Twins first baseman/outfielder Alex Kirilloff began swinging a bat earlier this month, and is at present taking 50-60 swings a day in line with Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com. Kirilloff underwent season-ending wrist surgical procedure in August final yr.
Kirilloff has lengthy battled wrist accidents, touchdown on the IL 4 occasions for that causes since making his huge league debut in 2021. The as soon as extremely touted prospect hasn’t hit a lot in his time within the majors, compiling a mixed .251/.295/.398 line with 11 dwelling runs over 387 plate appearances. That’s a disappointing return for a bat-first participant, though it’s honest to marvel simply how a lot these wrist points have hampered his output even when he’s been on the lively roster.
The Twins have a crowded outfield image in the mean time, significantly after buying Michael A. Taylor from the Royals, however the commerce of Luis Arraez has seemingly opened up first base for Kirilloff. Given the accidents and output up to now, there’s fairly a little bit of threat in counting on the 25-year-old as the first first baseman, however there’s additionally vital upside too. Kirilloff was one of many prime prospects in baseball earlier than reaching the large leagues, and if he can present he’s previous his wrist points and unlock a few of his potential that Twins might discover themselves with a precious middle-of-the-order bat.
Right here’s another notes from across the league:
Sticking with the Twins to start with, starter Kenta Maeda is about for a standard spring coaching with no restrictions, in line with Dan Hayes of The Athletic. Maeda missed the whole 2022 season as he recovered from Tommy John surgical procedure. Maeda, 35 in April, is coming into the ultimate yr of his contract and set to earn a modest $3MM wage. Given he underwent inner brace TJ surgical procedure which generally requires a barely shorter restoration time, and that originally been hope that Maeda can be obtainable in the direction of the backend of final season, so it’s not an enormous shock that he’s shaping up properly for 2023. Maeda’s most up-to-date pattern of labor got here in 2021, when he labored to a 4.66 ERA over 21 begins.
As he works his method again from shoulder surgical procedure, Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed has begun hitting and throwing, per Nick Piecoro of AZ Central. Piecoro provides that Ahmed is just not anticipated to have any restrictions by the point spring coaching rolls round. Having been hampered by shoulder issues for the previous few years, Ahmed underwent season-ending surgical procedure in June final yr having been restricted to only 17 video games in 2022. Ahmed has by no means been an enormous menace on the plate, however has been one of many sport’s greatest defenders at shortstop, amassing 154 Outs Above Common since 2016, trailing solely Francisco Lindor’s 161 for greatest in baseball in that timeframe. Ahmed, 33 in March, is coming into the ultimate yr of his contract and can take dwelling a $10.375MM payday in 2023.
