March 3, 2026
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher
Garrett Crochet can be a first-round pick in almost all fantasy baseball formats, and is the No. 10 overall player in RotoBaller's rankings coming into the year. He's the second-highest starting pitcher on the board behind only
Tarik Skubal. Crochet put up dazzling numbers last year with a 2.59 ERA, 2.89 FIP, and 1.03 WHIP over 205 1/3 IP in 32 starts. It was his second straight season with 32 starts, and he set a new career-high in innings and strikeouts. He also looked strong in the postseason with an 11-strikeout outing against the Yankees. While pitching his home games at Fenway Park did lead to a few more homers, he continued to limit damage by holding opponents to a .216 batting average and allowing a career-low 37.3% hard-hit rate. Crochet will look to build on that success in 2026 and can serve as the ace of your fantasy staff, just like he will for the Red Sox this year.
--Zach ThompsonSource: RotoBaller
March 3, 2026
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher
Casey Mize finally had a healthy season in 2025, and the No. 1 overall pick from the 2018 MLB Draft has his best season in the majors. He went 14-6 in his 28 starts with a 3.87 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and 3.89 FIP, while totaling 139 strikeouts over 149 innings. Mize doesn't pick up enough strikeouts to be an elite starting option, but he should open the season as the Tigers' fifth starter behind
Tarik Skubal,
Framber Valdez,
Jack Flaherty, and
Justin Verlander. With a good lineup behind him, he can be a solid source of wins, ERA, and innings if he stays healthy again this season, which will be his last year before becoming a free agent for the first time in his career. He is currently ranked as RotoBaller's No. 104 starting pitcher, but his ADP (average draft position) has him even lower than that, so if you need a late-round depth option to help round out your staff, Mize has a high floor with enough upside to make him a good value consideration, especially if you have high-strikeout, high-risk options elsewhere in your rotation.
--Zach ThompsonSource: RotoBaller
March 3, 2026
Washington Nationals outfielder
Daylen Lile was one of the few bright spots in a rough season for the team last year, and the 23-year-old lefty brings a ton of upside based on his ADP (average draft position) in fantasy drafts coming into his second season in the majors. He closed out last year with NL Player of the Month honors in September, and in his 91 games as a rookie, Lile hit .299 with 35 extra-base hits, including nine home runs, 15 doubles, and a club rookie record with 11 triples. Lile added eight stolen bases (in 14 attempts), 51 runs scored, 41 RBI, and finished with a 132 wRC+, .199 ISO, and .360 wOBA. He finished in the 100th percentile of qualified hitters in both xBA and LA Sweet-Spot%, showing his results were definitely not fluky. This year, he should occupy a premium spot in the batting order and bring his well-balanced skillset to a great run-producing spot in a rising young lineup. Lile's excellent contact skills give him a high floor to go with a very high ceiling, and if he carries over his momentum from the end of last season, he will be a great late-round addition.
--Zach ThompsonSource: RotoBaller
March 3, 2026
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher
Andrew Painter had a dominant first start of spring training and looks like he will be on the team's Opening Day roster, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi. Painter threw two perfect innings against the Yankees on Sunday against the Yankees, throwing 20 pitches and getting a strikeout against
Jasson Dominguez. The former top prospect struggled to a 5.40 ERA and 4.90 FIP in Triple-A last year, but he was able to throw 118 minor-league innings, a huge accomplishment after missing 2023 and 2024 with Tommy John surgery. If he continues to put together a strong spring, he will likely open the year in the rotation, and he could keep that spot over
Taijuan Walker after
Zack Wheeler's return if he can deliver on his elite potential.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Jon Morosi
March 3, 2026
New York Yankees designated hitter
Giancarlo Stanton (elbows) is set to see his first action of Spring Training on Tuesday when the Yankees face off against Panama. He will bat fourth as the designated hitter as he begins his ramp-up to Opening Day. Stanton is still dealing with tennis elbow issues in both arms, but his goal is to be ready for a full season despite the issue. Last season, Stanton didn't play his first game until June 16 due to the problem, but he was effective once he debuted, hitting 24 homers in 77 games with a .273 batting average, .321 ISO, and .395 wOBA. If he plays a full season while managing his injury, he brings good power potential, although his health will definitely be something to monitor leading up to the start of the season.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Bryan Hoch
March 2, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander
Max Scherzer is with the team at camp and threw a side session in full uniform on Monday, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. Scherzer could make his Grapefruit League debut as early as this Saturday against the Philadelphia Phillies. The 41-year-old future Hall of Famer signed a one-year, $3 million deal with Toronto last week to return for a 19th major-league season. The eight-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young winner could be ready to open the year in the team's starting rotation despite signing late this spring. Scherzer will always be a bulldog, but Father Time is catching up with him. He went 5-5 with a career-high 5.19 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 82:23 K:BB in 85 innings over 17 regular-season starts. Not only is Scherzer no longer dominant on the mound, but durability is a major concern. Scherzer could be a matchup-based streamer in the right matchups, but he's outside RotoBaller's top-100 starting pitcher rankings.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sportsnet.ca - Ben Nicholson-Smith
March 2, 2026
Chicago White Sox outfielder
Andrew Benintendi (side) took swings in camp on Sunday and planned to do so again on Monday, according to Scott Merkin of MLB.com. Benintendi said he would be playing if it were the regular season, but there is no reason to rush things on March 2. He is expected to be back in Grapefruit League action after Wednesday's off day. The 31-year-old veteran has been out since being scratched from Friday's spring game with right-side soreness, but he should be ready for Opening Day later this month, barring a setback. Benintendi has quietly hit 20 home runs in each of the last two seasons, but that is pretty much his ceiling, and he hasn't offered much else on one of the worst teams in baseball. He's outside of RotoBaller's top-100 outfield rankings despite being Chicago's starting left fielder.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Scott Merkin
March 2, 2026
San Diego Padres shortstop
Xander Bogaerts is the leading candidate to hit leadoff for the team this season, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune's Kevin Acee. Bogaerts has been the team's most common leadoff hitter so far in Cactus League play and appears to be the club's top choice to fill the No. 1 role this year, with outfielder
Fernando Tatis Jr. moving to the third or fourth spot in the batting order. The 33-year-old veteran's plate skills are declining, but a move to the top of the lineup will definitely help him get more plate appearances and perhaps rack up some more counting stats, at least in runs scored. Second baseman
Jake Cronenworth is another candidate for manager
Craig Stammen to hit leadoff this year. Bogaerts hit 11 homers for the second straight year in 2025 and also had a career-best 20 steals, but he was mostly underwhelming. A move to the leadoff spot will make him slightly more attractive as middle-infield depth with middling power and speed.
--Keith HernandezSource: The San Diego Union-Tribune - Kevin Acee
March 2, 2026
San Diego Padres All-Star outfielder
Fernando Tatis Jr. is expected to hit either third or fourth in the team's batting order this year, according to Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune. Tatis primarily hit leadoff for the Friars in 2025, so this is a notable development as he enters his seventh year in the big leagues. Shortstop
Xander Bogaerts is expected to move to the leadoff role this season. The 27-year-old Tatis will have more RBI opportunities in the heart of the order, but he'll also have fewer plate appearances and will most likely score fewer runs. Tatis hit .268/.368/.446 with an .814 OPS, 25 home runs, 71 RBI, 111 runs scored, and 32 stolen bases in 691 plate appearances over 155 regular-season games. He's probably not going to return to the 40-homer mark as he did before his PED suspension, but he remains a solid power/speed asset as a top-10 fantasy outfielder, especially if he can continue to show the improved plate discipline he had in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: The San Diego Union-Tribune - Kevin Acee
March 2, 2026
Miami Marlins outfielder
Kyle Stowers (hamstring) took 30 swings and played catch in camp on Sunday, according to Christina De Nicola. Stowers will take some live at-bats in the next few days and will also start a running progression soon as he continues to recover from a mild right-hamstring strain. The 28-year-old left-handed hitter is expected to be back in Grapefruit League action in one to two weeks, and he should be ready for Opening Day at the end of the month, barring a setback. Stowers is a rising fantasy outfielder -- he's ranked at No. 33 at RotoBaller -- after a breakout 2025 campaign in his first full season in Miami. He was the team's lone All-Star representative and finished his fourth MLB season with a .288/.368/.544 slash line, .912 OPS, 25 homers, 73 RBI, 61 runs, and five stolen bases in 457 plate appearances and 117 games. Stowers' batted-ball metrics are promising, but injuries could be an issue.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Christina De Nicola
March 2, 2026
Tampa Bay Rays outfielder
Cedric Mullins went deep for the first time in spring training on Friday in a Grapefruit League game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Mullins went 2-for-2 with two RBI. He entered Monday's action hitting .250 (2-for-8) with a homer, two RBI, and two runs scored in his first four spring games with Tampa. The 31-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder is coming off a disappointing 2025 season spent with the Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets. Mullins hit .216/.299/.391 with a .690 OPS, 17 home runs, 59 RBI, 58 runs scored, and 22 stolen bases in 498 plate appearances over 133 games played. He's probably no longer a threat for 30 homers and 30 stolen bases, but he did have 15 homers and 49 RBI in just 91 games for Baltimore before being traded to New York last year. Mullins isn't going to be a help in batting average, but he can help with counting stats as outfield depth as Tampa's starting center fielder.
--Keith HernandezSource: Baseball Reference
March 2, 2026
Kansas City Royals first baseman/outfielder
Jac Caglianone struggled in his first taste of the big leagues last year, but he came into Monday hitting .400 (6-for-15) with a home run, four RBI, six runs scored, five walks, and three strikeouts in his first six Cactus League games in spring training. His homer last Tuesday was a 460-foot blast that had an exit velocity of 115.2 mph. We all know that Cags has elite power upside from the left side of the plate, although he slashed just .157/.237/.295 with a .532 OPS, seven home runs, 18 RBI, and a 52:18 K: BB in 232 plate appearances over 62 games with the Royals in 2025. Caglianone hit well under .200 against left-handed pitchers. The 23-year-old former first-rounder out of the University of Florida still has tons of projectable upside, but he'll need to improve against lefties and make more contact going into his first full MLB campaign in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: Baseball Reference
March 2, 2026
Houston Astros infielder
Isaac Paredes went 1-for-2 with a walk and a solo home run in his Grapefruit League debut on Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Paredes missed a huge chunk of last season due to a severe hamstring injury, so the Astros chose to slow-play him in spring training. The 27-year-old is past his hamstring injury now, but playing time is a real concern for him going into the 2026 season if he remains in Houston.
Carlos Correa is the team's primary third baseman, and
Jose Altuve is moving back to second base on a more permanent basis, leaving Paredes as a man without an everyday position. Paredes' power from the right side of the plate is real, especially in Houston, and he has delivered 90 home runs in the last four seasons for fantasy managers. His homer on Saturday came off Bucs right-hander
Bubba Chandler. Unless a trade or injury for the Astros clears up regular playing time for him, Paredes will merely be a depth option for power at a corner-infield spot.
--Keith HernandezSource: Baseball Reference
March 2, 2026
San Francisco Giants right-hander
Logan Webb will start for Team USA against Team Brazil in the opener of the World Baseball Classic on Friday, according to USA Today Sports' Bob Nightengale. Webb will be followed in Team USA's starting rotation by the Detroit Tigers'
Tarik Skubal (against Great Britain), Pittsburgh Pirates'
Paul Skenes (against Mexico), and New York Mets'
Nolan McLean (against Italy). Webb, 29, is already 2-0 in Cactus League play after giving up an earned run on two hits while striking out three and hitting one batter in three innings against the San Diego Padres on Sunday. He's expected to be available to throw 60 to 65 pitches in his outing for the USA on Friday. Webb, an All-Star each of the last two years, went 15-11 last year with a 3.22 ERA and 1.24 WHIP. He led the league in games started (34), innings (207), hits allowed (210), strikeouts (224), and batters faced (856).
--Keith HernandezSource: USA Today Sports - Bob Nightengale
March 2, 2026
Detroit Tigers two-time Cy Young winner
Tarik Skubal is expected to throw around 55 pitches for Team USA against Team Great Britain in the second game of the World Baseball Classic before returning to Lakeland, Fla., to rejoin the Tigers in camp, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. Skubal is coming off another heavy workload last year, so he'll only pitch in one game in the WBC before heading back to spring training. The 29-year-old left-hander will be the No. 1 pitcher off the board in fantasy drafts after a second straight dominant year as the Tigers' ace, going 13-6 with a league-best 2.21 ERA and league-best 0.89 WHIP with 241 strikeouts and only 33 walks in 195 1/3 innings over 31 regular-season starts. He picked up where he left off in his first Grapefruit League start against the Twins, in which he allowed two hits over two scoreless innings while striking out four.
--Keith HernandezSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
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