As we gear up for the weekend, listed below are three issues to observe round baseball…

1. Winn set for large league debut:

The Cardinals chosen the contract of infielder Masyn Winn final evening, and he’ll make his large league debut immediately in opposition to Joey Lucchesi and the Mets. Chosen with the No. 54 total decide within the 2020 draft, the 21-year-old Winn is broadly considered one of many sport’s most promising prospects, rating No. 30 total at Baseball America, No. 32 at MLB.com and No. 47 at FanGraphs. A sensational athlete and former two-way participant, Winn centered solely on his improvement as an infielder in 2021. He’s soared via the minors, spending the complete season thus far in Triple-A regardless of simply turning 21 on the finish of spring coaching. He’s greater than 5 years youthful than the typical participant in a .288/.359/.474 batting line with 18 dwelling runs, 15 doubles, seven triples and 17 stolen bases in 498 plate appearances. Scouting studies tout his above-average hit instrument, plus pace and 80-grade arm at shortstop. And, provided that he’s nonetheless considerably just lately honed in on the position-playing facet of his sport, there’s nonetheless an opportunity for him to develop into some extra energy as nicely.

2. Bichette return:

Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette has now performed in a pair of minor league rehab video games, serving because the designated hitter for Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday earlier than taking part in shortstop within the Bisons’ sport yesterday. Bichette’s beforehand ailing knee doesn’t look like bothering him, as he pounded an opposite-field two-run homer in his first plate look Thursday and doubtlessly completed up a quick two-game rehab stint with a 4-for-5 displaying. The Jays haven’t formally reinstated Bichette simply but, although they’d beforehand knowledgeable beat writers that the hope was for him to play one rehab sport as a chosen hitter and one as a shortstop earlier than evaluating him for a attainable return this weekend. Even when Bichette heads again to Buffalo for an additional sport or two, it appears doubtless he’ll be again this weekend — with a return in tonight’s sequence opener in opposition to the Reds a definite risk.

3. McCutchen, Altuve approaching notable milestones:

Multi-time All-Stars Andrew McCutchen and Jose Altuve are each closing in on key milestones, with the latter standing a very good likelihood at reaching a powerful spherical quantity this weekend. Altuve is sitting at 1,997 profession hits and can look to develop into simply the 297th participant to ever tally 2,000 hits in his large league profession. He’ll look to take action in a highway sequence in opposition to the Mariners, squaring off in opposition to Bryce Miller, Logan Gilbert and Emerson Hancock alongside the best way. In the meantime, one other former MVP who additionally collected his 2,000th hit this season, Andrew McCutchen, is three lengthy balls shy of turning into simply the 158th participant in MLB historical past to swat 300 homers. The 36-year-old will face off in opposition to Twins starters Pablo Lopez, Sonny Grey and Dallas Keuchel this weekend in Minnesota. Reaching 300 this weekend after connecting on solely 10 homers all season thus far appears unlikely, however Cutch might nonetheless chip away on the milestone and appears prone to get there sooner or later within the close to future.