago Cubs manager David Ross has raved about catcher Victor Caratini since spring training because of his ability to hit from both sides of the plate. With a universal designated hitter in play in 2020, it's another avenue for Caratini to get more at-bats. "He's always been a very calm, controlled hitter," Ross said. "You […]

Kyle Higashioka Has A Sore Neck

New York Yankees catcher Kyle Higashioka (neck) was scratched from Tuesday’s intrasquad game with neck soreness. The Yankees are likely just being cautious with Higashioka, and the extent of his neck issues should be clarified in the coming days. Higashioka is expected to back up Gary Sanchez this season, giving him the possibility of semi-consistent […]

Giants Suspend Workouts Tuesday

The San Francisco Giants have suspended their workouts on Tuesday, pending the results of coronavirus tests that they sent in over the weekend. It's an ongoing issue for Major League Baseball, as a handful of teams have been forced to cancel or delay their workouts because their COVID-19 tests haven't come back. Teams and players […]

Dwight Howard Will Play In Orlando

Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard has decided to opt in for the upcoming NBA restart in Orlando. Howard will head to Orlando on Thursday and plans to donate his checks to a non-profit organization. A few weeks ago, Howard was unsure about playing, but has decided to return in the hopes of helping LeBron […]

Nets Targeting Amir Johnson

Brooklyn Nets center DeAndre Jordan and forward/center Nicolas Claxton (shoulder) will not be participating in the upcoming NBA restart. That means that Jarrett Allen is basically the only center on the roster. The organization is expected to bring in a veteran big man before the action starts later this month. Thirty-three-year-old center Amir Johnson is reportedly […]

Luke Kunin May Not Play For Wild When Season Resumes

Minnesota Wild center Luke Kunin's status for the NHL's return-to-play schedule in August is currently unknown as a result of his Type 1 diabetes. The 22-year-old may not be permitted to play in the qualifying-round series against the Canucks due to the impact that COVID-19 can have on players with underlying health conditions such as […]

Nats-Yankees, Dodgers-Giants To Kick Off 2020 Season

Major League Baseball unveiled the 2020 regular season schedule on Monday night, and it will feature a two-game Opening Night on Thursday, July 23. The Washington Nationals will host the New York Yankees at 7:08 p.m. ET in a matchup featuring right-hander Gerrit Cole making his Yankees debut about three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer […]

Two More Giants Test Positive For COVID-19

The San Francisco Giants said that two more individuals in the organization have tested positive for COVID-19. The Giants did not release their names. That brings the team's total positive coronavirus cases to four, with last year's first-round Hunter Bishop and minor league pitcher Luis Madero testing positive last week. Players must return two negative […]

A Crash Course for MLB's Sprint Season

In true 2020-style, baseball is about to get funky. Maybe you’re excited about the idea of getting some strange baseball, or maybe the word “fluid” reminds you of the morning after your last visit to Taco Bell. Either way, it’s time to start sorting the chalupas from the chimichangas. Let’s acknowledge that we’re venturing into […]

Mitch Garver Wants To Start 40-45 Games At Catcher

Minnesota Twins catcher Mitch Garver said he would like to start 40-45 games behind the plate in the MLB's 60-game season. While Garver wants to contribute as much as he can for Minnesota at his natural position, his health needs to be a priority after missing time last season. The 29-year-old enjoyed a breakout year […]

Kristaps Porzingis Develops New Skill During Hiatus

Dallas Mavericks center Kristaps Porzingis mentioned that he has developed a new element to his game during the hiatus. “It’s a secret," Porzingis said. "I’ll show it on the court.” The shutdown has been great for Porzingis to get back into shape. He mentioned that he was able to get back to 100 percent health […]

Tom Murphy To Sit Out Monday

Seattle Mariners catcher Tom Murphy (foot) is likely to sit out of Monday's workouts after fouling a ball off his foot on Sunday, but manager Scott Servais said it's just a bruise. Consider Murphy day-to-day for now, and he should be completely fine for the regular season opener later this month. The power-hitting backstop was […]

Astros Cancel Workout On Monday

The Houston Astros canceled their workout on Monday because they are still awaiting the results from Friday's COVID-19 tests, according to sources. The Washington Nationals also canceled their Monday workout for the same reason. Teams are emphasizing the priority of player health and safety, but the Astros are "optimistic that this process will be ironed […]