Tyler Soderstrom Off to Strong Start This Spring

Athletics first baseman/outfielder Tyler Soderstrom went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored in Thursday's Cactus League win over the Texas Rangers, and he's gone 3-for-7 with two RBI, two runs, a walk, and a strikeout in his three spring games. The 24-year-old left-handed slugger is part of the A's exciting mix of young […]

Pirates Expected to Approach Konnor Griffin With Long-Term Extension This Spring

The Pittsburgh Pirates are expected to approach shortstop prospect Konnor Griffin with a long-term contract extension this spring, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. Despite being only 19 years old with just 21 games of experience beyond High-A in the minor leagues, Griffin is the No. 1 prospect in the sport and is trending toward […]

Yordan Alvarez to Make Some Starts in Left Field

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said on MLB Network on Thursday that designated hitter Yordan Alvarez will see time in left field this season. Espada discussed how Alvarez enjoys playing left field, so the skipper believes it's important to get him some time on defense. It also allows the Astros to get some other players […]

Josh Jung Expected to Return on Sunday

Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung (hamstring) is expected to make his return to the lineup on Sunday or Monday, according to Shawn McFarland. Jung was pulled from Thursday's lineup as a precaution due to a hamstring issue. He was initially expected to return on Friday, but the team is giving him a few extra […]

Andrew Benintendi Scratched Due to Side Soreness

Chicago White Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi (side) was scratched ahead of Friday's Spring Training contest versus the Texas Rangers. Benintendi was pulled out of the lineup due to right-side soreness. For now, Benintendi is considered day-to-day, so hopefully, he has avoided any significant issues. The 31-year-old is coming off a decent campaign with the White […]

Orion Kerkering to Throw on Saturday

Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Orion Kerkering (hamstring) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Saturday. This will mark the first time that Kerkering has thrown since suffering a Grade 1 hamstring strain earlier this month. If everything goes well, Kerkering should progress to facing live hitters. After that, Kerkering should get back to pitching […]

Grae Kessinger Suffers Knee Injury on Friday

New York Mets infielder Grae Kessinger (knee) is reportedly getting imaging done after suffering a left knee injury during Friday's Grapefruit League contest against the St. Louis Cardinals. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said the injury didn't look too good, but the team will wait until the MRI comes back before they decide the next step. […]

Jake Meyers Scratched Due to Back Spasms

Houston Astros outfielder Jake Meyers (back) was scratched from the starting lineup ahead of Friday's Grapefruit League game versus the Washington Nationals. It's early in camp, so teams are going to play it safe even with minor issues. It sounds like Meyers is dealing with back spasms, so he should be considered day-to-day. This injury […]

Harrison Bader Exits with Thumb Injury

San Francisco Giants outfielder Harrison Bader (thumb) was removed early during Friday's Cactus League game versus the Los Angeles Dodgers. Bader was taken out of Friday's contest after his lone at-bat due to a right thumb contusion. It's unclear how Bader suffered the injury, but there should be more information later. At the moment, fantasy […]

Hyeseong Kim's Rebuilt Swing Already Generating Results

Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Hyeseong Kim rebuilt his swing from the ground up in the offseason after struggling with big-league pitching in his first year in the league in 2025, according to Jack Harris of The California Post. Hitting coach Aaron Bates said Kim's swing last year was too "twisted," and his inability to adjust […]

Bailey Ober Focusing on Mechanics in Camp

Minnesota Twins right-hander Bailey Ober was bothered by a hip injury last spring, and it lingered all season long, leading to "compromised mechanics, decreased velocity, and a career-worst 5.10 ERA in 146 1/3 innings." Ober has yet to appear in a Grapefruit League game in spring training, instead "ramping up with live bullpen sessions," according […]

Devin Williams Sees Struggles Continue in Spring Debut

New York Mets right-handed reliever Devin Williams gave up a home run on his first pitch in Grapefruit League action on Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post. It's not exactly what Mets fans wanted to see, especially after Williams' struggles across town with the New York […]

Rafael Devers Scratched With Hamstring Tightness

San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers (hamstring) was scratched from Friday's Cactus League game against the Los Angeles Dodgers due to a tight left hamstring, according to Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News. For now, Devers will be considered day-to-day until we know more about the severity of his injury. If […]

Marcelo Mayer Stronger and Faster Entering 2026 Season

Boston Red Sox infielder Marcelo Mayer, who has quickly developed an injury-prone label, "set out on a mission to gain more strength and speed" to withstand the rigors of his first full major-league season, according to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. The 23-year-old has never played more than 91 games in a season since he […]

Kutter Crawford Set for Live Batting Practice on Friday

Boston Red Sox right-hander Kutter Crawford (wrist) was scheduled to throw a live batting practice session in camp on Friday, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. It will be Crawford's first time facing hitters since last summer, before he suffered a wrist injury that required surgery. Because the 29-year-old is behind the other […]

Shane Baz Strikes Out Four in Spring Debut on Friday

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Shane Baz looked good in his Grapefruit League debut with the team on Friday, allowing no runs and no hits while walking two and striking out four in 2 1/3 innings pitched, according to Jake Rill of MLB.com. Baz threw 25 of his 39 pitches for strikes during the outing and retired […]

Blake Snell Making Progress, Will be "Hard" to be Ready for Opening Day

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that left-hander Blake Snell (shoulder) has been making progress in his throwing progression in camp, but he's been limited to flat-ground work so far, according to Jack Harris of The California Post. Roberts acknowledged that, given the calendar, it will be "hard" for Snell to be ready for […]

Corey Seager Scratched Due to Illness

Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said that shortstop Corey Seager (illness) was scratched from Friday's Cactus League game against the Chicago White Sox because he's feeling under the weather, according to Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. Seager will be down for a couple of days or so. The 31-year-old veteran and five-time All-Star fell short of […]

Elly De La Cruz Feels Fully Healthy This Spring

Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz is fully healthy this spring, which is evident by the way the ball is bouncing off his bat in spring training and by the way he's gliding around the bases, according to Charlie Goldsmith. "I've always been healthy," De La Cruz said. "It feels good to be healthy. […]

Stephen Kolek Being Shut Down With Grade 1 Oblique Strain

Kansas City Royals right-handed pitcher Stephen Kolek (oblique) has been diagnosed with a Grade 1-plus left oblique strain and will be shut down for the next week or so, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Kolek's timeline for a recovery will depend on how he responds to rest and recovery, putting his availability for Opening […]

Samuel Basallo Thinks he Can Play This Weekend

Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo (abdomen) said he's "feeling good" after being checked by the medical team on Thursday, according to Jake Rill of MLB.com. Basallo felt "cramping" as part of the discomfort that he felt while tagging a runner out at home plate in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Detroit Tigers. The good […]

Bounceback Hitters: Fantasy Baseball ADP Values for Hitters (2026)

As someone who lives in New England, dealing with snowstorm after snowstorm this winter, it's heartwarming to have spring training baseball back in our lives and fantasy baseball drafts to take part in. And with the start of spring training, certain players who had down seasons in 2025 now have a fresh start with their […]

Konnor Griffin Back in the Lineup After Injury Scare

Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop prospect Konnor Griffin (foot) is back in the Grapefruit League lineup on Friday against the Baltimore Orioles, starting at shortstop and hitting eighth. Griffin was hit by a pitch on his foot in Wednesday's spring training contest and was removed as a precaution. The 19-year-old No. 1 overall prospect in baseball said […]

Troy Melton Needs Extended Rest, Unlikely to be Ready for Opening Day

Detroit Tigers right-hander Troy Melton (elbow) saw a doctor and was recommended to rest for an extended period of time, according to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News. It means that Melton is unlikely to be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season at the end of March. The 25-year-old hadn't pitched in […]

MRI Comes Back Clean on Royce Lewis

Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis' (side) MRI exam came back clean after he was scratched from Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Pittsburgh Pirates with tightness in his side, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic. The 26-year-old is being considered day-to-day for now and will likely be held out of spring training games […]

Later-Round First Base Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleepers, Values: Cheap Hitters With Upside

Spring training is in full swing, and we are getting close to some of the biggest draft weekends for the 2026 fantasy baseball season. At RotoBaller, we already released our middle-round draft values and targets series, and today we're back with our later-round draft sleepers series to help crush your upcoming fantasy drafts. Below you […]

Top 50 Catcher Fantasy Baseball Rankings: February Updates

Depending on where you live, your area may have been hit with a ton of snow recently. The good news is we are inching closer to spring and Opening Day for baseball. At Rotoballer HQ, we wrap up our positional rankings series with the catcher position. In this article, you will find our updated 2026 […]

Top 70 Shortstop Fantasy Baseball Rankings: February Updates

It's an exciting time to be a baseball fan, as Opening Day will be here before you know it. At RotoBaller HQ, we continue to update and tweak rankings for fantasy managers to crush their upcoming drafts. We focus on shortstops today with our 2026 fantasy baseball shortstop rankings and tiers for roto leagues (5x5 […]

Joe Musgrove Sharp in Simulated Game, Quickly Approaching Spring Training Debut

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove (elbow) was sharp in a simulated game early this week and is making a strong case to debut in spring training sometime next week. Musgrove is working his way back from Tommy John surgery but is slated to be a full-go for the start of the regular season. […]

Kyle Freeland Nearing Spring Debut

Colorado Rockies left-handed pitcher Kyle Freeland (back) completed a successful bullpen session this week and could make his spring training debut as early as this coming week. The southpaw has been dealing with a minor back injury, but appears to be progressing quite well. Managers should continue to monitor his status, but he does not […]