February 17, 2026
Washington Nationals outfielder
Dylan Crews was one of the top prospects in baseball coming into last season, but he had underwhelming rookie numbers. He's ready to turn the page and have a much better sophomore campaign, saying, "I think all of us have to forget about everything that's happened in the past. It's a clean slate right now." The former No. 2 overall pick is still a huge part of the Nationals' plans and should get a long leash as a primary outfielder in Washington this season. In his 85 games last year, he hit just .208 with 10 homers and 17 stolen bases. He has the potential for a much better average and more power if he can live up to his pedigree in the majors this season. He's slotted into a great lineup spot if he hits second between C.J. Abrams and
James Wood, so there's definitely still some upside with Crews, who is available at a low ADP and has some definite "post-hype sleeper" potential to emerge this season.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Mark Zuckerman
February 17, 2026
Houston Texans tight end
Dalton Schultz quietly had one of the best seasons of his NFL career in 2025. Schultz's headlines were muffled by
C.J. Stroud's struggles and the breakouts of
Jayden Higgins and
Jaylin Noel, but the veteran tight end had a very strong year en route to posting his second TE10 finish in the last three years. The 29-year-old ultimately caught 82 passes on 106 targets, both of which represent career highs. He tallied 777 yards and three touchdowns, finishing as a top-12 tight end for the fifth time in six years. Schultz isn't the flashiest name at the tight end position, but he has quietly offered year-over-year stability. The veteran pass-catcher remains under contract with Houston for 2026, and he should continue to produce next season despite Stroud's inconsistent play. Schultz ranks as a fringe top-12 fantasy tight end, and he should be held in most dynasty leagues.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 17, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver
Tee Higgins continues to be a productive fantasy option, and he posted a new career-best finish as the overall WR15 in PPR leagues in 2025. Despite missing two games, Higgins exploded for 59 catches, 846 yards, and a career-high 11 touchdowns. It has been really encouraging to see the former second-round pick get more looks in the end zone. He has set a new career-high in touchdowns in each of the last two seasons, and during that two-year window, he has scored a total of 21 times. Some people might say that Higgins benefits from facing teams' No. 2 cornerbacks (because their top options cover
Ja'Marr Chase), but that's a hard argument to make given that Higgins has also excelled in games that Chase has missed. There's a bit of an injury risk with Higgins, who had two concussions during the back half of the 2025 season, but his ceiling and floor both remain quite high. He's worth drafting as a high-end WR2 in 2026 fantasy drafts, and he's worth holding in dynasty leagues.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 17, 2026
San Francisco Giants relief pitcher
Ryan Walker is likely to get the first shot at being the team's primary closer, even after a down year in 2025. Walker took over closing duties in 2024 and was excellent on his way to a 1.91 ERA and 2.52 FIP in 80 innings across 76 appearances. In 2025, though, his ERA climbed to 4.11 and fIP to 3.31. He had a career-high 17 saves but also had six blown saves and a 1.27 WHIP. Walker has made it clear coming into camp that he wants the ball in high-leverage situations, and he seems to have the inside track for the job. The rest of the bullpen doesn't have much combined experience closing games, so if Walker stumbles like he did last year, it will likely be
Joel Peguero,
Erik Miller, or
Jose Butto who have to step up.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Alex Pavlovic
February 17, 2026
Denver Broncos tight end
Evan Engram had a frustrating 2025 season, failing to live up to preseason expectations. Engram signed with the Broncos after three years in Jacksonville. He had been a top-five fantasy tight end in two of his three years with the Jaguars, and the one exception was his injury-shortened 2024 campaign. Fantasy managers had high hopes for Engram in Denver, where he could have played the "joker" role in Sean Payton's offense. Instead, he was held to just 4.75 targets per contest, and he finished the year with just one touchdown. These subpar stats resulted in Engram ranking as the overall TE29 in PPR leagues, which was the lowest single-season mark of his career (minimum 10 games played). It doesn't seem like this year was a fluke, either. Engram truly just struggled to get on the field, playing fewer than 50% of the offensive snaps in 13 of his 16 contests. Barring a major scheme change this offseason, we can expect a similar pattern for Engram in 2026. He's a risky redraft option in next summer's drafts. Meanwhile, dynasty managers might want to trade Engram while they still can, capitalizing on any name value he has left.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 17, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver
Ladd McConkey had a frustrating second season in the NFL. He caught 66 passes for 789 yards and six touchdowns, ranking as the overall WR30. He wasn't a total bust, but he certainly failed to live up to the expectations he had established after finishing as the WR13 as a rookie in 2024. That same year, he had 1,149 yards and seven touchdowns.
Justin Herbert continues to play at a very high level, so we can't blame his regression on poor quarterback play. The Chargers' bottom-tier offensive line could have been a contributing factor, but more likely than not, defenses just started to do a better job game-planning for the former second-round pick now that they had a full year's worth of film on him. Los Angeles replaced offensive coordinator Greg Roman with Mike McDaniel this offseason, which should benefit all of the Chargers' skill players in fantasy football. Additionally, there might be a few extra targets to go around, now that
Keenan Allen is headed for free agency. All in all, managers absolutely should not panic about McConkey after the 2025 season. In fact, dynasty managers might be able to buy low on McConkey if his current manager is frustrated by how he played last year.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 17, 2026
Denver Broncos quarterback
Bo Nix (ankle) put together another strong season in 2025, and he continues to trend upward despite entering the offseason with a broken ankle. In his second pro season, Nix threw for 3,931 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He also added 356 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. As a result, he finished as the overall QB7 for the second year in a row. The former first-round pick's production was a little inconsistent at times, as he certainly had some boom or bust games, but he played well enough to satisfy his fantasy managers and keep them in the hunt for the fantasy playoffs. He also kept his Broncos in the playoff hunt, locking up the No. 1 seed and taking down the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round. However, Nix broke his ankle near the end of the Bills game, sidelining him for the Broncos' eventual loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship. Nix should be fully recovered in time for the 2026 season, and his supporting cast will arguably be stronger than ever with
Courtland Sutton returning and
Troy Franklin and
Pat Bryant both having another year under their belts. Plus, running back
RJ Harvey is expected to take a major step forward, further improving the overall state of the offense. All signs point to Nix finishing as QB7 or higher again in 2026.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 17, 2026
Boston Red Sox infielder
Romy Gonzalez (shoulder) is still limited to just playing catch, according to manager Alex Cora, and is unable to do any other baseball activities while waiting for the PRP injection to work on his shoulder injury. The issue first cropped up towards the end of last season and has limited Gonzalez all offseason. It's starting to look unlikely that he'll be ready for Opening Day, but the 29-year-old will still likely fit into Boston's crowded infield mix at some point, He slashed .305/.343/.483 with an .826 OPS, nine home runs, 53 RBI, 47 runs scored, and six stolen bases in 96 regular-season games last year and had an impressive 99th-percentile hard-hit rate and 123 wRC+ in what a breakout campaign. He especially excelled against lefties and should at least get time in a platoon when he's healthy. Monitor his recovery and keep him as a late-round deep-league value addition, especially if you need some roster versatility.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Gabrielle Starr
February 17, 2026
The Seattle Seahawks are not expected to place the franchise tag on impending free agent running back
Kenneth Walker III, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Walker capitalized on a contract year and put together a very impressive 2025 campaign. For the first time in his career, he was healthy for all 17 regular-season games. He tallied 1,309 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns while splitting work with
Zach Charbonnet during the regular season, and he put the rushing workload on his back after Charbonnet tore his ACL during Seattle's first playoff game. Ultimately, Walker won Super Bowl MVP and could now fetch the largest contract among this year's free agent running backs. Schefter doesn't totally rule out a return to Seattle for Walker, but he does note that the team has other plans for its spending, including a
Jaxon Smith-Njigba extension and re-signing other free agents.
--Andersen PickardSource: Adam Schefter
February 16, 2026
Washington Commanders impending free agent tight end
Zach Ertz (knee) may be 36 years old, but he has continued to be a productive pass-catching weapon on the offensive side of the ball. Ertz had 50 catches for 504 yards and four touchdowns across 13 games, ranking as the overall TE19 in PPR leagues. He has 11 touchdowns over the last two seasons, averaging 10.1 fantasy points per game during that span. His final stat line from 2025 is even more impressive when you remember the quarterback situation he was dealt.
Jayden Daniels missed plenty of time due to injury, so Ertz found himself catching passes from
Marcus Mariota. He was shut down for the season by the time
Josh Johnson earned any quarterback snaps, though. Ertz tore his ACL in Week 14, leaving plenty of question marks about his availability for 2026. Furthermore, he's a free agent this offseason, so we don't even know if he'll end up back in Washington. It's quite possible that a team with an established, young No. 1 tight end signs Ertz, allowing him to recover before filling a depth role. That'd be a rough scenario for fantasy managers, so selling high on him in dynasty leagues might be the right choice this offseason.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 16, 2026
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback
Geno Smith had an ugly first season with the team, and it likely cost him his starting job. Smith signed a two-year, $75 million deal with the Raiders last offseason, reuniting with head coach Pete Caroll. The reunion didn't result in a successful season. Vegas went 3-14, Carroll was let go, and Smith posted a horrific 19:17 TD:INT ratio with a career-high 55 sacks. One of the few positive storylines of the Raiders' season was that they ended up with the No. 1 draft pick, giving them the right to select any eligible prospect they'd like. Presumably, that player will be Indiana quarterback and national champion Fernando Mendoza. In all likelihood, Mendoza will win the starting job right away. That could move Smith to a backup role, but more likely, the veteran quarterback will be released with one year left on his contract. Releasing him creates $8 million in cap space with $18.5 million in dead money, offering the Raiders a fresh start with Mendoza and first-year head coach Klint Kubiak. Smith should be avoided in all dynasty and redraft leagues.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 16, 2026
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver
Dont'e Thornton Jr. had an underwhelming rookie season, catching just 10 of his 30 targets for 135 yards through 15 games. There was plenty of preseason hype about the Tennessee product, so it was frustrating to see that he never really produced at a significant level. Part of the blame falls on Thornton himself, but we can also attribute some of it to the poor state of the Raiders' offense. Quarterback
Geno Smith struggled during his first year with the team, amassing 17 interceptions and just 19 touchdowns. All signs point to Vegas drafting college football standout Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick, which would put the offense in a better state and potentially lead to more upside for Thornton. He could also pick up some additional targets with veteran
Tyler Lockett headed for free agency. The 23-year-old is a very intriguing buy-low candidate in dynasty leagues after his quiet season. Dynasty managers may have already grown impatient with Thornton, meaning that he could be acquired at minimal cost.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 16, 2026
The San Diego Padres signed free-agent right-hander
Walker Buehler to a minor-league deal on Monday, according to Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune. The Padres' first four starting rotation spots for 2026 appear to be set with
Nick Pivetta,
Michael King,
Joe Musgrove, and
Randy Vasquez. Buehler will come to spring training competing for the fifth and final rotation spot with
German Marquez,
Matt Waldron,
Triston McKenzie,
JP Sears, and
Marco Gonzales. The 31-year-old struggled in his final season with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024 and also didn't look great in 126 innings with the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies last year, posting a 4.93 ERA (5.66 FIP) and 1.52 WHIP with 92 strikeouts and 61 walks in 26 outings (24 starts). Buehler has not been the same pitcher since having Tommy John surgery in 2022, and he'll need to limit the walks and keep the ball in the yard to win a rotation spot in San Diego.
--Keith HernandezSource: The San Diego Union-Tribune - Kevin Acee
February 16, 2026
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver
Davante Adams capitalized on his high-scoring role within an omnipotent offense during the 2025 regular season. The Rams' offense steamrolled most opponents in their path, largely thanks to the elite talent of Adams,
Puka Nacua, and quarterback
Matthew Stafford. The veteran receiver benefitted from having Stafford to throw him passes, as the two connected for 14 touchdowns over Los Angeles' first 12 games. The frequent trips to the end zone allowed him to turn in his best fantasy finish (WR9) since 2022, despite posting his lowest yardage total since 2015 in Green Bay. Adams isn't getting younger, and we know that he's still the No. 2 option in the passing game behind Nacua. However, this past season proved that Adams remains a talented, must-start receiver in fantasy football. He's a solid top-12 receiver option heading into redraft leagues in 2026. On the other hand, dynasty managers might want to consider selling high, as he's 33 years old and the peak of his career is behind him.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 16, 2026
Cleveland Guardians manager
Stephen Vogt said that infield prospect
Juan Brito will see time at first base, second base, and third base this spring, according to Mason Horodyski of WEWS. Brito could also be an option in right field because the team doesn't have many right-handed options there. "If Juan Brito can play all of those roles... obviously it's beneficial for him and for us," Vogt said. Adding versatility will only increase Brito's chances of earning an Opening Day roster spot in 2026. The 24-year-old Dominican switch-hitter only played in 31 games in 2025 at the Rookie level and with Triple-A Columbus due to surgeries on his thumb and hamstring. He hit .243/.355/.437 with a .792 OPS, four homers, 17 RBI, 17 runs, and four steals in 125 plate appearances. Brito is unlikely to have a realistic shot at regular playing time in 2026, and he still has minor-league options remaining.
--Keith HernandezSource: WEWS - Mason Horodyski
February 16, 2026
Kansas City Chiefs running back
Brashard Smith could have the opportunity to take on an expanded role during the 2026 season. Smith was buried in a depth role for most of his rookie season in 2025, especially with
Isiah Pacheco and
Kareem Hunt leading the backfield. However, the Chiefs' running back dynamic could change in 2026. Both Pacheco and Hunt are free agents this offseason, and it's unclear whether either of them will re-sign. If only one or neither of them returns next season, Smith will have a path to a larger workload. He had a modest 323 scrimmage yards and one touchdown this past year, so he certainly hasn't proven himself ready for a lead-back role. However, he could share the backfield with someone like Pacheco or another mid-range, experienced back. Either way, Smith is absolutely trending upward ahead of the 2026 season. He's an intriguing buy in dynasty leagues, especially if his current fantasy manager has already grown impatient.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 16, 2026
Tampa Bay Rays outfielder
Richie Palacios will see reps at third base during spring training, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Palacios has mostly played the outfield in the major leagues, but he's also seen time at second base. The 28-year-old should be the backup option behind
Gavin Lux at the keystone in 2026, but he'll increase his versatility in camp this year by getting some experience at the hot corner. Palacios, a former third-rounder by the Cleveland Guardians in 2018 out of Towson University, missed most of the 2025 campaign (17 games played) due to a broken right ring finger and a sprained knee. The Rays are willing to give him more playing time to see what he can do after he hit .223/.346/.318 with a .664 OPS, five home runs, 21 RBI, 46 runs, and 19 steals in 92 games in 2024. Palacios has plenty of plate discipline and speed, so if he's playing regularly, he could be a nice late-round sleeper in deeper fantasy leagues in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
February 16, 2026
With some of the Boston Red Sox's depth options at first base banged up, including
Triston Casas (knee) and
Romy Gonzalez (shoulder), new infielder
Isiah Kiner-Falefa has taken reps at the position in spring training, according to Sean McAdam of MassLive.com. Kiner-Falefa's primary positions are second base, shortstop, and third base, but he's played literally every other position on the field in the majors, including catcher. He might not really be needed at first in 2026, depending on the health of Casas and Gonzalez, but getting the experience at first this spring doesn't hurt. The 30-year-old veteran has never hit more than eight home runs in a season in his eight years in the big leagues, and he's unlikely to have much fantasy appeal in 2026 with the BoSox in a utility role. Kiner-Falefa should only be rostered as a player with modest speed and positional versatility in AL-only leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: MassLive.com - Sean McAdam
February 16, 2026
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher
Tanner Houck (elbow) resumed throwing on Monday. He made about 25 throws from 45 feet out, marking the first time he had thrown a baseball since undergoing Tommy John surgery nearly six months ago. It's a major step in the right direction for Houck, whose long recovery gives him a timetable to return around September 2026. He hasn't pitched in the majors since last May, when he suffered a right flexor pronator strain and later experienced a setback while rehabbing in the minors. The right-hander didn't pitch very well even when healthy, allowing 39 earned runs over 43.2 innings (nine starts). His strikeout rate dropped to a career-low 6.60 K/9 while his home run rate ballooned to 2.06 HR/9. Therefore, in addition to getting healthy, Houck will look to make mechanical adjustments focused on helping him return to pre-2025 form. He was an All-Star in 2024, and he looked like a potential Cy Young candidate during the first half of that season before things fell apart in the second half.
--Andersen PickardSource: Ian Browne
February 16, 2026
Kansas City Royals catcher
Salvador Perez (thumb) took live batting practice on Monday during the team's full-squad workout in camp, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Perez appears to be fully healthy at spring training after injuring his thumb in the offseason while playing in the Venezuelan Winter League. Despite being long in the tooth, Perez managed to reach the 30-homer mark for just the second time in his career in 2025 in his 14th season in the big leagues. He reached the 100-RBI mark for just the third time in his career and for the second straight season. The 35-year-old nine-time All-Star hit a career-low .236, though. The Royals split Perez's playing time between catcher, first base, and designated hitter to try to keep him fresh, and the expectation is that this will continue in 2026, with
Carter Jensen ready to take on a bigger catching role. Perez can still be productive in fantasy, but he's more of a low-end starting catcher now than a high-end one.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Anne Rogers
February 16, 2026
The Chicago Cubs have not engaged in extension conversations with outfielder
Ian Happ, according to Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times. The everyday left fielder is scheduled to hit free agency next offseason at the expiration of his three-year, $61 million contract. Happ played 150 games last year, and he has played at least 148 games in each of the last five seasons. He slashed 243/.342/.420 with 23 home runs, 116 wRC+, a 13.1% walk rate, and a 22.8% strikeout rate in 2025. He also got his defense back up to league average, posting 0 OAA and 0 FRV in the outfield. In addition to Happ, Chicago also has an important decision to make regarding
Seiya Suzuki, who is slated for free agency next offseason. It seems unlikely that the Cubs would bring both back, especially since outfield prospect
Kevin Alcantara appears ready to take on an everyday role in the majors.
--Andersen PickardSource: Maddie Lee
February 16, 2026
Colorado Rockies infielder/outfielder
Tyler Freeman (back) is dealing with back soreness in spring training and is expected to return a "week or so into camp," according to MLB.com. Freeman began running on Feb. 12 and started taking grounders last Friday. He underwent an anti-inflammatory injection weeks before camp began. Barring a setback once Freeman returns to baseball activities, he should be ready in plenty of time for Opening Day in late March. The 26-year-old former second-round selection by the Cleveland Guardians in 2017 hit .281/.354/.361 with a career-best .715 OPS, two home runs, 31 RBI, 50 runs scored, and 18 stolen bases in 110 games in his first year with the Rockies in 2025. Freeman's defensive versatility -- he played mostly second base and left field, but also four other positions -- should make him a lock for a utility role. He has a contact-oriented approach at the plate and 80th percentile speed. The lack of power and consistent playing time limits his fantasy appeal to NL-only leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
February 16, 2026
The Chicago Cubs have not engaged in extension conversations with outfielder
Seiya Suzuki, according to Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times. Suzuki is nearing the end of a five-year, $85 million deal, which was the first contract that he signed stateside. He slashed .245/.326/.478 with a career-high 32 home runs at the age of 30 last year, adding 123 wRC+ with a 10.9% walk rate and a 25.2% strikeout rate. When asked about a potential extension with the Cubs, Suzuki said (via an interpreter), "I want to work hard and perform well, and hopefully they say yes." Chicago also has an important decision to make regarding
Ian Happ, who is slated for free agency next offseason. It seems unlikely that the Cubs would bring both back, especially since outfield prospect
Kevin Alcantara appears ready to take on an everyday role in the majors.
--Andersen PickardSource: Maddie Lee
February 16, 2026
New York Yankees third baseman/outfielder
Oswaldo Cabrera (ankle), who is coming off an ugly left-ankle fracture from last year, said that he expects to be a full-go this spring, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. However, manager Aaron Boone said he plans to slow-play getting Cabrera into Grapefruit League games. The 26-year-old had surgery on his ankle last May and was limited to a career-low 34 games. In his 122 plate appearances, he went 26-for-107 (.243) with a homer, 11 RBI, and 17 runs scored. Cabrera's ability to play both infield and outfield should assure him of an Opening Day roster spot as a utility man off the bench, barring a setback with his surgically repaired ankle. The Venezuelan switch-hitter is a career .234/.295/.346 hitter with a .641 OPS, 20 homers, 95 RBI, and 15 steals in 301 major-league games in his four seasons.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Daily News - Gary Phillips
February 16, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop prospect
Konnor Griffin has been showcasing extreme power early in spring training, according to Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com. The 2024 first-round pick was reportedly hitting home runs so far that they bounced off the roof of Pirate City deep beyond the outfield fence. This shouldn't necessarily come as a surprise after Griffin belted 21 homers across 122 games last year. He ascended from Single-A to Double-A, ultimately slashing .333/.415/.527 with an 8.9% walk rate, a 21.7% strikeout rate, and 165 wRC+. If the contact and power skills weren't enough, he also showed off blazing speed with 65 stolen bases. The 19-year-old is a five-tool prospect with superstar upside. He's not quite ready to make the leap to the majors, but he'll push to open the year at Triple-A with his MLB debut not far down the road.
--Andersen PickardSource: Anthony Castrovince
February 16, 2026
Texas Rangers shortstop
Corey Seager (appendix) was seen taking live batting practice in camp on Monday. Seager had an appendectomy in late August last year and closed out the season on the injured list. The veteran shortstop had a normal offseason, though, and he should be fully ready for the start of the 2026 season. The 31-year-old former Rookie of the Year and five-time All-Star has had trouble staying healthy the last three seasons in Texas, but when healthy, he has been a consistent contributor for fantasy managers with a 152 wRC+. Seager played in only 102 games in 2025 and finished with a .271/.373/.487 slash line, .860 OPS, 21 home runs, 50 RBI, 61 runs scored, and three steals. It ended a run of three straight 30-homer seasons. If he stays healthy in 2026, a return to the 30-homer mark should be expected. Durability concerns make him the No. 13 fantasy shortstop at RotoBaller.
--Keith HernandezSource: Matthew Postins
February 16, 2026
Miami Marlins outfielder
Kyle Stowers (obliques) took part in live batting practice on Monday during the team's first full-squad workout of the spring, according to Daniel Alvarez-Montes of El Extra Base. Stowers suffered a Grade 1 left-oblique strain in mid-August of last year and was shut down for the rest of the season after injuring his other oblique on a minor-league rehab assignment, so it was good to see the 28-year-old taking swings early in camp. He should be good to go for Opening Day this year after a 2025 breakout campaign that saw him slash .288/.368/.544 with 25 home runs, 73 RBI, 61 runs scored, and five steals in 117 games. It was good enough to earn him his first All-Star nod. Stowers had some issues making contact before last season, but his batted-ball metrics were strong last year, and he'll hit in the heart of Miami's batting order in 2026. RotoBaller has Stowers ranked as the No. 32 fantasy outfielder.
--Keith HernandezSource: El Extra Base - Daniel Avlarez-Montes
February 16, 2026
Athletics second baseman
Zack Gelof isn't expected to be pushed out of the lineup despite the team's offseason moves, and his defensive versatility could result in him playing some innings in center field. According to Martín Gallegos of MLB.com, the A's offseason addition of
Jeff McNeil "could have been viewed as an indictment" against Gelof. However, the team is leaving the door open for Gelof to carve out opportunities to contribute. The 26-year-old got his usual reps at second base on Monday, and then he moved to center field. This was a fairly surprising move for Gelof, considering he only made one appearance in the outfield as a pro (Double-A in 2022). We'll see if the University of Virginia product ends up logging any outfield innings this season, but at the very least, the A's are giving him the chance to showcase his defensive versatility. He'll probably need to show a little more at the plate, too, as he slashed just .174/.230/.272 with a 45.5% strikeout rate across 30 games in the majors last year.
--Andersen PickardSource: Martín Gallegos
February 16, 2026
Detroit Tigers infield prospect
Kevin McGonigle may eventually shift to second or third base as he tries to win an Opening Day roster spot out of spring training, but the Tigers have been adamant that he has the "defensive chops to stick at shortstop," according to Evan Woodbery of MLive.com. "My biggest thing is I've always wanted to be a shortstop in Major League Baseball," McGonigle said. "And I'm going to keep working as hard as I can to stick there." The 5-foot-10, 185-pound, 21-year-old is the consensus No. 2 prospect in baseball. The former 37th overall pick in 2023 was dominant at High-A West Michigan last year, hitting .372 with a 1.110 OPS over 171 plate appearances. McGonigle might have what it takes to skip Triple-A entirely and begin in the big leagues in 2026, but manager A.J. Hinch isn't promising anything. Shortstop is probably the clearest path he has to the big leagues, with
Javier Baez and Zack McKinstry better suited for utility roles. McGonigle's power/speed upside puts him on the radar in all fantasy leagues this year, even if he starts the season at Triple-A Toledo.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLive.com - Evan Woodbery
February 16, 2026
Chicago Cubs outfielder
Pete Crow-Armstrong became the first player in franchise history to reach 30 homers, 30 doubles, and 30 stolen bases in a season in 2025, but a second-half fade left him feeling a sense of disappointment when it was all said and done. Despite the up-and-down season, Crow-Armstrong finished ninth in the National League MVP voting. His goal this spring is to "reduce the dramatic peaks and valleys," according to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian. PCA hit 25 homers with a .544 slugging percentage and an .846 OPS in the first half, but after the All-Star break, he had an OPS of .634 while slashing just .160/.216/.230 in August. He ended last year with the highest swing rate (59.5%) and ranked third in outside-zone swings (45.6%) and swinging-strike rate (16%). The 23-year-old should be viewed as a top-15 fantasy outfielder, but to take the next step in 2026, his plate discipline must improve.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Jordan Bastian
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