March 2, 2026
Philadelphia Phillies right-handed pitching prospect
Andrew Painter was sharp in his spring training debut and is making a strong case to earn the final role in the starting rotation at the beginning of the campaign. Painter was given the starting nod on Sunday afternoon and tossed two shutout frames. He did not allow a hit or a walk and struck out one hitter. His command was a glaring issue during his 2025 season, and seeing him toss two clean frames is an excellent sign for his early-season outlook. In 2025, the former first-round selection spent most of the campaign at Triple-A Lehigh Valley and logged 106 2/3 innings to the tune of a 5.40 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, and a 111:46 K:BB. With
Zack Wheeler (shoulder) set to miss the start of the season, Painter appears poised to begin the season as the team's final starter and could remain in that role if he enjoys a strong start. He is a top late-round sleeper pick when looking for an upside starter.
--Andy SmithSource: MLB.com
March 1, 2026
Chicago Cubs relief pitcher
Shelby Miller (elbow) was officially placed on the 60-day injured list on Sunday. This was expected as Miller is recovering from UCL and flexor tendon surgery that he underwent in October. The right-hander signed a two-year, $2.5 million deal with the Cubs over the offseason. The 35-year-old won't pitch in 2026, but the Cubs are hopeful Miller can contribute in 2027. The move to put Miller on the 60-day injured list opens up a 40-man roster spot. In a corresponding move,
Ben Cowles has been claimed off waivers by the Cubs from the Toronto Blue Jays. The 26-year-old infielder is expected to serve as depth at Triple-A Iowa to begin the season.
--Andy WebbSource: Bruce Levine
March 1, 2026
Texas Rangers starting pitcher
Jacob deGrom is reportedly getting close to making his spring debut. Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said deGrom threw a 30-pitch side session over the weekend. He continued by saying that deGrom will make his Cactus League debut really soon. Given his injury history, deGrom has been eased into spring action. The plan is for deGrom to make three or four appearances before camp concludes. This is the same pitching plan they had deGrom use last season, and that worked out extremely well in the long run. The right-hander posted a 2.97 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and a 185/37 K/BB ratio across 30 starts in 2025. If healthy, deGrom can be a top-10 fantasy option.
--Andy WebbSource: Shawn McFarland
March 1, 2026
Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher
Jose Soriano (illness) has been scratched ahead of his scheduled start on Tuesday. Soriano was supposed to take the mound against the Seattle Mariners, but he will miss that start due to illness.
George Klassen will be tasked with taking the ball during Tuesday's Catcus League contest. Soriano has been lit up this spring to the tune of seven earned runs across 3.2 innings of work. Soriano isn't expected to miss much time and should be back in the mix later in the week. The 27-year-old registered a 4.26 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and a 152/78 K/BB ratio across 31 starts with the Angels last season. Soriano is more of a streaming option because his lack of command makes him tough to trust over a full season.
--Andy WebbSource: Jeff Fletcher
March 1, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher
Bobby Miller is reportedly being viewed as a reliever to begin the season. Miller started his professional career as a starting pitcher, but saw action as both a starter and reliever last season. Miller only pitched in two big league games last season and spent most of his time in the minors. He registered a 5.86 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, and an 83/61 K/BB ratio across 35 games (14 starts) in Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2025. The 26-year-old says that he's open to whatever role because he wants to spend his entire career in Los Angeles. Miller has shown flashes of success, but a lack of command has hindered him from having long-term success. Hopefully, a move to a full-time bullpen role will be the key to unlocking his potential.
--Andy WebbSource: Blake Williams
March 1, 2026
Minnesota Twins outfielder
Walker Jenkins (hamstring) is going to miss some time after picking up an injury over the weekend. Jenkins has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain. He suffered the injury while attempting to beat out a double play on Saturday. The Twins haven't given a timetable for his return, but it's highly unlikely that he'll play again in camp. Jenkins is one of the top prospects in baseball and should make his MLB debut at some point in 2026. He got a taste of Triple-A last season and figures to begin the season there, assuming he's healthy. It wouldn't be shocking to see Jenkins playing in Minnesota at some point this season.
--Andy WebbSource: Dan Hayes
March 1, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Merrill Kelly (back) received cortisone and lidocaine shots in his back last week and was able to play catch on Sunday without issue, per Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. Gilbert reports that Kelly is "optimistic" he will be able to "pitch at the backend" of Arizona's rotation to start the season. The 37-year-old was traded by the Diamondbacks to the Texas Rangers at the 2025 trade deadline, but returned to Arizona in free agency this offseason. Across 184 innings (32 starts) split between the Diamondbacks and Rangers in 2025, Kelly posted a 12-9 record with a 3.52 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 167 strikeouts. It's not a great sign that he's dealing with back issues in spring, particularly given his age. However, it appears as though Kelly could avoid missing time, even if it requires him ramping up to a full workload in his first couple starts of the regular season.
--Will BradySource: MLB.com - Steve Gilbert
March 1, 2026
Throughout his big-league career to this point, Arizona Diamondbacks catcher
Gabriel Moreno has had a difficult time staying on the field. Over the past two seasons, groin and finger injuries have limited the 26-year-old to just 660 plate appearances. However, when healthy, Moreno has proven himself to be a productive player. Across 309 plate appearances in 2025, he hit .285/.353/.433 with nine home runs, 40 RBI, 44 runs scored, and two stolen bases. Moreno owns a career batting average of .281 and a career strikeout rate of 16.9%, so he should remain a batting average asset for fantasy managers, particularly relative to his position. Moreno may never threaten 20 home runs, but he did improve his barrel rate to a career-best 7.1% in 2025. Still, Moreno's inability to stay healthy is a major red flag in his fantasy profile. RotoBaller currently ranks Moreno as the number 16 fantasy catcher heading into 2026.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
March 1, 2026
New York Mets third baseman
Mark Vientos posted a breakout season in 2024, slugging 27 home runs in 454 plate appearances and carving out a role in the middle of the Mets lineup. However, the 26-year-old came crashing back down to earth in 2025, slashing .233/.289/.413 with 17 home runs, 61 RBI, 44 runs scored, and one stolen base. Vientos also graded out as one of the worst defensive third basemen in the big leagues, making it more difficult for the Mets to stick with him through his relative struggles at the plate. New York added former Toronto Blue Jays shortstop
Bo Bichette in free agency this past winter with the plan to move him to the hot corner, eliminating a pathway to playing time for Vientos. Vientos should be in the mix at designated hitter in New York, but he could find himself in a rotation with infielders
Brett Baty and
Jorge Polanco. If Vientos can get back to the 14.1% barrel rate he posted in 2024, he could force his way into everyday playing time at DH. However, there are holes in his profile that lead to playing time questions, making him a risky bet for fantasy managers heading into 2026.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
March 1, 2026
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher
Noah Cameron burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2025, recording a 9-7 record with a 2.99 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 114 strikeouts across 138 1/3 innings pitched (24 starts). Cameron's ability to rack up whiffs left something to be desired for fantasy managers, as he posted just a 20.5% strikeout rate. The 26-year-old's underlying metrics also suggest that he could be in line for some regression in 2026, as he significantly outperformed his xERA (4.08) and FIP (4.18) in 2025. At the same time, Cameron logged significantly better strikeout numbers during his time in the minor leagues, recording a 27.8% strikeout rate across 128 2/3 innings split between Double-A and Triple-A in 2024. If Cameron can add some swing-and-miss to his repertoire in 2026, it could help mitigate the regression that may be coming for his ERA and WHIP. As an innings-eater at the back end of a fantasy pitching staff, Cameron has a chance to provide solid value in 2026.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
March 1, 2026
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher
Justin Steele (elbow) has been cleared for "full go" on throwing and is eyeing a return to the big-league mound in either May or June, per Jared Wyllys of CHGO Sports. Steele is making his way back from elbow surgery, which ended his 2025 campaign last April. In 2024, Steele pitched to a 5-5 record with a 3.07 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 135 strikeouts across 134 2/3 innings (24 starts). The 30-year-old left-hander owns a career K-BB rate of 17.1% and posted a WHIP of 1.17 or lower in both 2023 and 2024. Upon his return, Steele should be locked into a spot in the Cubs' rotation, which will provide him a chance to rack up wins. Depending on the league format, fantasy managers will have to gauge how long they are willing to hold Steele through the early portion of the season. Still, Steele should be a quality fantasy starting pitcher once he makes it back to the mound for Chicago.
--Will BradySource: CHGO Sports - Jared Wyllys
March 1, 2026
Baltimore Orioles catcher
Samuel Basallo (abdomen) is back in the starting lineup ahead of Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Boston Red Sox. Basallo was forced to make an early exit during Thursday's game due to abdominal discomfort. He received a few days off to rest and is ready to return behind the plate on Sunday. The 21-year-old struggled during his 31 games with the Orioles last season. Despite some early struggles, the Orioles have confidence that Basallo can be their catcher of the future. He'll bat cleanup and start behind the plate against the Red Sox on Sunday.
--Andy WebbSource: Matt Weyrich
March 1, 2026
The St. Louis Cardinals have agreed to a two-year extension with manager Oliver Marmol on Sunday. This new deal begins after this season and includes the 2027 and 2028 seasons. Marmol also has a club option for the 2029 campaign. This will give Marmol the comfort to manage this team during the rebuild without fear of being fired. Over his first four seasons, Marmol has a 325-323 (.502) record, but he hasn't made the postseason since his first season in St. Louis. The Cardinals are at the beginning of a rebuild, so the expectations probably aren't too high for this team in 2026.
--Andy WebbSource: Derrick Goold
March 1, 2026
Miami Marlins starting pitcher
Thomas White (oblique) will see his Spring Training come to an end after being diagnosed with a Grade 1 right oblique strain. White will be sidelined for 3-4 weeks, which means we won't see him again in camp. The 21-year-old is arguably the top prospect in the Marlins' farm system right now. He received an invite to Spring Training, but was always expected to begin the season in the minor leagues. He registered a 2.51 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and a 145/51 K/BB ratio across 21 starts in three different minor league levels last season. White should begin the year in Triple-A, but it wouldn't be shocking to see him in Miami at some point this season.
--Andy WebbSource: Christina De Nicola
March 1, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher
Carmen Mlodzinski will compete for a starting rotation spot during Spring Training. He worked as a starter to begin the 2025 season, but ultimately shifted to the bullpen. Mlodzinski posted a 6.58 ERA, a .330 batting average against and an .858 OPS in six starts in March and April. He was demoted to the minor leagues and returned as an excellent reliever for the Pirates. He registered a 1.89 ERA over 47 2/3 innings in his final 20 appearances. Mlodzinski believes that success as a reliever gave him the confidence that he needed to become a successful starting pitcher. The Pirates do have a spot or two available at the back-end of the rotation, but multiple pitchers are vying for that spot. So far this spring, Mlodzinski has thrown two scoreless innings with three strikeouts.
--Andy WebbSource: Kevin Gorman
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