February 21, 2026
Boston Red Sox relief pitcher
Tyler Samaniego (back) wasn't able to make his scheduled appearance during Saturday's Grapefruit game versus the Minnesota Twins. According to manager Alex Cora, Samaniego is currently viewed as day-to-day with back tightness. Cora said that Samaniego should be able to pitch again in a few days. The 27-year-old posted a 3.99 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and a 44/11 K/BB ratio across 30 appearances in the minors with the Pittsburgh Pirates last season. He'll attempt to make the big league roster in camp, but will likely head to Triple-A to begin the season. Samaniego should have a decent chance at making his big league debut sometime during the 2026 season.
--Andy WebbSource: Tim Healey
February 21, 2026
New York Yankees starting pitcher
Cam Schlittler (back) progressed to throwing a bullpen session on Saturday. Schlittler has thrown two bullpen sessions and should progress to facing live hitters soon. Schlittler has been slowly ramping up activities after missing time early in camp due to back inflammation. He hasn't experienced any setbacks and should get back up to full speed soon. The 25-year-old is coming off a strong rookie campaign in 2025. He registered a 2.96 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and an 84/31 K/BB ratio across 14 starts with the Yankees.
--Andy WebbSource: Brendan Kuty
February 21, 2026
Texas Rangers infielder
Cody Freeman (back) is going to be sidelined for 4-6 weeks after being diagnosed with a lower back fracture, according to Kennedi Landry. Rangers' manager Skip Schumaker told reporters that Freeman will be shut down for at least a month before starting baseball activities. The 25-year-old was expected to claim a bench spot to open the season, but that doesn't seem to be possible now. Freeman slashed .228/.258/342 with three home runs and 15 RBI in 36 games with the Rangers last season. He put together impressive numbers at Triple-A Round Rock in 2025. Freeman appears to be ready for the next level, so hopefully he'll be able to get healthy and help the Rangers at some point in 2026.
--Andy WebbSource: Kennedi Landry
February 21, 2026
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher
Logan Gilbert is scheduled to make his Spring Training debut versus the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday. It's still early in camp, which means Gilbert will likely only face a handful of batters. Reliever
Jose A. Ferrer is also scheduled to pitch on Monday, but the rest of the arms are unknown at the moment. Gilbert posted a strong 2025 campaign but was limited to 25 starts due to injuries. During that time, Gilbert posted a 3.44 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and a 173/31 K/BB ratio across 131.0 innings of work. He is one of the most consistent arms in the Mariners' rotation. The 28-year-old should be a trustworthy fantasy option heading into the 2026 campaign.
--Andy WebbSource: Ryan Divish
February 21, 2026
Chicago Cubs first baseman
Jonathon Long (elbow) was forced to make an early exit from Friday's Cactus League matchup versus the Texas Rangers. Long suffered a left elbow sprain while attempting to make a catch at first base. The timetable for his injury is unknown right now, but Long is expected to miss some time. The expectation is that Long will make his MLB debut at some point in 2026. Last season, Long slashed .305/.404/.479 with 20 home runs and 91 RBI in 140 games at Triple-A Iowa. The Cubs have
Michael Busch at first base, but Long could become a platoon partner at first base at some point. The 24-year-old figures to begin the season at Triple-A, but figures to see action in Chicago this season.
--Andy WebbSource: Maddie Lee
February 21, 2026
The Minnesota Twins announced that right-hander
Joe Ryan (back) was scratched from his start in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Boston Red Sox due to lower-back tightness on his right side, according to Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic. We'll have a better idea of the severity of Ryan's back injury in a day or two, but hopefully it's nothing serious enough to put him on the injured list to start the 2026 season, especially after the Twins already lost ace
Pablo Lopez (elbow) for the season due to Tommy John surgery. The 29-year-old finally stayed healthy through the 2025 season and made 30 starts, going 13-10 with a career-best 3.42 ERA (3.74 FIP), 1.03 WHIP, and a 194:39 K:BB in a career-high 171 innings pitched. Despite not lighting up the radar gun, Ryan induces plenty of whiffs and has excellent control. As long as his back injury doesn't jeopardize the start of his 2026 season, Ryan should be viewed as a top-20 fantasy starting pitcher.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Aaron Gleeman
February 21, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander
Merrill Kelly's (back) live batting practice session in camp on Saturday was scratched due to mid-back tightness, and he will undergo testing in the next 24 hours, manager Torey Lovullo told Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. It's an ominous sign for a 37-year-old veteran, but we'll know more about the severity of his injury soon. Kelly began the 2025 campaign in Arizona before being traded to the Texas Rangers to close out the season. He was better with the D-backs in 22 starts, posting a 3.22 ERA (3.58 FIP) and 1.06 WHIP with 121 K's and 38 walks in 128 2/3 innings. In Texas, he had a 4.23 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 46:10 K:BB in 10 starts. Kelly knows how to command the baseball, but he lacks a ton of fantasy upside because of his lack of strikeout upside, and home runs have also been an issue. Depending on the severity of his back injury, he could fall off the radar in mixed fantasy leagues entirely entering the 2026 regular season.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Arizona Republic - Nick Piecoro
February 21, 2026
The Los Angeles Dodgers claimed outfielder
Jack Suwinski off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, a source told Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Suwinski could be back on waivers before the start of the 2026 regular season, as he's out of minor-league options and is likely to face an uphill battle to make the Dodgers' Opening Day roster out of spring training. The 27-year-old center fielder has hit under .200 in his four big-league seasons in Pittsburgh and slashed just .147/.281/.253 with a career-worst .534 OPS, three home runs, 10 RBI, 15 runs scored, seven steals, and 57 strikeouts in 178 plate appearances over a career-low 59 games in 2025. Suwinski has decent plate discipline, but he has simply been overmatched by big-league pitchers, especially the last two seasons. If he sticks around with the Dodgers, he'll provide minor-league outfield depth at Triple-A Oklahoma City.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
February 21, 2026
Once a former top prospect with the Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers first baseman
Andrew Vaughn was demoted to Triple-A while still with the White Sox organization in the middle of 2025. A mid-season trade to Milwaukee provided the 27-year-old with a second chance, and he took advantage of the opportunity. Across 254 plate appearances with the Brewers, Vaughn hit .308/.375/.493 with nine home runs, 46 RBI, and 26 runs scored. With a career 46.5% hard-hit rate, Vaughn has always carried intriguing underlying numbers, so the change of scenery may have been all he needed to unlock his potential. Heading into 2026, Vaughn should have a chance to lock down the starting first base job in Milwaukee. While he's not a speed threat, Vaughn has the chance to provide fantasy managers with four-category production and comes at a reasonable average draft position of pick 284.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
February 21, 2026
After emerging as a high-level fantasy contributor in 2024, Colorado Rockies outfielder
Brenton Doyle came crashing back down to Earth in 2025. Across 538 plate appearances, the 27-year-old hit .233/.274/.376 with 15 home runs, 57 RBI, 57 runs scored, and 18 stolen bases. With a career 28.1% strikeout rate and a questionable eye at the plate, Doyle carries significant batting average risk for fantasy managers. However, he remains an intriguing power/speed threat even after his down year in 2025. Doyle's barrel rate rose from 10.5% in 2024 to 10.8% in 2025, and his hard-hit rate jumped from 41.1% to 44.6%. He also has the benefit of playing his home games at the hitter-friendly Coors Field, which could help his batting average on balls in play improve from the .289 mark he posted in 2025. While the Rockies once again project to be one of the worst teams in baseball, Doyle's excellent defense in center field should keep him in the lineup every day and help him rack up counting stats. With an average draft position of pick 157, Doyle could be a buy-low candidate for fantasy managers to target heading into 2026.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
February 21, 2026
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher
Jack Flaherty struggled throughout most of the 2025 season, finishing the year with an 8-15 record, 4.64 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and 188 strikeouts across 161 innings pitched (31 starts). With a 27.6% strikeout rate, the 30-year-old still provided fantasy managers with plenty of whiffs. However, his walk rate jumped from 5.9% in 2024 to 8.7% in 2025, and he allowed a 10.3% barrel rate, the worst mark of his career. Flaherty has an established issue with allowing home runs, as he has logged a HR/9 of 1.29 or worse in each of the past two seasons. If his walk rate continues to climb towards the double-digits, he may have a difficult time keeping his ERA to a manageable number. Detroit owes Flaherty $20 million in 2026, so his spot in the rotation should be secure as long as he stays healthy. Flaherty's ability to rack up strikeouts gives him fantasy appeal as long as he remains in a high-volume role. However, Flaherty has posted an ERA north of 4.60 in two of his last three seasons and represents real risk in the ERA and WHIP categories for fantasy managers.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
February 21, 2026
After a breakout 2024 campaign, Baltimore Orioles outfielder
Colton Cowser battled through an injury-marred 2025 season that saw him post underwhelming numbers across the board. Thumb, rib, and head injuries limited Cowser to just 92 games, and he hit .196/.269/.385 with 16 home runs, 40 RBI, 36 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases. When healthy, Cowser profiles as an intriguing power/speed threat for fantasy managers. He posted an excellent 14.1% barrel rate in 2025 and upped his stolen base total from nine in 2024 to 14 in 2025 despite playing over 60 fewer games. However, swing-and-miss is a major issue. The 25-year-old recorded a 35.6% strikeout rate in 2025 and owns a 32.3% strikeout rate across nearly 1,000 career MLB plate appearances. As a left-handed hitter, Cowser may also lose playing time against same-handed pitching, given Baltimore's crowded outfield depth chart. With a current average draft position of pick 249, Cowser profiles as a high-floor, low-ceiling outfield option for fantasy managers heading into 2026.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
February 21, 2026
Tampa Bay Rays first baseman/designated hitter
Yandy Diaz had an excellent season in 2025, hitting .300/.366/.482 with 25 home runs, 83 RBI, 79 runs scored, and three stolen bases across 651 plate appearances. Diaz has established himself as one of fantasy baseball's best sources of batting average, particularly relative to his position. He's hit .291 across almost 3,500 plate appearances since joining the Rays in 2019, and has hit .296 or better in three out of the last four years. Diaz logged a 52.4% hard-hit rate while striking out in just 14.1% of his plate appearances in 2025, so he appears to have plenty left in the tank as he enters his age-34 season. Where he might regress is in the power category, as Tampa Bay will move back into Tropicana Field for the 2026 season after playing its home games at the hitter-friendly Steinbrenner Field last year. 18 of Diaz's 25 home runs came at home in 2025, and he's hit more than 14 bombs just twice in nine big-league seasons. Still, Diaz has proven himself to be a reliable producer and should be locked into everyday playing time in Tampa Bay in 2026.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
February 21, 2026
Cincinnati Reds infielder
Sal Stewart is playing second base and batting cleanup in the team's first Spring Training matchup of 2026 on Saturday against the Cleveland Guardians. Stewart, who made his Major League debut as a 21-year-old in 2025, played both corner infield spots in his first stint with the Reds. However, it appears as though the team is shifting him to the right side of the infield heading into 2026, as he's reportedly taken reps at both first and second base so far this spring. The Reds have
Matt McLain locked in as the everyday second baseman, but McLain has dealt with injuries throughout his MLB career. Stewart could eventually settle in as the team's regular first baseman, but Cincinnati also has veteran first baseman/outfielder
Spencer Steer to work into the lineup. Still, Stewart's positional versatility should help him get regular playing time, even if it's spread across multiple positions. He currently ranks as RotoBaller's #22 fantasy first baseman and carries an average draft position of pick 207.
--Will BradySource: Cincinnati Reds
February 21, 2026
Detroit Tigers infield prospect
Kevin McGonigle is starting at shortstop and is hitting second in the team's Grapefruit League opener on Saturday against the New York Yankees, according to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. The Tigers have moved McGonigle around to third and second base in camp to increase his chances of making the Opening Day roster, but shortstop remains the focus for the 21-year-old long-term, and it's his clearest path to regular playing time in the big leagues in 2026. McGonigle is the consensus No. 2 prospect in baseball, behind only the Pirates'
Konnor Griffin, due to his elite ability to make contact and drive the ball with authority.
Javier Baez and
Zach McKinstry are better suited for utility roles than for regular duties at the 6, so if McGonigle handles himself well in spring training games, he's likely to win the starting job at short. He hit .305/.408/.583 with 19 home runs and 10 steals in 88 games in three minor-league stops last year and should be drafted in all single-year fantasy leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: Detroit Free Press - Evan Petzold
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