Though the Red Sox announced details for the “Winter Weekend” event a week ago, they updated the list on Thursday with a marquee addition. Ace lefty David Price is expected to make an appearance on Saturday.

Two young, eager Dominicans ballplayers, Moises Alou and Manny Acta, met for the first time almost 30 years ago on a back field in Florida. This week, the old friends — now known for their work away from the field — meet again.

Jean Carlos Correa, the younger brother of Astros shortstop and 2015 American League Rookie of the Year Carlos Correa , has signed a letter of intent to play baseball at Alvin Community College, which is about 30 miles south of Minute Maid Park.

It’s one thing for players to say they’re going to get in better shape in the offseason. But in the cases of Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez, Red Sox manager John Farrell saw visual proof during recent visits with both players in Florida.

Catchers Chris Iannetta and Steve Clevenger, center fielder Leonys Martin and closer Steve Cishek — four of the key newcomers for the 2016 Mariners — will be among the players featured at the team’s 18th annual FanFest on Jan. 30-31 at Safeco Field.

Thursday night’s 77th annual Boston Baseball Writers Dinner was a chance for everyone to express their genuine excitement for what is ahead in ’16.

Nominations have opened for the 2016 Greg Spira Baseball Research Award, which continues to honor the memory of an innovative baseball researcher.

Yoan Moncada’s first season in the Red Sox organization can be judged as a success when you consider the reason he was in town on Thursday. The prized prospect from Cuba was recognized as the organization’s Minor League Player of the Year in 2015. But the thing that should excite Red Sox fans is that Moncada feels he can play a whole lot better.

His great-uncle discovered Pluto!

Cubs prospect Willson Contrerast, a converted catcher coming off a breakout campaign in Double-A, leads the 2016 Top 10 Catching Prospects list, while Yankees slugger Gary Sanchez re-enters at No. 2 after failing to make the list a year ago. Beyond those two, the group features mostly younger talents who are years away from making an impact in the Major Leagues.

Giant inflatable tire? Check.

The most consistent 2015 White Sox reliever has returned to the team for ’16 and possibly beyond with the Thursday announcement of a new deal reached with right-hander Matt Albers. The two sides agreed on a one-year, $2.25 million contract, with a club option for 2017.

The late Gary Vanden Berg, who was a member of the Brewers organization for more than 30 years, will be inducted into the Major League Baseball Groundskeepers Hall of Fame on Saturday.

The acquisitions of veteran starting pitchers Scott Kazmir and Kenta Maeda were clear signs from Dodgers management that Julio Urias mania will be contained a little longer. But MLBPipeline.com named Urias the best left-handed pitching prospect in the game on Wednesday, so there’s only so long the Dodgers can keep the 19-year-old Mexican down on the farm.

When speaking publicly for the first time about the one-year, $7.25 million deal he agreed to on Friday with the Astros to avoid arbitration, left-hander Dallas Keuchel said he hopes the unprecedented deal will benefit other pitchers that will go through the process in the future.

They were met with a reception fit for the Beatles. Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel, second baseman Jose Altuve and reliever Ken Giles certainly didn’t look like rock stars, wearing their white Astros jerseys while emerging from a van in a local Chick-fil-A restaurant on Thursday afternoon to a throng of screaming fans.

For now, we appear to be a long way from having the designated hitter in both leagues. But you can expect to hear much more discussion over the next few months. And that’s a good thing.