A last-place finish prompted Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria, president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest and president David Samson to rethink how to upgrade their roster. In a span of five days in December, they signed Heath Bell, Jose Reyes and Mark Buehrle.

Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow took some time Wednesday to meet with reporters at Minute Maid Park and addressed an array of Spring Training topics, including his thoughts of handling younger players like Jordan Lyles.

Rather than spend this spring competing for a job, Mets center-field prospect Kirk Nieuwenhuis will report to Florida next week as one of several dozen players in camp with virtually no shot at a big league role — at least not yet.

Which Minor Leaguers should fans get the most excited about seeing on their favorite teams? Here's a look at the top prospects at each position in the National League West.

The Wall: Denzel vs. Cano in Yankees trivia

Bill Lucas, whom former Braves owner Ted Turner made the highest ranking African-American in baseball history, was the man who brought Bobby Cox to Atlanta and helped nurture Dale Murphy as he attempted to prove himself in the Minor Leagues.

It's just one team — the Mariners — whose pitchers and catchers will begin workouts on Sunday, but nonetheless the moment has arrived: Spring Training is about to get under way.

Signups are under way for MLB.TV 2012, and Major League Baseball fans everywhere can secure their ticket to watch live out-of-market games all season.

Doing it with grace and an endearing smile, Roy Campanella — just as Jackie Robinson had — paved the way for all those who would follow.

The instructors at the umpire schools are all Minor League umpires themselves, which means they're working their way up at the same time and honing their skills as they teach them.

There are a lot of notable names who are in their prime and trying to make good on an injury-plagued 2011. This year's list includes Dallas Braden, Jonathan Broxton and Adam Wainwright.

Manager Eric Wedge knows his club will be young again, but he sees promising things on the horizon for his Mariners. He'll be pushing hard to raise the expectation level and performance.

For a few weeks last summer, the Kansas City Royals could see a future that was bright, clear and exciting. These Royals were young, talented and filled with enthusiasm — and it wasn't just that they finished 33-33, or that attendance at Kauffman Stadium increased by 39 percent in the final weeks. It's a situation they hope carries over into 2012.

Now Alex Gordon has something extra to celebrate Friday on his 28th birthday, a $4.775 million contract with the Royals for 2012.

After a meet-and-greet on Wednesday with Marlins officials and a tour of the club's new ballpark, Yoenis Cespedes could depart the U.S. without meeting with other teams.

The Orioles have agreed to terms on a Minor League contract with first baseman Nick Johnson, a source confirmed to MLB.com on Thursday.

The Rangers have signed outfielder Nelson Cruz on a two-year contract. The deal, believed to be for $16 million, keeps Cruz from going to an arbitration hearing both this offseason and next winter as well.