February 5, 2026
MLB.com's Daniel Kramer writes that Seattle Mariners infield prospect
Cole Young has the "leg up to make the team and would have to struggle mightily to lose his grip on the second-base job." The Mariners are "bullish" on the 22-year-old being their second baseman of the future now that
Jorge Polanco is out of town. Young bats left-handed, and there's a likelihood that the Mariners avoid using him against the game's better left-handed pitchers. On those days, new utility man
Brendan Donovan could shift to the keystone. Kramer has Young projected to hit eighth in Seattle's batting order against righties. The former 21st overall pick in 2022 struggled in his MLB debut in 2025, hitting .211/.302/.305 with a .607 OPS, four home runs, 24 RBI, and a 47:28 K:BB ratio in 77 games. There's not a ton of short-term upside for Young, and if he struggles, fellow infield prospect
Colt Emerson could take playing time from him.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Daniel Kramer
February 5, 2026
MLB.com's Daniel Kramer writes that Seattle Mariners utility man
Brendan Donovan, who was acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals earlier this week in a three-team trade, will play all over the field based on matchups, according to sources familiar with the club's thinking. The 2025 All-Star is expected to enter spring training as the primary third baseman, but it could change based on positional competitions, specifically among infielders
Cole Young and
Colt Emerson, Seattle's first-round picks in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Donovan's presence as an option all around the infield could benefit both Young and Emerson long term and take pressure off them to perform right away in 2026. Donovan, who had an .853 OPS against righties and a .614 OPS against lefties last year, won't be in a platoon. In addition to playing every day, Donovan will be the M's leadoff hitter. The 29-year-old rarely strikes out (13% K rate in 2025), but his lack of power and speed severely limit his fantasy appeal in mixed leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Daniel Kramer
February 5, 2026
The Kansas City Royals announced on Thursday that they re-signed catcher
Luke Maile to a minor-league contract with an invitation to major-league spring training. Maile will return to KC after appearing in 25 games for the Royals last season, going 11-for-45 (.244) at the plate with a home run, six RBI, six runs scored, one stolen base, seven walks, and 16 strikeouts in 54 plate appearances. The 34-year-old veteran backstop has 10 years of major-league experience, but he's expected to begin the 2026 campaign as catching depth at Triple-A Omaha behind
Salvador Perez and
Carter Jensen. In his 10 years in the majors with six different organizations, Maile has slashed just .209/.277/.320 with a .597 OPS, 22 home runs, and 119 RBI in 458 games played. Maile has never appeared in more than 76 games in a single season.
--Keith HernandezSource: Kansas City Royals
February 5, 2026
The Pittsburgh Pirates signed free-agent right-hander
Jose Urquidy to a one-year, $1.5 million deal on Thursday, a source told Jason Mackey of PG Sports Now. The 30-year-old Mexican hurler has pitched for the Houston Astros and Detroit Tigers in his six-year MLB career, but he's thrown only 2 1/3 innings in the big leagues in the last two seasons after having right-elbow surgery. The 30-year-old appeared in 49 games (48 starts) for the Astros from 2021 to 2022 and was solid with a 3.81 ERA (4.42 FIP), 1.09 WHIP with 224 strikeouts and 57 walks in 271 1/3 innings pitched. Urquidy had Tommy John surgery in June of 2024. Given the stout nature of Pittsburgh's starting rotation going into the 2026 season, it's unlikely that Urquidy will win an Opening Day starting spot, but he'll give the Bucs some valuable depth and could operate as a swingman. He has a career 19.6% strikeout rate, which limits his fantasy upside.
--Keith HernandezSource: PG Sports Now - Jason Mackey
February 5, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander
Corbin Burnes (elbow) has not had any setbacks during his rehab from Tommy John surgery, and the Diamondbacks' ace is still aiming to return in July of this year. "We put an aggressive timeline on it from the get-go. We were looking at the 12 1/2, 13-month mark. We're still on pace with that," Burnes said. It's the same timeline that the 31-year-old veteran gave back in late September, but it's still good news that he's on track after having right-elbow reconstruction in June of 2025. The four-time All-Star signed a six-year, $210 million contract with Arizona in December of 2024 but ended up only making 11 starts in his first year in the desert, posting a 2.66 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 63:26 K:BB in 64 1/3 innings. Before the injury, Burnes was one of the most consistent high-end starters in baseball over the previous five seasons. Fantasy managers can stash Burnes in an IL spot in 2026 in hopes of him being an ace in the second half, but expectations should be tempered as well.
--Keith HernandezSource: Kyle Odegard
February 5, 2026
Cleveland Guardians infield prospect
Angel Genao, who is ranked No. 33 on Keith Law's top-100 prospect list for 2026, had a lost year in 2025 due to a sprained right shoulder that he suffered in spring training. Genao still managed to play in 85 games between the Arizona Complex League and Double-A Akron, but he didn't look like his 2024 self and often "seemed hesitant to swing at full speed." Overall, the 21-year-old switch-hitting Dominican slashed .263/.332/.382 with a .715 OPS, five home runs, 42 RBI, 49 runs scored, and six stolen bases in 373 plate appearances. Law believes that second base is more likely for Genao in the long-term, but shortstop is not off the table given his strong defense at the 6. Genao showed more full extension on his swings in the Dominican Winter League and could very well bounce back in 2026. Law has Genao as an above-average regular somewhere in the middle infield in Cleveland whenever he makes the jump to the big leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Keith Law
February 5, 2026
Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said at Fenway Fest last month that he "envisions more playing time against lefties" for infielder
Marcelo Mayer, which indicates more of a full-time role instead of a platoon, according to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. The departure of
Alex Bregman in free agency left a gaping hole at third base this offseason. Mayer is expected to see most of the playing time at the hot corner, although it's unclear how Wednesday's addition of
Isiah Kiner-Falefa will change the dynamic. Boston also has infielders
Romy Gonzalez,
David Hamilton, and
Nick Sogard in the mix, as well as
Nate Eaton and
Kristian Campbell. The 23-year-old Mayer, who hits left-handed, only had 27 plate appearances against southpaws in 2025 and posted an ugly .416 OPS against them. Mayer struggled in his rookie campaign, striking out 30% of the time while walking at a 5.9% clip. If he struggles against lefties, Kiner-Falefa could take over the short side of a platoon at third in Beantown.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Jen McCaffrey
February 5, 2026
Free-agent starting pitcher
Zac Gallen is one of the few impact starting pitchers left on the market after
Framber Valdez signed with the Tigers on Wednesday, and that fact could lead to more focus on Gallen from the Orioles, who were considered one of the main teams in the mix for Valdez. Like Valdez, Gallen rejected a qualifying offer, which could be complicating his market, but now that Framber is no longer an option, the O's could turn to Gallen. They need an arm for the top of their rotation that seems stuffed with middle-of-the-rotation arms like
Shane Baz,
Kyle Bradish,
Trevor Rogers,
Zach Eflin,
Dean Kremer,
Tyler Wells, and
Cade Povich. Gallen struggled early in 2025 but looked better in the second half, finishing with a 4.83 ERA, 4.50 FIP, and 175 strikeouts in 192 innings. The 30-year-old has won at least 12 games in each of the last four seasons, and he'll look to return to his ace form wherever he ends up landing.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Mark Feinsand
February 5, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers second baseman
Brice Turang is a perfect example of a post-hype breakthrough. He was considered a top prospect early in his career but took longer than some other players to develop. He had a breakthrough last season, though, hitting .288 with 18 homers, 24 stolen bases, and a .346 wOBA. His blend of power and speed from the top of the lineup made the former first-round pick one of the best second basemen on the board last season, and he's still undervalued in many formats, according to his ADP. Even if his batting average and power regress a little bit, the lefty should remain in a key spot in Milwaukee's lineup, and his speed gives him even more ways to help your fantasy team. The 26-year-old is definitely worth a look as you look for solutions at 2B, which doesn't have many elite options on the board.
--Zach ThompsonSource: RotoBaller
February 5, 2026
Miami Marlins outfielder
Kyle Stowers got his first extended look at major-league pitching last season, and the 28-year-old lefty established himself as one of the best emerging power options in the league. He smashed 25 homers in his 117 games while hitting a very solid .288 with a stellar .386 wOBA and 149 wRC+. Stowers hard-hit metrics have been good in the past, but his barrel rate jumped from 10.9% in 2024 all the way to 19.0% in 2025. That barrel rate placed him in the 98th percentile, and his hard-hit rate also fell in the top 10% of the MLB. He crushed right-handed pitching and should be back to play a key role in the Marlins' young, progressing lineup this season. He's a good power option to target in fantasy baseball drafts this season and should remain in a prominent role in Miami. He was shut down at the end of the year with an oblique injury, but should start spring training fully healthy.
--Zach ThompsonSource: RotoBaller
February 5, 2026
Free-agent pitcher
Mason Thompson has agreed to a minor-league contract with the Texas Rangers after spending the last several years with the Nationals. The signing marks a return home for Thompson, who is from Texas and attended Round Rock High School, near where the Rangers' Triple-A affiliate is based. The 6-foot-6 righty has appeared in 89 games out of the bullpen for the Nats over the last four seasons, compiling a 5.54 ERA and 4.26 FIP in 89 1/3 innings. He was knocked around in both Triple-A and his brief stint in the majors last season, but that was his first action since Tommy John surgery in the spring of 2024. He'll look to complete his recovery and compete for a job in the Rangers' bullpen, and if he can return to his pre-surgery production, he will be an interesting depth option to monitor in spring training.
--Zach ThompsonSource: MLB.com
February 5, 2026
Free-agent starting pitcher
Zac Gallen has drawn interest this offseason from the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles, but the veteran righty remains open to a return to the Arizona Diamondbacks as well. He said in an interview on Fox10 Phoenix, "I think people understand what Phoenix means to me...For us to be here would be awesome." The 30-year-old remains one of the top available starting pitchers, especially now that
Framber Valdez landed with the Tigers. Last year, Gallen's numbers dropped off, even though he still logged 192 innings with a 4.83 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP, and just 175 strikeouts. He looked better late in the season, and he could try to return to Arizona to re-establish his value on a short-term deal. He would provide nice depth for the D-backs' rotation that currently has the re-signed
Merrill Kelly,
Ryne Nelson,
Eduardo Rodriguez,
Brandon Pfaadt, and free agent signee
Michael Soroka slotted into the rotation. Managers should expect Gallen to hold mid-end SP4/SP5 upside in 2026, given his inconsistencies last season, but keep an eye on where he lands since his environment will play a big factor in his production.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Blake Niemann
February 5, 2026
Free-agent pitcher
Josh Fleming will look to add some left-handed depth to the reigning American League champions after signing a minor-league deal with the Toronto Blue Jays that includes an invite to spring training. Felming is a 29-year-old southpaw who last appeared in the majors in 2024 with the Pirates. He went 1-1 with a 4.02 ERA and 4.76 FIP in 31 1/3 innings with Pittsburgh, striking out just 17 and allowing a .457 wOBA to lefties in tough reverse splits. Fleming originally came up with the Rays before spending that season in Pittsburgh, but he spent 2025 in Triple-A for the Mariners, where he went 5-5 in 47 games, working mostly out of the bullpen and compiling a 4.91 ERA and 5.64 xFIP. He could get some work in the bullpen at some point this season, but he's not likely to break camp with the team unless injuries strike Toronto's relievers.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Alden Gonzalez
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 SmithSource: 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 SmithSource: RotoBaller
RADIO
