MLB drops the ball in ruling Mexico out of the World Baseball Classic  —  Venezuela's Robinson Chirinos (28) scores during the World Baseball Classic game against Mexico at Charros de Jalisco Stadium in Guadalajara on March 12.  (Jose Mendez / EPA)  —  Americans might not take the World Baseball Classic …

Boston's David Price likely to start season on disabled list  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — Boston Red Sox left-hander David Price is likely to start the season on the disabled list because of his sore pitching elbow.  —  Starting the second season of a $217 million, seven-year contract, Price has not yet appeared in an exhibition game.

DeSclafani has UCL sprain, shut down four weeks  —  GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Cincinnati Reds right-hander Anthony DeSclafani has a sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and will be shut down from throwing for at least four weeks.  The 26-year-old was diagnosed by team medical director …

Phillies prospect Nick Williams homers, robs a home run in same inning  —  SARASOTA, Fla. — The eighth inning of a mid-March Grapefruit League game is about as inconsequential as they come, but it will be hard this spring to top what Nick Williams did.  —  The Phillies outfield prospect bashed …

Yankees' young prospects having a ‘great’ spring training … TAMPA, Fla. — Brian Cashman has been at it too long.  —  Too long to be fooled by spring training.  Too long to use strong March performances as predictors for the regular season.  —  Still, many of the young players the Yankees …

Book excerpt: Go behind the scenes of the Cubs' World Series Game 7 win  —  Kris Bryant: How Cubs were able to overcome 3-1 deficit in World Series  —  The following is adapted from The Cubs Way: The Zen Of Building The Best Team In Baseball And Breaking The Curse, copyright © 2017 by Tom Verducci.

Former No. 1 pick Mark Appel at career crossroads  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. - Mark Appel is running out of chances to prove he can be a starting pitcher in the big leagues.  —  CLOSE  —  RHP Mark Appel discussed whether he thinks about competition among young Phillies starters and if he's antsy to reach MLB.

Billion-dollar boys  —  During the interview, Ball also said he is prepared to package Lonzo and his two other sons — LiAngelo, a high school senior who has signed with UCLA, and LaMelo, a high school sophomore who has committed to UCLA — for a marketing deal with Nike, Adidas or Under Armour.

2017 Top 100 Prospects  —  Below is my list of the top-100 prospects in baseball.  Each prospect has a brief scouting summary here with links to the full team reports embedded in their names where applicable.  Those without links will have them added as I cover the remaining farm systems.

Ian Desmond breaks his hand in Rockies spring game on a pitch  —  Desmond's left hand was put in a brace by Colorado athletic trainer Keith Dugger on the Rockies bench  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Rockies first baseman Ian Desmond, their high-profile offseason free-agent signing …