January 19, 2026
Seattle Mariners top prospect
Colt Emerson is a name to keep a close eye on during camp, as he could push for an early MLB debut in 2026. Last summer, the No. 9-ranked prospect in the sport according to MLB Pipeline began the season in High-A and finished the season with Triple-A Tacoma. With High-A, Emerson posted a .281/.388/.453 line with 16 doubles, 11 home runs, and six stolen bases. Through his first taste of Double-A, Emerson held a .282 AVG with a solid .790 OPS across a 34-game stint. Then, during his brief six-game taste of Triple-A, Emerson continued to play at a high level, hitting two home runs with a .364/.444/.727 line. While Emerson figures to earn a full stint at Triple-A to start 2026, he could debut in Seattle much earlier than expected if he can continue his current trajectory.
--Andy SmithSource: RotoBaller
January 19, 2026
Detroit Tigers top prospect
Kevin McGonigle is a name to closely monitor early in the season. McGonigle enjoyed an impressive 2025 campaign and is quickly approaching the top level of the Detroit system. Last season, the No. 2-ranked prospect on MLB Pipeline, trailing only Pittsburgh's
Konnor Griffin, opened the season at Low-A but quickly reached Double-A by the second half. Across 88 total games, McGonigle held an elite .305/.408/.583 line. Through 46 games with Double-A Erie, the 21-year-old posted a .254/.369/.550 line with 10 doubles, 12 home runs, and seven stolen bases. While McGonigle remains at least one stop away from the majors, he could be in the mix for a second-half MLB debut if he can carry this production into Triple-A. He remains a high-end dynasty asset that could hold redraft value late in the regular season.
--Andy SmithSource: RotoBaller
January 19, 2026
Kansas City Royals first baseman/outfielder
Jac Caglianone appears ticketed to see a near-everyday role at the start of the 2026 campaign. The former sixth overall pick from the 2024 MLB Draft made his MLB debut last season but struggled as he held a .157/.237/.295 line with just six doubles and seven home runs across a 62-game stint. However, during his time at Triple-A, the former Florida Gator flared immense upside, hitting an elite .357/.426/.705 line with six doubles and 11 home runs. Earlier in the offseason, the Royals appeared interested in acquiring Boston Red Sox outfielder
Jarren Duran in a trade. However, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that this trade appears unlikely, leaving Caglainone facing even less competition for an everyday role. Currently, he is slated to cover right field while
Kyle Isbel,
Isaac Collins, and
Lane Thomas split center and left field. Given his power upside, Caglianone could enjoy a massive breakout season if he can see every day at-bats.
--Andy SmithSource: RotoBaller
January 19, 2026
Cincinnati Reds prospect
Sal Stewart is expected to earn opportunities at first base during camp. Charlie Goldsmith of The Dayton Daily News reported that, given Cincinnati's crowded infield, the Reds will look to provide Stewart as many opportunities as possible instead of keeping him in the DH spot. Last summer, the team's top hitting prospect made his MLB debut and spent most of his time at first base. However, coming up in the minor leagues. Stewart never saw a game at first base and instead covered second and third. However, with
Ke'Bryan Hayes at the hot corner and
Matt McLain at second, the 22-year-old has had to learn a new position. Managers should monitor his status during camp, as Stewart could shift between first base and DH if his bat can continue to produce. During his first 18 games with the Reds, Stewart flashed solid upside, hitting five home runs with an .838 OPS.
--Andy SmithSource: Charlie Goldsmith
January 19, 2026
According to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportnet, the Toronto Blue Jays have had meetings with free agent left-hander
Framber Valdez and remain in the mix to sign him. The Blue Jays have had a very active offseason, including signing
Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year deal and starting pitcher
Dylan Cease to a seven-year contract. Additionally, they were heavily linked to Kyler Tucker and even offered him a massive $350 million, 10-year deal before he signed with the Dodgers. With Tucker off the board, the Blue Jays have remained active among the top free agents and could look to further bolster their rotation by adding Valdez. The southpaw has been one of the most stable workhorse pitchers in the sport as he has logged over 190 innings in three of his last four seasons. During these four campaigns, the southpaw has held a 3.21 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP. Valdez projects to carry solid SP2 upside in all formats heading into 2026.
--Andy SmithSource: Ben Nicholson-Smith
January 19, 2026
The New York Mets remain interested in the top hitter available on the free agent market, outfielder
Cody Bellinger, even after signing infielder
Bo Bichette to a three-year, $126 million contract on Friday afternoon. According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, the Mets would prefer to sign Bellinger to a short-term deal after signing Bichette to that high contract. While Bellinger has been heavily linked to the Yankees on a longer-term deal as well, the Mets would likely offer a higher annual value, albeit for a shorter term. With the Yankees last season, Bellinger posted a strong .272/.336/.480 line with 29 home runs and 13 stolen bases. His home run total was the highest since his incredible 2019 campaign. If Bellinger were to join the Mets, he could potentially block top prospect
Carson Benge from an everyday role early in the season.
--Andy SmithSource: Will Sammon
January 19, 2026
Before signing a three-year, $45 million extension with the Philadelphia Phillies, catcher
J.T. Realmuto was linked to the Tampa Bay Rays. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Rays were interested in the veteran backstop but were unable to match Philadelphia's contract offer. The 34-year-old has spent the majority of his 12-year MLB career in Philadelphia. Last summer, he saw his offensive production take a hit, posting a low .257/.325/.384 line with 12 home runs and eight sotlen baes. Under the hood, he generated a .316 xwOBA with a slightly above-average 45.5% hard-hit rate. With the Rays missing out on Realmuto, managers should expect Nic Fortes,
Hunter Feduccia, and
Dominic Keegan to compete for starting opportunities. Fortes will likely be the starting option but holds minimal fantasy value outside of 15+ team AL-only formats.
--Andy SmithSource: Ken Rosenthal
January 19, 2026
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Kansas City Royals are unlikely to land either of the two hitters they have been pursuing in trade talks,
Brendan Donovan of the St. Louis Cardinals, or
Jarren Duran of the Boston Red Sox. Through the winter, both the Cardinals and Red Sox have been listening to offers for these two players, but have yet to strike a deal. However, Rosenthal believes that the Royals appear to be out of the running to bolster their lineup ahead of spring training. Donovan is a super-utility infielder who turned in a productive 2025 campaign, posting a .287/.353/.422 line with 10 home runs and three stolen bases. Duran took a step back in 2025 as he held a lower .256/.332/.442 line compared to the impressive .285/.342/.492 slash line he held in 2024. With the Royals likely missing out on both bats, managers should expect
Jonathan India to remain the primary second baseman heading into camp, while
Lane Thomas,
Kyle Isbel, and
Jac Caglianone hold the positions in the outfield. This is an excellent sign for former top prospect Caglianone, as he will face even less competition for a full-time role.
--Andy SmithSource: Ken Rosenthal
January 19, 2026
The Los Angeles Dodgers could look to shop outfielder
Ryan Ward following the signing of star outfielder
Kyle Tucker. As reported by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Dodgers are "likely" to explore trade offers for the 27-year-old ahead of spring training. While initial reports suggested they could shop
Teoscar Hernandez, the Dodgers are likely to shift him to left field and instead move the long-time minor leaguer. Last season, Ward turned in an impressive campaign with Triple-A Oklahoma City and was making a strong push to join the Dodgers down the stretch. The Pacific Coast League MVP posted a remarkable .290/.380/.557 line with a .937 OPS, 31 doubles, 36 home runs, and 16 stolen bases. Ward is a name to closely monitor as he would become an intriguing sleeper for deeper leagues if he can join a club that would give him an opportunity to crack an Opening Day roster.
--Andy SmithSource: Ken Rosenthal
January 19, 2026
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Los Angeles Dodgers could look to shop right-handed pitcher
Bobby Miller in a potential trade. Rosenthal noted that while reports suggested
Teoscar Hernandez could be on the trade block following the signing of
Kyle Tucker, Rosenthal believes the Dodgers would instead look to move young right-hander Miller. Miller flashed immediate upside in his debut season back in 2023. He logged 124 1/3 innings to the tune of a 3.76 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP. However, in 2024, Miller would take a massive step back, logging 52 innings with a hefty 8.52 ERA and a 1.77 WHIP. Last summer, Miller tossed only five innings with the Dodgers as he spent the majority of the season with Triple-A Oklahoma City. Miller could be an intriguing buy-low asset for some teams, given his prospect pedigree. For now, he does not expect to carry any value in standard redrat leagues.
--Andy SmithSource: Ken Rosenthal
January 18, 2026
The Baltimore Orioles are reportedly still in the mix for free-agent left-handed starting pitcher
Framber Valdez, according to Roch Kubatko. Valdez is one of the top remaining free agent starters on the market. The Giants and Mets have reportedly shown interest, but the O's also remain in the mix. It seems that the O's would like to add a top-of-the-rotation pitcher ahead of the 2026 season. They've been linked to
Justin Verlander, but his best days are likely behind him. Valdez could be a potential game-changer to an Orioles rotation that already has
Kyle Bradish and
Trevor Rogers as their top options. In 2025, Valdez posted a 3.66 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and a 187/68 K/BB ratio across 31 starts with the Houston Astros. The 31-year-old could offer a significant boost to this O's rotation heading into the 2026 campaign.
--Andy WebbSource: Roch Kubatko
January 18, 2026
The Chicago White Sox have signed free-agent relief pitcher
Ryan Borucki to a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training. This is a low-risk move by the South Siders to add a veteran arm to their bullpen. Last season, Borucki posted a 4.63 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and a 32/16 K/BB ratio across 39 appearances with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Toronto Blue Jays. The 31-year-old has a career 4.28 ERA across eight big league seasons with three different organizations. With a strong performance in camp, Borucki could settle in nicely as a middle reliever in Chicago.
--Andy WebbSource: Scott Merkin
January 18, 2026
The Texas Rangers signed free-agent relief pitcher
Jakob Junis to a deal on Sunday. They've agreed on a one-year, $4 million deal for the 2026 season. Junis played a critical role in the Cleveland Guardians bullpen last season. He registered a 2.97 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and a 55/18 K/BB ratio across 57 appearances. The expectation is that Junis will function as a middle reliever, which is going to limit his ceiling for fantasy purposes. The Rangers don't have a lockdown closer at the moment, but it's unclear if Junis will be used in that role. The 33-year-old has only two career saves during his nine-year MLB career. For now, the assumption is that Junis will function as a viable middle reliever.
--Andy WebbSource: Ken Rosenthal
January 18, 2026
Washington Nationals starting pitcher
Cade Cavalli has avoided arbitration and agreed to a deal with the organization. The right-hander requested $900,000 from the Nats, while the team countered at $825,000. They've agreed to a one-year, $862,500 deal, which includes a $4 million club option for 2027. Cavalli is a former first-round pick of the Nats from the 2020 draft. Before 2025, Cavalli only made one start for the Nats, but got a larger opportunity last season. He registered a 4.25 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and 40/15 K/BB ratio across 10 starts in 2025. The 27-year-old is expected to be in the Opening Day rotation and should be monitored as a potential breakout candidate.
--Andy WebbSource: Jon Heyman
January 18, 2026
Atlanta Braves shortstop
Ha-Seong Kim (finger) will be sidelined for four to five months after undergoing surgery to fix a torn tendon in his right middle finger. Kim required surgery after suffering a torn tendon in his right middle finger after falling on ice in Korea. The 30-year-old is expected to be sidelined until around late May. That's a tough blow to the Braves after they signed Kim to a one-year, $20 million deal this offseason. It's unclear if the Braves will fill the void internally or look to sign another veteran infielder. Given he'll likely only miss the first two months,
Mauricio Dubon figures to start at shortstop to begin the season. Kim could still be a potential stash option for fantasy managers, with him likely to be an everyday player once he's healthy. He's a player who is capable of hitting around 15 homers and 20-plus steals when he's healthy and playing regularly.
--Andy WebbSource: Atlanta Braves
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