Seattle Mariners infielder/outfielder Samad Taylor cleared waivers and was outrighted off the 40-man roster to Triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday. Taylor was recently designated for assignment but will remain in Seattle's organization for now. The 26-year-old former 10th-round draft pick by the Cleveland Guardians in 2016 only played in three games with the M's in 2024 and went 2-for-5 with a strikeout and two runs scored. He debut in the majors in 2023 with the Kansas City Royals and saw action in 31 games. In his time with Tacoma last year, Taylor slashed .262/.352/.380 with a .732 OPS, 11 home runs, 75 RBI, a career-high 50 stolen bases and 93 runs scored in 599 trips to the plate over 136 games played. Speed is what stands out with Taylor, but if he makes it back to the big leagues in Seattle in 2025, it will be as a utility man off the bench.

Cincinnati Reds pitching prospect Chase Burns has been invited to major-league spring training camp in 2025. Per MLB Pipeline, Burns is Cincy's No. 1 prospect. The 22-year-old hard-throwing right-hander was the second overall pick in last year's draft out of the Wake Forest. He did not see any time in the minors for the Reds after being drafted last year, so he will almost certainly begin the 2025 campaign on the farm, even if he impresses at camp this spring. In addition to Burns, the Reds will take a look at some of their other top prospects in third baseman Cam Collier (No. 5), second baseman/third baseman Sal Stewart (No. 4) and shortstop Edwin Arroyo (No. 3). Burns was able to hit 100 mph with his fastball in college, so his upside is through the roof at the next level. In addition to blowing gas with his heater, Burns has a wipeout slider that draws tons of swings and misses.

According to the team, the Seattle Mariners have acquired right-handed pitcher Will Klein from the Athletics in exchange for international slot money. Klein was designated for assignment on Friday but will now take his talents to Seattle. Before the trade, Klein was ranked as the No.16 best prospect in the A's system. He logged only seven 1/3 innings at the major league level and allowed nine earned runs. Across 78 innings at Triple-A, the former fifth-round selection has posted a 4.62 ERA and a .164 WHIP. He struck out an impressive 92 batters but allowed a hefty 57 walks. Klein will likely compete for a spot on the Opening Day roster but should be expected to spend most of the 2025 at Triple-A to continue his development.

According to Daryl Van Schouwen of the Sun-Times, the Chicago White Sox have designated right-handed pitcher Ron Marinaccio for assignment. This transaction opened a roster spot for left-handed pitcher Martin Perez, who agreed to a one-year $5 million contract. Marinaccio was claimed by the White Sox last season but never pitched for them. During the 2022 season, Marinaccio was very productive as he posted a career-best 2.05 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP across 44 innings of work. However, during the 2024 campaign, the reliever held a much-higher 3.86 ERA and 1.20 WHIP across 23 1/3 innings. The Delaware product will likely find a suitor before spring training and compete for a bullpen role.