March 5, 2026
Detroit Tigers top prospect
Kevin McGonigle has made a strong case through the opening weeks of spring training to begin the regular season on the MLB roster. The No. 2-ranked prospect in the sport (on MLB.com), trialing only Pittsburgh's
Konnor Griffin, has posted an elite .400/.471/.667 slash line with two doubles, one triple, and one stolen base over just six games. Even though McGonigle has yet to play a game at Triple-A, the budding star is looking quite comfortable against MLB-caliber pitching. Last summer, McGonigle spent most of his time at High-A and Double-A, where he held a cumulative .309/.411/.596 line with a 1.007 OPS, 19 HRs, and 10 SBs over 82 games. If he continues this pace in spring training, he could win the starting shortstop job over
Javier Baez and
Zach McKinstry.
--Andy SmithSource: MLB.com
March 5, 2026
Cincinnati Reds infield prospect
Sal Stewart has flashed high power upside over his first taste of spring training games. The team's No. 1 prospect has posted an elite .429/.529/.929 line with one double and two long balls over just six games. He trails only infielder
Matt McLain for the team lead in spring training home runs. Stewart earned a taste of the majors later in the second half of last season and held his own, carrying a .255/.293/.545 line with one double and five home runs over a brief 18-game stint. Earlier in the campaign, Stewart launched 20 home runs over a 118-game stint between Double-A and Triple-A. Fantasy managers should expect Stewart to carve out an everyday role in the Cincinnati offense, seeing time at several infield positions. He is a prime breakout candidate in drafts as he possesses elite power upside with the potential to chip in double-digit stolen bases.
--Andy SmithSource: MLB.com
March 5, 2026
Boston Red Sox left-handed pitching prospect
Connelly Early will likely begin the 2026 season at Triple-A Worcester. According to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com,
Johan Oviedo is the current favorite to claim the starting position, which will push Early and fellow prospect
Payton Tolle to Triple-A. The 23-year-old looked quite comfortable in his first taste of MLB action, logging 19 1/3 innings to the tune of a 2.33 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and a 29:4 K:BB. He struck out at least seven batters in all but one of his outings, and even hit the double-digit strikeout mark in his first career start against the Athletics. At Triple-A, the southpaw tossed 28 2/3 innings with a 2.83 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. Even if Early were to begin the season in the minors, he is a worthy stash target in deeper formats given the high strikeout upside he flashed in his first taste of MLB action.
--Andy SmithSource: Chris Cotillo
March 5, 2026
New York Yankees right-handed pitching prospect
Carlos Lagrange has looked very comfortable through the early part of spring training and could be in serious contention to begin the season on the MLB roster. The team's No. 2-ranked prospect on MLB.com has appeared in two games so far (one start) and logged 5 2/3 innings with one earned run (two total runs) and a stellar 1.06 WHIP. He has struck out six batters and allowed just two free passes. Last summer, Lagrange spent most of his time at Double-A Somerset, where he logged 78 1/3 innings with a strong 3.22 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and a 104:50 K:BB. While he possesses immense strikeout upside, his weaker command has limited his production. If Lagrange continues this early success in camp, he could earn a spot on the Opening Day roster with both
Carlos Rodon (elbow) and
Gerrit Cole (elbow) set to miss the start of the season.
--Andy SmithSource: MLB.com
March 5, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks outfield prospect
Ryan Waldschmidt has made a strong case for a starting job early in spring training and is quickly approaching sleeper territory in drafts. Through his first six contests, Waldschmidt has posted a .316/.350/.632 slash line with three doubles, one home run, and one stolen base. Even though Waldschmidt has yet to step foot on a Triple-A diamond, the team's top prospect is in serious contention to crack the Opening Day roster. Last season, he spent time at High- and Double-A and posted a cumulative .289/.419/.473 line with a .892 OPS, 18 home runs, and 29 stolen bases. With
Corbin Carroll (hand) in question for Opening Day and
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (knee) set to miss the start of the season, Waldschmidt could hold high-end early-season value in all formats.
--Andy SmithSource: MLB.com
March 4, 2026
The Athletics are open to reuniting with
Kyler Murray, who was the ninth overall selection in the 2018 MLB draft out of Oklahoma, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Murray ultimately chose football over baseball and was taken first overall in the 2019 NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals will be releasing the 28-year-old QB after seven seasons with the organization, though. The A's retained Murray's baseball rights in the event he decides to return to baseball. Murray should have plenty of suitors in free agency in the NFL this offseason, which makes it unlikely that he'll give up football in favor of baseball in 2026. He was regarded as a five-tool player on the diamond, however, after hitting .296 with 10 home runs and 47 RBI in 51 games for the Sooners in 2018. The New York Jets are a team that is reportedly looking into Murray.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
March 4, 2026
Houston Astros shortstop
Jeremy Pena (finger) suffered a small fracture in one of his fingers and will miss at least the first round of the World Baseball Classic, according to Dionisio Soldevila. It doesn't sound like it's too serious, but this will also put the 28-year-old's availability for the start of the 2026 regular season up in the air. If Pena opens the year on the injured list,
Carlos Correa would likely move over to the 6, opening up starting duties at the hot corner for
Isaac Paredes. Pena was a first-time All-Star last year, slashing .304/.363/.477 with a career-high .840 OPS, 17 home runs, 62 RBI, 68 runs scored, and 20 stolen bases in 125 games played over 543 plate appearances. He was pretty productive for the Astros and fantasy managers despite missing time with oblique and rib injuries. Pena is a more modest five-category contributor at a premium position, but he won't cost as much as the elite names on draft day. He could be even more of a value pick due to his finger injury.
UPDATE: Pena will undergo X-rays after a ground ball took a bad hop and struck a fingertip during Wednesday's exhibition game.--Keith HernandezSource: Dionisio Soldevila
March 4, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks reliever
Drey Jameson could be a key piece of the team's bullpen in 2026 after injuries have left the staff thin, as
A.J. Puk (elbow) is not expected to return until July and
Justin Martinez (elbow) is targeting an August return. That leaves closing duties to the likes of
Kevin Ginkel and
Paul Sewald, who combined for five total saves last season, as Sewald dealt with a shoulder injury for most of the year and has been less effective since his 34-save campaign in 2023. Jameson may not get a crack at closing duties, but if he does, the right-hander has the stuff to be effective, including a fastball that can touch 99 mph. The former 34th-overall draft pick experienced elbow pain last year that caused him to be shut down in June, but he was able to strike out 19 batters in 12 2/3 innings pitched at Triple-A before that and was healthy enough to pitch again in the Arizona Fall League. The 28-year-old has looked good so far this spring, too, punching out three batters in two innings of work, with his four-seamer topping out at 98.7 mph. Jameson is not rosterable in most fantasy leagues at the moment, but he's a name to keep on the radar should Ginkel or Sewald falter early on.
--Jarod RuppSource: Baseball Savant
March 4, 2026
San Francisco Giants first baseman
Rafael Devers (hamstring) told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle that he's feeling much better. "I feel good!" Devers said. He's unsure if he'll be able to play in the team's next Cactus League game on Friday, but this weekend might be more likely for a return. The 29-year-old left-handed hitter was scratched from the spring training lineup last Friday with a hamstring injury and was also shut down from all baseball activities. Devers will still be considered day-to-day until he gets back on the field, but it sounds like he dodged a bullet and should be ready for Opening Day in late March. The three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger hit only .236/.347/.460 in 90 games for the Giants after being acquired in a trade with Boston, but he still finished with 35 homers and 109 RBI in 163 games played. Devers will be playing a full season in one of the more pitcher-friendly parks in baseball, but he's still a top-10 fantasy first baseman with a solid bat and safe floor.
--Keith HernandezSource: San Francisco Chronicle - Susan Slusser
March 4, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers right-handed reliever
Abner Uribe showed his dominance on Tuesday in an exhibition appearance for Team Dominican Republic against the Detroit Tigers. Uribe struck out all three batters he faced in the outing and threw 11 of his 19 pitches for strikes. The 25-year-old's arrow is pointing up after going 3-2 with a career-best 1.67 ERA (2.75 FIP), 1.03 WHIP, career-high seven saves, career-high 90 strikeouts, and 27 walks in 75 1/3 innings pitched out of Milwaukee's bullpen. Uribe's filthy sinker hit 100.7 mph on the radar gun. Last year, Uribe also had a league-leading 37 holds over 75 appearances. In addition to a nasty sinker, Abner also possesses a wipeout slider that really gave hitters trouble in 2025. At worst, he'll be in a committee approach in Milwaukee for saves, and he has more fantasy upside than
Trevor Megill.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 4, 2026
Washington Nationals outfielder
Dylan Crews (thumb) returned to the Grapefruit League lineup on Wednesday, starting in center field and batting sixth against Team Venezuela. Crews took three days off after injuring his left thumb during live batting practice in camp on Saturday, but he's good to go now. The 24-year-old went 1-for-9 with two runs scored and an RBI in four spring training games before his thumb injury. A lot was expected of the former second overall pick out of LSU when he eventually got to the big leagues, but that has not been the case so far through two seasons. Crews has a .211/.282/.352 slash line, .634 OPS, 13 home runs, 35 RBI, 55 runs scored, and 29 stolen bases in 454 plate appearances over 116 games. An oblique injury caused him to miss significant time in 2025. With better health, fantasy managers should not give up on this power/speed threat. Crews is a post-hype sleeper that could easily be a 20-20 player in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: Washington Nationals
March 4, 2026
Tampa Bay Rays left-hander
Shane McClanahan (triceps) made his first Grapefruit League start on Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies and pitched well, throwing two scoreless innings while allowing two hits, walking none, and striking out one. McClanahan, a two-time All-Star, has not pitched since 2023, first having Tommy John surgery and then missing all of last year with a nerve-related issue in his left triceps muscle. The 28-year-old southpaw is back, though, and he was able to hit 96.7 mph with his fastball on Tuesday while throwing 16 of his 23 pitches for strikes. McClanahan was showing ace potential for the Rays before the injuries started, so there is upside here. However, after missing the last two seasons, workload restrictions will likely limit McClanahan's ceiling in 2026. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 67 fantasy starting pitcher as a late-round flier with upside. His ADP will only continue to rise if he looks good and stays healthy in spring training.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 4, 2026
Veteran right-handed reliever
Kirby Yates signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels for the 2026 season, and he could be a favorite for save chances to begin the year. Yates will have to earn it this spring, but there is a potential opening at the back end of the Halos' bullpen with both right-handers
Ben Joyce (shoulder) and
Robert Stephenson (elbow) recovering from injuries. The two-time All-Star has 98 saves in his 11-year big-league career. He was an All-Star as recently as 2024 with the Texas Rangers, when he had a 1.17 ERA and 33 saves in 61 2/3 innings pitched. Yates had a career-high 41 saves for the San Diego Padres in 2019 as well, so he has plenty of experience being the guy in the ninth inning. It makes him a sleeper target for saves speculators, but he's coming off a 5.23 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and only three saves with the Dodgers last year, and once Joyce and Stephenson are ready, manager Kurt Suzuki will potentially be looking at a four-reliever committee for saves.
--Keith HernandezSource: Baseball Reference
March 4, 2026
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher
Mick Abel turned in his second strong spring performance this past Sunday, allowing no earned runs on one hit and no walks while striking out six over three innings of work. Combined with his spring debut, the right-hander has yet to allow a run and just three hits while walking none so far and striking out a total of 11 through six innings pitched. The former-first round draft pick was consistently throwing his four-seamer over 97 mph in his latest outing, topping out at 98.9 mph and generating six whiffs (55 percent) on 11 swings on that pitch in the process. Abel had a rough go of it during his first taste of the majors last year, posting a gaudy 6.23 ERA and 1.51 WHIP in 10 appearances (eight starts) between Minnesota and Philadelphia, although his last start of the 2025 showed what he is capable of, when he struck out nine in six innings of shutout ball. The 24-year-old will likely begin the season with Triple-A, but if he continues to show well, he could be the first name called when the Twins need rotation help. Although he's not draftable in most leagues, Abel is a name to monitor as he's shown flashes of dominance in the minors with a 28.6 percent strikeout rate at Triple-A in 2025.
--Jarod RuppSource: Baseball Savant
March 4, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder
Corbin Carroll (hand) has progressed from swings off flips/tee toss to more typical batting practice swings, manager Torey Lovullo told Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. Carroll is recovering from surgery for a broken hamate bone in his right hand, but he appears to be getting close to facing live pitching in camp. If the 25-year-old continues to make good progress and avoids any setbacks, there's still a chance he could be ready to play on Opening Day on March 26 against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers. The two-time All-Star and former National League Rookie of the Year bounced back in 2025 after a down year in 2024, slashing .259/.343/.541 with an .883 OPS, career-high 31 home runs, a league-leading 17 triples, 107 runs scored, and 32 stolen bases in 143 games. Carroll's hand injury isn't ideal going into the regular season, and it could sap him of some power, but he's still considered a top-10 fantasy outfielder at RotoBaller.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Arizona Republic - Nick Piecoro
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