Free-agent infielder Chris Owings has signed a minor-league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers and has received an invite to MLB spring training. The 32-year-old has spent minimal time in the big leagues over the last several seasons, appearing in just 76 games from 2020-2023. The light-hitting middle infielder has been far better with his glove than his bat throughout his big-league career. Owings is a .239 career hitter with 37 home runs, 79 stolen bases, and a .650 OPS across 723 games between the D-backs, Royals, Red Sox, Rockies, Orioles, and Pirates. That production has graded out 32% below the league average, as per Owings' career 68 wRC+. He will likely serve as depth in major league camp and will be hard-pressed to get any reps on a loaded Dodgers team in the 2024 season.

The Baltimore Orioles have claimed infielder Livan Soto off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels. The 23-year-old was designated for assignment last week by the Angels after appearing in just four games with the team in 2023, going 2-for-9 with three walks and two strikeouts across 12 trips to the plate. It was also a tough season for Soto in the minors as he hit just .237 with nine home runs, one stole base, and a .700 OPS between the Double-A and Triple-A levels. Soto played second base, shortstop, and third base in the minors last season and joins a crop of star-studded young infielders in Baltimore. He will be hard-pressed to get significant playing time in Baltimore but could serve as Triple-A depth given he has two option years remaining.

Seattle Mariners infielder Cole Young and catcher Harry Ford headline the team's non-roster invites to major-league spring training this year. Young is the team's top prospect, per MLB Pipeline, but he won't make the Opening Day roster and isn't expected to debut in the majors in 2024. Despite being only 19 years old, he drew praise from scouts for his strike-zone awareness, plate discipline and batted-ball ability in his first professional season in 2023. Ford, ranked as the team's No. 2 prospect, hit .257/.410/.430 with 15 homers, 67 RBI and 24 steals in 118 games for High-A Everett last year, is expected to begin 2024 with Double-A Arkansas. He's exclusively been a catcher since being taken in the first round in 2021, but he's expected to start seeing action elsewhere this season, likely as early as spring training.

The Seattle Mariners claimed outfielder Canaan Smith-Njigba off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday and designated right-hander Darren McCaughan for assignment in a corresponding move. Smith-Njigba is the older brother of Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The 24-year-old outfielder has played in only 18 games at the big-league level the last two years with the Pirates and has gone 5-for-37 (.135) with no home runs, five RBI and four runs scored. In 105 games with Triple-A Indianapolis in 2023, Smith-Njigba slashed .280/.366/.473 with an .839 OPS, 15 home runs, 74 RBI, 21 stolen bases and 57 runs scored in 445 plate appearances. He will give the Mariners additional organizational depth in 2024 and will likely start out with Triple-A Tacoma.

Seattle Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller, who had an up-and-down first year in the big leagues in 2023, said he was only using two pitches (fastball and gyro slider) against left-handed hitters late in the year. "When I'm 70% heater, it's a pretty easy guessing game," Miller said. He limited righties to a .200/.234/.315 slash line, but lefties hit .303/.358/.558 against him. After reviewing his rookie season, the 25-year-old decided a splitter could serve him better against lefties than his changeup. Miller has been working on the new pitch all offseason and has modeled it after two-time All-Star Kevin Gausman's. Miller has also focused on improving his sweeper, a pitch that batters hit .300 against in 2023. He showed a solid fantasy foundation in his first MLB season and has plenty of upside, especially if his new splitter is more effective against lefties.