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St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (heels) will be a couple of days delayed in reporting to camp due to his rehab, according to Jeff Jones of the Belleville News. Nootbaar is in a spot in his progression where he's running on an altered-gravity treadmill, and the Cardinals have not had one delivered yet to their spring training facilities. The 28-year-old had surgery on both of his heels in early October of last year. We should have a better idea of Nootbaar's timetable for a return when he reports to camp, but as of now, it's looking likely that he won't be ready for Opening Day in late March. In addition to playing through heel issues, Nootbaar missed three weeks with a rib-cage injury and finished with a mediocre .234/.325/.361 slash line, career-low .686 OPS, 13 homers, and 48 RBI in 135 games. Nootbaar has teased fantasy managers with his batted-ball metrics, but his health has not cooperated.

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Miami Marlins catcher Agustin Ramirez, who is ranked at RotoBaller as the No. 4 fantasy backstop after a strong rookie campaign, is working to improve his defense behind the plate as he heads into his sophomore campaign in 2026, according to Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald. Offensively, Ramirez hit .231 with a .700 OPS, 21 home runs, 33 doubles, 67 RBI, 72 runs scored, and 16 steals over 136 games (71 at catcher). He was the first rookie catcher in MLB history to hit at least 20 homers and steal 15 bases, and just the sixth Marlins player to do it. However, his mark of minus-14 defensive runs saved ranked second-worst among 31 catchers with at least 600 innings caught. He had just an 8.8% caught-stealing rate and 19 passed balls. Ramirez spent time in the offseason working on his mobility, but if he cannot improve defensively, he could become more of a full-time DH with catching prospect Joe Mack right behind him. For his bat alone, though, Ramirez is very attractive in fantasy in 2026.

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Texas Rangers right-handed reliever Nabil Crismatt (elbow), who is in camp with the Rangers on a minor-league deal, will have right-elbow surgery and will not pitch for Team Colombia in this year's World Baseball Classic, according to Jeff Wilson of DLLS Sports. It's unclear exactly what kind of surgery Crismatt will have, but at the very least, he'll probably miss several months. The 31-year-old veteran joined the Rangers in the offseason after going 3-0 with a 3.71 ERA and 1.44 WHIP with 25 strikeouts and nine walks in 34 innings over eight appearances (five starts) for the Arizona Diamondbacks last year. The six-year MLB veteran won't be guaranteed to resurface in the big leagues with the Rangers this year once he's recovered from his elbow surgery. In his six MLB seasons, Crismatt has a 3.71 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, and 187:63 K:BB in 211 innings pitched with four different clubs.

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The Athletic's Mitch Bannon writes that Toronto Blue Jays outfielders Nathan Lukes and Davis Schneider will likely form a platoon in left field in 2026. Lukes, who hits from the left side, will be on the strong side of the platoon. The 31-year-old veteran has handled right-handers pretty well since the start of the 2023 season, slashing .266/.330/.421 with all 13 of his home runs against them. Lukes was hard to strike out, but he also had a ground-ball rate of over 45%, so he probably won't provide a ton of pop, especially in a platoon. Schneider, 27, hits from the right side, but he was actually better against right-handed pitchers last year while slashing .234/.361/.436 overall with a .797 OPS, 11 home runs, and 31 RBI in 82 regular-season games played. He has a limited skill set and is mostly useful to the Blue Jays for his defensive versatility. Neither Lukes nor Schneider should be rostered in shallow mixed leagues.

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Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Addison Barger will play most of his games in right field in 2026, according to Mitch Bannon of The Athletic. Meanwhile, Nathan Lukes and Davis Schneider will likely form a platoon in left. Barger split his time almost evenly between the outfield and third base in his second year in the big leagues with Toronto in 2025, but the Jays have a bigger need in the outfield now that Anthony Santander (shoulder) is injured again. How much he plays against lefties will be the big question after he slashed an unremarkable .217/.270/.337 against southpaws last year. The 26-year-old left-handed hitter limped to the finish line and finished with a .243/.301/.454 slash line with a .756 OPS, 21 home runs, 74 RBI, 61 runs scored, and four steals in 460 at-bats during the regular season. Barger was a postseason hero, finished third on the team in homers, and regularly hit the ball on the screws when he made contact. He has a solid floor in at least the strong side of a platoon, and there is breakout potential if he can improve against lefties.

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Miami Marlins left-hander Braxton Garrett was reaching 95 mph during his live batting practice in spring training this week, according to Christina De Nicola of MLB.com. Garrett is coming along nicely early in camp after missing all of last year following an internal-brace procedure on his left elbow in December of 2024. The 28-year-old southpaw has no restrictions in spring training previously sat in the low-90s with his four-seam fastball, so he's apparently throwing hard post-surgery. Since the start of the 2022 season, Garrett posted a 3.86 ERA and 1.18 WHIP with 280 strikeouts and 57 walks in 284 2/3 innings over 55 outings (54 starts), laying the foundation for an intriguing fantasy arm. He's going to have workload restrictions this year because of his long layoff, which means he won't have a ton of upside in mixed fantasy leagues, but managers in NL-only formats need to take notice.

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Former Atlanta Braves right-hander Ian Anderson (shoulder) tore the labrum in his throwing shoulder on Christmas Eve and underwent season-ending surgery on Jan. 13. Anderson will remain on the free-agent market and will not pitch at all in 2026. He is scheduled to pick up a baseball in late summer or early fall, with the goal of signing with a team for the 2027 campaign. Anderson has fallen a long way since being taken third overall in the 2016 draft by the Braves. He made his return to a big-league mound last year with the Los Angeles Angels for the first time since 2022, but he wasn't good, allowing 13 runs (12 earned) on 17 hits (two homers) while walking seven and striking out eight in only 9 1/3 relief innings. With another serious injury setback, Anderson will merely be hoping to sign a minor-league deal with a team in 2027.

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Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson left Orioles camp on Thursday due to a personal matter and will return on Sunday, according to Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner. Henderson should still be ready for the start of Grapefruit League action in spring training, and he'll be hoping to bounce back after regressing in 2025 in his fourth year in the big leagues. The 24-year-old All-Star admitted that he played through a nagging shoulder injury last year, which was likely responsible for his dip in power -- he dropped from 37 long balls in 2024 to just 17. Henderson slashed .274/.349/.438 with a career-low .787 OPS, but he still managed 68 RBI, 85 runs scored, and a career-best 30 stolen bases in 154 games played. An intercostal strain suffered in spring training last year also played a part in Henderson getting off to a slow start. Fantasy managers everywhere are expecting Henderson to bounce back in 2026.

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Cincinnati Reds infielder/outfielder Noelvi Marte will get some work in center field in spring training, even though TJ Friedl is expected to get most of the starts in center this year, according to C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic. Marte didn't make his pro debut in the outfield until last July, and he definitely experienced some growing pains. However, the 24-year-old Dominican made a quick transition and is expected to be the team's primary right fielder in 2026 after moving from third base last year. In his third year in the big leagues in 2025, Marte hit .263/.300/.448 with a .748 OPS, career-high 14 home runs, 51 RBI, 45 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases in 90 games over 360 plate appearances. It was a very nice bounce-back campaign after he struggled mightily in 2024 when he returned from a PED suspension. Marte has 20-20 potential with eligibility at third base and the outfield. Don't sleep on him in what could be a very potent Reds' batting order.

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Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart won the "best shape of his life" contest for the team in December, as he had already dropped 26 pounds from his listed 6-foot-1, 224-pound frame, according to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. Stewart is confident that he'll still have plenty of power despite playing at a lighter weight, and he has a clear path to regular playing time between first base and designated hitter with Spencer Steer primarily playing left field. The 22-year-old looked much more athletic in the offseason after trimming down, and he'll be looking to build on his first 18 games in the big leagues last year, when he hit .255 (14-for-55) with five home runs, eight RBI, and 11 runs scored. Stewart is a particularly intriguing dynasty/keeper asset because of his ability to hit for power while also maintaining solid hard-hit and strikeout rates.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed first baseman Keston Hiura to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. He spent 2025 with the Colorado Rockies, primarily playing at Triple-A. The former first-round pick debuted with a .938 OPS in 2019, but his offensive metrics in the majors have been severely underwhelming ever since then. He went 4-for-18 with zero walks and seven strikeouts in the majors last year, but he fared much better at the Triple-A level with a .272/.369/.507 slash line, 21 home runs, a 10.6% walk rate, a 26.7% strikeout rate, and 107 wRC+. Hiura has shifted to first base full-time at this point in his career. The Dodgers are seemingly taking a low-risk opportunity on Hiura because of his average defense and intriguing display of power in the minors last year. Freddie Freeman is locked into a starting role, but there could be a 26-man roster spot for Hiura if the Dodgers want to carry a backup first baseman.

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Free agent outfielder Nick Castellanos is drawing "a lot of interest" after being released by the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Castellanos was cut loose after Philadelphia failed to find a trade partner. While none of the other 29 teams were willing to trade for Castellanos, Heyman notes that many of those organizations were waiting for him to be released. That shouldn't come as much of a surprise. Trading for Castellanos could have cost teams a prospect, and they would have had to pay a portion of the remaining money on his contract. By letting him hit free agency, he'll simply cost the league minimum without requiring trade compensation. However, teams will now have to compete for his services; we won't see a bidding war, but Heyman's report indicates that the veteran outfielder will get to pick from multiple suitors. Across 147 games in 2025, Castellanos slashed .250/.294/.400 with 17 home runs, a 5.4% walk rate, a 22.6% strikeout rate, and 90 wRC+. He posted negative fWAR with his bat and glove, and he also finished the year with -12 OAA and -12 FRV in the outfield. At this point in his career, the 33-year-old projects best as a part-time designated hitter, and he'd benefit from playing in a hitter-friendly ballpark.

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The Colorado Rockies have placed reliever Jeff Criswell (elbow) on the 60-day injured list. Criswell underwent Tommy John surgery last year and hasn't pitched since his rookie season in 2024. Across 19.2 innings of relief work as a rookie, he posted 12.36 K/9, 4.12 BB/9, and 1.83 HR/9. He managed to escape with a 2.75 ERA, but his 5.06 xERA suggests he got quite lucky. The right-hander's timetable is a bit murky, and today's transaction confirms he'll miss at least the first few weeks of the regular season, if not more. Newcomers RJ Petit and Keegan Thompson could fill Criswell's void until he's able to return.

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St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Hunter Dobbins (knee) is not participating in fielding or running drills as spring training gets underway, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. It was recently reported that Dobbins didn't have a timetable for his return to the mound, and the fact that he's being held out of key camp drills isn't a very encouraging sign. There's still more than a month until Opening Day, so Dobbins has time to recover and compete for a spot in the rotation. However, he's presumably on the outside looking in as pitchers and catchers ramp up. Dobbins, who was acquired from Boston in exchange for Willson Contreras during the offseason, tore his knee ligament last year. He made 13 appearances (11 starts) prior to his injury, posting a 3.87 FIP, 6.64 K/9, and 2.51 BB/9. Kyle Leahy projects as the Cardinals' No. 5 starter for the duration of Dobbins' absence.

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San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Ryan Walker believes he found a mechanical fix during the offseason that should improve his command in 2026, according to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports. The reliever struggled with slider command last year, forcing him to rely on his sinker. He locked down 17 saves, but he also had six blown saves with a 4.11 ERA, up from his 1.91 ERA in 2023. Now that he has more command of his breaking ball, he won't need to fill up the zone with as many sinkers. He believes the mechanical fix will help him compete for the closer role. "I'm coming in with the mentality of earning that spot," Walker told Pavlovic. "I'm not here to sit around and be like, 'Oh, I just want a job.' I'm coming in with the full mentality of I'm going to earn this role, and it's going to be good." RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball draft rankings reflect Walker's bid to earn more save situations in Tony Vitello's bullpen, as he currently ranks #21 among relievers.

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New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon (elbow) has thrown five to six bullpens and expects to throw another one on Saturday, according to Meredith Marakovits of YES Network. Rodon has been sidelined since October after undergoing surgery to remove loose bodies and to shave down a bone spur in his left elbow. He also had two rounds of platelet-rich plasma therapy to speed up his healing and recovery process. We originally heard that Rodon was on track to return in May, and this latest update suggests that he's either on schedule or ahead of schedule. That's great news for the Yankees, who are also without Gerrit Cole (elbow) until the summer. Rodon was effective when healthy last year, posting a 3.78 FIP, 9.4 K/9, and 3.4 K/9 across 33 starts (195.1 innings). He ranks as the #59 starting pitcher in RotoBaller's latest 2026 fantasy baseball draft rankings.

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Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Trevor Megill functioned as his team's primary closer in 2025, recording a 2.49 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with 60 strikeouts, six wins, and 30 saves across 47 innings pitched. The 32-year-old has largely been a standout reliever since joining Milwaukee in 2023, recording 162 strikeouts and 51 saves across 128 innings (129 games). However, Brewers right-hander Abner Uribe established himself as a dominant high-leverage option in 2025, posting a 3-2 record with a 1.67 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 90 strikeouts, and seven saves across 75 1/3 innings pitched. Heading into 2026, it appears as though Milwaukee could choose to deploy both Megill and Uribe in the ninth inning, operating without a single traditional closer. With a current average draft position of pick 120, Megill is typically coming off the board somewhere around RP10. Fantasy managers may be wise to avoid Megill at that cost, as he will be hard-pressed to return number one closer value if he consistently loses out on saves to Uribe.

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Tampa Bay Rays beat writer Evan Closky of 10 Tampa Bay News reports that he expects Rays outfielder Jacob Melton to start the 2026 season in Triple-A, based on comments by Rays manager Kevin Cash and President of Baseball Operations Erik Neander on Thursday. Tampa Bay acquired Melton from the Houston Astros in December as part of a three-team trade that saw the Rays send out second baseman Brandon Lowe, outfielder Jake Mangum, and relief pitcher Mason Montgomery. The 25-year-old Melton got his first taste of big-league action in 2025, slashing .157/.234/.186 with zero home runs, seven RBI, seven runs scored, and seven stolen bases across 70 plate appearances with the Astros. His Triple-A numbers were significantly better, as he posted a .945 OPS with 12 stolen bases across 150 plate appearances. However, it appears as though interested fantasy managers may have to wait on Melton's arrival in Tampa Bay. If Melton does indeed begin the year in the Minors, the Rays will likely deploy a combination of Cedric Mullins, Jake Fraley, Chandler Simpson, Jonny DeLuca, and Justyn-Henry Malloy in their outfield spots.

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Tampa Bay Rays beat writer Evan Closky of 10 Tampa Bay News reports that he expects Rays shortstop Carson Williams to start the 2026 season in Triple-A, based on comments by Rays manager Kevin Cash and President of Baseball Operations Erik Neander on Thursday. A 2021 first-round pick, Williams made his Major League debut in late August 2025. However, the 22-year-old struggled mightily in 106 plate appearances, hitting .172/.219/.354 with five home runs, 12 RBI, 11 runs scored, and two stolen bases. Williams struck out in 41.5% of his big-league plate appearances, which is only marginally worse than the 34.1% strikeout rate he posted across 451 plate appearances last season at Triple-A. If Williams does indeed open the season in the Minors, Taylor Walls would likely open the year as Tampa Bay's starting shortstop. Walls is known as one of the best defenders in the game, but has hit .195 with 22 total home runs across over 1,500 MLB plate appearances.

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Despite being utilized mostly in a reserve role, New York Yankees utility man Jose Caballero has emerged as one of MLB's most prolific base-stealers in recent years. Across 126 games split between the Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays in 2025, Caballero stole 49 bases, his second straight season with at least 44 steals. With Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (shoulder) expected to start the year on the injured list due to offseason shoulder surgery, Caballero appears ticketed for an everyday role in New York early on in 2026. The 29-year-old should not be expected to provide much fantasy value with his bat, as he hit .236/.339/.347 with five home runs, 36 RBI, and 52 runs scored across 370 plate appearances in 2025. However, with everyday playing time, Caballero could be a game-changing source of speed for fantasy managers. With a current average draft position of pick 222, Caballero could be a multi-position eligible sleeper to target, particularly in the early part of the season.

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