MLBPipeline.com’s 2014 Top 100 Prospects list will be unveiled on Thursday, Jan. 23, on MLB.com, as well as during a one-hour show on MLB Network, airing at 10 p.m. ET. Leading up to that, MLBPipeline.com takes a look at baseball’s top 10 prospects at each position, with shortstops — led by Boston’s Xander Bogaerts — up next.

B.J. Upton’s dream of following in Charlie Ward’s footsteps as a two-sport star at Florida State University was trumped by the $4.6 million signing bonus he received when the Rays selected him with the second pick in Major League Baseball’s 2002 First-Year Player Draft. But his passion for the Seminoles has never died.

The 11th week of Australian Baseball League play ended with four teams within one game of one another for the final two playoff berths. Adelaide proved that it is still in the race by taking three of four from Melbourne, and Sydney made a statement by winning three of four over Canberra. The Perth Heat, meanwhile, widened their lead by sweeping a four-game series from the Brisbane Bandits.

The three teams with the longest stretches without reaching the postseason — all from the American League — head into 2014 with at least some of the same sense of anticipation that turned into raucous joy at PNC Park last October.

This might finally be the season that the Tigers get to see what kind of potential the young Rick Porcello has thanks to a retooled infield.

The Orioles opened their four-day minicamp in Sarasota, Fla., on Monday, a voluntary event geared toward preparing the pitchers and establishing a relationship with new pitching coach Dave Wallace and bullpen coach Dom Chiti. The club also hopes to get a look at Manny Machado and Dylan Bundy, both of whom are on the mend.

Even if this week goes down without any Masahiro Tanaka news, there could be plenty of Hot Stove simmering to pay attention to as Spring Training gets seven days closer.

As it stands, the Orioles have spent this winter looking for ways to flesh out their core in financially reasonable ways. In another division, maybe that wouldn’t be such a big deal. In the American League East, it’s quite a gamble.

For Josh Donaldson and Jed Lorie, 2013 represented a breakout year of sorts for the pair of A’s infielders. Not only for what they did as individuals, but also for what their offensive numbers meant when considering the left side of any team’s infield.

Because we know little about Masahiro Tanaka, personally — his desires, his comfort zones, etc. — his likely landing spot is especially difficult to forecast. But knowing what we know about the Major League landscape, at present, we can certainly take some educated guesses

What is the Yankees’ infield going to look like this season? That was the big question on the Hot Stove a day after an arbitrator ruled that Alex Rodriguez will be suspended for the entire 2014 season.

Major League Baseball on Sunday responded to a statements by Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez and the MLB Players Association regarding a televised interview with Anthony Bosch, who ran the Biogenesis anti-aging clinic in Florida that has been linked to Rodriguez.

The Yankees now know for sure that they will need to plot a new course at third base. Arbitrator Fredric Horowitz informed Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association Saturday that Alex Rodriguez will be suspended for the entire 2014 season for violations of the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

Kelly Johnson’s versatility was a major selling point for the Yankees this offseason, and with so much uncertainty lingering on the club’s depth chart, the veteran said he will be prepared to serve as the Opening Day third baseman if needed.

Freddy Guzman stole two bases in the sixth inning before scoring on Pedro Ciriaco’s single as Escogido remained in first place in the round-robin playoffs in the Dominican Winter League.

The Hot Stove was quiet on Saturday, as all eyes were focused on arbitrator Fredric Horowitz, who ruled that Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez will be suspended for the entire 2014 season.

Outfielder Jason Bay is reportedly planning to retire, the veteran told Sportsnet.ca’s Shi Davidi.