January 28, 2026
Detroit Tigers catching prospect
Josue Briceno made significant strides last season and could be in contention for a second-half MLB debut in 2026. The backstop began the season with High-A but needed only 55 games with West Michigan to prove he was ready to join Double-A. During his stint at High-A, Briceno posted an elite .296/.422/.602 line with 13 doubles and 15 home runs. He was then moved up to Double-A, where he took a step back, carrying a .232/.335/.381 line with six doubles, five home runs, and a 47:25 K:BB. Managers should expect the Tigers to keep Briceno at Double-A, given his inconsistency in the second half to begin 2026. However, he may only need a brief stint to prove he is ready to join Triple-A. Given the power upside he showed at High-A, Briceno would be a popular stash candidate once he is nearing an MLB promotion.
--Andy SmithSource: RotoBaller
January 28, 2026
Boston Red Sox top prospect
Franklin Arias quickly progressed through the lower levels of the system in 2025 and is nearing his MLB debut. The shortstop, who is considered the team's top prospect on MLB.com and the overall No. 24 in the sport, began the 2025 season with Low-A but reached Double-A Portland in the second half. With Low-A, Arias held a .346/.407/.397 line across a short 19-game stint. He would spend most of his season with High-A Greenville, where he posted a .265/.329/.380 slash line with 21 doubles, six home runs, and seven stolen bases. He finished the season, posting a modest .685 OPS during his first 10 games at Double-A. Managers should expect Arias to open the season at Double-A and be in contention for a second-half promotion to Triple-A.
--Andy SmithSource: RotoBaller
January 28, 2026
The Milwaukee Brewers have invited recently acquired infield prospect
Jett Williams to big-league spring training. Williams was sent to Milwaukee alongside right-hander
Brandon Sproat in the deal that sent right-hander
Freddy Peralta to New York. Williams was viewed as the top prospect in the Mets system prior to the trade and now sits as the No. 3 prospect in Milwaukee (on MLB.com), trailing only
Jesus Made and
Luis Pena. Last season, Williams began the campaign with Double-A, where he posted a strong .281/.390/.477 slash line with 29 doubles, 10 home runs, 32 stolen bases. He was then promoted to Triple-A Syracuse, where he took a slight step back, carrying a lower .209/.285/.433 line with seven long balls across a 34-game stint. Managers should expect Williams to open the season at Triple-A but should be in contention for an early MLB debut, especially if
Joey Ortiz continues to struggle in the batter's box.
--Andy SmithSource: Milwaukee Brewers
January 28, 2026
The Milwaukee Brewers have invited shortstop prospect
Cooper Pratt to big-league camp. Pratt is currently considered the No. 53 overall prospect on MLB.com and the No. 3-ranked prospect in the Milwaukee system. Pratt joined the Brewers in the sixth round of the 2023 MLB Draft but has progressed through the minor leagues fairly quickly. After a brief stint in the Arizona Complex League in 2023, Pratt would spend the 2024 season with Low-A and High-A. Through 96 games, Pratt posted a .277/.362/.406 line with 15 doubles, eight home runs, and 25 stolen bases. In 2025, the Magnolia Heights HS product would spend the entire season with Double-A Biloxi, where he posted a .238/.343/.348 line with eight home runs and 31 stolen bases. Managers should closely monitor his development in camp, as he could begin the season at Triple-A.
--Andy SmithSource: Milwaukee Brewers
January 28, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers top prospect
Jesus Made is being invited to big-league spring training. The 18-year-old shortstop is currently viewed as the No. 4-ranked overall prospect in the entire sport on MLB.com. He made his professional debut in 2024 in the Dominican Summer League and held a .331/.458/.554 with a strong 1.012 OPS. In 2025, Made began the season in Low-A but quickly progressed through the Milwaukee system, finishing the season in Double-A. Across 83 games with Low-A, Made posted a solid .267/.373/.388 line with four home runs and 40 stolen bases. Through 32 games split between High-A and Double-A, Made took his level of play even higher, carrying an elite .331/.392/.474 line. While a 2026 MLB debut is unlikely, if he continues this current trajectory, he could make a strong case in the second half.
--Andy SmithSource: Milwaukee Brewers
January 28, 2026
According to Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic, the San Francisco Giants recently made an aggressive push to acquire Washington Nationals shortstop
CJ Abrams. According to sources, the Giants made it clear they would offer top prospect Josuar Gonzalez as part of a package to acquire Abrams. Additionally, top pitching prospects
Carson Whisenhunt and Jacob Bresnahan were likely to be moved to Washington if they reached an agreement. The Nationals recently traded top pitcher
MacKenzie Gore to the Texas Rangers and have expressed willingness to shop Abrams as well. While the Giants were unsuccessful in this offer, they remain focused on improving their infield before spring training. The Giants have also been linked to St. Louis Cardinals infielder
Brendan Donovan throughout the offseason. If the Giants were to fall short in these trade talks,
Casey Schmitt would likely open the season as the starting second baseman, while Willy Adams would cover shortstop.
--Andy SmithSource: Andrew Baggarly
January 28, 2026
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, free agent infielder
Luis Arraez is not seeing a large market. While Arraez is one of the game's top contact hitters, his struggles on the defensive side of the game have prevented him from securing a contract. Rosenthal noted on The Foul Territory podcast that he expects the 28-year-old to sign a "prove-it" type deal shortly before spring training. In 2025, Arraez appeared in 154 games for the Padres and served as their primary first baseman, while also seeing occasional starts at second base and DH. He posted a .293/.327/.392 line with 30 doubles, eight home runs, and 11 stolen bases. However, he placed in the fourth percentile in Outs Above Average and the 28th percentile in arm strength. Managers should monitor his status, as he would remain a top batting-average contributor in rotisserie leagues but offer minimal power upside.
--Andy SmithSource: Ken Rosenthal
January 28, 2026
Houston Astros third baseman/outfielder
Cam Smith is not guaranteed a spot on the major league roster to begin the 2026 season. Chandler Rome of The Athletic notes that the team's general manager, Dana Brown, has made it clear that Smith will have to "prove himself" in camp to make the Opening Day roster. The Astors acquired Smith from the Chicago Cubs last offseason in exchange for
Kyle Tucker. Smith was selected by the Cubs in the opening round of the 2024 MLB Draft with the 14th overall pick out of Florida State. Smith was given a lead role in the Houston offense in all of 2025 but posted an underwhelming .236/.312/.358 line with 21 doubles, nine home runs, and eight stolen bases across 134 games. If Smith were to miss out on a roster spot, top prospect
Brice Matthews would likely see more opportunities in the outfield.
--Andy SmithSource: Chandler Rome
January 28, 2026
According to Jon Heyman of The New York Post, a trade involving Detroit Tigers ace
Tarik Skubal remains slim in the final stages of the offseason. Skubal, who is in the final year of his contract, has had his name in many trade discussions this winter. However, Detroit's asking price has been quite high, and no suitor has matched it. According to reports, the Tigers asked the New York Mets for five of their top prospects in return for the left-hander. The Mets would then pivot to acquire Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher
Freddy Peralta for only two of their top prospects. Skubal has won the AL Cy Young in back-to-back seasons and remains an elite SP1 for all fantasy formats heading into 2026. Last summer, Skubal posted a dominant 2.21 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, with a 241:33 K:BB across 195 1/3 innings.
--Andy SmithSource: Jon Heyman
January 28, 2026
New York Mets manager
Carlos Mendoza suggested that infielder
Jorge Polanco could open the season as the team's primary cleanup hitter. When discussing his initial plans for the top of the New York Mets lineup with Jon Heyman of The New York Post, Mendoa noted that
Francisco Lindor would likely remain the leadoff hitter with
Juan Soto and
Bo Bichette sitting behind him as the No. 2 and No. 3 hitters. Polanco was then suggested as the primary cleanup hitter with second baseman
Marcus Semien listed as the No. 5 option. Mendoza noted that having two switch-hitters on the roster (Polanco and Lindor) gives him a lot of versatility when constructing lineups. Polanco is coming off a resurgent season in which he posted a .265/.326/.495 line with 30 doubles and 16 home runs. If he were to bat in the cleanup spot behind the three All-Stars, Polanco could surpass his previous career-high of 98 RBI, which he tallied back in 2021.
--Andy SmithSource: Jon Heyman
January 28, 2026
San Francisco Giants infielder
Casey Schmitt (wrist) was cleared to begin a hitting progression last week, according to Maria Guardado of MLB.com. Schmitt has been on the shelf since undergoing wrist surgery early in the offseason. The infielder noted that he hopes to be a full-go for spring training. Schmitt sustained this injury on June 25 but was able to play through it during the entire second half. Across 95 games, the former 49th overall pick held a .237/.305/.401 line with a .706 OPS. He hit 12 home runs and added 15 doubles. Under the hood, Schmitt generated a modest .328 xwOBA with a slightly higher .256 xBA. Managers should expect the 26-year-old to open the regular season serving as the team's primary second baseman.
--Andy SmithSource: Maria Guardado
January 27, 2026
Baltimore Orioles infielder
Jordan Westburg was an All-Star in his second MLB season in 2024, when he hit .264/.312/.481 with a .792 OPS and career-highs in home runs (18) and RBI (63) in 107 games played. Westburgh took a slight step back in 2025 and played in just 85 games. The 26-year-old former first-rounder in 2020 out of Mississippi State slashed .265/.313/.457 with a .770 OPS, 17 home runs, 41 RBI, and 59 runs scored for the O's. Most of the disappointment came in the form of injuries -- he missed six-plus weeks with a hamstring injury and a month with a right-ankle sprain. Westburg is probably only eligible at third base in most fantasy baseball leagues going into 2026, but his high contact rates and power stroke still give him upside in Baltimore if he can avoid injuries. If you wait at the position, Westburg is a decent low-end starting third baseman with the clear potential for 20-plus home runs over a full season.
--Keith HernandezSource: Baseball Reference
January 27, 2026
Tampa Bay Rays speedy outfielder
Chandler Simpson made his major-league debut in 2025 and didn't disappoint with his wheels, stealing 44 bases in 109 games. Simpson also hit an impressive .295 (122-for-414), but outside of his speed and high average, there was a lot to pick apart. The 25-year-old former second-rounder was caught stealing a league-high 12 times, had zero home runs, and only drove in 26 runs while hitting at the bottom of the batting order. Simpson's lack of power is a major drawback, and his subpar defense puts him at risk of losing playing time if he's not hitting and getting on base regularly. On the plus side, Simpson hit over .300 against both fastballs and breaking pitches in his first year in the big leagues. If you draft Simpson specifically for his speed, you'll need to get your power elsewhere. Heading into his sophomore season, RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 39 fantasy outfielder.
--Keith HernandezSource: Baseball Reference
January 27, 2026
Atlanta Braves second baseman
Ozzie Albies has been a disappointment for fantasy managers each of the last two years. He played in only 99 games in 2024 due to injury, but Albies was even worse in 2025 despite playing in 157 contests. The 29-year-old switch-hitting infielder slashed .240/.306/.365 with a career-worst .671 OPS, 16 home runs, 74 RBI, 74 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases in 667 plate appearances in his ninth year in the big leagues. It was one of Albies' worst seasons, and it ended on a sour note with a fractured hamate bone in his hand. There's reason for hope, though, as Albies reached the 30-homer mark in his previous two full seasons, and he should be fully recovered from his left-hand injury in time for Opening Day. Albies has dropped to No. 11 in RotoBaller's 2B rankings for 2026. Reasons to not be optimistic include his underwhelming hard-hit rate (30.7%), barrel rate (4.9%), and average exit velocity (87.5 mph) from last year.
--Keith HernandezSource: Baseball Reference
January 27, 2026
Houston Astros left-handed closer
Josh Hader (shoulder) was among the most dominant closers in baseball again in 2025, but he will carry more risk into 2026 after his season was cut short by a left-shoulder strain. The 31-year-old veteran southpaw said recently that he feels back to normal, but until we see that he's at full strength during spring training, Hader will carry extra risk in fantasy baseball. When he was on the mound last year, Hader was still dominant as ever, ranking fifth with a 29.1 K-BB percentage. Hader leaned heavily on his wipeout slider and produced an absurd 55.2% whiff rate with the pitch. The six-time All-Star had a nice 2.05 ERA and 0.85 WHIP with 28 saves, 76 strikeouts, and 16 walks in 52 2/3 innings. Hader's price tag on draft day might be a little deflated due to his shoulder injury, but if it proves to be a thing of the past, he could wind up being a massive value.
--Keith HernandezSource: Baseball Reference
RADIO
