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The New York Mets have signed free-agent outfielder MJ Melendez to an MLB deal on Sunday. They've agreed on a one-year, $1.5 million contract for the upcoming 2026 season. Hopefully, a change of scenery will help Melendez, who has struggled during his first four years with the Kansas City Royals. He only played 23 big league games last season and spent most of his time in Triple-A. Melendez slashed .261/.323/.490 with 20 home runs, 64 RBI, and 20 stolen bases in 107 games at Triple-A Omaha last season. The former second-round pick continues to post strong numbers in the minor leagues, but can't seem to translate them to the MLB level. Clearly, the Mets believe that they can tap into his potential, but he'll likely be a fourth outfielder.

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After he posted the best season of his career with the San Diego Padres in 2024, outfielder Jurickson Profar landed a three-year, $42 million contract from the Atlanta Braves heading into the 2025 season. Unfortunately for Atlanta, Profar was handed an 80-game PED suspension early in the year, immediately starting his Atlanta tenure on a sour note. Around the suspension, the 32-year-old quietly posted solid production. Across 371 plate appearances, Profar hit .245/.353/.434 with 14 home runs, 43 RBI, 56 runs scored, and nine stolen bases. Profar also held his barrel rate (7.3%) steady relative to his 2024 breakout, while improving his walk rate from 11.4% to 12.9%. Heading into 2026, the switch-hitting Profar should be locked into an everyday role at or near the top of the lineup in Atlanta. With a full season's worth of plate appearances, Profar could provide steady production across all five categories for fantasy managers in traditional rotisserie scoring formats.

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After posting consecutive seasons with front-line numbers in 2023 and 2024, Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee's production fell back down to earth in 2025. Across 182 1/3 innings (31 starts), the 26-year-old posted a 12-11 record with a 4.24 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and 162 strikeouts. Bibee's strikeout rate dropped from 26.3% in 2024 to 21.3% in 2025, while his walk rate jumped from 6.2% to 7.1%. Still, Bibee's 3.62 xERA in 2025 suggests he suffered from some poor luck. His 71.9% strand rate was well below his career average of 76%. Additionally, Bibee was much better down the stretch of the season, logging a 1.30 ERA with 26 strikeouts across 27 2/3 innings in September and October. Heading into 2026, Bibee remains locked into a starting rotation spot in Cleveland and looks like a quality bounce-back candidate. With a current average draft position of pick 185, Bibee could end up as a value selection for fantasy managers.

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Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ has established himself as one of the most consistent players in MLB. Dating back to 2023, the 31-year-old has posted three consecutive seasons with at least 650 plate appearances, a .240 batting average, 85 runs scored, 20 home runs, and 75 RBI. Happ also owns an excellent 12.1% walk rate for his career, which makes him a consistent on-base presence at or near the top of a strong Cubs lineup. While Happ's steady and well-rounded production makes him an extremely valuable real-life player, his profile is a little less exciting for fantasy managers. In addition to his middling batting average, Happ's stolen base total dipped to six in 2025 after consecutive years with at least 13 in 2023 and 2024. Happ is still locked into everyday playing time in left field in Chicago, which should lead to quality counting stats in the run and RBI categories. He may be slightly undervalued as the 178th player off the board by average draft position, but Happ's profile is also one without high-end fantasy upside.

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Across 167 2/3 innings (31 starts) in 2025, Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot posted an 11-12 record with a 3.86 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 167 strikeouts. Since being acquired by Tampa Bay from the Los Angeles Dodgers before the 2024 season, Pepiot has emerged as a consistent source of quality strikeout rate (25.4%) and WHIP (1.16). However, he's allowed an average of 1.4 home runs per nine innings pitched, which has led to a relatively elevated ERA. Heading into 2026, Pepiot will have the advantage of returning to Tropicana Field for his home games after making his home starts in a Minor League park in 2025. That could help the 28-year-old put it all together and log his best MLB season to date. Even if Pepiot's underlying metrics hold steady, he's still proven himself a capable starting pitcher option for fantasy managers. With a current average draft position of pick 146, Pepiot profiles as a solid fantasy SP3.

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Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Roki Sasaki struggled in his first MLB season in 2025. Across 36 1/3 innings, the 24-year-old posted a 1-1 record with a 4.46 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, and 28 strikeouts. Sasaki ended up spending nearly as much time with Triple-A Oklahoma City as he did in the Majors. He didn't get much better results against Triple-A hitters either, pitching to a 6.10 ERA across 20 2/3 innings. Down the stretch of the season, Los Angeles featured Sasaki out of the bullpen. However, it appears as though the hard-throwing right-hander will get another chance to carve out a rotation role in 2026. Sasaki was widely considered to be a high-end pitching prospect when he was initially coming up in Japan, so he still carries upside despite his rookie-year struggles. Still, the Dodgers have a multitude of quality pitching options, which means Sasaki could get optioned or moved to the bullpen if his performance does not improve. With a current average draft position of pick 224, Sasaki profiles as a high-risk, high-reward starting pitcher option for fantasy managers in 2026.

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Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich put together a standout season in 2025. He slashed .264/.343/.452 with 29 home runs, 103 RBI, and 16 stolen bases across 150 games. The 29 long balls were the most for Yelich since the 2019 season, when he blasted 44 homers. The increased power also came with a much higher strikeout rate. Yelich recorded a 25.9% strikeout rate, which is his highest since the 2020 season. The other concern is his health, as Yelich only played 73 games in 2024 due to lingering back issues. Yelich played less than 20 games in the outfield in 2025 and is basically limited to designated hitter duties at this point in his career. The 34-year-old offers five-category upside, but the risk of injury and age-related decline are certainly a factor. The three-time All-Star should still be productive, but another 29-homer campaign seems unlikely.

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Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Emilio Pagan became the top option in the bullpen last season. Pagan took over as the primary closer and ran away with the job. He finished the season with a 2.88 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and an 81/22 K/BB ratio with 32 saves in 70 appearances. The biggest concern is the fly-ball rate in a hitter's park in Cincinnati. His 56.7% fly-ball rate is too high to continue having the type of success he experienced last season. Pagan gave up 10 long balls across 68.2 innings, which was his most since the 2022 campaign. His 29.1% ground-ball rate doesn't do him any favors. The 34-year-old will likely need to miss bats and record strikeouts at a higher rate to replicate the same success. Given the lack of competition, Pagan should be a safe bet for around 20 saves, but another 30-plus season seems unlikely.

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The Colorado Rockies have signed outfielder Conner Capel to a minor-league deal with an invite to Spring Training. Capel spent all of the 2025 season with Triple-A with the Atlanta Braves organization. He slashed .234/.314/.360 with 10 home runs, 39 RBI, and 21 steals during his 119 games in Triple-A Gwinnett. Capel has only played 59 career big league games since making his debut in 2022. This is looking like a depth move for the Rockies. The 28-year-old will need to compete with Brenton Doyle, Jake McCarthy, Jordan Beck, Mickey Moniak, and Tyler Freeman for playing time in Colorado. The expectation is that Capel will begin the season in the minors.

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The Philadelphia Phillies have re-signed relief pitcher Lou Trivino to a minor-league deal with an invite to Spring Training. Trivino made appearances with the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers before finishing out the season in Philly. In total, Trivino registered a 3.97 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and a 37/18 K/BB ratio in 47 games between the three teams. The 34-year-old has a ton of late-inning experience with 116 games finished and 37 saves across his six big league seasons. The Phillies already have a closer, so Trivino would probably work mostly in middle relief, assuming he makes the team. Trivino is unlikely to offer fantasy value, but could be a sneaky solid pickup for the Phillies.

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Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Keegan Akin has lost his arbitration case with the organization. Akin filed at $3.37 million, which is more than double ($1.47 million) his salary from the 2024 campaign. Akin loses his case and will now make $2.97 million for the upcoming 2026 season. Last season, Akin registered a 3.41 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and a 59/33 K/BB ratio across 64 games with the Orioles. It was a solid season from the lefty reliever, but not quite as good as his 2024 season. That year, Akin posted a 3.32 ERA with a 97/19 K/BB ratio in 66 contests. The 30-year-old is still a trustworthy option, but doesn't offer much fantasy value in a setup or middle relief role.

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Miami Marlins second baseman Xavier Edwards isn't a major power threat, but he gets on base and runs well, giving him plenty of fantasy value. He has also ascended into an everyday role, jumping from 70 games in 2024 to 139 contests in 2025. While his on-base skills slipped slightly during that span, he still posted at least 2.2 fWAR for the second year in a row. All in all, Edwards' 2025 campaign consisted of a .283/.343/.353 slash line, three home runs, 27 stolen bases, 95 wRC+, a 7.9% walk rate, and a 14.2% strikeout rate. The most glaring hole in his offensive profile is the lack of power; he has just four career home runs, posting a 0.4% home run rate. Still, his ability to reach safely and steal bases makes him an appealing name in fantasy baseball leagues. Plus, we can expect him to remain in an everyday role -- primarily at second base with some occasional shortstop appearances -- after Miami didn't really shake up its infield during the offseason. As it stands, Edwards ranks as the #12 second baseman and #100 hitter in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball draft rankings for 2026.

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Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages should remain in an everyday role despite the team's addition of Kyle Tucker during the offseason. Pages played 156 games last year; all of them were spent in the outfield, and he did a decent amount of moving around. He logged 121 appearances in center field, 51 in right, and 27 in left. Of course, those numbers sum to greater than 156, indicating that Pages frequently switched positions mid-game. Presumably, he'll be doing less of that in 2026. The Tucker signing moves Teoscar Hernandez to left field, giving the Dodgers two everyday contributors in the corner outfield spots. As a result, Pages should get more consistent playing time in center field. He has shown that he can handle the position, as he posted 5 OAA and 7 FRV there in 2025. In addition to terrific defense, Pages had a strong season at the plate, slashing .272/.313/.461 with career-highs in home runs (27), RBI (86), and stolen bases (14). However, he did post a 4.6% walk rate and 21.6% strikeout rate. Outside of the far-from-ideal K/BB ratio, Pages had an excellent 2025 season, both at the plate and in the field. If anything, playing center field more consistently should allow him to develop a routine and could lead to even better statistics in 2026. As it stands, he ranks as the #42 outfielder and #93 hitter in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball draft rankings.

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Cincinnati Reds third baseman/outfielder Noelvi Marte had a solid season at the plate last year, and he should take on an even larger role during the 2026 season. Marte ultimately played 90 games last year, slashing .263/.300/.448 with 14 home runs and 10 stolen bases. He technically decreased his K/BB rate from 2024 to 2025, but he still struck out at a 23.6% clip while walking just 4.4% of the time. The 24-year-old was ultimately right near league-average at the plate, producing 101 wRC+. Defensively, he split time between third base and right field, performing markedly better at the latter. He finished the year with -2 OAA and -2 FRV at the hot corner, but just -1 OAA and 0 FRV in right field. FanGraphs' ZiPS projections estimate more playing time (115 games) for Marte in 2026, and specifically, we expect him to play more right field with Ke'Bryan Hayes slotted into third base. At the moment, Marte ranks #34 among outfielders and #78 among hitters in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball draft rankings.

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Toronto Blue Jays third baseman/outfielder Addison Barger endured a busy 2025 season in the majors, and he'll remain in a central role as the Jays take the field in 2026. Barger debuted midway through the 2024 campaign, so last year was his first full season in the majors. He played in a total of 135 games, slashing .243/.301/.454 with 21 homers, 74 RBI, 107 wRC+, a 7.2% walk rate, and a 24.1% strikeout rate. While he struck out more than the Jays and fantasy managers would prefer, he certainly made up for it with his power and above-average wRC+. Heading into 2026, we should expect similar offensive contributions from the 26-year-old. FanGraphs' latest ZiPS projections estimate that he'll slug 21 homers with a 109 wRC+, while bumping his walk rate up to 8.5% and his strikeout rate down to 23.2%. There's a lot of confidence in the bat, but a bit more uncertainty surrounding his defense -- specifically, where he'll play. Barger split last season between third base and right field, but the hot corner now belongs to free agent signing Kazuma Okamoto. Barger should get right field reps against left-handed pitching, but he could head to the bench in favor of Davis Schneider when there's a righty on the mound. These questions create a little bit of murkiness around an otherwise very encouraging profile for Barger, who ranks #105 among hitters and #48 among outfielders in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball draft rankings for 2026.

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The Houston Astros' trade talks surrounding corner infielder Isaac Paredes are "intensifying," according to Chandler Rome of Crush City Territory. "There appears to be some pretty direct motivation, and it appears that things are gaining some momentum," Rome said. He added that up to five teams (including the Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates) have expressed interest in acquiring the 26-year-old. Paredes' name has been one of the most oft-mentioned in trade rumors this offseason, and for good reason. He's appealing to opposing teams because he's a power-hitting threat with solid walk and strikeout numbers, and he's a reasonable trade candidate for the Astros because he's not currently in an everyday role. Carlos Correa is expected to spend most of the season at third base, and Christian Walker should play somewhat consistently at first base. As a result, Paredes' path to consistent playing time would likely be a trade. He's a free agent after the 2027 season, and any trade won't necessarily come cheap. He's coming off a strong campaign in which he slashed .254/.352/.458 across 102 games with 20 home runs, 53 RBI, 128 wRC+, an 11.7% walk rate, and a 17.4% strikeout rate. Of the two prospective teams that Rome mentioned, Boston has a clear need at third base after losing Alex Bregman, and Pittsburgh has been looking for an upgrade at the hot corner ever since trading away Ke'Bryan Hayes. The latest Steamer projections estimate that Paredes will post 125 wRC+ in 2026 if he stays in Houston. He currently ranks as the #30 corner infielder and #106 hitter in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball draft rankings.

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On a per-inning basis, Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen was one of the best hurlers in the big leagues in 2025. Across 150 innings (31 starts), the 30-year-old posted a 10-5 record with a 2.76 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 127 strikeouts. However, volume remains a problem for Rasmussen's fantasy outlook, as he averaged fewer than five innings pitched per start. He also struck batters out at just a 21.7% clip, which means he will leave fantasy managers wanting in the strikeout category unless he can greatly increase his innings workload. On the bright side, 2025 was Rasmussen's first season after throwing just 73 1/3 combined innings across 2023 and 2024 due to injury. With a full season of health under his belt, Tampa Bay may look to push him closer to 175 innings in 2026. However, Rasmussen has already undergone three major elbow procedures in his career, so he carries significant injury risk. Fantasy managers can rely on Rasmussen for excellent ratios when healthy, but may be wise to temper expectations for his workload volume heading into 2026.

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Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams posted a breakout season in 2025, recording a 12-5 record with a 3.06 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and 173 strikeouts across 167 2/3 innings (31 starts). The 26-year-old was able to shake off the injury bug that limited him to just 76 big-league innings in 2024, and now appears to be locked in near the top of the Cleveland rotation heading into 2026. However, there are a few aspects of Williams' profile that point to some likely regression. For one, his 11.8% walk rate in 2025 was well below average for a starter and was a major contributor to his middling 1.27 ERA. Additionally, Williams logged an unsustainably high 83.8% strand rate in 2025, which helped suppress his ERA. If he allows baserunners to reach at the same rate in 2026, it's unlikely that he will repeat his excellent 3.06 ERA. Still, even with some regression, Williams is a talented young pitcher with a solid 24.1% career strikeout rate and room to improve his overall profile. With a current average draft position of pick 150, Williams could be a worthy mid-round starting pitcher option for fantasy managers in 2026.

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A former top prospect, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jo Adell finally had his long-awaited breakout season in 2025. Across 573 plate appearances, the 26-year-old posted a .236/.293/.485 slash line with 37 home runs, 98 RBI, 63 runs scored, and five stolen bases. Adell logged an elite 17.2% barrel rate, the best of his career by nearly six percentage points. Heading into 2026, Adell looks to have an everyday role in the middle of the Angels lineup. However, there are some warning signs in his profile. With a 5.8% walk rate and 26.4% strikeout rate, Adell's plate skills remain questionable and could lead to both a poor batting average and a drop in the batting order. Additionally, Adell has largely graded out as a well below-average defensive outfielder throughout his career, which could lead to a drop in playing time if he has any struggles with the bat. Still, Adell's power is real, and the Angels are not exactly swimming in outfield talent behind him. As a mid-round power bat, Adell could be a quality outfield option for fantasy managers once again in 2026.

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After missing the entire 2024 season due to a shoulder injury, Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff finally returned to the big-league mound in July 2025. The 32-year-old was excellent in 64 2/3 innings (12 starts), posting a 7-2 record with a 3.20 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and 83 strikeouts. However, he suffered a lat injury in mid-September that ultimately ended his 2025 campaign. Woodruff accepted the qualifying offer from Milwaukee in November, meaning he will pitch for the Brewers in 2026 on a one-year, prove-it contract. Based on the 26.8% K-BB rate he posted in 2025 and his career WHIP of 1.03, Woodruff carries significant fantasy upside in redraft formats. However, he's also thrown just 131 2/3 innings since the start of 2023, so Woodruff's injury risk is obviously immense. Recent reporting indicates that Woodruff is having a normal offseason, and he will obviously be motivated to put up a banner season in a contract year. With a current average draft position of pick 117, Woodruff is a high-risk, high-reward starting pitcher option for fantasy managers in 2026.

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