Detroit Tigers infield prospect Kevin McGonigle may eventually shift to second or third base as he tries to win an Opening Day roster spot out of spring training, but the Tigers have been adamant that he has the "defensive chops to stick at shortstop," according to Evan Woodbery of MLive.com. "My biggest thing is I've always wanted to be a shortstop in Major League Baseball," McGonigle said. "And I'm going to keep working as hard as I can to stick there." The 5-foot-10, 185-pound, 21-year-old is the consensus No. 2 prospect in baseball. The former 37th overall pick in 2023 was dominant at High-A West Michigan last year, hitting .372 with a 1.110 OPS over 171 plate appearances. McGonigle might have what it takes to skip Triple-A entirely and begin in the big leagues in 2026, but manager A.J. Hinch isn't promising anything. Shortstop is probably the clearest path he has to the big leagues, with Javier Baez and Zack McKinstry better suited for utility roles. McGonigle's power/speed upside puts him on the radar in all fantasy leagues this year, even if he starts the season at Triple-A Toledo.

From RotoBaller

Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong became the first player in franchise history to reach 30 homers, 30 doubles, and 30 stolen bases in a season in 2025, but a second-half fade left him feeling a sense of disappointment when it was all said and done. Despite the up-and-down season, Crow-Armstrong finished ninth in the National League MVP voting. His goal this spring is to "reduce the dramatic peaks and valleys," according to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian. PCA hit 25 homers with a .544 slugging percentage and an .846 OPS in the first half, but after the All-Star break, he had an OPS of .634 while slashing just .160/.216/.230 in August. He ended last year with the highest swing rate (59.5%) and ranked third in outside-zone swings (45.6%) and swinging-strike rate (16%). The 23-year-old should be viewed as a top-15 fantasy outfielder, but to take the next step in 2026, his plate discipline must improve.

From RotoBaller

Cincinnati Reds hard-throwing right-handed pitching prospect Chase Burns is competing for the fifth rotation spot with the team this spring, according to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. Burns, the second overall pick in 2024 out of Wake Forest, made his big-league debut in 2025 in his first year as a pro and had a 4.57 ERA (2.65 FIP), 1.31 WHIP, and 67:16 K:BB in 43 1/3 innings over 13 appearances (eight starts). The 23-year-old will be competing with Rhett Lowder, Brandon Williamson, and Julian Aguiar. He's one of the most talented young arms in baseball and became the first MLB starter in the expansion era to strike out each of his first five batters. "He has the stuff to be an ace. He has the stuff to be a No. 1 no matter what team he's on," lefty Andrew Abbott said. Burns is off to a great start in camp and has displayed an improved changeup. His fastball velocity averaged 98.7 mph while often touching 101-102 mph. Burns also features a swing-and-miss slider (43.7% whiff rate). His elite strikeout abilities make him a very intriguing No. 3 starting pitcher in fantasy with upside for more.

From RotoBaller

The Los Angeles Dodgers signed free-agent infielder Santiago Espinal to a minor-league deal on Monday, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Espinal will be in spring training with the big-league team and will provide infield depth if he remains with the World Series champions going into the regular season. He will most likely begin the 2026 season at Triple-A Oklahoma City, but he'll provide depth for the Dodgers with both Tommy Edman (ankle) and Enrique Hernandez (elbow) slated to open the season on the injured list. The 31-year-old Dominican hit .243/.292/.282 with a career-worst .575 OPS, no home runs, 16 RBI, 25 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 2025 in 301 at-bats with the Cincinnati Reds. Espinal was originally a 10th-round pick by the Boston Red Sox in 2016. In his six years in the majors, Espinal sports a .261/.316/.349 slash line, .665 OPS, and 20 homers in 578 games.

From RotoBaller

The Los Angeles Angels signed free-agent second baseman Adam Frazier to a minor-league deal on Monday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training, according to Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register. Frazier hits from the left side and can play second base, third base, and the corner-outfield spots, giving him a shot to win an Opening Day roster spot as a bench player. The 34-year-old hit a combined .267/.319/.365 with a .684 OPS, seven home runs, 44 RBI, 43 runs scored, and eight stolen bases in 134 games over 459 plate appearances last year with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals. Frazier is heading into his 11th big-league season, and the Angels will be the sixth team he's played for. With limited power (career-high 13 homers in 2023) and likely limited playing time, fantasy managers can safely ignore Frazier in all but the deepest of AL-only formats.

From RotoBaller

The New York Mets reached an agreement with free-agent outfielder Mike Tauchman on a minor-league deal on Monday, league sources told Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The deal includes a non-roster invitation to major-league spring training. The 35-year-old veteran hit .263/.356/.400 with a .756 OPS, nine home runs, 40 RBI, and 44 runs scored in 93 games played for the Chicago White Sox in 2025 and will now head to the National League East to give the Mets more outfield depth. He made 73 appearances in right field, and the Mets have an open spot in right, with superstar Juan Soto moving to left field. Top prospect Carson Benge has a shot at making the Opening Day roster as a right fielder, but it's not set in stone. Brett Baty, Tyrone Taylor, and MJ Melenders are others who will be competing with Tauchman for playing time in right field this spring. At best, Tauchman could be on the strong side of a platoon in right for the Mets until Benge is ready.

From RotoBaller

Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said that right-hander Kumar Rocker "looked really good" during a live batting practice session in camp on Monday, according to Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. "There was intent behind his live. Felt like he was on the gas pedal. The velo was up, the sinker was real. He threw a couple of four-seamers at the top. The slider and changeup were both effective for lefties. It was an impressive start," Schumaker said. The 26-year-old former first-rounder out of Vanderbilt made the starting rotation out of camp last year but struggled to a 5.76 ERA and 1.46 WHIP with 56 K's and 23 walks in 64 1/3 innings over 14 starts before eventually being sent to the minors to work on his mechanics. It appears that Rocker has fixed some things, although he's not a lock to be in the Opening Day rotation after the addition of lefty MacKenzie Gore this offseason. Improving against lefty hitters will be a big key if Rocker wants to have some success in 2026.

From RotoBaller

New York Yankees right-handed pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange has impressed early in spring training and has a shot to win a spot on the Opening Day roster as a reliever, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Lagrange doesn't have the best command, but his fastball is capable of hitting triple digits when he's fully built up, and the 6-foot-7, 248-pound Dominican hurler can also generate plenty of spin on the ball. "We're excited about him for good reason," manager Aaron Boone said. "I think Carlos has a very bright future." Lagrange is a consensus top-100 prospect, but he has yet to pitch at Triple-A. He had a 3.53 ERA and a 33.4% strikeout rate in 120 innings split between High-A and Double-A last year. Lagrange lowered his walk rate from 20% to 12.3% last year, but he's still on the wild side and has more developing to do. Boone has compared Lagrange to former reliever Dellin Betances, and with the Yankees short on sure things in their bullpen, the 22-year-old may get a chance in short stints out of the bullpen if he makes his major-league debut in 2026. He's an arm to watch.

From RotoBaller

Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas (knee) took ground balls during team infield drills at camp on Monday, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Casas said over the weekend that his rehab from knee surgery is going well. "Nobody thought I would be where I'm at right now," Casas said. The 26-year-old left-handed slugger is taking part in baseball activities, but he is behind the rest of the position players after suffering a season-ending knee injury last May. Not only is it unclear if Casas will be ready for Opening Day at the end of March, but he's not projected to be the team's starting first baseman after Boston acquired Willson Contreras from the St. Louis Cardinals in the offseason. The designated-hitter spot could be a nice fallback option, but Casas will face competition there from Masataka Yoshida and others. The former first-rounder had 24 homers in his rookie season in 2023, but he's managed 16 the last two years while dealing with injuries. Casas' prospect shine has worn off, and he's merely trying to get healthy and prove he deserves a spot in the everyday lineup again.

From RotoBaller

New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (shoulder) got his hitting progression underway on Monday with some dry swings in camp, manager Aaron Boone told Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Volpe also did some fielding drills, but the 24-year-old is being brought along slowly in spring training after having surgery to fix his left labrum in October of last year. After playing through a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder for most of last season, Volpe will begin the 2026 campaign on the injured list and is expected to miss at least the first month. In the meantime, speedster Jose Caballero should see most of the starts at the 6 in the Bronx, giving him some sleeper fantasy appeal early on. Volpe hit just .212 while playing at less than 100% in 2025, but he still managed to hit 19 homers, drive in a career-high 72 runs, and steal 18 bases in 153 regular-season games. He'll come at a discount because of his injury, but there's also a good chance we've already seen Volpe's ceiling.

From RotoBaller

Chicago White Sox corner infielder Munetaka Murakami has impressed so far as he heads into his first season in the big leagues, according to Scott Merkin of MLB.com. "Mune is special, and I think you see immediately there's a level of confidence here amidst everything being new here," director of hitting Ryan Fuller said. Most of the 26-year-old's playing time in 2026 will come at first base, per manager Will Venable, but he'll also see some time at the hot corner. The Japanese infielder could eventually pick up eligibility at both first and third base for fantasy managers this year, which would make him more attractive in AL-only leagues. Murakami had impressive power earlier in his career, but his power stroke has been down over the last few seasons, and he only played in 56 games in 2025 due to injury. The power is still there, but fantasy managers should have hesitations since he struggled to make consistent contact in Japan.

From RotoBaller

New York Mets right-hander Christian Scott (elbow) threw just over 30 pitches and hit 95 mph during a live batting practice session in camp on Monday, and manager Carlos Mendoza was impressed with his cutter, according to Laura Albanese of Newsday. However, Scott's availability for Opening Day in late March is still uncertain. "It's good to see him back on the mound, competing and being himself," Mendoza said. The 26-year-old had Tommy John surgery in September of 2024 and missed the entire 2025 season. Scott is a big part of the Mets' future, but he has minor-league options remaining, and his workload will be closely monitored after his long layoff, so it's probably unlikely that he'll open the 2026 season in the big-league rotation. In his major-league debut in 2024 before being shut down, Scott had a 4.56 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 39:12 K:BB in 47 1/3 innings over nine starts.

From RotoBaller

The Orange County Register's Bill Plunkett reports that everyone in the Los Angeles Dodgers' projected starting rotation has thrown live batting practice in camp to hitters except left-hander Blake Snell (shoulder). The 33-year-old two-time Cy Young winner has only played catch in the first week of camp and has yet to throw off a mound, either, as part of the "smarter" approach that he's taking this spring. "He's playing catch. He's throwing. Once he gets off the mound, throws a pen, faces some hitters, we'll know more. But obviously, he's not there right now. Until he gets off a mound, I just really don't know," manager Dave Roberts said on the likelihood of Snell being in the Opening Day rotation. Snell missed the first four months of last year with left-shoulder inflammation and admitted he was gassed after an expanded workload in the postseason. He still has plenty of strikeout upside and isn't actually injured this spring, but it seems more likely than not that the Dodgers will slow-play him to begin the 2026 campaign. Snell makes for a risk/reward No. 2 fantasy starting pitcher.

From RotoBaller

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout made the transition to right field and also spent a lot of time as the designated hitter last year, but he's planning to return to his original position of center field in 2026, according to ESPN's Alden Gonzalez. "I just feel comfortable out there," Trout said. "I feel like I'm at my best when I'm in center." The Angels moved Trout to right field last year because he played in only 41% of the team's games due to injuries during a four-year stretch. The 34-year-old veteran became the team's primary DH after suffering a bone bruise in his surgically repaired left knee in late April. The three-time MVP lost around five pounds in the offseason in an effort to put less stress on his legs as he makes the transition back to center. Trout was one of the best players in the game from 2012 to 2020, posting a 1.008 OPS, 297 home runs, and 197 steals, but he's battled injuries the last five years and hit .232/.359/.439 with 26 homers and 64 RBI in 2025. He went 36 straight games without a homer at one point. Trout still has the skills to be impactful in fantasy, but the risk might not justify the reward for some.

From RotoBaller

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said on Sunday that outfielder Aaron Judge (elbow), the reigning two-time American League MVP, will be a full participant when the team's full-squad workouts start on Monday at spring training, according to Jorge Castillo of ESPN. Judge dealt with a flexor strain in his right elbow and went on the injured list in late July, although he spent the minimum 10 days on IL before rejoining the club exclusively as a DH. Boone said Judge is scheduled to play in "four or five" of the team's first nine Grapefruit League games and will be built up to six innings before joining Team USA on March 1 for this year's World Baseball Classic. Judge's arm strength improved over time, and he returned to right field down the stretch and for the playoffs. Fantasy managers shouldn't have any injury concerns about Judge, who remained a beast at the plate in 2025 in both the regular season and the playoffs. Judge is ranked second overall at RotoBaller in fantasy, behind only Shohei Ohtani.

From RotoBaller

Toronto Blue Jays left-handed pitching prospect Ricky Tiedemann (elbow) has faced a long and challenging road in his recovery from Tommy John surgery, but he's back on the mound this spring and is "refreshed," according to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. The Blue Jays are open to the 23-year-old southpaw building back up as a starter, but the door is also cracked open for him as a reliever in 2026. Before his TJ surgery in 2024, Tiedemann was dealing with bone chips in his elbow. It kept him from fully extending his elbow. He now has full motion in his elbow and new grips on his changeup and slider, putting him in a "more sustainable spot." "I feel amazing. Everything feels great," Tiedemann said. There is still plenty to like about Tiedemann long term, but fantasy managers in dynasty formats should expect heavy restrictions on his workload in 2026 since he's thrown only 140 innings since being drafted in 2021. It also wouldn't be a surprise if he starts the year at Triple-A Buffalo for more development.

From RotoBaller

MLB.com's Daniel Kramer writes that Seattle Mariners infield prospect Colt Emerson, the No. 9 overall prospect at MLB Pipeline, will be given a legitimate chance to make this year's Opening Day roster, and it "seems a certainty that his housing carousel in 2026 will include residence in Seattle." Emerson is working out at all three infield positions in camp (shortstop, second base, and third base) as he did on his own in the offseason. He's a natural shortstop and has the plus defense needed to stick at the premium position long term as arguably the best defensive infielder in the M's system. However, Emerson won't be at the 6 this year unless J.P. Crawford misses time due to injury. MLB Pipeline lists the 20-year-old as the "owner of the best hit tool in the Mariners system" as well, and his glove could elevate him into what general manager Jerry Dipoto calls "a sneaky five-tool guy." We won't have a clearer picture of Seattle's plan for Emerson to begin the year until later in spring training, but he's already a player that should be stashed in all dynasty/keeper formats, and he figures to make an impact at the big-league level at some point this year.

From RotoBaller

Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler (shoulder) threw out to 120 feet in camp on Monday for the first time since having surgery to address venous thoracic outlet syndrome, manager Rob Thomson told The Athletic's Matt Gelb. Wheeler continues to progress as planned, but it's unclear when the 35-year-old veteran will be ready to return to the mound, and the Phillies aren't expecting him to be ready by Opening Day in late March. In addition to having surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome on Sept. 23, Wheeler had a procedure in the middle of August to have a blood clot removed from near his shoulder. The good news is that Wheeler looked like his typical top-of-the-rotation self before being shut down last summer, going 10-5 with a 2.71 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 195 punchouts in 149 2/3 innings over his 24 starts. Wheeler has been one of the most reliable high-end starting pitchers in fantasy over the last few seasons, but he'll be a huge question mark in 2026.

From RotoBaller

Minnesota Twins right-hander Pablo Lopez (elbow) will undergo an MRI exam after leaving a live batting practice session early in camp due to elbow soreness, according to manager Derek Shelton. The Twins are just hoping it's a precautionary measure. It's not great news for the 29-year-old, who missed two months last year with a Grade 2 teres major strain. Lopez's 2025 season also ended early due to a strained right forearm in September. There's no official word on Lopez's status right now, but it wouldn't be a surprise if he's forced to miss the start of the 2026 regular season. The Venezuelan was an ace when healthy last year, going 5-4 with a 2.74 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 73 strikeouts and 20 walks in 75 2/3 innings over his 14 starts, but durability is a major concern. In addition to his arm injuries last year, Lopez also missed three weeks in April with a hamstring strain. Lopez will be a risk/reward fantasy selection in upcoming fantasy drafts until we know more. Stay tuned.

From RotoBaller

Los Angeles Dodgers utility man Tommy Edman (ankle) will start the season on the injured list, manager Dave Roberts told Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. It's unclear when Edman might return to make his 2026 debut, but Roberts said on Monday that the team will take a "methodical" pace with the 30-year-old veteran after he had surgery in the offseason to address a nagging right-ankle injury that has bothered him for the last two years. Edman was slightly better during the regular season in 2025, but so far in his two seasons in Hollywood, he's hit an underwhelming .229/.280/.392 with a .672 OPS, 19 home runs, 69 RBI, 69 runs scored, and nine stolen bases in 134 regular-season games. He has won two World Series rings since joining L.A., but for fantasy purposes, he hasn't been very productive. Edman's IL stint to open the 2026 campaign makes him even less attractive in deeper mixed leagues.

From RotoBaller