March 9, 2026
Texas Rangers outfielder
Evan Carter is looking competent enough against left-handed pitching so far in spring training that he could earn at-bats against southpaws early in the season, according to manager Skip Schumaker. The left-handed hitter is 5-for-60 (.083) against LHP so far in the big leagues, so we'll see if Schumaker stays true to his word. The former second-round draft pick is looking to log a full season after tallying just 63 games last year and 45 games in 2024 due to various injuries. The 23-year-old has a ton of speed that should give him some fantasy intrigue even in a platoon situation, as he stole 14 bags in his limited action last year and has already proclaimed a personal goal of 30 steals in 2026. The 6-foot-2 slugger has a pair of home runs and one steal so far in eight Cactus League games. If he can stay healthy while gaining some additional at-bats versus LHP, Carter could be a value pick at the end of drafts, currently with an ADP of 318, while RotoBaller ranks him at 303 overall.
--Jarod RuppSource: Evan Grant
March 9, 2026
Detroit Tigers infield prospect
Kevin McGonigle survived the latest rounds of big-league roster cuts on Monday, meaning he's still in contention to break camp with the Tigers with the regular season just a little over two weeks away. The Tigers' top-ranked prospect has shown well in spring training, going 6-for-17 (.353), including two doubles and a triple in nine Grapefruit League contests. He even went 3-for-3 with a walk and a home run off veteran pitcher
Luis Severino in a WBC exhibition game against the Dominican Republic. MLB's No. 2 prospect overall seems to be ready for big league competition, however, he's yet to play a single game at Triple-A, so there is still a chance the Tigers could send him there to begin the year in order to make sure he's fully prepared to make the jump to the major leagues. Either way, expect the left-handed slugger to be fantasy relevant in 2026, whether it is on Opening Day or later in the year. Fantasy managers who have yet to draft should keep an eye on the remaining roster cuts, as he could be a value pick around his ADP of 311 if he begins the year in Detroit.
--Jarod RuppSource: Evan Petzold
March 9, 2026
Detroit Tigers outfield prospect
Max Clark was reassigned to minor league camp on Monday. The Tigers' second-ranked prospect participated in his first big league camp this year, but went just 2-for-18 (.111) during his time there. It's not clear which level he'll begin the season at, but if successful, the left-handed slugger could debut in Detroit later this year. The former third-overall draft pick finished the 2025 campaign at Double-A, slashing .251/.360/.439 with seven home runs and seven steals in 43 games. Notably, MLB's No. 10 prospect walked (14.2 percent) nearly as much as he struck out (16.7 percent), showing that he was not overmatched at that level. With no major league debut imminent, Clark isn't draftable in most fantasy leagues, but with the potential to be a multi-category contributor later in the year, fantasy managers should keep an eye on the 21-year-old's progress once the season gets underway.
--Jarod RuppSource: Evan Petzold
March 9, 2026
Seattle Mariners shortstop
J.P. Crawford (shoulder) is back in the Cactus League lineup on Monday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, as expected, after a brief hiatus this spring due to shoulder pain, according to Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times. Crawford is at shortstop and is batting fifth for the M's. He said he has played through worse during the regular season, but since it's spring training, the team decided to have him rest his shoulder. Barring a setback, Crawford should be just fine for the start of the 2026 regular season in late March. Monday's game is Crawford's first start at shortstop since Feb. 20. The 31-year-old former 16th overall pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2013 hit .265/.352/.370 with a .722 OPS, 12 home runs, 58 RBI, 69 runs scored, and a career-high eight steals in 157 games last year in his ninth year in the league. With limited power and speed -- he has only reached double-digit homers twice in his career and has never stolen double-digit bases -- Crawford has limited fantasy upside. He's ranked as RotoBaller's No. 39 fantasy shortstop.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Seattle Times - Ryan Divish
March 9, 2026
San Francisco Giants first baseman
Rafael Devers (hamstring) is back in the Cactus League lineup on Monday as the designated hitter against the Los Angeles Angels after missing some time recently in spring training with hamstring tightness, according to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports. Devers is batting leadoff for the Giants. Barring another setback with his hamstring, Devers should be totally fine for Opening Day later this month. The 29-year-old is still searching for his first hit in spring training after going hitless in his first nine Cactus League plate appearances. The Dominican infielder and three-time All-Star was traded from the Boston Red Sox to the Giants last year and finished with a .252/.372/.479 slash line, .851 OPS, 35 home runs, 109 RBI, and 99 runs scored in 163 total games. Twenty of his 35 homers came with the Gigantes. Although he's in a pitcher-friendly park, Devers should be considered a top-10 fantasy first baseman.
--Keith HernandezSource: NBC Sports Bay Area - Alex Pavlovic
March 9, 2026
Athletics second baseman
Zack Gelof (shoulder) is making his Cactus League debut on Monday in spring training against the Cincinnati Reds, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Gelof is serving as the designated hitter and will bat fifth for the A's. The 26-year-old is just now making his spring debut after having surgery in September of last year to fix a dislocated left shoulder. Gelof hit .174/.230/.272 with a career-worst .502 OPS, two home runs, seven RBI, and 12 runs scored in only 30 games in 2025 in his third year in the big leagues because of injuries. He hit .231/.294/.412 with 31 home runs, 81 RBI, and 39 stolen bases in his first two MLB seasons, but he led all of baseball with 188 strikeouts in 547 plate appearances in 2024. When healthy, Gelof will compete for a spot in the A's everyday lineup, but given his late start this spring, he's more likely to begin the 2026 season at Triple-A Sacramento.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
March 9, 2026
Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said that left-handed closer
Josh Hader (biceps) will throw a bullpen session on Tuesday in camp, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. It will be the first time that Hader has thrown off a mound this spring after he reported to spring training last month with left-biceps inflammation. The 31-year-old southpaw also missed the end of last season with a left-shoulder strain, so he's carrying a lot more injury risk for fantasy managers going into his 10th year in the big leagues. The six-time All-Star was still pretty dominant as Houston's closer last year despite dealing with injuries, as he posted a 2.05 ERA (3.25 FIP), 0.85 WHIP, 28 saves, 76 strikeouts, and 16 walks in 52 2/3 innings pitched. There's a good chance that the Astros will play it safe and have Hader open the 2026 regular season on the injured list, which has made right-hander
Bryan Abreu a more attractive late-round dart throw for saves speculators.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Brian McTaggart
March 9, 2026
Chicago Cubs right-handed pitching prospect
Jaxon Wiggins was sent to minor-league camp on Sunday afternoon. The team's No. 2-ranked prospect was given the opportunity to begin spring training with the MLB roster but will return to the minor leagues to continue his development. The 24-year-old was unlikely to begin the 2026 season in the major leagues, but should remain in the mix to join the Cubs later in the summer. In 2025, the former 2023 draft pick spent most of his time at High-A and Double-A before finishing the season with a short 9 2/3 inning stint at Triple-A Iowa. Across 68 1/3 innings at High-A and Double-A, Wiggins posted a stellar 1.84 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, with an 83:30 K:BB. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression at Triple-A, as he could be the first name called as an injury replacement.
--Andy SmithSource: Chicago Cubs
March 9, 2026
Chicago Cubs first base prospect
Jonathon Long (elbow) is nearing a return to baseball activities, according to Bruce Levine of 670 The Score. Long has been sidelined with a bruised elbow but has avoided any structural damage and should be cleared to return to action in the coming days. Long is considered the team's No. 7-ranked prospect on MLB.com and one of the top hitting prospects in the system. The Long Beach State product joined the Cubs back in the ninth round of the 2023 MLB Draft. Last summer, he spent his entire campaign at Triple-A Iowa and looked rather impressive. Across 140 games, Long held his own, posting a .305/.404/.479 line with 23 doubles, 20 home runs, and an .883 OPS. Given that
Michael Busch is slated to be the everyday first baseman, Long will need to wait for an injury to be in the mix for his MLB debut.
--Andy SmithSource: Bruce Levine
March 9, 2026
Athletics shortstop prospect
Leo De Vries went 2-for-4 with two home runs and six RBI during their victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday afternoon. The team's No. 1-ranked prospect (and MLB.com's No. 4-ranked prospect) enjoyed a massive breakout game. Overall, through 11 spring training games, De Vries has gone 10-for-26 with three stolen bases and the aforementioned two long balls. The young shortstop joined the Athletics ahead of last year's trade deadline in the deal that moved top right-handed closer
Mason Miller to San Diego. Last season, De Vries logged 118 games (shared between High-A and Double-A), where he posted a .255/.355/.451 line with an .806 OPS, 15 HRs, and 11 SBs. If he continues this pace, De Vries could join Triple-A Las Vegas before the All-Star break.
--Andy SmithSource: MLB.com
March 9, 2026
Atlanta Braves right-handed pitching prospect
Didier Fuentes tossed two innings of relief in his spring training debut on Saturday against the Baltimore Orioles. Fuentes logged two innings and did not allow a hit or a walk, and struck out four hitters. The 20-year-old right-hander made his MLB debut last summer but was unable to find much success, posting a hefty 13.85 ERA with a 2.23 WHIP over his first 13 innings in Atlanta. During this stint, he struck out 12 hitters and allowed walks at an 8.7% rate. In the minor leagues, he logged 57 innings across stints at High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A, where he posted a 4.58 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, with a 71:16 K:BB. While Futenes is likely ticketed for Triple-A to begin the season, an early promotion is likely possible given that Atlanta is already without starting pitcher
Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow).
--Andy SmithSource: MLB.com
March 9, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect
Josue De Paula was assigned to minor-league camp on Sunday. The team's No. 1-ranked prospect (according to MLB.com) was unlikely to make the MLB roster out of spring training but was given a small taste of MLB action. During spring training, De Paula posted a strong .375/.464/.417 line across 14 games. Fantasy managers should expect the No. 15-ranked prospect in the sport to begin the 2026 regular season with Double-A Tulsa. In 2025, De Paula spent most of his season with High-A Great Lakes before earning a short four-game stint at Double-A. With High-A, De Paula posted .263/.406/.421 line with 12 home runs and eight stolen bases. While a 2026 MLB debut seems unlikely, he could be in the mix for a first-half promotion to Triple-A if he continues this trajectory.
--Andy SmithSource: Los Angeles Dodgers
March 9, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect
Joshua Baez is making a strong impression early in camp and could contend for a much-earlier-than-expected MLB debut. Through nine games, the team's No. 4-ranked prospect has posted a strong .333/.429/.667 slash line with two home runs and one stolen base. Last summer, Baez spent time at High-A and Double-A. While he has yet to step foot onto a Triple-A diamond, he may continue to make a strong case to join the MLB roster early in the 2026 season. At High-A, he held a .317/.404/.483 line with four home runs and 20 stolen bases over 38 games. Over his first stint at Double-A (79 games), the 22-year-old held a .271/.374/.509 line 16 home runs and seven stolen bases. Given his five-category profile, he is a top prospect to monitor in deep five-outfielder formats.
--Andy SmithSource: MLB.com
March 9, 2026
The Arizona Diamondbacks reassigned outfield prospect
Ryan Waldschmidt to minor-league camp on Sunday, according to Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. The D-backs were seriously considering having Waldschmidt make their Opening Day roster due to injuries to
Corbin Carroll (hand) and
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (knee) in their outfield. The 23-year-old former 31st overall pick in 2024 out of Kentucky will start at Triple-A Reno in 2026, but if he's playing well early on, an early-season promotion to the Show could be in order. In nine Cactus League games in spring training, Waldschmidt has gone 9-for-28 (.321) with a homer, five RBI, six runs scored, and a stolen base in 30 plate appearances. Waldschmidt hit .289/.419/.473 with an .892 OPS, 18 homers, 78 RBI, 114 runs, and 29 steals in 134 games with High-A Hillsboro and Double-A Amarillo last year. He could become Arizona's starting center fielder by season's end, and his power/speed combination makes him a must-stash in dynasty/keeper leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: Arizona Sports - Alex Weiner
March 8, 2026
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher
Tarik Skubal could continue pitching with Team USA in the World Baseball Classic tournament. The original plan was for Skubal to pitch against Great Britain and then return to the Tigers camp. After Saturday's start, Skubal expressed interest in continuing to pitch with Team USA after feeling great emotion when pitching for his home country. Skubal would need approval from both his agent and the Tigers organization to continue playing in the WBC. It would be a huge boost for Team USA if the superstar southpaw is allowed to continue pitching with the team.
--Andy WebbSource: Chandler Rome
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