February 16, 2026
Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said that right-hander
Kumar Rocker "looked really good" during a live batting practice session in camp on Monday, according to Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. "There was intent behind his live. Felt like he was on the gas pedal. The velo was up, the sinker was real. He threw a couple of four-seamers at the top. The slider and changeup were both effective for lefties. It was an impressive start," Schumaker said. The 26-year-old former first-rounder out of Vanderbilt made the starting rotation out of camp last year but struggled to a 5.76 ERA and 1.46 WHIP with 56 K's and 23 walks in 64 1/3 innings over 14 starts before eventually being sent to the minors to work on his mechanics. It appears that Rocker has fixed some things, although he's not a lock to be in the Opening Day rotation after the addition of lefty
MacKenzie Gore this offseason. Improving against lefty hitters will be a big key if Rocker wants to have some success in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Kennedi Landry
February 16, 2026
Boston Red Sox first baseman
Triston Casas (knee) took ground balls during team infield drills at camp on Monday, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Casas said over the weekend that his rehab from knee surgery is going well. "Nobody thought I would be where I'm at right now," Casas said. The 26-year-old left-handed slugger is taking part in baseball activities, but he is behind the rest of the position players after suffering a season-ending knee injury last May. Not only is it unclear if Casas will be ready for Opening Day at the end of March, but he's not projected to be the team's starting first baseman after Boston acquired
Willson Contreras from the St. Louis Cardinals in the offseason. The designated-hitter spot could be a nice fallback option, but Casas will face competition there from
Masataka Yoshida and others. The former first-rounder had 24 homers in his rookie season in 2023, but he's managed 16 the last two years while dealing with injuries. Casas' prospect shine has worn off, and he's merely trying to get healthy and prove he deserves a spot in the everyday lineup again.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
February 16, 2026
New York Yankees right-handed pitching prospect
Carlos Lagrange has impressed early in spring training and has a shot to win a spot on the Opening Day roster as a reliever, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Lagrange doesn't have the best command, but his fastball is capable of hitting triple digits when he's fully built up, and the 6-foot-7, 248-pound Dominican hurler can also generate plenty of spin on the ball. "We're excited about him for good reason," manager Aaron Boone said. "I think Carlos has a very bright future." Lagrange is a consensus top-100 prospect, but he has yet to pitch at Triple-A. He had a 3.53 ERA and a 33.4% strikeout rate in 120 innings split between High-A and Double-A last year. Lagrange lowered his walk rate from 20% to 12.3% last year, but he's still on the wild side and has more developing to do. Boone has compared Lagrange to former reliever Dellin Betances, and with the Yankees short on sure things in their bullpen, the 22-year-old may get a chance in short stints out of the bullpen if he makes his major-league debut in 2026. He's an arm to watch.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Daily News - Gary Phillips
February 16, 2026
New York Yankees shortstop
Anthony Volpe (shoulder) got his hitting progression underway on Monday with some dry swings in camp, manager Aaron Boone told Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Volpe also did some fielding drills, but the 24-year-old is being brought along slowly in spring training after having surgery to fix his left labrum in October of last year. After playing through a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder for most of last season, Volpe will begin the 2026 campaign on the injured list and is expected to miss at least the first month. In the meantime, speedster
Jose Caballero should see most of the starts at the 6 in the Bronx, giving him some sleeper fantasy appeal early on. Volpe hit just .212 while playing at less than 100% in 2025, but he still managed to hit 19 homers, drive in a career-high 72 runs, and steal 18 bases in 153 regular-season games. He'll come at a discount because of his injury, but there's also a good chance we've already seen Volpe's ceiling.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Daily News - Gary Phillips
February 16, 2026
Chicago White Sox corner infielder
Munetaka Murakami has impressed so far as he heads into his first season in the big leagues, according to Scott Merkin of MLB.com. "Mune is special, and I think you see immediately there's a level of confidence here amidst everything being new here," director of hitting Ryan Fuller said. Most of the 26-year-old's playing time in 2026 will come at first base, per manager
Will Venable, but he'll also see some time at the hot corner. The Japanese infielder could eventually pick up eligibility at both first and third base for fantasy managers this year, which would make him more attractive in AL-only leagues. Murakami had impressive power earlier in his career, but his power stroke has been down over the last few seasons, and he only played in 56 games in 2025 due to injury. The power is still there, but fantasy managers should have hesitations since he struggled to make consistent contact in Japan.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Scott Merkin
February 16, 2026
New York Mets right-hander
Christian Scott (elbow) threw just over 30 pitches and hit 95 mph during a live batting practice session in camp on Monday, and manager
Carlos Mendoza was impressed with his cutter, according to Laura Albanese of Newsday. However, Scott's availability for Opening Day in late March is still uncertain. "It's good to see him back on the mound, competing and being himself," Mendoza said. The 26-year-old had Tommy John surgery in September of 2024 and missed the entire 2025 season. Scott is a big part of the Mets' future, but he has minor-league options remaining, and his workload will be closely monitored after his long layoff, so it's probably unlikely that he'll open the 2026 season in the big-league rotation. In his major-league debut in 2024 before being shut down, Scott had a 4.56 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 39:12 K:BB in 47 1/3 innings over nine starts.
--Keith HernandezSource: Newsday - Laura Albanese
February 16, 2026
The Orange County Register's Bill Plunkett reports that everyone in the Los Angeles Dodgers' projected starting rotation has thrown live batting practice in camp to hitters except left-hander
Blake Snell (shoulder). The 33-year-old two-time Cy Young winner has only played catch in the first week of camp and has yet to throw off a mound, either, as part of the "smarter" approach that he's taking this spring. "He's playing catch. He's throwing. Once he gets off the mound, throws a pen, faces some hitters, we'll know more. But obviously, he's not there right now. Until he gets off a mound, I just really don't know," manager Dave Roberts said on the likelihood of Snell being in the Opening Day rotation. Snell missed the first four months of last year with left-shoulder inflammation and admitted he was gassed after an expanded workload in the postseason. He still has plenty of strikeout upside and isn't actually injured this spring, but it seems more likely than not that the Dodgers will slow-play him to begin the 2026 campaign. Snell makes for a risk/reward No. 2 fantasy starting pitcher.
--Keith HernandezSource: Orange County Register - Bill Plunkett
February 16, 2026
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said on Sunday that outfielder
Aaron Judge (elbow), the reigning two-time American League MVP, will be a full participant when the team's full-squad workouts start on Monday at spring training, according to Jorge Castillo of ESPN. Judge dealt with a flexor strain in his right elbow and went on the injured list in late July, although he spent the minimum 10 days on IL before rejoining the club exclusively as a DH. Boone said Judge is scheduled to play in "four or five" of the team's first nine Grapefruit League games and will be built up to six innings before joining Team USA on March 1 for this year's World Baseball Classic. Judge's arm strength improved over time, and he returned to right field down the stretch and for the playoffs. Fantasy managers shouldn't have any injury concerns about Judge, who remained a beast at the plate in 2025 in both the regular season and the playoffs. Judge is ranked second overall at RotoBaller in fantasy, behind only
Shohei Ohtani.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jorge Castillo
February 16, 2026
Los Angeles Angels outfielder
Mike Trout made the transition to right field and also spent a lot of time as the designated hitter last year, but he's planning to return to his original position of center field in 2026, according to ESPN's Alden Gonzalez. "I just feel comfortable out there," Trout said. "I feel like I'm at my best when I'm in center." The Angels moved Trout to right field last year because he played in only 41% of the team's games due to injuries during a four-year stretch. The 34-year-old veteran became the team's primary DH after suffering a bone bruise in his surgically repaired left knee in late April. The three-time MVP lost around five pounds in the offseason in an effort to put less stress on his legs as he makes the transition back to center. Trout was one of the best players in the game from 2012 to 2020, posting a 1.008 OPS, 297 home runs, and 197 steals, but he's battled injuries the last five years and hit .232/.359/.439 with 26 homers and 64 RBI in 2025. He went 36 straight games without a homer at one point. Trout still has the skills to be impactful in fantasy, but the risk might not justify the reward for some.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Alden Gonzalez
February 16, 2026
The San Diego Padres extended the contract of long-time head of baseball operations A.J. Preller on Monday, according to ESPN's Alden Gonzalez. The length of Preller's new deal is undisclosed, but it puts to rest any questions about whether he would be extended with the team's control up in the air. Chairman John Seidler said he has received "tremendous interest" in the team from potential buyers and stressed that the franchise would not move from San Diego. The 48-year-old Preller, who is heading into his 12th full season as the Padres' general manager, is considered one of baseball's most aggressive front-office executives. In his time in SD, Preller has acquired star players such as
Manny Machado,
Fernando Tatis Jr.,
Jackson Merrill,
Juan Soto,
Josh Hader,
Yu Darvish, and
Joe Musgrove. He has helped the team reach the playoffs in four of the last six years. Recently, with the Padres' payroll flexibility drying up since owner Peter Seidler's death two years ago, Preller has been forced to get more creative in roster construction.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Alden Gonzalez
February 16, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays left-handed pitching prospect
Ricky Tiedemann (elbow) has faced a long and challenging road in his recovery from Tommy John surgery, but he's back on the mound this spring and is "refreshed," according to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. The Blue Jays are open to the 23-year-old southpaw building back up as a starter, but the door is also cracked open for him as a reliever in 2026. Before his TJ surgery in 2024, Tiedemann was dealing with bone chips in his elbow. It kept him from fully extending his elbow. He now has full motion in his elbow and new grips on his changeup and slider, putting him in a "more sustainable spot." "I feel amazing. Everything feels great," Tiedemann said. There is still plenty to like about Tiedemann long term, but fantasy managers in dynasty formats should expect heavy restrictions on his workload in 2026 since he's thrown only 140 innings since being drafted in 2021. It also wouldn't be a surprise if he starts the year at Triple-A Buffalo for more development.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Keegan Matheson
February 16, 2026
Philadelphia Phillies right-hander
Zack Wheeler (shoulder) threw out to 120 feet in camp on Monday for the first time since having surgery to address venous thoracic outlet syndrome, manager Rob Thomson told The Athletic's Matt Gelb. Wheeler continues to progress as planned, but it's unclear when the 35-year-old veteran will be ready to return to the mound, and the Phillies aren't expecting him to be ready by Opening Day in late March. In addition to having surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome on Sept. 23, Wheeler had a procedure in the middle of August to have a blood clot removed from near his shoulder. The good news is that Wheeler looked like his typical top-of-the-rotation self before being shut down last summer, going 10-5 with a 2.71 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 195 punchouts in 149 2/3 innings over his 24 starts. Wheeler has been one of the most reliable high-end starting pitchers in fantasy over the last few seasons, but he'll be a huge question mark in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Matt Gelb
February 16, 2026
MLB.com's Daniel Kramer writes that Seattle Mariners infield prospect
Colt Emerson, the No. 9 overall prospect at MLB Pipeline, will be given a legitimate chance to make this year's Opening Day roster, and it "seems a certainty that his housing carousel in 2026 will include residence in Seattle." Emerson is working out at all three infield positions in camp (shortstop, second base, and third base) as he did on his own in the offseason. He's a natural shortstop and has the plus defense needed to stick at the premium position long term as arguably the best defensive infielder in the M's system. However, Emerson won't be at the 6 this year unless
J.P. Crawford misses time due to injury. MLB Pipeline lists the 20-year-old as the "owner of the best hit tool in the Mariners system" as well, and his glove could elevate him into what general manager Jerry Dipoto calls "a sneaky five-tool guy." We won't have a clearer picture of Seattle's plan for Emerson to begin the year until later in spring training, but he's already a player that should be stashed in all dynasty/keeper formats, and he figures to make an impact at the big-league level at some point this year.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Daniel Kramer
February 16, 2026
Minnesota Twins right-hander
Pablo Lopez (elbow) will undergo an MRI exam after leaving a live batting practice session early in camp due to elbow soreness, according to manager Derek Shelton. The Twins are just hoping it's a precautionary measure. It's not great news for the 29-year-old, who missed two months last year with a Grade 2 teres major strain. Lopez's 2025 season also ended early due to a strained right forearm in September. There's no official word on Lopez's status right now, but it wouldn't be a surprise if he's forced to miss the start of the 2026 regular season. The Venezuelan was an ace when healthy last year, going 5-4 with a 2.74 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 73 strikeouts and 20 walks in 75 2/3 innings over his 14 starts, but durability is a major concern. In addition to his arm injuries last year, Lopez also missed three weeks in April with a hamstring strain. Lopez will be a risk/reward fantasy selection in upcoming fantasy drafts until we know more. Stay tuned.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Dan Hayes
February 16, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers utility man
Tommy Edman (ankle) will start the season on the injured list, manager Dave Roberts told Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. It's unclear when Edman might return to make his 2026 debut, but Roberts said on Monday that the team will take a "methodical" pace with the 30-year-old veteran after he had surgery in the offseason to address a nagging right-ankle injury that has bothered him for the last two years. Edman was slightly better during the regular season in 2025, but so far in his two seasons in Hollywood, he's hit an underwhelming .229/.280/.392 with a .672 OPS, 19 home runs, 69 RBI, 69 runs scored, and nine stolen bases in 134 regular-season games. He has won two World Series rings since joining L.A., but for fantasy purposes, he hasn't been very productive. Edman's IL stint to open the 2026 campaign makes him even less attractive in deeper mixed leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
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