Higashioka signed a two-year, $13.5 million contract with Texas on Monday, which includes a $7 million mutual option for 2027.

Higashioka will add a veteran presence to the backstop position for Texas and is likely to share the workload with Jonah Heim, who struggled during the 2024 campaign. Higashioka is coming off one of his most productive seasons at the plate, swatting a career-high 17 home runs and recording 45 RBI in 84 games for the Padres.

The Giants signed Stassi (hip) to a minor-league contract Nov. 19.

Stassi became a free agent earlier this month when the White Sox declined his 2025 option, but he's quickly latched on with a new organization. The veteran catcher had left hip surgery in June and it's not clear whether he will be healthy for the start of spring training. Regardless, Stassi is likely to begin the season at Triple-A Sacramento, as the Giants are set at catcher with Patrick Bailey and Tom Murphy.

Thaiss signed a one-year deal with the Cubs on Friday to avoid arbitration, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

After the Angels designated Thaiss for assignment Nov. 14, he was traded to the Cubs on Wednesday in exchange for cash considerations. Unless the Cubs make another move in the offseason, Thaiss is projected to serve as the backup catcher to Miguel Amaya. Thaiss slashed .204/.323/.299 with two home runs and 16 RBI over 186 plate appearances during the 2024 regular season with the Angels.

Stubbs signed a one-year contract with the Phillies on Friday to avoid arbitration.

The 31-year-old will serve as the Phillies' backup catcher behind J.T. Realmuto for a fourth straight season in 2025. Stubbs finished the 2024 regular season with a .207/.296/.262 slash line, five stolen bases, one home run and 11 RBI over 186 plate appearances.

The Mets signed Reetz to a minor-league contract Friday that includes an invitation to spring training, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

Barring something unforeseen, Reetz isn't going to make the Opening Day roster, but he will give the Mets' some veteran catching depth. The 28-year-old got into six games with the Giants this past season, picking up a double and a home run in 15 plate appearances.

The Brewers and Haase avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $1.35 million contract Friday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

Haase had been in his second year of arbitration eligibility. The 31-year-old slashed .273/.304/.515 with five homers in 30 games with the Brewers this season and is slated to open the 2025 campaign as William Contreras' backup.

France is willing to consider playing catcher, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

France has never caught an inning either at the major- or minor-league level, but he did get some reps behind the plate at the Padres' alternate site in 2020 and has been viewed as an emergency catcher at a couple stops. Realistically, it's difficult to envision the 30-year-old France seeing substantial time at catcher at this point in his career, especially since he's evidently drawn free-agent interest from 10-plus clubs, per Feinsand.

The Angels non-tendered Wagaman on Friday.

The 27-year-old was dropped from the Angels' 40-man roster Tuesday in order to protect Jack Dashwood from the Rule 5 Draft, and Wagaman will become a free agent after Los Angeles declined to offer him a contract ahead of Friday's deadline. He put up an .855 OPS in 107 Triple-A plate appearances last season, and he'll likely fill in as organizational depth wherever he lands.

Kurtz slashed .353/.450/.608 with two home runs and a 16:9 K:BB in 60 plate appearances in the Arizona Fall League.

He ended the regular season on the injured list at Double-A Midland due to a hamstring strain, but Kurtz was able to make up for lost time in the AFL and end his 2024 on a high note. Other than a general lack of athleticism and a bad body (listed at 6-foot-5, 240 pounds), Kurtz's only notable flaw is his injury history -- he missed time with random injuries at Wake Forest. However, after slashing .368/.520/.763 with four homers in 12 games split between Single-A and Double-A before dominating in the AFL, Kurtz's track record of hitting pro pitching is arguably tops in the 2024 draft class.

The Cubs designated Wisdom for assignment Wednesday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

The move clears a spot on the 40-man roster for the newly-acquired Eli Morgan. Wisdom, 33, fell off to a lowly .171/.237/.392 batting line this season for the Cubs. Rather than pay him a raise in arbitration, the team is removing him from the roster now. Wisdom slugged 76 homers from 2021-23 and still hits the ball very hard when he makes contact, so he should be able to find work with a club that's willing to deal with his strikeout problems.

Brooks signed a minor-league contract with the Padres on Wednesday.

Brooks struggled in his first 12 regular-season games as a big-leaguer, going just 3-for-25 with an RBI and six strikeouts with the Giants last year. However, he slashed .302/.410/.453 with 58 RBI over 407 plate appearance in the minors, which is good enough for the Padres to bring him in as organizational depth at first base.

The Angels designated Wagaman for assignment Tuesday.

Wagaman slashed .250/.270/.403 with 10 RBI across the first 74 plate appearances of his MLB career in 2024, but the Angels decided his 40-man spot would be better used on Jack Dashwood, who had been eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. However, Wagaman turned in an .808 OPS over 121 minor-league games, so another team may be willing to claim him off waivers.

The Blue Jays signed Stefanic to a minor-league contract Wednesday, Nate Heisler of Klutch Sports reports.

Stefanic elected free agency after being outrighted off the Angels' 40-man roster in October. The 28-year-old has slashed just .232/.317/.275 over parts of three big-league seasons and will likely begin 2025 as a utility infielder at Triple-A Buffalo.

The Orioles signed Jackson to a minor-league contract Monday, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.

Jackson played in 121 games with Double-A Binghamton in 2024, batting .206 with 19 home runs, 61 RBI, 49 runs scored and 11 stolen bass as a member of the Mets organization. He will now get a shot to prove himself with Baltimore ahead of the 2025 campaign.

The Orioles signed Barreto to a minor-league contract Monday, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.

Barreto played in 29 games with Triple-A Rochester in 2023, batting .202 with seven home runs, 15 RBI, 17 runs scored and two stolen bases over 99 at-bats. He spent the 2024 season with the Diablos Rojos del Mexico, producing a .343 average with 16 home runs and 63 RBi over 76 games. Barreto will now look to make the most of his opportunity with Baltimore ahead of the 2025 season.

Ibanez agreed to a one-year, $1.4 million contract with the Tigers on Friday to avoid arbitration, Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com reports.

Ibanez took a step back during his second year with the Tigers, slashing .241/.295/.357 over 244 plate appearances during the regular season. However, the Tigers have deemed his performance worthy of a $633,900 raise from his previous salary. He's expected to remain in a utility role next year.

The Rockies non-tendered Rodgers on Friday.

Rodgers was one of the Rockies' more productive bats in 2024, slashing .267/.314/.407 with 54 RBI across 539 plate appearances. However, the team -- seemingly willing to give Aaron Schunk a look at second base -- will let Rodgers enter the open market after six seasons in Colorado.

The Mariners non-tendered Rojas on Friday, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.

Rojas will enter free agency coming off a 2024 regular season in which he slashed .225/.304/.336 with 10 stolen bases, eight home runs and 31 RBI over 474 plate appearances. The 30-year-old will look to catch on with a team in need of a lefty-hitting infielder.

The Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball signed Vosler on Nov. 28, Yahoo Japan reports.

Vosler, 31, spent most of the 2024 season at Triple-A Tacoma in the Mariners organization, slashing .303/.371/.573 with 31 home runs. He has hit .207/.274/.395in limited playing time across parts of four major-league seasons.

Arenado is willing to play some first base in order to create roster flexibility for the team acquiring him in a potential trade, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

A large part of Arenado's value comes from his defense at third base, so it's not clear how many clubs would be looking to shift him to the other side of the diamond even on a part-time basis. Still, some flexibility can't hurt, and the fact he's even willing to entertain the possibility also seems to speak to Arenado's eagerness to waive his no-trade clause. Woo notes that a few teams have expressed interest in Arenado, but those talks "have yet to yield any substantive progress." However, negotiations are expected to pick up around the winter meetings and there is a "growing sense" in the industry that Arenado will be dealt.

The Red Sox have had internal discussions about moving Devers off third base, Sean McAdam of MassLive.com reports.

Devers battled through lingering issues with both shoulders during the 2024 season and again graded out poorly defensively at third base with a minus-six Outs Above Average rating. If the Red Sox do ultimately decide to shift him away from the hot corner, they would likely have both Devers and Triston Casas bounce back-and-forth between first base and designated hitter. Third base would then be filled by a free agent or trade acquisition, with Boston being connected to Alex Bregman, Willy Adames and Nolan Arenado. Finding a taker for Masataka Yoshida's contract is also part of the equation.

Farmer agreed to a one-year contract with the Rockies on Friday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

Farmer's mutual option for 2025 was declined by the Twins on Oct. 31, causing the 34-year-old shortstop to enter free agency after spending the last two seasons in Minnesota. He mostly served in a reserve role in 2024 behind Carlos Correa, and across 242 plate appearances in 107 regular-season games, Farmer slashed .214/.293/.353 with five home runs and 25 RBI. Farmer will likely serve a similar role in Colorado behind the 23-year-old Ezequiel Tovar.

Wisdom was non-tendered by the Cubs on Friday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Wisdom was designated for assignment Wednesday and will now be a free agent. He was still a solid source of power in 2024, posting a .221 ISO across 174 plate appearances, but that came with a .171 batting average and 33.9 percent strikeout rate.

The Cubs non-tendered Madrigal on Friday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

The No. 4 overall pick of the 2018 MLB Draft, Madrigal will enter free agency for the first time in his professional career. Injuries have plagued the 27-year-old infielder, and in 2024 he was limited to just 51 regular-season games after fracturing his left hand in early June while playing for Triple-A Iowa. Madrigal finished with a slash line of .221/.280/.256 over 94 major-league plate appearances, and he'll look to catch on with a team in need of depth in the infield.

Seager (hip/hernia) is close to being cleared to perform all baseball activities, Jeff Wilson of AllDLLS.com reports.

Seager underwent sports hernia surgery in September. He's been resting and rehabbing for the last two months but is almost ready to begin his normal offseason routine. Seager is expected to head into spring training at 100 percent.

The Tigers non-tendered Leonard on Friday.

Detroit designated Leonard for assignment Tuesday, and the 24-year-old shortstop will now enter free agency. Leonard missed multiple months of the 2024 regular season due to separate oblique and hamstring injuries, but he appeared in 67 games for Triple-A Toledo where he slashed .263/.326/.455 with seven stolen bases, 10 home runs and 26 RBI over 282 plate appearances.

The Padres non-tendered McCoy on Friday.

McCoy spent most of the 2024 regular season with Triple-A El Paso, where he slashed .260/.329/.382 with 25 stolen bases, five home runs and 50 RBI over 432 plate appearances. McCoy did manage to make 19 major-league appearances for the Padres and had a slash line of .204/.278/.245 with one stolen base and three RBI over 57 plate appearances. The 29-year-old shortstop could return to the Padres on a minor-league deal and compete for a roster spot in spring training.

The Yankees non-tendered Berti on Friday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

Berti appeared in 25 games for the Yankees during the regular season, slashing .273/.342/.318 with six RBI over 74 plate appearances. The 34-year-old's defensive versatility and ability to reach base at a high rate should earn him some attention in free agency, though a full-time starting role is unlikely.

Wade signed a one-year, $900,000 contract with the Padres on Friday to avoid arbitration, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Wade struggled at the big-league level in 2024, slashing just .217/.285/.239 across 155 plate appearances. However, the Padres will keep him around for another year to serve as bench depth, and the 29-year-old will earn a $50,000 raise in the process.

The Tigers designated Leonard for assignment Tuesday.

Leonard slashed .263/.326/.455 with 10 home runs across 282 plate appearances for Triple-A Toledo in 2024. The Tigers are designating him for assignment to create space for one of the three pitchers being added to the 40-man roster Tuesday.

Olivares became a free agent Oct. 2.

Olivares was designated for assignment in August and was sent outright to Triple-A Indianapolis a few days later, and he's since decided to test out the open market. He appeared in 55 games for the Pirates in 2024 and slashed .224/.291/.333 with five home runs, 23 RBI, one stolen base and 22 runs scored.

Pillar (thumb) said Monday in an interview on MLB Network that he wants to continue playing in 2025.

Pillar said back in July that he was "98 percent" sure he was going to retire following the 2024 season, but after taking "some time to reflect," he's now changing his tune and hopes to latch on with a club for 2025. The veteran outfielder also revealed that he underwent left thumb surgery at the beginning of the offseason. Pillar will turn 36 in January and should be healthy for the start of spring training. He slashed .310/.352/.500versus left-handed pitching in 2024 and should have a decent chance to land a job as a reserve or short-side platoon outfielder.

The Mets re-signed Ramirez to a minor-league contract Monday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

Ramirez was non-tendered by the Mets last month but will remain in the organization on a minor-league pact. The outfielder hasn't progressed as the Mets had hoped, most recently slashing just .210/.291/.299 in 2024 at Double-A Binghamton, but he'll turn just 22 in January.

Edman signed a five-year, $74 million contract extension with the Dodgers on Friday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Edman started the 2024 regular season on the Cardinals' injured list due to lingering pain in his surgically repaired right wrist. He began his rehab assignment in early July, but before he could be activated from the IL, Edman was sent to the Dodgers at the trade deadline. He made his 2024 regular-season debut with the Dodgers in mid-August, and his versatility to play both in the infield and center field played a key role in the Dodgers' World Series run, during which he was named MVP of the NLCS against the Mets. He finished the postseason with a slash line of .328/.354/.508 with five stolen bases, two home runs and 13 RBI across 67 plate appearances.

Garcia (knee) has been cleared to begin running, Jeff Wilson of AllDLLS.com reports.

Garcia's 2024 season ended prematurely due to a sprained left patella tendon in his knee. He did not require surgery on the knee and is now ready to go through his normal offseason routine. The expectation is that the 31-year-old will head into spring training without restrictions.

Carter (back) has been swinging a bat and is expected to be 100 percent for the start of spring training, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Carter was limited to just 45 games this season due to a nagging back problem and underwent an ablation procedure in October to remove tissue from his back. The expectation is that he'll be without restrictions once spring training rolls around. The 22-year-old posted just a .633 OPS over 162 plate appearances in 2024 but should enter 2025 with a regular role for the Rangers.

The Cubs signed Boyd to a two-year, $29 million contract Monday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

He can earn an additional $1 million in incentives. Boyd didn't sign with the Guardians until June of this past season following rehab from Tommy John surgery but went on to collect a 2.72 ERA and 46:13 K:BB in 39.2 regular-season innings. He then added 12 frames of one-run ball in the postseason. Boyd -- who turns 34 in February -- hasn't made more than 15 regular-season starts since the 2019 campaign.

The Mets signed Montas to a two-year, $34 million contract Sunday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

The deal includes an opt out after the 2025 season. Montas held a 4.80 ERA over 30 regular-season starts between the Reds and Brewers in 2024, although he was much better after being sent to Milwaukee in a trade with a 70:25 K:BB across 57.1 innings. The right-hander will turn 32 in March and will fill one of multiple openings in the Mets' rotation.

The LG Twins of the Korea Baseball Organization signed Chirinos to a one-year, $1 million contract Tuesday, Dan Kurtz of MyKBO.net reports.

Chirinos, 30, made six starts for the Marlins in 2024, putting up a 6.30 ERA and 25:13 K:BB over 30 innings. The right-hander will get a nice little salary bump as he gives the KBO a shot.

Atlanta re-signed Salinas (shoulder) to a minor-league contract Tuesday.

Salinas has been claimed off waivers, non-tendered and now re-signed by Atlanta on a minor-league pact this month. The 23-year-old right-hander is recovering from shoulder surgery and is expected to miss at least the first half of the 2025 season.

Brown (neck) has been cleared for a normal offseason throwing program, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic report.

Brown's final appearance of the 2024 season came in early June, as he was eventually shut down with a benign area of concern in his neck. However, after recently undergoing a scan on his neck he has been given the go-ahead to proceed with his regular offseason routine. Brown could be in the mix for an Opening Day rotation spot with the Cubs.

Snell signed a five-year, $182 million contract with the Dodgers on Tuesday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

After posting a 3.12 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 20 starts during his lone season with the Giants, Snell has now earned himself a long-term deal to stay in the NL West. The two-time Cy Young Award winner will be joining an already impressive Dodgers rotation that includes Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow (elbow) and Shohei Ohtani (shoulder).

The Mets signed Hartwig to a minor-league contract Monday that includes an invitation to spring training, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

Hartwig was recently non-tendered by the Mets but winds up remaining in the organization. Slated to turn 27 later this month, Hartwig missed a large portion of the 2024 season due to left meniscus surgery, although he returned late in the year. The righty reliever made 28 appearances for the Mets in 2023, collecting a 4.84 ERA and 30:15 K:BB over 35.1 frames.

Gillispie signed a one-year deal with Atlanta on Friday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

Gillispie spent most of the 2024 regular-season with Triple-A Columbus, and over 27 games (including 15 starts) he went 5-7 with a 4.05 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 119:48 K:BB across 113.1 innings. He did make three appearances for the Guardians during the regular season, and across eight innings of work he allowed two runs on four hits and five walks while striking out eight batters. Gillispie will have an opportunity to carve out a role for himself either in Atlanta's starting rotation or out of the bullpen as a potential long-relief option.

The Cubs signed Kriske to a minor-league contract Tuesday, the pitcher announced on his X account.

Kriske, who turns 31 in February, spent the 2024 season at the Triple-A level split between the Yankees and Orioles organizations, holding a 3.39 ERA and 81:35 K:BB over 58.1 frames. The righty reliever has been roughed up in 20 major-league appearances, posting an 11.22 ERA and 25:17 K:BB across 21.2 innings.

The LG Twins of the Korea Baseball Organization re-signed Hernandez to a one-year, $1.3 million contract Wednesday, Jee-ho Yoo of the Yonhap News Agency reports.

Hernandez finished the 2024 season with the Twins, posting a 4.02 ERA over 47 regular-season innings before tossing 11 scoreless frames in the postseason. The 29-year-old holds a 5.10 ERA over 99 appearances (49 starts) at the big-league level.

The Tigers re-signed Vanasco to a minor-league contract Tuesday.

Vanasco was non-tendered by Detroit last week but returns to the organization on a minor-league pact. The right-hander spent most of the 2024 season at the Triple-A level, collecting a 2.45 ERA and 48:30 K:BB over 40.1 innings of work.

Atlanta re-signed Kerr (elbow) to a minor-league contract Tuesday.

Kerr was non-tendered by Atlanta last week but is back in the organization as he continues his recovery from Tommy John surgery. The left-hander is expected to miss most, if not all, of the 2025 season.

Ohtani was unanimously named the National League's 2024 Most Value Player on Thursday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

In the first year of his record-setting contract with the Dodgers, Ohtani won his first MVP in the National League unanimously. Having won two MVPs with the Angels prior, the superstar has now won an MVP in three of the last four seasons. He did so without throwing a pitch for the entirety of the 2024 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery and became the first designated hitter to win the award. The 30-year-old produced the first ever 50-50 season in MLB history, and he fell just four points shy of a Triple Crown with a .310 average. While speaking with the media Thursday, Ohtani noted that his goal is to be cleared to pitch by Opening Day, but that both he and the Dodgers will take things cautiously as he recovers from the shoulder surgery he underwent after the World Series to repair a torn labrum, per Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register.

The Mets signed Meneses on Thursday to a minor-league deal with an invite to MLB spring training, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Meneses elected free agency Nov. 4 after the Nationals removed him from their 40-man roster. The 32-year-old was in the middle of his third season in the big leagues before being optioned to Triple-A Rochester on July 4 as he was putting up his worst season yet. He had an OPS of .593 during 2024 with the Nationals, but was able to put up a .793 OPS in the minors after his demotion. The right-handed bat now has a chance to earn a spot on the roster of a National League East opponent.

The Yankees signed Reyes to a minor-league contract Monday, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.

The 31-year-old utility player hit .287/.339/.377 as a part-timer in Boston in 2023 but slashed only .183/.234/.217 between the Red Sox and Mets in 2024. Reyes has started a game at every position on the diamond other than catcher and pitcher, so he will bring plenty of versatility to the table as a depth piece for the Yankees.

Madris signed a minor-league contract with the Tigers on Friday.

Madris elected to become a free agent after being outrighted off the 40-man roster Monday, but he'll now return to the Tigers after four days on the open market. The 28-year-old appeared in 21 games for Detroit last season, putting up a .269/.324/.358 slash line alongside five RBI over 74 plate appearances.

Ohtani's left shoulder surgery is likely to delay his pitching debut for the Dodgers, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Ohtani underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a labrum tear in his left (non-throwing) shoulder, an injury he suffered during Game 2 of the World Series. While the expectation is that he will be ready to serve as a designated hitter during spring training and Opening Day, the timetable for Ohtani's first start on the mound for the Dodgers looks cloudy. The team elected to pause Ohtani's throwing program during the playoffs as he comes back from Tommy John surgery so as to not overtax him, and now the shoulder surgery will further delay his throwing program indefinitely. The Dodgers have a two-game series versus the Cubs in Japan from March 18-19 and then have their domestic opener against the Tigers on March 27. GM Brandon Gomes this week didn't rule out Ohtani being ready to pitch by the domestic opener, but Gomes "did not cast an optimistic picture of that possibility," per Harris. Ohtani was going to have workload restrictions in place on the mound in his first year back from Tommy John surgery anyway, so in that respect the delay isn't a huge deal. However, the situation creates an air of uncertainty with the two-way superstar's status. More clarity on Ohtani's situation should be available later in the offseason and into spring training.

Ohtani underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a labrum tear in his left shoulder, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports.

Ohtani's injury, which he suffered in Game 2 of the World Series on Oct. 26, was initially described as a slight dislocation of his left shoulder. The labrum tear was a result of the dislocation, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports. After suffering the injury, the NL MVP frontrunner recorded just one hit across 11 at-bats in the final three games of the series. The Dodgers expect he will be ready for spring training.