February 18, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers right-hander
Quinn Priester (wrist) has recovered from the wrist issue that he dealt with late last year, but he will be slow-played this spring, according to Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "He's had a couple of things that have kept him from progressing, but he's thrown bullpens. Nothing shutting him down or anything like that," manager Pat Murphy said. In his first year with the Brew Crew in 2025, the 25-year-old had a strong season, going 13-3 with a career-best 3.32 ERA (4.01 FIP) and 1.24 WHIP with 132 strikeouts and 50 walks in 157 1/3 innings pitched over his 29 appearances (24 starts). The former first-round selection generated a lot less hard contact, but his 20.2% strikeout rate, 3.59 xERA, and 3.81xFIP all indicate that some regression could be in store in 2026 in his second year in Milwaukee. Priester is in a good situation with the Brewers, but his ceiling for fantasy purposes might be as a mid-tier starting pitcher with limited strikeout upside. He's ranked as RotoBaller's No. 73 fantasy starting pitcher.
--Keith HernandezSource: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Todd Rosiak
February 18, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates manager
Don Kelly told Pittsburgh sportscaster Shelby Cassesse that "it would be a tough ask" for shortstop prospect
Konnor Griffin to make the Opening Day roster, according to Andrew Fillipponi of 93.7 The Fan. "Keep in mind he's only had a handful of at-bats at Double-A," Kelly said. Spring training games have yet to begin, but it sounds like the Bucs are pretty set on having Kriffin, the consensus top prospect in the game, start at Triple-A Indianapolis in 2026. The ninth overall pick in 2024 made it all the way to Double-A Altoona in his first pro season in 2025, slashing a combined .333/.415/.527 with a .941 OPS, 21 home runs, 94 RBI, 117 runs scored, and 65 stolen bases in 122 games played at three different levels. Griffin will still be a stash candidate in all single-year leagues, even if he doesn't make the Opening Day roster, but keep in mind that the Pirates generally have not rushed their top prospects to the majors.
--Keith HernandezSource: 93.7 The Fan - Andrew Fillipponi
February 18, 2026
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that outfielder
Kevin Alcantara has prepared well for a job coming into spring training, according to Bruce Levine of Marquee Sports Network. Alcantara said on Wednesday that he is confident in his ability and has matured while waiting for his chances. Additionally, the 23-year-old Dominican said he made swing adjustments in the offseason to find more consistency at the plate. In the last two years, Alcantara has only appeared in 13 major-league games with the Cubbies, going 5-for-21 (.238) with no homers, one RBI, one stolen base, one walk, and five strikeouts. He slashed .266/.349/.470 with 17 home runs, 10 stolen bases, and a 29.8% strikeout rate in 102 games at Triple-A Iowa in 2025. Alcantara has plus speed and raw power, but no clear path to playing time in Chicago in 2026. He also has minor-league options remaining, so starting in Iowa again is a possibility.
--Keith HernandezSource: Marquee Sports Network - Bruce Levine
February 18, 2026
Miami Marlins corner outfielder
Griffin Conine is learning first base this spring, according to Christina De Nicola of MLB.com. It's the same position his father, Jeff, played for most of his 17-year MLB career. The Marlins could use some depth at the position since
Graham Pauley and
Liam Hicks have limited experience there. In addition to Conine,
Christopher Morel and
Connor Norby are working at first base to give the Fish more options. Miami's outfield is already heavy on left-handed bats with
Kyle Stowers,
Jakob Marsee, and prospect
Owen Caissie. If the 28-year-old adapts well to the position in spring training, it's possible he could make plenty of starts there in 2026. Conine only played in 24 games in Miami last year due to a dislocated shoulder that required surgery, and he went 20-for-79 (.253) with two homers and eight RBI. He had a nice 48.1% hard-hit rate, 14.8% barrel rate, and 117.4 mph maximum exit velocity in a short sample size, so he could become interesting as a depth outfielder in deeper fantasy leagues this year if he can carve out enough playing time at first base.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Christina De Nicola
February 18, 2026
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said the plan is to get infielder
Ryan McMahon some reps at shortstop this spring to see if that can be an option with
Anthony Volpe (shoulder) expected to miss the first month of the season, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Phillips adds that this would purely be for emergency purposes, as
Jose Caballero is expected to man the 6 regularly in the Bronx to begin the year with Volpe sidelined. The 31-year-old McMahon has only played three innings at shortstop back in 2020 with the Colorado Rockies in his pro career. He still has pop -- he's hit 20-plus homers in six straight seasons -- but the nine-year veteran hit an ugly .214/.312/.381 with a .693 OPS, 53 RBI, 62 runs scored, and three steals in 154 regular-season games last year in Colorado and New York. Because of his struggles against same-handed pitching, McMahon is set for a platoon at the hot corner for the Bombers, causing him to lose most of his mixed-league appeal.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Daily News - Gary Phillips
February 18, 2026
Minnesota Twins right-hander
Zebby Matthews could be a candidate for the No. 5 starting rotation spot to begin the 2026 season now that right-hander
Pablo Lopez (elbow) will likely miss the entire season, according to Matthew Leach of MLB.com.
Taj Bradley and
Simeon Woods Richardson were the favorites for the fourth and fifth spots in the Opening Day rotation, but a new spot has emerged in Minnesota due to Lopez's injury. In 16 starts for the Twins last year, Matthews struggled to a 5.56 ERA (3.79 FIP) and 1.49 WHIP with 88 strikeouts and 24 walks in 79 1/3 innings over his 16 starts. The former eighth-round pick in 2022 out of Western Carolina University also struggled to a 6.69 ERA and 1.65 WHIP in his first nine big-league starts in 2024. Under the hood, Matthews showed promise with plenty of velocity and above-average strikeout and walk rates. A high .357 BABIP and 3.79 FIP indicate bad luck. Given another opportunity in 2026, don't be surprised if Matthews turns things around.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Matthew Leach
February 18, 2026
The Houston Astros "have expressed interest" in free-agent outfielder
Michael Conforto, with their chances of trading infielder
Isaac Paredes diminishing, a source told Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. The 32-year-old veteran left-handed hitter really struggled with the Los Angeles Dodgers last year, slashing .199/.305/.333 with a career-worst .637 OPS, 12 home runs, 36 RBI, 54 runs scored, and a 121:56 K:BB in 138 regular-season games (486 plate appearances). Conforto's xBA of .237 suggests he might have been a bit unlucky, but most of his advanced metrics at the plate were average, at best. In his two previous seasons with the San Francisco Giants, he slashed .238/.322/.418 with a .740 OPS with 35 homers and 124 RBI in 255 games. Conforto could bounce back in the average department, but he'll likely be limited to a platoon role wherever he lands in free agency.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Brian McTaggart
February 18, 2026
San Francisco Giants third baseman
Matt Chapman is coming off the best season of his career in terms of plate discipline, but health and power are key storylines to monitor with the veteran infielder going forward. Chapman slashed .231/.340/.430 with 21 home runs, a 13.3% walk rate, a 23.6% strikeout rate, and 118 wRC+ last year. This was a new career-high walk rate, and also the second-best strikeout rate of his career. His power dipped slightly, but only from a 4.1% HR% in 2024 to a 3.9% HR% in 2025. Meanwhile, he continued to flash the leather at third base with 4 OAA and 4 FRV. Unfortunately, Chapman missed roughly five weeks due to right hand inflammation. He's fully healthy heading into 2026, but injury risk is always a factor to consider ahead of fantasy baseball drafts. It's a big ask, but we'd love to see Chapman continue to homer around 4% of the time, continue to showcase solid plate discipline, and stay healthy for most of the 2026 season. He currently ranks #10 among third basemen in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball draft rankings.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 18, 2026
Detroit Tigers first baseman
Spencer Torkelson got back on track with 31 home runs and 118 wRC+ across 155 games in the majors last season. Torkelson's offensive contributions fell so much in 2024 that Detroit sent him to Triple-A to get right. However, he bounced back with a full season at the MLB level in 2025, delivering major contributions to the Tigers and his fantasy managers. In addition to the 31 homers and 118 wRC+, he produced a .240/.333/.456 slash line with an 11.1% walk rate and 26.0% strikeout rate. Striking out more than one quarter of the time isn't ideal, but it's a fair trade-off for a player who will hit 30-40 home runs and walk in more than 10% of their plate appearances. Torkelson finds himself at #19 among first basemen in RotoBaller's fantasy rankings for 2026, with an ADP of 186. The rankings place him just behind
Willson Contreras,
Alec Burleson, and
Jonathan Aranda, and just ahead of
Kazuma Okamoto,
Christian Walker, and
Sal Stewart.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 18, 2026
Detroit Tigers outfielder
Kerry Carpenter has showcased impressive power through his first three-plus MLB seasons, and he'll look to continue that trend in 2026. The biggest concern for Carpenter at this point in his career is the injury risk, as he played 130 games last year -- and even that mark was a career high. If he can stay healthy, though, he has 30-plus-homer potential with an everyday spot in the Tigers' lineup. Other factors to consider with Carpenter include handedness splits and his K/BB ratio. He had an OPS of .812 against righties last year, but just .638 against lefties. Additionally, only three of his 26 home runs came against southpaws. Furthermore, he shaved his strikeout rate down to a career-best 22.8%, but he also dropped his walk rate to a career-worst 3.9%. His 5.85 K/BB ratio was the worst mark of his career, and while a discipline drop-off is expected when a player improves their power numbers, fantasy managers would like to see him at least walk a little more. Carpenter isn't one of the flashiest names among power hitters, but he's still an impact power bat against right-handed pitching with tremendous upside if he can stay healthy. He's somewhat of a value pick at the moment, ranking #57 among RotoBaller's outfielders for 2026 with an ADP of 217.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 18, 2026
Baltimore Orioles second baseman
Jackson Holliday (hand) will get the stitches removed from his surgically-repaired right hand on Monday, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN. The former No. 1 pick tore up the minors and debuted in 2024, but struggled upon getting the call. He fared better over a full season in 2025, slashing .242/.314/.375, but he still mustered just 96 wRC+. He posted a 8.6% walk rate and 21.6% strikeout rate with 17 home runs and 17 stolen bases. Defensively, he contributed -8 OAA and -6 FRV at second base. Still, he was a source of consistency for the Orioles, playing 149 games in the majors. He didn't suffer his hand injury until arriving at spring training this February; during live at-bats nearly two weeks ago, he suffered a broken hamate bone that required surgical removal. He recently got his cast off, and the stitches will follow next week. At that point, he can begin sweating and gradually resume baseball activities. It's unlikely that he'll be ready for Opening Day, but he's making good progress and figures to return sometime in April. The injury concern dropped Holliday to #15 among second basemen in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.
--Andersen PickardSource: Roch Kubatko
February 18, 2026
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher
Aaron Nola is coming off the worst season of his big-league career. Injuries limited him to just 17 starts and fewer than 100 innings in 2025, and he ultimately finished the year with a staggering 6.01 ERA and 4.58 FIP. His 9.25 K/9 and 2.67 BB/9 rates were fine, but his home run rate ballooned to a whopping 1.72 HR/9, which is a career high. Meanwhile, his ground ball rate dipped to 42.5%, the second-lowest mark of his career. Understandably, managers are worried about the 11-year veteran's outlook going forward. However, some of the underlying metrics suggest he's due to bounce back. Most notably, Nola had a 3.71 xFIP last year, indicating that he was unlucky and vastly underperformed expectations. His 4.12 xERA suggests similar. Still armed with an elite knuckle curve and above-average fastball, Nola has the skill set to bounce back and meet or exceed his expected metrics in 2026. His rough 2025 is baked into his current ranking as the #59 starter in RotoBaller's draft rankings, and managers should consider drafting him as a low-risk, high-upside rotation piece.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 18, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers reliever
Abner Uribe could be a candidate to earn save situations in 2026. The right-hander had a terrific season last year, posting a 1.67 ERA and 2.75 FIP across 75.1 innings of work. He racked up 10.75 K/9 and 3.23 BB/9, and he limited loud contact with 0.48 HR/9 and a 53.2% ground ball rate. Milwaukee's incumbent closer is
Trevor Megill, who had 30 saves last year with a 2.49 ERA and 2.50 FIP. Megill was effective, but he also blew six saves and allowed hard contact at a greater rate than Uribe. Presumably, the Brewers want to at least open the season with a clearly defined closer, rather than operating out of a committee. Uribe has a chance to parlay a strong 2025 and a potentially strong spring training in 2026 into first dibs on save situations during the regular season. He currently ranks #20 among RotoBaller's relievers for the upcoming season, with additional upside.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 18, 2026
Houston Astros left-handed closer
Josh Hader (biceps) was seen playing catch in camp from around 90 feet on Wednesday, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Left-biceps inflammation was the reason Hader was shut down going into spring training, but the fact that he's already throwing means that he should be ready for Opening Day in late March, barring a setback. The 31-year-old veteran high-leverage reliever carries much more risk in fantasy baseball heading into the 2026 season, though, after also missing the final month and a half last year due to a left-shoulder strain. The six-time All-Star was one of the most dominant closers in the game when he was healthy in 2025, posting a 2.05 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 28 saves, 76 strikeouts, and 16 walks in 52 2/3 innings pitched. Because of his injuries, Hader has slipped to the No. 15 closer ranking at RotoBaller.
Bryan Abreu would likely be first in line for saves if Hader were to miss time this year.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Brian McTaggart
February 18, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called shortstop
Mookie Betts' disappointing 2025 season an "outlier," according to Jack Harris of The California Post. "The way he played shortstop last year, and expecting him to be better offensively this year, he will be in the MVP conversation this year," Roberts said. The skipper is also leaning towards using Betts as his everyday No. 3 hitter in 2026, and it won't change, regardless of the opposing pitcher's handedness. The 33-year-old former MVP mostly hit in the two-hole for the Blue last year, when he had career lows in batting average .258 and ISO (.148). Betts dealt with a pretty bad illness just before the start of the regular season, which got him into bad habits at the plate, and he never really recovered. His eight stolen bases last year were also his fewest since his rookie campaign in 2014. Expecting MVP numbers like Roberts might be a reach, but if healthy, Betts should still have a solid floor for counting stats in the heart of the best lineup in baseball.
--Keith HernandezSource: The California Post - Jack Harris
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