The season-ending elbow injury to Seattle Mariners right-hander Logan Evans means that right-hander Emerson Hancock will enter spring training built up as a starter, according to Adam Jude of The Seattle Times. Hancock, who was the team's first-round pick back in 2020, made the transition to a relief role late last year and gave up just two runs in 8 2/3 innings out of the bullpen in September. The 26-year-old went 4-5 with a career-worst 4.90 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, and 64:31 K:BB in 90 innings over 22 appearances (16 starts) in his third big-league season with the Mariners. Even though Hancock has a better shot at being in the Opening Day starting rotation in Seattle as the No. 5, it's not a lock at all. He will most likely be in a swing role again in 2026, limiting his fantasy appeal to AL-only leagues. In his three MLB seasons, Hancock has been a below-average pitcher with nothing that really stands out in his arsenal.

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Mexican right-handed pitcher Valente Bellozo signed a minor-league deal with the Colorado Rockies on Monday, sources told Francys Romero. The 26-year-old will have a strong chance to make the big-league roster out of spring training in Colorado after pitching for the Miami Marlins each of the last two years. Bellozo has a 4.20 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, and 98:44 K:BB in 150 big-league innings over 45 appearances (19 starts) in his two MLB campaigns. He pitched in 32 games (six starts) for the Fish in 2025, going 1-4 with a 4.65 ERA (5.20 FIP), 1.33 WHIP, 54 strikeouts, and 23 walks in 81 1/3 innings pitched. Although he'll have more opportunities to pitch with the Rockies, the landing spot won't help his cause in hitter-friendly Coors Field. Bellozo will operate as a swingman for the Rockies going into his third MLB campaign, but he could start at Triple-A Albuquerque.

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The Boston Red Sox agreed to a minor-league deal with free-agent right-hander Vinny Nittoli on Monday, a source told Ari Alexander. The deal includes an invitation to spring training. Nittoli has pitched in the major leagues for four seasons with the Athletics, New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, and Seattle Mariners, but he's only thrown 18 2/3 frames. The 35-year-old veteran has a 2.41 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with 13 strikeouts and five walks in 15 relief appearances. Nittoli didn't pitch at all in the majors last year and had a 4.85 ERA with 46 strikeouts and 15 walks in 39 1/3 innings at Triple-A. He will most likely start the 2026 campaign at Triple-A Worcester. Nittoli is not on the fantasy radar in any leagues.

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Seattle Mariners outfielder Victor Robles is expected to be in a short-sided platoon role between right field and designated hitter in 2026 after the team signed Rob Refsnyder to a one-year, $6.25 million deal in December, according to Adam Jude of The Seattle Times. "But as a baseline, I would expect to see Luke and Dom against righties, and Vic and Rob against lefties," general manager Justin Hollander said. Dominic Canzone and Luke Raley, who hit left-handed, will most likely play in right field and at DH against right-handed pitchers. Robles has hit .264/.350/.365 with a .714 OPS and 101 wRC+ against lefties while slashing .240/.306/.369 with a .674 OPS and 84 wRC+ against righties. The 28-year-old had a breakout season in Seattle in 2024 after coming over from Washington, but he played in only 32 regular-season games in 2025 due to a dislocated left shoulder. Robles' speed is the only thing you can really bank on, but in a limited role, he'll have limited fantasy appeal in 2026.

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Seattle Mariners outfielder/designated hitter Luke Raley is expected to be on the strong side of a platoon in right field and at DH with Dominic Canzone in 2026, according to Adam Jude of The Seattle Times. "But as a baseline, I would expect to see Luke and Dom against righties, and Vic and Rob against lefties," general manager Justin Hollander said. Right-handed hitting outfielders Victor Robles and Rob Refsnyder will platoon in right field and at DH against lefties. Raley has hit .178/.246/.282 with a .528 OPS and 55 wRC+ against lefties, while slashing .242/.333/.453 with a .786 OPS and 126 wRC+ versus righties. The 31-year-old veteran missed half of last year with back and oblique injuries. He was more successful against righties, but overall, he hit a disappointing .202 with only four dingers and 19 RBI. If he's healthier in 2026, Raley could be a sneaky source of power in AL-only fantasy leagues.

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The St. Louis Cardinals acquired outfielder Tai Peete from the Seattle Mariners on Monday in a three-team trade that also included the Tampa Bay Rays, a source told Daniel Kramer of MLB.com. Peete was taken 30th overall by Seattle in 2023, and he's hit .247/.318/.406 with a .724 OPS, 28 home runs, 154 RBI, 141 runs scored, and 76 stolen bases in three minor-league seasons. The 20-year-old hit just .217 (103-for-475) in 125 games with High-A Everett in 2025, but he also managed to club a career-high 19 home runs while also adding 63 RBI, 58 runs scored, and 25 steals. The power/speed combination is intriguing, but Peete's hit tool remains questionable for the long term after he had a below-average 79 wRC+. He has transitioned nicely from shortstop to center field and has plenty of time to develop. Peete will now head to the National League Central, where he'll most likely return to High-A to begin 2026.

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The Seattle Mariners are officially acquiring infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan from the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday in a three-team trade that will include third baseman Ben Williamson going to the Tampa Bay Rays and pitching prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje going to the Cardinals, a source told Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Donovan has mostly played second base in St. Louis in his four years in the big leagues, but he can also play third, shortstop, and the outfield, giving Seattle some positional versatility. In his new digs, Donovan will most likely play third base and is a candidate to hit atop the batting order for the M's. The 29-year-old was a first-time All-Star in 2025 with the Cards, but he could have had an even bigger season if not for toe and groin injuries that limited him to 118 games. Donovan slashed .287/.353/.422 with a .775 OPS, 10 homers, 50 RBI, and 64 runs. He makes plenty of contact and can hit for average, but outside of that, he's not a great fantasy baseball asset with limited power and speed.

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The Tampa Bay Rays are acquiring third baseman Ben Williamson from the Seattle Mariners on Monday in a three-team deal that also includes the St. Louis Cardinals, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Williamson is mostly known for his glove at the hot corner. The 25-year-old former second-rounder in 2023 made his major-league debut in Seattle in 2025 and hit .253/.294/.310 with a .604 OPS, only one home run, 21 RBI, 36 runs scored, and five stolen bases in 277 at-bats over 85 games played. It was looking like he would benefit in 2026 with Eugenio Suarez signing with the Reds in free agency, but now that he's in Tampa, he'll most likely begin the season at Triple-A Durham with Junior Caminero locking down the third base job at the big-league level. Williamson also makes decent contact, but as a bench player with limited power, he won't be on the fantasy radar in Tampa.

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The Cleveland Guardians announced on Monday that they re-signed left-hander Kolby Allard to a minor-league deal that includes a non-roster invite to major-league spring training. The 28-year-old southpaw had a career-best 1.3 bWAR with a 2.63 ERA in 33 games (two starts) last year for Cleveland, mainly in a long-relief role. He also had a career-high four holds and a 12 1/3 scoreless-inning streak to close out the campaign. Allard had a 1.20 WHIP with 42 strikeouts and 14 walks in 65 regular-season innings. If Allard wins a roster spot out of spring training, he'll most likely serve in a long-relief role for the Guards, limiting his fantasy appeal. The former first-rounder by the Atlanta Braves in 2015 has pitched for four teams already in his first eight big-league seasons and has a career 5.34 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 269 strikeouts, and 106 walks in 109 appearances (44 starts).

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Although Atlanta Braves right-handed pitching prospect Hurston Waldrep looked great in 10 outings (nine starts) for the team in 2025, MLB.com's Mark Bowman writes that he's not assured of a starting rotation spot out of spring training. Waldrep will be a rotation option alongside Martin Perez, Bryce Elder, and Joey Wentz. Perez, Elder, Wentz, and Grant Holmes (elbow) are all out of minor-league options, which means that Waldrep could be ticketed to start the 2026 season at Triple-A Gwinnett. Still, Bowman adds that Waldrep could end up being the most valuable of the "fifth-starter" candidates by the end of the season. In 56 1/3 innings, the 23-year-old had a 2.88 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 55:22 K:BB while also going 6-1. Chris Sale and Spencer Strider are at the top of Atlanta's rotation, with Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow), Reynaldo Lopez (shoulder), and Holmes all coming off injuries. Although Waldrep had a mediocre 24% strikeout rate with the Braves, he should be a rotation option for the team sooner than later in 2026.

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Free-agent outfielder Avisail Garcia announced his retirement from professional baseball on Monday after 13 seasons in the big leagues with five different teams (White Sox, Marlins, Brewers, Tigers, and Rays). Garcia made the All-Star one time, when he hit .330 with 18 home runs and 80 RBI in 136 games with the White Sox in 2017. The 34-year-old Venezuelan didn't play at all last year after having surgery to fix a fracture and disc issue in his lower back. He spent the last three years of his career in Miami, slashing .217/.260/.322 with a .582 OPS, 13 home runs, 49 RBI, 43 runs scored, and six stolen bases in 153 games over 549 plate appearances. Garcia was unable to play 100 games in each of his last five years in the big leagues due to injuries. He'll finish his 13-year career with a .263/.316/.417 slash line, .733 OPS, 140 home runs, 524 RBI, 496 runs scored, and 51 stolen bases in 1,104 regular-season contests.

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After the worst offensive season of his career (.732 OPS), Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop and former MVP Mookie Betts said his offseason consisted of "rewiring" his body to try to eliminate the flaws that slipped into his swing in 2025, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. The 33-year-old was sapped of 20 pounds and much of his strength right before the start of last season due to a stomach virus, and from there, bad habits developed. "It was kinda like a snowball effect," Betts said. He believes his preparation last offseason for becoming a full-time shortstop also threw his routine off. Betts thinks he's in a "really good spot" going into his seventh year in L.A. as the Dodgers try to three-peat. Things will only get more difficult for Betts at his size (5-foot-10, 180 pounds). He should have a decent floor as the likely No. 3 hitter in a stacked Dodgers lineup, but fantasy managers shouldn't be expecting another MVP-like campaign from the eight-time All-Star.

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The Seattle Mariners are nearing a deal on Monday to acquire infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan from the St. Louis Cardinals as part of a three-way trade that also includes the Tampa Bay Rays, sources tell Jeff Passan of ESPN. Third baseman Ben Williamson is expected to go from Seattle to Tampa, but the rest of the trade is unknown. The 29-year-old Donovan has been a popular trade candidate this offseason and will give the M's a versatile piece that will likely hit leadoff in his new home. He slashed .287/.353/.422 with a .775 OPS, 10 home runs, 50 RBI, 64 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 118 games for the Cardinals last year while earning his first All-Star nod. Donovan dealt with turf-toe and groin injuries in 2025 and was shut down early due to his groin issue. He also had offseason surgery to fix a sports hernia, although he's expected to be ready for Opening Day. With limited power and speed, Donovan is merely a utility infielder/outfielder in deeper fantasy leagues, even with the impending move to Seattle.

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Toronto Blue Jays right-handed pitching prospect Trey Yesavage said he plans to add a curveball to his repertoire, which already includes a fastball, splitter, and slider, according to Kristjan Lautens of the Toronto Star. "I have a funky (over-the-top) arm angle, so I've just got to play around with it. I would love (a pitch) that moves glove side," Yesavage said. The 22-year-old former 20th overall pick in 2024 started the 2025 season at Single-A Dunedin and ended up what was a whirlwind season as a starter in the postseason for Toronto. He made his first three regular-season starts in September before appearing in six playoff games. Along the way, he set a Blue Jays franchise single-game postseason record by fanning 12 Dodgers hitters in the World Series. Yesavage will begin the 2026 campaign in Toronto's rotation and won't have a strict innings limit. Control was a bit of an issue in his small sample size in the big leagues last year, but Yesavage's upside alone makes him a No. 3 starting pitcher target going into his first full season with the Jays.

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Cincinnati Reds rookie and top prospect Sal Stewart is expected to have a similar role as Eugenio Suarez in 2026 as a designated hitter and corner infielder, according to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. Ke'Bryan Hayes will be Cincy's regular third baseman. In addition to Suarez, Spencer Steer could also share time with Stewart at first base. Stewart made his MLB debut in 2025 but played in only 18 regular-season games, going 14-for-55 (.255) at the plate with five home runs, eight RBI, and 11 runs scored in 58 plate appearances. The 22-year-old former first-round pick in 2022 is ranked as the No. 22 overall prospect in baseball entering the 2026 campaign, per MLB Pipeline. It was encouraging that he had a 52.5% hard-hit rate and 17.5% barrel rate in the big leagues, and Stewart should be an everyday player for the Reds in his first full year in the big leagues as long as he's healthy. Stewart is a nice late-round flier with a high-end hit tool and above-average power in a hitter-friendly home ballpark.

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Cincinnati Reds infielder/outfielder Spencer Steer, who was a National League Gold Glove finalist at first base in 2025, will play some in the outfield and will have a utility role in 2026, according to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. Eugenio Suarez and Sal Stewart are expected to see most of the at-bats at designated hitter and first base, so Steer could get squeezed to mostly playing in left field. Elite defenseman Ke'Bryan Hayes will be the starting third baseman. Left field was Steer's primary position in 2024. Although Steer managed to reach the 20-homer mark for the third straight year in 2025, he was mostly a disappointment offensively with a .238/.312/.411 slash line, .723 OPS, 21 homers, 75 RBI, 66 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 146 regular-season games. It helps that Steer is eligible at first and outfield in most fantasy leagues, but with his playing time potentially taking a dip in 2026, his fantasy stock is on the decline. RotoBaller has Steer ranked as the No. 25 fantasy first baseman.

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Cincinnati Reds two-time National League Gold Glove winner Ke'Bryan Hayes is expected to remain entrenched as the team's starting third baseman, even after the signing of Eugenio Suarez. Suarez is expected to serve as Cincy's primary designated hitter, but he'll also see time at third and first base. Hayes hit .234/.315/.342 with three home runs, 13 RBI, and 16 runs scored in 52 regular-season games for the Reds in 2025 after they acquired him at midseason from the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates. The 29-year-old was slightly better offensively after the move to Cincy, but his .306 slugging percentage was the worst among qualified hitters last year, and his .595 OPS was second-worst. Hayes' 2026 fantasy profile is slightly better as he enters his first full year with the Reds, but he's a better real-life player for his top-notch glove than a fantasy one. He's the No. 52 fantasy third baseman at RotoBaller.

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The Baltimore Orioles acquired Cuban third baseman Bryan Ramos from the Chicago White Sox on Sunday in exchange for cash considerations, sources told Francys Romero. Ramos will move to the American League East after being designated for assignment by Chicago last week. The 23-year-old only played in four games for the Pale Hose last year, going 2-for-12 with two RBI, a run scored, and four strikeouts. In his first MLB season in Chicago in 2024, Ramos slashed .202/.252/.333 with three home runs, 11 RBI, and 13 runs scored in only 32 games played. At Triple-A Charlotte in 2025, Ramos hit .216/.309/.396 with 16 home runs, 51 RBI, 60 runs scored, and 13 stolen bases in 431 plate appearances. He'll be competing for a roster spot in spring training, and there's a good chance he'll open the 2026 campaign at Triple-A Norfolk as organizational infield depth.

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Cincinnati Reds catching prospect Alfredo Duno is a name to monitor in dynasty formats ahead of the 2026 regular season. Duno is currently listed as the team's No. 2-ranked prospect on MLB.com and the overall No. 48-ranked prospect on MLB.com. Duno joined the Cincinnati system in 2023 and has continued to show high upside at the lower levels. He made his professional debut in 2023 in the Dominican Summer League, where he held a .303/.451/.493 line with a strong .944 OPS. This past season, he spent the entire campaign with Low-A Daytona, where he posted an impressive .287/.430/.518 slash line with 32 doubles, 18 home runs, and six stolen bases. Given his solid play last summer, managers should expect Duno to spend most of 2026 with High-A.

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The Arizona Diamondbacks have invited top outfield prospect Ryan Waldschmidt to big league camp. Waldschmidt is considered the team's top-ranked prospect on MLB.com and the overall No. 66-ranked prospect in the sport. Waldschmidt joined the Diamondbacks in the 2024 Draft and is now knocking on the MLB door. Last summer, the Kentucky product began the season in High-A but reached Double-A by the second half. Through 68 games with High-A, Waldschmidt held a .268/.415/.447 slash line with 13 doubles and nine home runs. During his first taste of Double-A, the outfielder took a step further, holding a stellar .309/.423/.498 line with a .921 OPS. Given Arizona's current outfield, Waldschmidt is a name to closely monitor as he could be in the mix to jump Triple-A and begin the season in the major leagues.

From RotoBaller