The Rangers have signed a free agent who they say will be their No. 1 catcher in 2014. Geovany Soto, after serving as a backup to A.J. Pierzynski this past season, has moved up the Rangers’ depth chart.

Terry Francona led the Indians’ incredible turnaround in 2013, capturing the American League’s top Wild Card spot to reach the postseason for the first time in six years. It made sense then that Francona was named as one of three candidates for the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s AL Manager of the Year Award.

College baseball won’t be getting its “ping” back any time soon, but the Division I Baseball Committee made a decision Tuesday it hopes will lead to more offense.

Blue Jays prospect Andy Burns was selected as the Arizona Fall League’s Player of the Week for Week 4.

Blue Jays right-hander Drew Hutchison was named the Arizona Fall League’s Pitcher of the Week for Week 4.

Paul Konerko has answered doubts his entire career. The only one left at this point is this: Does he walk away now as one of the top hitters in the history of the Chicago White Sox organization or come back for one more year?

In the wake of just their second season without an October entry since 1995, the Yanks are widely expected to get back into the business of boldness.

St. Louis had more homegrown players on its roster than any of the other nine playoff teams this year, and an impressive crop of rookies helped fuel its postseason run. The bad news for the rest of baseball is that the Cardinals have more young talent on the way, and outfielder Oscar Taveras is poised to have a greater impact in the Major Leagues in 2014 than any position-player prospect in any organization.

Both Oscar Taveras of the Cardinals, ranked No. 2 on MLB.com’s Top 100 list, and the Tigers’ Nick Castellanos, No. 11 on that list, can and will hit. But who is going to have more of an impact next year? The chips should be put on Castellanos.

As the high volatility and unpredictability of the closer role seems to increase over the years, the willingness to invest huge dollars and years into one inning seems to shrivel. So what will it be this year in the free-agent market for closers? Here’s a look at 10 of the biggest available names and some intriguing alternate contenders.

Koji Uehara vs. Matt Harvey figures to be one of the top debates for Major League Baseball’s best breakout pitcher in the 2013 Greatness in Baseball Yearly (GIBBY) Awards. Seattle’s Hisashi Iwakuma, who was solid all season, could be a dark-horse candidate.

At 12:01 a.m. ET on Tuesday morning, Robinson Cano, Jacoby Ellsbury and a pool of talented other players became eligible to be signed by another team. Free agency is officially live.

The players have spoken, and now that Players Choice Awards are in the hands of worthy 2013 recipients, it’s clear which ballplayer is on top of the profession in the eyes of his peers, again: Miguel Cabrera.

The Red Sox and Yankees led the way on qualifying offers on Monday, each extending three of their free agents a one-year, $14.1 million contract for the 2014 season. In total, 13 Major League players were given a qualifying offer.

Mariners prospect Stefen Romero came off the bench and hit two home runs in Saturday’s Fall Stars Game.

Former big league catcher Brad Ausmus, who played three of his 18 MLB seasons in Detroit, will replace retired manager Jim Leyland.

Despite a 9-2 loss to the West on Saturday, Padres No. 2 prospect Austin Hedges displayed his defensive ability by throwing out two potential basestealers.