MLB

Barring major spring training injuries, the 2014 Detroit Tigers profiled as the team to beat in the American League Central. Yet, if Jose Iglesias—last year's AL Rookie of the Year candidate—misses significant time, the Tigers actually could be an even bigger lock to reach the postseason.

Detroit Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias could miss "half the year or more," reports Jon Heyman of

The Chicago Cubs' future is bright, but spring training has produced mixed results in 2014. They have seen performances they didn't expect on opposite ends of the spectrum. Some players have been better than expected, while others have flopped and lowered expectations. 

With spring training about halfway over (yay!) and your fantasy baseball draft getting ever closer if you haven't had it yet (double-yay!), it's time to update the Big Board again.

The future of baseball has been on display this spring, with countless top-ranked prospects opening eyes with their performances on a daily basis.

However, with the start of the regular season around the corner, teams have started to trim their rosters by optioning prospects to a specific level or reassigning them to minor league spring training. This past week, Byron Buxton, Oscar Taveras and Francisco Lindor were the biggest names among prospects to be cut from big league camp.

Let's flashback one year. After only 11 starts in Double-A, the Marlins announce that a 20-year-old named Jose Fernandez will break camp with the big league squad. Most had predicted perhaps a late-season call-up for Fernandez as the extent of his time spent in Miami for the 2013 campaign. 

Bryce Harper never stops working.

We knew that the Washington Nationals outfielder gives 100 percent on the field, but now we see that he is willing to help out whenever possible off the field as well.

A shorter lady needed help getting something off the top shelf at a grocery store, so Harper played the role of the perfect gentleman and helped her out. Luckily, his girlfriend was there to capture the great moment.

It's the most wonderful time of the year, as spring training is in full swing and young prospects are getting their chances to wow managers in an effort to make the 2014 Opening Day roster for their teams. 

For Pittsburgh Pirates' manager Clint Hurdle, there will be many difficult decisions to make when it comes time for the final cuts.  Here is a look at the top performers for the Pirates so far this spring. 

Nobody knew about Hank the Ballpark Pup before spring training, but the little guy had a good enough spring that the Milwaukee Brewers had no choice but to make him an official member of the club.

As MLB Cut4's Matt Monagan wrote, the dog was a stray before it wandered into the Brewers' spring training facility. Now it looks like he has a new home:

The Kansas City Royals prepare for their season in Surprise, Ariz., every year.  The excitement level surrounding the club during spring training in recent years has greatly increased.