Free-agent infielder/outfielder Josh VanMeter signed a minor-league deal with the New York Yankees on Wednesday, according to a source. VanMeter didn't play in the big leagues at all this past season and instead slashed a combined .209/.400/.354 with six home runs, 22 RBI and 34 runs scored in 51 total games in the Arizona Complex League and at Triple-A Nashville in the Milwaukee Brewers organization. The 28-year-old utility player made his big-league debut in 2019 with the Cincinnati Reds and has played in four seasons in the majors with three teams, hitting .206/.293/.347 with 19 home runs, 79 RBI and 17 stolen bases in 300 games. VanMeter will most likely open the year as organizational infield and outfield depth at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The Toronto Blue Jays announced on Tuesday that they claimed catcher Brian Serven off waivers from the Chicago Cubs. Serven is being passed around on waivers after the Cubs previously claimed him from the Colorado Rockies. The 28-year-old backstop played in just 11 games for the Rockies in 2023, going 3-for-23 (.130) with an RBI and a double in 23 plate appearances. He made his big-league debut in 2022 with Colorado and went 38-for-187 (.203) with six homers and 16 RBI in 62 games played. Serven will almost certainly begin the 2024 campaign in the minors for Toronto with Triple-A Buffalo as organizational catching depth behind Danny Jansen and Alejandro Kirk at the major-league level.

The San Francisco Giants acquired outfielder Cooper Hummel from the New York Mets on Tuesday in exchange for cash considerations. The Mets had claimed Hummel off waivers earlier in the offseason and then designated Hummel for assignment. Hummel played in only 10 major-league games for the Seattle Mariners in 2023 and went 2-for-23 (.087) with a double, stolen base and two runs scored. The 29-year-old slashed .262/.409/.435 with an .844 OPS, eight home runs, 47 RBI and 26 stolen bases in 104 games with Triple-A Tacoma in the minor leagues last year. He has gone 33-for-199 (.166) with only three home runs and 17 RBI in 76 major-league games with the M's and Arizona Diamondbacks in the last two seasons. Expect Hummel to provide minor-league outfield depth for the Gigantes in 2024.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez will "be an everyday guy" in his first year with the team in 2024, according to general manager Brandon Gomes. The Dodgers added Hernandez on a one-year, $23.5 million deal this offseason following a disappointing 2023 campaign with the Seattle Mariners in which he slashed .258/.305/.435 with 26 hoe runs, 29 doubles, two triples, 93 RBI, seven stolen bases and 70 runs scored in 160 games played. An everyday role in a much better lineup is going to raise the 31-year-old's fantasy draft price by itself. Despite decent counting stats for Seattle last season, Hernandez posted the lowest OPS (.740) since his rookie year and he struck out 31 percent of the time. Moving out of a pitcher-friendly park in Seattle should help him bounce back for the Dodgers. Hernandez is a buy candidate with 30-homer potential.

Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter Jonathan Aranda could see additional playing time at designated hitter for the club in 2024 now that Luke Raley is in Seattle. Aranda doesn't play the outfield, but he's a left-handed hitter, and the Rays want to create an opportunity for Aranda to prove himself after he dominated Triple-A pitching the last few years. Given Aranda's defensive limitations, it will be hard for him to crack the Rays' infield, so his best path to more playing time will be DH duties on a more regular basis. Tampa could also look to create more of a role for Curtis Mead, MLB Pipeline's No. 34 overall prospect. The 25-year-old Aranda has 43 homers in the last two years at Triple-A Durham, but he's hit just .212/.311/.346 in 190 big-league plate appearances the last two seasons. There's intriguing power potential in his bat, but his lack of positional versatility merely will make him a bench bat for fantasy managers in 2024 drafts.