March 7, 2026
The Houston Astros are signing free-agent catcher
Christian Vazquez to a minor-league deal with an invitation to major-league camp on Saturday, according to Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle. Vazquez played in Houston for part of the 2022 campaign and will now return to the Astros as catching depth behind
Yainer Diaz in 2026. The 35-year-old veteran hit just .189/.271/.274 with a .545 OPS, three home runs, 14 RBI, and 14 runs scored in 214 plate appearances over 65 games played last year for the Minnesota Twins. Vazquez is a career .250/.299/.367 hitter in his 11 big-league seasons and has 71 home runs in 993 regular-season games. He will report to Astros camp after playing in the World Baseball Classic with Team Puerto Rico. With a limited offensive profile and in a backup role, fantasy managers can avoid Vazquez in the vast majority of leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: Houston Chronicle - Matt Kawahara
March 7, 2026
Minnesota Twins outfielder
Byron Buxton (elbow) was removed from Friday's World Baseball Classic game early against Brazil after being hit by a pitch on his elbow in the fifth inning, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Team USA replaced Buxton in center field with Chicago Cubs outfielder
Pete Crow-Armstrong. The severity of Buxton's elbow injury is unclear, and it remains to be seen if the 32-year-old veteran will be able to play in the next game in the tournament. Before leaving, Buxton had gone 0-for-2 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored in a game that Team USA won in a 15-5 blowout. Before joining Team USA for the WBC, Buxton had gone 3-for-13 (.231) with two RBI and a stolen base in six Grapefruit League games. Buxton was named an All-Star in 2025 for the second time in his career and had a career-high 35 homers, 83 RBI, and 24 stolen bases as he managed to stay healthy for 126 games. His lengthy injury history makes him a risk/reward No. 2 fantasy outfielder, though.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
March 7, 2026
Baltimore Orioles second baseman
Jackson Holliday (hand) is hitting off a tee and took 40 swings in camp on Saturday, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports. Holliday said his hand feels good. He will hit flips on Sunday and could progress to batting practice in a week. The 22-year-old left-handed hitter is recovering from hamate-bone surgery in his hand and is expected to open the 2026 regular season on the injured list. However, as long as he doesn't suffer any setbacks, Holliday should have a minimum IL stay and be ready to make his season debut in early April after initially having surgery on his hand on Feb. 12. The former first overall pick in 2022 showed improvement in Year 2 in 2025, slashing .242/.314/.375 with a .690 OPS, 17 home runs, 55 RBI, 70 runs scored, and 17 stolen bases in 649 plate appearances. It was encouraging that he cut his strikeout rate considerably. Fantasy managers are now hoping he can take another step forward in 2026. RotoBaller has Holliday ranked just inside the top 15 fantasy second basemen.
--Keith HernandezSource: MASN Sports - Roch Kubatko
March 7, 2026
New York Mets outfield prospect
Carson Benge is making a case this spring for why the right-field job should be his to lose, according to Danny Abriano of SNY. Abriano writes that Benge "has looked the part of someone ready for the majors." Others vying for playing time in right field include
Mike Tauchman,
MJ Melendez,
Tyrone Taylor, and
Brett Baty. The Mets have been adamant all offseason that Benge would have a real chance to make the Opening Day roster, and he's done nothing in camp to really hurt his chances. Benge has had a three-hit day, hit an opposite-field homer in his most recent game, is making loud contact, and has looked very good in right field. The 23-year-old former first-rounder hit .282/.389/.467 with 14 homers and 24 steals in 116 games between Double-A and Triple-A last year and should make an impact in mixed fantasy leagues if he's on the strong side of a platoon for the Mets in right field in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: SNY - Danny Abriano
March 6, 2026
It's becoming "increasingly obvious" that Milwaukee Brewers right-hander
Quinn Priester (wrist) won't be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season due to a right-wrist injury that is "not responding consistently," manager Pat Murphy told Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Priester doesn't have structural damage, but more than six months after feeling discomfort in his wrist, the issue has not gone away. Opening Day is three weeks away, and Priester has not thrown off a mound in more than a week. "He'll have a bullpen and feels great, and then the next bullpen, he can't do it. Whenever you're dealing with whatever up the arm, [starting at] the wrist, it's concerning. But I'm optimistic," manager Pat Murphy said. Milwaukee is even thinking of sending Priester to a specialist at this point. If Priester is not ready to start the year,
Jacob Misiorowski and
Chad Patrick are the leading candidates to take a rotation spot. Fantasy managers should be extremely hesitant to take the 25-year-old in upcoming drafts.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
March 6, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder
Corbin Carroll (hand) is already taking live batting practice in camp as he works his way back from hamate surgery on his right hand that he had on Feb. 12, according to Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. Nothing is set in stone, but the fact that the 25-year-old former National League Rookie of the Year is already facing live pitching means he should be ready to go for Opening Day at the end of the month. The two-time All-Star is an elite five-category contributor when he's fully healthy, and he's coming off a bounce-back season in which he slashed .259/.343/.541 with an .883 OPS, career-best 31 home runs, 84 RBI, 107 runs scored, a league-high 17 triples, and 32 stolen bases in 642 plate appearances over 143 games. With easy 20-20 potential in a hitter-friendly home park, Carroll is a lock as a top-10 fantasy outfielder going into his fifth MLB season.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Arizona Republic - Nick Piecoro
March 6, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays left-handed pitching prospect
Ricky Tiedemann (elbow) has not resumed throwing yet after he was shut down with left-elbow soreness 10 days ago, according to Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet. At that time, an MRI exam didn't show any structural damage. "Hopefully, in the next couple of days, he should be back at it," manager John Schneider said. The 23-year-old appears to be OK, but more elbow issues this spring are not what fantasy managers holding Tiedemann wanted to see after he had Tommy John surgery in July of 2024. He did not pitch at all in 2025 and already had an injury-prone label before having elbow reconstruction. Tiedemann isn't guaranteed to be ready to pitch in Grapefruit League games before the end of camp, and the Blue Jays will be extremely cautious with his workload in 2026. He probably isn't a realistic redraft target this year.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sportsnet - Arden Zwelling
March 6, 2026
Updating a previous report, Milwaukee Brewers outfielder
Jackson Chourio (hand) suffered a left-hand contusion from a hit-by-pitch on Wednesday in a World Baseball Classic exhibition game, according to Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Chourio is not in the lineup for Team Venezuela's WBC game on Friday against the Netherlands, but he could play on Saturday against Israel. "He's fine," manager Pat Murphy said. X-rays on the 21-year-old came back negative, so he shouldn't be in any danger of not being ready on Opening Day in late March. Chourio should be considered a top-10 fantasy baseball outfielder going into his third MLB season. He's been pretty consistent in his first two big-league campaigns, hitting .272/.317/.463 with a .781 OPS, 42 home runs, 157 RBI, 168 runs scored, and 43 stolen bases in 279 regular-season games for the Brew Crew. Chourio's batted-ball metrics are a bit concerning, but heading into his age-22 season, he is just getting started.
--Keith HernandezSource: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Curt Hogg
March 6, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays right-handed pitching prospect
Trey Yesavage's next spring outing could be another live batting practice session, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. There are "no immediate plans" to get him into a Grapefruit League game. Manager John Schneider said, "We still view him as a starter," when asked about Yesavage's role going into the 2026 season. But it's no secret that Toronto is handling the talent young arm with kid gloves, and he could have an abbreviated start to the season, going like three to four innings per outing out of the gates. The 22-year-old only threw 46 1/3 innings at East Carolina in 2024 before jumping to 139 2/3 innings last year as he made it all the way to the big leagues while helping the Jays make it all the way to the World Series. Yesavage looked solid with 16 K's in 14 innings over his three regular-season starts, and he also added a 12-strikeout performance against the Dodgers in the World Series. His upside will be limited early on in his first full big-league season, so fantasy managers should have Yesavage ranked as more of a No. 3 starter with upside.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sportsnet - Ben Nicholson-Smith
March 6, 2026
New York Yankees right-hander
Clarke Schmidt (elbow) thinks that grip changes last year led to his elbow issues that required Tommy John surgery, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. "I think the No. 1 thing that played a factor was mid-season grip changes," Schmidt said. "You make grip changes, and you start to really put different stress on different areas of your forearm and stuff like that." The 30-year-old started throwing a new sweeper on May 6 last year, and it required him to "grip it really hard" and "torque it." A month late, he was having trouble recovering between starts and battled through right-forearm soreness. Schmidt was limited to 14 starts in 2025. He plans on sticking with his old sweeper grip and will "definitely" ditch the newer one. This spring, Schmidt is focusing on his rehab. Fantasy managers are unlikely to have him available until the end of the summer, limiting his fantasy appeal in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Daily News - Gary Phillips
March 6, 2026
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold told ESPN 101 St. Louis that he thinks shortstop prospect
JJ Wetherholt "might be the best hitter in camp." Goold adds that Wetherholt is a "very polished," accomplished hitter with power that will "catch you by surprise." The 23-year-old former seventh overall pick in 2024 out of West Virginia has a mature approach at the plate for his age and appears to be the real deal. Barring something unforeseen, it's looking like he will break camp with the MLB roster and be in line for a starting spot on the infield to begin the 2026 regular season. So far through seven Grapefruit League games, Wetherholt has gone 4-for-12 (.333) with a homer, four RBI, five runs, a steal, seven walks, and only three strikeouts in 19 plate appearances. His ADP should continue to rise this spring as the third-best middle-infield prospect in 2026, behind only
Konnor Griffin and
Kevin McGonigle.
--Keith HernandezSource: St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Derrick Goold
March 6, 2026
San Francisco Giants first baseman
Rafael Devers (hamstring) is progressing well and could make his return to Cactus League action in spring training next week, according to Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News. As a precaution, the Giants recently shut Devers down from all baseball activities after he reported tightness in his hamstring late last month. Barring a setback, the 29-year-old left-handed hitter should be just fine for Opening Day later this month. The three-time All-Star had a falling out with the Boston Red Sox last year and was traded to the Giants, where he finished with a .236/.347/.460 slash line, .807 OPS, 20 home runs, 51 RBI, and 52 runs scored in 90 games. Devers clubbed 35 homers and drove in 109 runs overall in 163 games, and although he's not in a favorable hitter's park, he gives fantasy managers a solid floor. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 7 fantasy first baseman.
--Keith HernandezSource: The San Jose Mercury News - Justice delos Santos
March 6, 2026
Detroit Tigers catching prospect
Josue Briceno (wrist) had right-wrist surgery to fix something called the "extensor carpi ulnaris subsheath," and he's expected to be out for multiple months, according to Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic. Briceno injured his wrist in a Grapefruit League game last weekend and is now looking at an extended absence in 2026. When he recovers from his wrist surgery, he will likely report to Double-A Erie to continue his development in the minor leagues. The 21-year-old Venezuelan backstop hit .266/.383/.500 with an .883 OPS, 20 home runs, 76 RBI, and 60 runs scored in 100 games with Erie and High-A West Michigan last year. Per MLB Pipeline, Briceno is the team's No. 4 prospect. He could eventually be moved to first base long-term. Briceno might be a long shot now to make his MLB debut in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Cody Stavenhagen
March 6, 2026
Houston Astros shortstop
Jeremy Pena (finger) said the goal is to try to be ready for Opening Day at the end of March, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. "I don't know how it's going to heal, I don't know what the process is going to be like, but the goal is always to try to join the team for Opening Day," Pena said. The 28-year-old was diagnosed with a fracture in the tip of his right ring finger on Thursday, and he'll be re-evaluated in two weeks. The injury will force Pena to miss the World Baseball Classic for Team Dominican Republic, but he's hoping he'll be healed in time for the start of the 2026 regular season. If Pena goes on the injured list to start the year, either
Carlos Correa or
Nick Allen are the candidates to take over at the 6 in Houston. It's not a serious injury for Pena, but it's enough to have fantasy managers hesitant to take him as a low-end starting shortstop in upcoming drafts.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Brian McTaggart
March 6, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder
Jackson Chourio (wrist) won't play in Team Venezuela's game against Team Netherlands on Friday in the World Baseball Classic. Chourio is dealing with a wrist contusion after getting hit by a pitch on Wednesday. He underwent further testing that revealed a soft-tissue contusion, so there is no structural damage. It sounds like Chourio has avoided any significant injuries, which is a huge relief. He will be available to play defense and run during Friday's game. Team Venezuela is just going to play it safe and not have Chourio hit for at least one game and see how he's feeling. Barring any setbacks, Chourio should be physically fine in a few days.
--Andy WebbSource: Daniel Alvarez-Montes
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