Extra bases

• Renteria met with each player on Wednesday, and was impressed by shortstop Starlin Castro, who is coming off a tough year in which he batted a career-low .245.

"He's very excited," Renteria said of Castro. "We liked the way he looked in our meeting. He was very happy. We just told him to be himself, expand on his skills and improve his approach at the plate. He spoke a bit more than we did. He has an idea of what he wants to do."

• Even though Mike Olt's primary position is third base, he was working out at first on Wednesday on the first day of workouts. The Cubs don't have a backup first baseman, and top prospects Kris Bryant and Christian Villanueva were sharing third during the session.

• Kyuji Fujikawa, rehabbing from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, had a long-toss session Wednesday, throwing from about 135 feet. He is making progress.

"As long as there is nothing that sets him back, he continues to move forward," Renteria said.

• Somehow, Blake Parker was aligned with lefties Wesley Wright, James Russell, Tommy Hottovy, Tsuyoshi Wada and Zac Rosscup. Parker is the only right-hander in that group. Did he have to adjust to the southpaws?

"No, I just took my glove off and we did a strictly right-handed shake," Wright said.