March 22, 2026
Chicago Cubs outfield prospect Ethan Conrad (back), the team's first-round pick in 2025, is expected to miss around a month due to a back injury, according to Mark Gonzales. Conrad was taken with the 17th overall pick last year out of Wake Forest. The 21-year-old is already considered Chicago's No. 3 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, but his development early on in 2026 will be delayed. The left-handed-hitting outfielder stands at 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds. Conrad's weakness is his aggressiveness, but it also helps him hit the ball hard consistently when he makes contact. The Cubs will continue to work on Conrad pulling the ball more to his pull side so he can hopefully become an above-average power hitter at the big-league level down the road. In 21 games at Wake Forest in his final college season, he hit .372/.495/.744 with seven home runs and 27 RBI in 21 games played. MLB Pipeline has Conrad projected to reach the big leagues in 2028.
--Keith HernandezSource: Mark Gonzales
March 22, 2026
It was announced on Saturday that Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop prospect
Konnor Griffin would not be on the team's Opening Day roster, and on Sunday, Milb Central reports that Griffin will start the year at Triple-A Indianapolis. It was looking like the 19-year-old phenom might become the first teenager to start on Opening Day since Ken Griffey Jr. did it back in 1989. He hit just .171 (7-for-41) in 16 Grapefruit League games, but Griffin also had four home runs, nine RBI, a stolen base, five runs scored, and a .749 OPS this spring. The former ninth overall pick in 2024 impressed his teammates with his physicality and his maturity in spring training. In three minor-league levels in 2025, Griffin excelled with a .333/.415/.527 slash line, .941 OPS, 21 home runs, 94 RBI, 117 runs scored, and 65 stolen bases in 122 games played. Griffin can do it all on the diamond and should be up in Pittsburgh for his major-league debut sooner than later in 2026. Even though he'll start in the minors, fantasy managers should be stashing the potential once-in-a-generation talent.
--Keith HernandezSource: Milb Central
March 22, 2026
Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher
Grayson Rodriguez (arm) is going to open the season on the 15-day Injured List. Rodriguez is reportedly dealing with general soreness that will keep him sidelined to start the year. He's basically dealing with dead arm that will hopefully only keep him sidelined for the minimum of 15 days.
Jack Kochanowicz and
Ryan Johnson have been named the final two starters with Rodriguez out. Rodriguez hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2024, with him missing all of last season due to elbow issues. When healthy, Rodriguez has posted good numbers, but the arm issues make him difficult to trust as a long-term fantasy option.
--Andy WebbSource: Jack Janes
March 22, 2026
Houston Astros relief pitcher
Josh Hader (biceps) was able to throw a successful bullpen session on Sunday. The southpaw has been able to throw a few bullpen sessions, but there is no word on when he'll advance to facing hitters. Hader will begin the season on the Injured List while he recovers from a biceps injury. There doesn't seem to be a clear timetable for Hader's return right now, which makes him a risky fantasy closer. He posted a 2.05 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, and a 76:16 K/BB ratio with 28 saves last season. His numbers were solid, but he also ended the season with a left-shoulder strain. Both age regression and injuries should be taken into account when deciding to draft Hader. Once healthy, Hader should resume the closer role, but
Bryan Abreu figures to fill that role until he's ready to go.
--Andy WebbSource: Brian McTaggart
March 22, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher
Kyle Harrison (finger) is currently trending towards being ready for Opening Day. The southpaw was removed from Wednesday's outing due to a blister on his left index finger. He doesn't appear to be in danger of missing Opening Day after throwing a successful bullpen session over the weekend. The Brewers will continue to monitor the situation, as blisters can often be a recurring issue. Barring any setbacks, Harrison seems likely to be ready for the beginning of the regular season. He posted a 4.04 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and a 38:14 K/BB ratio across six starts last season. The 24-year-old could be an interesting late-round option for fantasy managers looking for pitching depth.
--Andy WebbSource: Adam McCalvy
March 22, 2026
Los Angeles Angels outfielder
Mike Trout (hand) was back in the starting lineup for Sunday's Freeway Series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Trout was removed from Friday's Cactus League contest after getting hit by a pitch on his hand. He was immediately taken out of the game and underwent precautionary X-rays, which came back negative. The Angels gave Trout a day off to rest before he returned to the lineup on Sunday. Fantasy managers shouldn't be worried about this injury impacting his status for Opening Day. The three-time MVP slashed .232/.359/.439 with 26 home runs and 64 RBI in 128 games last season. His ADP is around 167, which seems fair given Trout has only played over 100 games twice since 2021.
--Andy WebbSource: Jack Janes
March 22, 2026
Colorado Rockies pitcher
Chase Dollander will begin the 2026 season pitching out of the bullpen, according to manager Warren Schaeffer. Dollander was competing for the final spot in the rotation with
Ryan Feltner during camp. The 24-year-old didn't make the starting rotation after posting a 6.43 ERA, 1.79 WHIP, with seven walks across 14 innings of work this spring. Last season, Dollander registered a 6.52 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, and an 82:49 K/BB ratio across 21 starts with Colorado. It doesn't appear that the former first-round pick has made many improvements over the offseason. The Rockies will give Dollander a chance to prove himself out of the bullpen to start the season. There is unlikely to be much fantasy value here with Dollander probably pitching in a long relief or swingman type of role.
--Andy WebbSource: Thomas Harding
March 22, 2026
Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher
Nick Lodolo (finger) was pulled from his Cactus League start on Sunday due to a blister on his left index finger, according to Charlie Goldsmith of FOX19 (via radio broadcaster Tommy Thrall). Lodolo was clearly dealing with discomfort, as he threw just 10 pitches (four strikes) before exiting. He allowed two runs, including a homer, without recording a single out. It's too early to tell whether the blister might impact his availability for the Reds' opening series against the Boston Red Sox. The Reds' projected No. 2 starter is looking to build on a strong 2025 campaign in which he went 9-8 with a 3.66 xFIP, 8.96 K/9, and 1.78 BB/9. Lodolo currently ranks #30 among starting pitchers in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.
--Andersen PickardSource: Charlie Goldsmith
March 22, 2026
Cleveland Guardians first baseman
Rhys Hoskins has made the team's Opening Day roster, according to Jon Heyman of The New York Post. The eight-year MLB veteran was in camp with the Guardians on a minor league contract with a non-roster invite. He appeared in 90 games for the Milwaukee Brewers last year, slashing .237/.332/.416 with 12 home runs, an 11.6% walk rate, a 27.7% strikeout rate, and 109 wRC+. He has posted above-average wRC+ numbers every year throughout his career, as well as this spring. Evidently, the offensive output was enough to earn him a spot on Cleveland's 26-man roster, and he'll have a chance to carve out a large workload as the team's projected designated hitter, batting fifth.
--Andersen PickardSource: Jon Heyman
March 22, 2026
Colorado Rockies right-handed pitching prospect
RJ Petit (elbow) underwent Tommy John surgery with an internal brace on the right elbow, according to Thomas Harding of MLB.com. The operation was performed on Friday by Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas, and it will result in Petit missing the entire 2026 regular season. It's a crushing blow for the 6-foot-8 right-hander, who was initially trending toward making his MLB debut this year after being selected off the Detroit Tigers' roster in the Rule 5 draft. He posted a 2.74 ERA with 12.91 K/9 and 3.91 BB/9 across 23 innings at Triple-A last year. The Rule 5 eligibility restrictions will apply to Petit in 2027, when he's activated from the 60-day injured list. In the meantime, Colorado will have another decision to make regarding which pitcher will take Petit's spot on the 26-man roster for Opening Day.
--Andersen PickardSource: Thomas Harding
March 22, 2026
New York Yankees catcher
J.C. Escarra will open the regular season in a backup role behind
Austin Wells, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
Ben Rice did appear in Sunday's spring training game behind the dish, but he's expected to spend most of 2026 at first base, leaving Escarra as the natural No. 2 backstop option. The 30-year-old made his MLB debut in pinstripes last year, slashing .202/.296/.333 with an 11.2% walk rate, a 14.3% strikeout rate, and 79 wRC+ across 40 big-league games (98 plate appearances). He didn't have the best batted ball results, but he posted solid discipline numbers and was significantly above average behind the dish with 3.9 framing runs and 3.3 defensive fWAR.
--Andersen PickardSource: Bryan Hoch
March 22, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitcher
Carmen Mlodzinski has made the starting rotation out of camp, according to Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Manager
Don Kelly said that Mlodzinski will open the year in the No. 3 spot, putting him in line to start on Sunday, March 29, against the New York Mets. Mlodzinski split the last three years between the Pirates' bullpen and rotation, ultimately logging a career-high 99 innings of work last year. Across those 99 frames, he posted a respectable 3.33 FIP with 8.09 K/9, 2.45 BB/9, and a 47.5% ground ball rate. If he sticks in the rotation for a while, he could end up commanding some fantasy consideration in deeper leagues.
--Andersen PickardSource: Colin Beazley
March 22, 2026
The Washington Nationals have acquired infielder
Jorbit Vivas from the New York Yankees in exchange for right-handed pitching prospect Sean Paul Linan, according to Andrew Golden of The Baltimore Banner. Vivas logged 66 plate appearances as a rookie last season, slashing just .161/.266/.250 with a 7.6% walk rate, a 19.7% strikeout rate, and 52 wRC+. He showed slight improvement at the plate this spring with 85 wRC+. The 25-year-old finds himself near replacement level on defense, splitting time between second and third base. He was out of options, so this move suggests that the Yankees were looking for a way to recoup any sort of trade compensation, rather than simply designating him for assignment. Headed back to New York is Linan, a 21-year-old who signed with the Dodgers out of Colombia back in 2022. He was sent to Washington in last summer's
Alex Call trade. Linan made 19 appearances (15 starts) in the minors last year, posting a 3.22 FIP with 12.34 K/9 and 3.84 BB/9. He impressed in the lower levels of the minors but was roughed up during a brief stint in Triple-A.
--Andersen PickardSource: Andrew Golden
March 22, 2026
Seattle Mariners catcher
Mitch Garver has made the Opening Day roster, according to Shannon Drayer of Seattle Sports. He won the backup catcher job over
Andrew Knizner, who is expected to be designated for assignment. Garver, 35, enters his third season with the Mariners and his 10th in the majors. He slashed .209/.297/.343 with 86 wRC+ at the plate last year, and he hasn't posted positive defensive fWAR since 2021 (2.0). Depending on how the Mariners manage
Cal Raleigh's workload, we could see Garver come close to matching his 2025 total of 290 plate appearances. Raleigh played roughly three-quarters of last season behind the dish, with the remaining one-quarter comprising days off or designated hitter appearances.
--Andersen PickardSource: Shannon Drayer
March 22, 2026
The San Francisco Giants have granted the release of left-handed pitcher
Joey Lucchesi, according to Justice delos Santos of The Mercury News. After the Giants signed
Ryan Borucki yesterday, it became clear that Lucchesi would not make the team, so he asked to be released. The southpaw should find an MLB opportunity elsewhere. Not only did he maintain a solid 3.97 FIP over 38.1 innings last year, but he also amassed three innings of work with one earned run, two strikeouts, and zero walks this spring. The 32-year-old will now have a few days to search for a new job before Opening Day arrives on Thursday.
--Andersen PickardSource: Justice delos Santos
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