February 5, 2026

Pittsburgh Pirates outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia is expected to be in serious competition for a starting job during spring training. The Pirates acquired Garcia from the Red Sox earlier in December in a package that sent Johan Oviedo to Boston. Garcia made a brief debut in the major leagues last season, posting a .143/.333/.286 line in a short five-game stint. The 23-year-old spent the majority of his season in the minor leagues. At Double-A, he would post a .256/.355/.393 slash line with three home runs and four stolen bases, across a 33-game stint. Over an 81-game look at Triple-A, Garcia took a step further, posting a .271/.334/.498 line with a .832 OPS and 18 long balls. Given his power upside, he is worth monitoring in deeper five-outfielder leagues.--Andy Smith
Source: RotoBaller

February 5, 2026

New York Yankees outfield prospect Spencer Jones will have a much tougher task to crack the Opening Day roster during spring training, following the signing of Cody Bellinger. Before Bellinger was slated to return to the Bronx, Jones was expected to be considered for a role in left field, competing alongside switch-hitter Jasson Dominguez. However, with Bellinger now back in the mix, the outfield seems quite crowded for the time being. Last summer, Jones opened the season with Double-A but needed just 49 games to prove he was ready to make the jump to the top level in the Yankee system. Through his first 67 games at Triple-A, Jones blasted 19 home runs with a .274/.342/.555 slash line. Even though he is unlikely to break camp with the Yankees, he could become a top stash option and would be the first name called following an injury.--Andy Smith
Source: RotoBaller

February 5, 2026

Detroit Tigers top catching prospect Josue Briceno was invited to MLB spring training. Briceno will join the team's other two top hitting prospects, Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark. Per MLB.com, Briceno is ranked as the sport's No. 33 prospect while he sits as Detroit's No. 3, sitting behind the two previously noted hitters. Briceno opened the 2025 campaign with High-A but needed only 55 games to prove he was ready to make the jump to Double-A. At High-A West Michigan, Briceno posted a .296/.422/.602 slash line with 13 doubles and 15 long balls. Through his first 45 games at Double-A, the young backstop took a slight step back, posting a lower .232/.335/.381 line with a modest .716 OPS. Given his growing pains, managers should expect Briceno to begin 2026 with Double-A Erie. However, if he enjoys a dominant start, he should be in the mix to join Triple-A before the All-Star break.--Andy Smith
Source: MLB Pipeline

February 5, 2026

Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect Eduardo Quintero is emerging as a top dynasty asset ahead of the 2026 campaign. According to MLB.com, Quintero is currently listed as the team's No. 3 overall prospect and the No. 34-best prospect in the entire sport. Quintero spent most of the 2025 campaign in Low-A but earned a brief promotion to High-A later in the second half. Across 81 games with Low-A Rancho, Quintero held a dominant .306/.426/.533 slash line with 14 home runs and 34 stolen bases. During this stretch, Quintero carried a solid 88:65 K:BB. This productive play earned him a 32-game stint in High-A. Through this short look, Quintero posted a .259/.384/.440 line with five home runs and 12 stolen bases. Managers should monitor his status early this season as he could make a case to join Double-A in the first half.--Andy Smith
Source: MiLB.com

February 5, 2026

St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Joshua Baez is a name to monitor during spring training as he could push for an early MLB promotion. Baez is currently ranked as the No. 14 prospect in the St. Louis system on MLB.com. Baez began the 2205 season in High-A, where he held a .317/.404/.483 slash line with eight doubles, four home runs, and an impressive 20 stolen bases, across a 38-game stint. He was then bumped up to Double-A Springfield, where he spent the majority of the campaign. Over his last 79 games, the outfielder held a .271/.374/.509 line an .883 OPS. During this stint, the former second-round pick hit 16 home runs while swiping 34 bags. While the Cardinals will likely look to give him a taste of Triple-A early in 2026, given St. Louis' current outfield situation, Baez could be in the mix for a first-half MLB debut. Given his five-category potential, he is a top name to monitor in deeper five-outfielder leagues.--Andy Smith
Source: RotoBaller

February 5, 2026

New York Mets right-handed pitching prospect Nolan McLean is expected to operate in a lead role in the upcoming season. With the Mets missing out on left-handed starter Framber Valdez in free agency, their rotation looks set entering spring training. While newly-acquired right-hander Freddy Peralta will serve as the ace, McLean will likely slide in as the No. 2 option. Last summer, the former third-round selection made his MLB debut and looked quite comfortable in the major leagues. Across his first 48 innings of work, the right-hander struck out 57 hitters while posting a 2.06 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. Progressing through the minor leagues, McLean carried a 2.41 ERA with a 1.13 WHIP across 113 2/3 innings split between Double-A and Triple-A. McLean is a top breakout pick in drafts this season, as he should be given a massive workload this summer.--Andy Smith
Source: RotoBaller

February 5, 2026

Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews continued to show flashes of upside in the majors last year, but for the most part, struggled to produce at a very high level and looked like he could use some more time in Triple-A. The former top prospect played 85 of his 98 games in MLB last season, slashing a frustrating .208/.280/.352 with a 7.5% walk rate and 23.6% strikeout rate. He is starting to show signs of the plus power we've expected all along, and the baserunning has come along quite well, as he stole 17 bags. Still, a blend of experience and generally poor results makes him a riskier name entering the 2026 season. ZiPS projects him for 1.8 fWAR in 2026, and he currently ranks #43 in the latest RotoBaller fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

February 5, 2026

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert is coming off a strong 2025 season, during which he posted a 2.95 xFIP with 11.89 K/9 and 2.13 BB/9. Along the way, he tied for second among Mariners pitchers in fWAR. The biggest blemish against Gilbert last year was his susceptibility to loud contact, as he surrendered home runs at a 1.37 HR/9 clip while his ground ball rate dropped to 38.9%. Outside of a few minor concerns, Gilbert has established himself as one of the best MLB arms in terms of control and results. He also has a fascinating pitch mix headlined by the splitter, which earned a 144 Stuff+ grade by FanGraphs' model. Meanwhile, he sat in the mid-to-upper-90s with his fastball. Gilbert currently projects as the Mariners' #2 starter behind Bryan Woo, and he ranks at #6 in the latest RotoBaller fantasy baseball draft rankings.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

February 5, 2026

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Hunter Greene remains with the team ahead of spring training, despite countless trade rumors and speculation throughout the offseason. At times, it sounded like Greene might be a legitimate trade candidate, but in the end, he'll remain the ace in Cincinnati's rotation for at least one more year. He's coming off a solid season that was abbreviated due to injury. Across 19 starts (107.2 innings), he posted a 3.04 xERA, 11.03 K/9, and 2.17 BB/9. Loud contact was a slightly concerning subject as his home run rate jumped to 1.25 HR/9 and his ground ball rate dropped to 32.9%. Still, his impressive control and ability to blow his 100 mph fastball by batters make him one of the most exciting players to watch and roster in fantasy baseball. He remains atop the Reds' rotation and is on track for a 3.56 FIP with 3.2 fWAR in 2026, according to the ZiPS projections. As it stands, Greene ranks as the #9 starting pitcher in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball draft rankings.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

February 5, 2026

Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Endy Rodriguez might have to move to second base or the outfield this season, according to Kevin Gorman of TribLIVE. Rodriguez was developed as a catcher and made his MLB debut in 2023, but injuries limited him to just 18 minor league games and 18 major league games across the last two years. At the big-league level in 2025, he slashed just .173/.246/.250 with an 8.8% walk rate, a 24.6% strikeout rate, and 38 wRC+. It's not like his glove was enough to justify putting his bat in the lineup, either. He threw out just two of 10 baserunners and finished the year with -2 FRV. As Gorman notes, Joey Bart and Henry Davis are Pittsburgh's primary catchers right now. The spoils of the starting role will belong to whichever backstop has a better spring, while the other catcher slots into a backup role. That doesn't leave much clarity for Rodriguez and fellow depth catcher Rafael Flores. Presumably, only one of Rodriguez or Flores can make the team. In the past, first base would have been a natural Plan B for either player. However, Pittsburgh is all set there with Spencer Horwitz and Ryan O'Hearn, forcing the club to get creative. As of now, Gorman projects that it'll be Rodriguez who makes the team. He has a little more defensive versatility and is expected to make appearances at second base and in the outfield. His disappointing results at the plate leave him off the fantasy radar in most leagues.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Kevin Gorman

February 5, 2026

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Braxton Ashcraft is projected to earn a spot in the starting rotation, according to Alex Stumpf of MLB.com. Injuries plagued Ashcraft for several consecutive seasons, but he got over the injury bug with a healthy season in 2025. He made 26 appearances (eight starts) in the majors last year, pitching to a 2.78 FIP with 9.17 K/9 and 3.10 BB/9. He also made 10 starts at the Triple-A level, where he logged an additional 48.1 innings of work. Ashcraft's ability to remain effective and stay healthy has put him in the mix for a 26-man roster spot, and Stumpf's article seems to confirm that the Pirates' fourth rotation spot is his to lose. He'll join Paul Skenes, Bubba Chandler, and Mitch Keller in this impressive Pittsburgh pitching staff. He currently ranks as the #96 starting pitcher in the latest RotoBaller fantasy baseball draft rankings for 2026.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

February 4, 2026

Free-agent outfielder Miguel Andujar and the San Diego Padres agreed on a one-year, $4 million contract on Wednesday evening, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN. Andujar, 30, will join the Friars after a solid 2025 campaign with the Athletics and Cincinnati Reds. He hit .298/.329/.436 with six homers and 27 RBI in 60 games for the A's before being traded to Cincy at the deadline. Andujar was even better in 34 regular-season games with the Reds, slashing .359/.400/.544 with a .944 OPS, four homers, and 17 RBI. The move to San Diego will be a bit of a downgrade ballpark-wise, and the Dominican will probably be stuck on the short side of a platoon in the outfield against lefties, whom he posted a ridiculous .986 OPS against last year. Since 2003, Andujar has a .967 OPS versus southpaws. Heading into his age-31 season, is unlikely to be as good as he was in 2025, but he could make for a nice role player in San Diego.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan

February 4, 2026

Houston Astros right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. threw a bullpen session on Tuesday and will be built up as a starter during spring training, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. McCullers, one of the most injury-prone pitchers in baseball, returned to the Astros in 2025 after missing two full seasons following surgery on his right forearm. The 32-year-old veteran went on the injured list three separate times last year and appeared in 16 games (13 starts), going 2-5 with a 6.51 ERA (5.77 FIP) and 1.81 WHIP with 61 strikeouts and 39 walks in 55 1/3 innings. Perhaps McCullers will be more effective another year removed from his flexor-tendon surgery, but at this point, it's hard to imagine him making it through a full season with a starter's workload. He does a good job of keeping the ball out of the air, but his serious durability concerns will keep most fantasy managers far away, even in the deepest of formats.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Brian McTaggart

February 4, 2026

Left-handed starting pitcher Framber Valdez has agreed to a three-year, $115 million contract with the Detroit Tigers, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. Valdez was viewed as the top free agent starting pitcher on the market and will now join a rotation that features the two-time reigning AL Cy Young winner, Tarik Skubal. Passan noted that this contract features an opt-out following the second season. The southpaw has spent his entire eight-year MLB career with the Houston Astros. Last summer, the 32-year-old logged 192 innings to the tune of a 3.66 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and a 187:68 K:BB. Since 2022, the left-hander has been one of the most consistent workhorses in the sport, logging at least 190 innings in three of the four seasons. During this four-year stretch, Valdez has posted an overall 3.21 ERA with a strong 1.16 WHIP. While his strikeout upside is limited, Valdez remains a high-end SP2 in all formats, given his ability to produce high-end ratios while taking on a large workload.--Andy Smith
Source: Jeff Passan

February 4, 2026

Outfielder David Peralta announced on his Instagram account on Wednesday that he is retiring from professional baseball. Peralta last played in the major leagues in 2024 with the San Diego Padres, when he hit .267/.335/.415 with a .750 OPS, eight home runs, 28 RBI, and 35 runs scored in 91 games and 260 plate appearances. The 38-year-old Venezuelan didn't play with an affiliated MLB team in 2025 and probably wasn't generating any real interest on the open market this offseason. Peralta will wrap up an 11-year big-league career that saw him play for four different teams -- Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Tampa Bay Rays. Nine of his 11 seasons were spent in Arizona. His best year came in 2018 with the Snakes, when he hit .293/.352/.516 with an .868 OPS, 30 homers, and 87 RBI. Peralta finishes his career with a .278/.335/.448 slash line, .782 OPS, 125 homers, and 569 RBI in 1,232 regular-season games.--Keith Hernandez
Source: David Peralta on Instagram