March 2, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitching prospect
Bubba Chandler stumbled in his second outing of spring training on Sunday afternoon. The top pitching prospect entered the game in relief behind
Braxton Ashcraft and struggled, tossing 1 1/3 innings of two-run ball. In this brief appearance, Chandler allowed a high three walks with only two strikeouts. Chandler has now logged three innings in the spring with six earned runs and a modest 4:7 K:BB. Last summer, Chandler struggled with his command at Triple-A, which kept him in the minor leagues for most of the season. However, in the majors, Chandler looked far more comfortable, allowing only four total free passes over 31 2/3 innings. Managers should continue to keep a close eye on his progression in camp. While he remains locked into a starring role, Chandler could see his upside significantly capped due to his inconsistent command.
--Andy SmithSource: MLB.com
March 2, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers infield prospect
Jett Williams (quadriceps) is dealing with left quad soreness. He sustained this injury during last week's spring training contest. The young infielder has been held out of action since then. However, Brewers manager Pat Murphy noted that the injury is a "2 out of 10" on the severity scale, which suggests the infielder should be back in action in the coming days. The Brewers acquired Williams from the New York Mets as the headliner piece in the deal that sent right-handed pitcher
Freddy Peralta to Queens earlier in the winter. Williams is in the mix to compete for a starting role out of spring training, but will likely be sent to Triple-A to open the 2026 season. Last summer, Williams struggled over his first 36 games at Triple-A, holding a .209/.285/.433 line. He remains a viable early-season stash target in deeper 12+ team formats.
--Andy SmithSource: Adam McCalvy
March 2, 2026
Houston Astros shortstop/outfield prospect
Brice Matthews has enjoyed a hot start to spring training and is making a strong case to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster. The team's top prospect (according to MLB.com) has gone 4-for-10 at the plate with one double and one stolen base. Matthews progressed through the minors as a shortstop but has begun to see time in the outfield, given Houston's immense infield depth. Last summer, the former 28th overall pick made his MLB debut and held a .167/.222/.452 line with four home runs and one stolen base across a brief 13-game stint. He spent most of the summer at Triple-A Sugar Land, where he held a .260/.371/.458 line with 17 home runs and 41 swiped bases over a 112-game stint. Given Houston's lack of proven options in the outfield, Matthews could be worth a late-round selection given his power and speed upside.
--Andy SmithSource: MLB.com
March 2, 2026
New York Yankees outfield prospect
Spencer Jones has already launched three long balls through the opening week of spring training. Across his first five games, the young slugger has gone 3-for-10 with three home runs, one stolen base, and a 4:2 K:BB. The 24-year-old flashed elite upside in the minor leagues last season and appears poised to contend for his MLB debut later in 2026. He opened the 2025 campaign with Double-A and posted a .274/.389/.594 line with eight doubles, 16 home runs, and 10 stolen bases. He then moved up to Triple-A, where he continued to hit for high power, launching 19 home runs with 15 doubles and 19 stolen bases across a 67-game stint. However, his hefty 36.7% K% at Triple-A raises concerns about his long-term outlook. With the Yankee outfield quite crowded following the re-signing of
Cody Bellinger, Jones figures to earn a promotion as an injury replacement later in the season.
--Andy SmithSource: MLB.com
March 2, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop prospect
Konnor Griffin launched his third home run of the spring during their contest on Sunday afternoon against the St. Louis Cardinals. The top prospect hit a two-run shot in the game's opening frame off right-handed pitcher
Kyle Leahy. While Griffin has shown immense upside, hitting three home runs over his first six games, he has posted a modest .214 AVG with a low .267 OBP as all three of his total hits have left the yard. Fantasy managers should continue to pay close attention to his production in camp, as he could contend for an early-season promotion or even crack the Opening Day lineup. Last summer, Griffin made his MiLB debut and was nothing short of dominant across his first 122 games, posting an elite .333/.415/.527 line with 21 home runs and 65 stolen bases. Given his five-category upside, he should be viewed as a high-end stash target in all formats if he were to fall short of the Opening Day roster.
--Andy SmithSource: MLB.com
March 2, 2026
Philadelphia Phillies right-handed pitching prospect
Andrew Painter was sharp in his spring training debut and is making a strong case to earn the final role in the starting rotation at the beginning of the campaign. Painter was given the starting nod on Sunday afternoon and tossed two shutout frames. He did not allow a hit or a walk and struck out one hitter. His command was a glaring issue during his 2025 season, and seeing him toss two clean frames is an excellent sign for his early-season outlook. In 2025, the former first-round selection spent most of the campaign at Triple-A Lehigh Valley and logged 106 2/3 innings to the tune of a 5.40 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, and a 111:46 K:BB. With
Zack Wheeler (shoulder) set to miss the start of the season, Painter appears poised to begin the season as the team's final starter and could remain in that role if he enjoys a strong start. He is a top late-round sleeper pick when looking for an upside starter.
--Andy SmithSource: MLB.com
March 1, 2026
Chicago Cubs relief pitcher
Shelby Miller (elbow) was officially placed on the 60-day injured list on Sunday. This was expected as Miller is recovering from UCL and flexor tendon surgery that he underwent in October. The right-hander signed a two-year, $2.5 million deal with the Cubs over the offseason. The 35-year-old won't pitch in 2026, but the Cubs are hopeful Miller can contribute in 2027. The move to put Miller on the 60-day injured list opens up a 40-man roster spot. In a corresponding move,
Ben Cowles has been claimed off waivers by the Cubs from the Toronto Blue Jays. The 26-year-old infielder is expected to serve as depth at Triple-A Iowa to begin the season.
--Andy WebbSource: Bruce Levine
March 1, 2026
Texas Rangers starting pitcher
Jacob deGrom is reportedly getting close to making his spring debut. Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said deGrom threw a 30-pitch side session over the weekend. He continued by saying that deGrom will make his Cactus League debut really soon. Given his injury history, deGrom has been eased into spring action. The plan is for deGrom to make three or four appearances before camp concludes. This is the same pitching plan they had deGrom use last season, and that worked out extremely well in the long run. The right-hander posted a 2.97 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and a 185/37 K/BB ratio across 30 starts in 2025. If healthy, deGrom can be a top-10 fantasy option.
--Andy WebbSource: Shawn McFarland
March 1, 2026
Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher
Jose Soriano (illness) has been scratched ahead of his scheduled start on Tuesday. Soriano was supposed to take the mound against the Seattle Mariners, but he will miss that start due to illness.
George Klassen will be tasked with taking the ball during Tuesday's Catcus League contest. Soriano has been lit up this spring to the tune of seven earned runs across 3.2 innings of work. Soriano isn't expected to miss much time and should be back in the mix later in the week. The 27-year-old registered a 4.26 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and a 152/78 K/BB ratio across 31 starts with the Angels last season. Soriano is more of a streaming option because his lack of command makes him tough to trust over a full season.
--Andy WebbSource: Jeff Fletcher
March 1, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher
Bobby Miller is reportedly being viewed as a reliever to begin the season. Miller started his professional career as a starting pitcher, but saw action as both a starter and reliever last season. Miller only pitched in two big league games last season and spent most of his time in the minors. He registered a 5.86 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, and an 83/61 K/BB ratio across 35 games (14 starts) in Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2025. The 26-year-old says that he's open to whatever role because he wants to spend his entire career in Los Angeles. Miller has shown flashes of success, but a lack of command has hindered him from having long-term success. Hopefully, a move to a full-time bullpen role will be the key to unlocking his potential.
--Andy WebbSource: Blake Williams
March 1, 2026
Minnesota Twins outfielder
Walker Jenkins (hamstring) is going to miss some time after picking up an injury over the weekend. Jenkins has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain. He suffered the injury while attempting to beat out a double play on Saturday. The Twins haven't given a timetable for his return, but it's highly unlikely that he'll play again in camp. Jenkins is one of the top prospects in baseball and should make his MLB debut at some point in 2026. He got a taste of Triple-A last season and figures to begin the season there, assuming he's healthy. It wouldn't be shocking to see Jenkins playing in Minnesota at some point this season.
--Andy WebbSource: Dan Hayes
March 1, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Merrill Kelly (back) received cortisone and lidocaine shots in his back last week and was able to play catch on Sunday without issue, per Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. Gilbert reports that Kelly is "optimistic" he will be able to "pitch at the backend" of Arizona's rotation to start the season. The 37-year-old was traded by the Diamondbacks to the Texas Rangers at the 2025 trade deadline, but returned to Arizona in free agency this offseason. Across 184 innings (32 starts) split between the Diamondbacks and Rangers in 2025, Kelly posted a 12-9 record with a 3.52 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 167 strikeouts. It's not a great sign that he's dealing with back issues in spring, particularly given his age. However, it appears as though Kelly could avoid missing time, even if it requires him ramping up to a full workload in his first couple starts of the regular season.
--Will BradySource: MLB.com - Steve Gilbert
March 1, 2026
Throughout his big-league career to this point, Arizona Diamondbacks catcher
Gabriel Moreno has had a difficult time staying on the field. Over the past two seasons, groin and finger injuries have limited the 26-year-old to just 660 plate appearances. However, when healthy, Moreno has proven himself to be a productive player. Across 309 plate appearances in 2025, he hit .285/.353/.433 with nine home runs, 40 RBI, 44 runs scored, and two stolen bases. Moreno owns a career batting average of .281 and a career strikeout rate of 16.9%, so he should remain a batting average asset for fantasy managers, particularly relative to his position. Moreno may never threaten 20 home runs, but he did improve his barrel rate to a career-best 7.1% in 2025. Still, Moreno's inability to stay healthy is a major red flag in his fantasy profile. RotoBaller currently ranks Moreno as the number 16 fantasy catcher heading into 2026.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
March 1, 2026
New York Mets third baseman
Mark Vientos posted a breakout season in 2024, slugging 27 home runs in 454 plate appearances and carving out a role in the middle of the Mets lineup. However, the 26-year-old came crashing back down to earth in 2025, slashing .233/.289/.413 with 17 home runs, 61 RBI, 44 runs scored, and one stolen base. Vientos also graded out as one of the worst defensive third basemen in the big leagues, making it more difficult for the Mets to stick with him through his relative struggles at the plate. New York added former Toronto Blue Jays shortstop
Bo Bichette in free agency this past winter with the plan to move him to the hot corner, eliminating a pathway to playing time for Vientos. Vientos should be in the mix at designated hitter in New York, but he could find himself in a rotation with infielders
Brett Baty and
Jorge Polanco. If Vientos can get back to the 14.1% barrel rate he posted in 2024, he could force his way into everyday playing time at DH. However, there are holes in his profile that lead to playing time questions, making him a risky bet for fantasy managers heading into 2026.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
March 1, 2026
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher
Noah Cameron burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2025, recording a 9-7 record with a 2.99 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 114 strikeouts across 138 1/3 innings pitched (24 starts). Cameron's ability to rack up whiffs left something to be desired for fantasy managers, as he posted just a 20.5% strikeout rate. The 26-year-old's underlying metrics also suggest that he could be in line for some regression in 2026, as he significantly outperformed his xERA (4.08) and FIP (4.18) in 2025. At the same time, Cameron logged significantly better strikeout numbers during his time in the minor leagues, recording a 27.8% strikeout rate across 128 2/3 innings split between Double-A and Triple-A in 2024. If Cameron can add some swing-and-miss to his repertoire in 2026, it could help mitigate the regression that may be coming for his ERA and WHIP. As an innings-eater at the back end of a fantasy pitching staff, Cameron has a chance to provide solid value in 2026.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
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