Houston Astros first baseman Jon Singleton appears to have the early advantage in the competition for a spot on the Opening Day active roster, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. As Rome notes, Singleton is out of options, making it more difficult for the team to send him to the minors. The veteran returned to the majors in 2023 after eight consecutive seasons in the minors. With Houston, he slashed .194/.301/.323, adding two homers, 10 RBI, 10 walks, and 12 strikeouts. If Singleton lets his roster spot slip away, recently acquired outfielder Trey Cabbage could replace him on the Astros' bench.

The Houston Astros are calling up first baseman Jon Singleton from Triple-A Sugar Land to join the team on Tuesday against the Baltimore Orioles, according to general manager Dana Brown. Singleton played with the Astros in 2014-15 before returning to the big leagues this year with the Milwaukee Brewers. The 31-year-old left-handed slugger only played in 11 games with the Brew Crew earlier this year and had just three hits in 29 at-bats with one double, two RBI, 11 strikeouts and three runs scored in 32 trips to the plate. He hit .289/.409/.567 with a .976 OPS, 22 home runs and 57 RBI in 82 games with Sugar Land and Triple-A Nashville, though, so the Astros are going to give him a chance to provide some depth at first base and designated hitter for the time being.

The Milwaukee Brewers are calling up first baseman Jon Singleton from Triple-A Nashville on Saturday, according to sources familiar with the situation. It will be Singleton's first time in the majors since 2015, when he appeared in 19 games for the Houston Astros and went just 9-for-47 (.191) with two doubles, a homer, six RBI and 17 strikeouts in 58 trips to the plate. The 31-year-old left-handed hitter was hitting .258 (46-for-178) with eight doubles, a triple, 10 home runs and 29 RBI in 49 games at Nashville to earn the promotion to Milwaukee. He gets the chance with Darin Ruf (knee) going to the 10-day injured list, but Singletary isn't going to have much fantasy appeal as a backup for the Brewers.

The Milwaukee Brewers signed free-agent first baseman Jon Singleton to a minor-league deal on Friday that includes an invite to big-league spring training. The Brewers also invited catching prospect Jeferson Quero to MLB camp as a non-roster invitee. Singleton has only spent two seasons in the majors for the Houston Astros back in 2014 and 2015. He didn't play at all from 2018-2020 and resurfaced in Mexico in 2021 before playing 134 games with Triple-A Nashville in the Brewers organization last year. The 31-year-old lefty hitter batted .219/.375/.434 with an .809 OPS, 24 home runs, 87 RBI, 84 runs scored and three stolen bases in his 581 plate appearances. Singleton will be first base depth for Milwaukee and will almost certainly begin the year in the minors.

The Milwaukee Brewers have reportedly designated first baseman Jon Singleton for assignment on Monday, per a tweet from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Curt Hogg. Per Hogg's tweet, Singleton was designated for assignment to open up a 40-man roster space for new signing Brian Anderson. Singleton appeared in 134 games for Milwaukee's Triple-A club this past season, hitting .219 with a .375 on-base percentage, 24 home runs, and three stolen bases in 581 plate appearances. As of now, Milwaukee's options at first base include Rowdy Tellez, Owen Miller, Keston Hiura, Brian Anderson, and Josh VanMeter.

Per a tweet from MLB.com's Adam McCalvy on Monday, the Milwaukee Brewers are reportedly "bringing back first baseman Jon Singleton on a Minor League contract and this time there's an invitation to big league camp." As McCalvy also noted in his tweet, Singleton enjoyed a strong season with Milwaukee's Triple-A affiliate last season. The first baseman hit .219 with a .375 on-base percentage, 24 home runs and three stolen bases in 581 plate appearances. He'll give the Brewers another option at first base alongside the likes of Rowdy Tellez and Keston Hiura.

HOUSTON (AP) — The Astros have released former top prospect Jon Singleton, who was serving a 100-game suspension under baseball's minor league drug program after a third positive test for a drug of abuse.The 26-year-old first baseman played 114 games for Houston in 2014-15, hitting .171 with 14 home runs. Singleton spent all of last season with Double-A Corpus Christi, where he batted .205 with 18 homers and 62 RBIs.Months before he reached the majors during spring training in 2014, he discussed his battle with marijuana addiction and alcohol abuse in an interview with The Associated Press. In that interview he said: "At this point it's pretty evident to me that I'm a drug addict."Still, the Astros signed him to a $10 million, five-year contract before he made his major league debut on June 3 of that year. He spent the rest of that season in the majors, where he hit just .168 with 13 homers and 44 RBIs. Singleton played just 19 games in the majors in 2015 and spent all of the 2016 season in Triple-A before being sent to Double-A last year.General manager Jeff Luhnow declined to discuss Singleton's release on Tuesday.___For more AP baseball coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Scott Kingery celebrated his historic contract with a home run.A day after the Phillies gave the prized prospect a $24 million, six-year contract that could be worth $65 million over nine seasons, Kingery went deep in his second at-bat against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday in Philadelphia's next-to-last spring training game."It's unbelievable to be in a moment like this," Kingery said a few hours earlier. "Right now, I'm just excited and with the talented group of guys we've got in this clubhouse. It's an exciting time and there's something special going on. For me, there is a lot of excitement to get up to Philly and get this thing started."Kingery gets a $1.5 million signing bonus payable within 90 days of the deal's approval by the commissioner's office and salaries of $750,000 this year, $1.25 million in 2019, $1.5 million in 2020, $4 million in 2021, $6 million in 2022 and $8 million in 2023. The Phillies have 2024 option at $13 million with a $1 million... [More]

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Scott Kingery celebrated his historic contract with a home run.A day after the Phillies gave the prized prospect a $24 million, six-year contract that could be worth $65 million over nine seasons, Kingery went deep in his second at-bat against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday in Philadelphia's next-to-last spring training game."It's unbelievable to be in a moment like this," Kingery said a few hours earlier. "Right now, I'm just excited and with the talented group of guys we've got in this clubhouse. It's an exciting time and there's something special going on. For me, there is a lot of excitement to get up to Philly and get this thing started."Kingery gets a $1.5 million signing bonus and salaries of $750,000 this year, $1.25 million in 2019, $1.5 million in 2020, $4 million in 2021, $6 million in 2022 and $8 million in 2023. The Phillies have 2024 option at $13 million with a $1 million buyout, a 2025 option at $14 million with a $500,000 buyout and 2026 option... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Former top Astros prospect Jon Singleton and Houston pitcher Dean Deetz have been suspended after testing positive for banned drugs.Deetz became the first player penalized this year under the major league drug program. Singleton was the eighth under the minor league program.The commissioner's office announced the penalties Tuesday.Deetz drew an 80-game ban for a positive test of Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, a performance-enhancing substance.Deetz has never played in the majors but is on Houston's 40-man roster. The 24-year-old righty was 7-6 with a 4.25 ERA last year as a starter and reliever at Triple-A Fresno and Double-A Corpus Christi.In a statement released by the players' union, Deetz said, "I have no idea how I could possibly have tested positive."Singleton was banned 100 games after a third positive test for a drug of abuse. The 26-year-old first baseman played 114 games for Houston in 2014-15, hitting .171 with 14 home runs. Singleton spent last year at Double-A, batting .205 with 18 homers.Prior to reaching the majors, in an interview with The Associated Press, Singleton spoke of his battle to overcome marijuana and alcohol abuse.___For more AP baseball coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

NEW YORK (AP) — Former top Astros prospect Jon Singleton and Houston pitcher Dean Deetz have been suspended after testing positive for banned drugs.Deetz became the first player penalized this year under the major league drug program. Singleton was the eighth under the minor league program.The commissioner's office announced the penalties Tuesday.Deetz drew an 80-game ban for a positive test of Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, a performance-enhancing substance.Deetz has never played in the majors but is on Houston's 40-man roster. The 24-year-old righty was 7-6 with a 4.25 ERA last year as a starter and reliever at Triple-A Fresno and Double-A Corpus Christi.In a statement released by the players' union, Deetz said, "I have no idea how I could possibly have tested positive."Singleton was banned 100 games after a third positive test for a drug of abuse. The 26-year-old first baseman played 114 games for Houston in 2014-15, hitting .171 with 14 home runs. Singleton spent last year at Double-A, batting .205 with 18 homers.Prior to reaching the majors, in an interview with The Associated Press, Singleton spoke of his battle to overcome marijuana and alcohol abuse.___For more AP baseball coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

Singleton was recalled from Triple-A Fresno on Wednesday.

Singleton is having a solid year in Triple-A Fresno, hitting .254 with 22 home runs and 83 RBI, but has been unable to carry that success over to the majors. In 16 games with the Astros, he's hitting .205 with one home run and six RBI.

The Astros optioned Singleton to Triple-A Fresno on Friday, Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston reports.

Singleton appeared in just two games from July 23 through July 30, so the Astros decided he would be the guy to give up his spot on the big league roster for the recently-acquired Carlos Gomez. Singleton will be back with the Astros in September, if not before.

Singleton will be optioned Friday, the Houston Chronicle reports.

With Carlos Gomez arriving in Houston on Friday, the team will demote Singleton to clear room on the 25-man roster. Singleton has seen time in 16 games for the Astros this season, notching nine hits in 44 at-bats (.205).

Singleton will bat sixth as the designated hitter Monday against the Royals.

Singleton struggled mightily in his first start of the season, going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, but was hitting extremely well in the minors, hitting for a .280/.387/.553 slash line with 17 home runs and 66 RBI for Triple-A Fresno. He replaces Evan Gattis in the lineup at designated hitter.

Singleton got the start at DH on Saturday, going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.

That's not exactly the impression Singleton wanted to make after being called up. He had massive trouble making contact in the majors last season as well, and while both Chris Carter and Evan Gattis are vulnerable to losing playing time, Singleton isn't going to carve out a regular role until he starts hitting.

Singleton is in the lineup Saturday against New York, batting seventh as the DH.

Singleton was recalled Friday and will get his first major league at-bats of the season Saturday. He's yet another bat with pop in Houston's lineup, as evidenced by his 17 home runs at Triple-A Fresno this season. He'll face righty Masahiro Tanaka on Saturday for the first time in his career.

Singleton was recalled from Triple-A Fresno on Friday.

Singleton owns a .280/.387/.553 slash line for Fresno, but he already proved last season that he can handle Triple-A pitching. He'll now get a second chance in the majors, after struggling to a .168/.285/.335 slash line over 362 plate appearances with the Astros last season. It's not clear how much playing time Singleton will get, as the Astros already have Chris Carter at first base and Evan Gattis as the regular DH.

Houston Astros first baseman Jonathan Singleton was recalled from Triple-A Fresno on Friday.

Houston Astros first baseman Jonathan Singleton was recalled from Triple-A Fresno on Friday. Singleton struggled in the major leagues last season, but will compete with first baseman Chris Carter and designated hitter Evan Gattis for playing time.

Singleton was named Pacific Coast League Player of the Week after hitting .357 (10-for-28) with five home runs, 23 RBI and two stolen bases.

Backed by a Fresno-record 10 RBI performance on Wednesday and three grand slams in a five-game span, Singleton had what might have been the most impressive week by a Triple-A slugger this season. Through 37 games, he's hitting .263/.382/.606 with 12 home runs and he leads all Minor Leaguers with 40 RBI.