Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Shane Bieber (forearm) is making progress in camp, according to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. "Biebs isn't that far behind. Biebs is feeling good. He's out to [throwing at] 120 feet. Hopefully, in the next week to two weeks, he's getting off the mound and starting his progression," manager John Schneider said. It's good news for Bieber, but the Blue Jays already said that the 30-year-old veteran will begin the 2026 season on the injured list as he recovers from right-forearm fatigue. Bieber is expected to start throwing bullpen sessions within the next two weeks. Barring a setback as he ramps up, it might not be long before he's able to make his 2026 debut in his first full season in Toronto. He didn't debut last year until late August while recovering from Tommy John surgery, and he went 4-2 with a 3.57 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 37 K's in his seven regular-season starts. Bieber was a Cy Young winner in the shortened 2020 season and has a track record of being an ace, but fantasy managers can't realistically expect him to return to those levels. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 95 starting pitcher in fantasy.

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Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said on Thursday that left-hander Shota Imanaga is throwing his fastball harder this spring, which is mostly a "product of his hamstring being healthy," according to Bruce Levine of Marquee Sports Network. Counsell thinks Imanaga's hamstring injury last year "created some bad mechanical issues while the pitcher compensated for the injury." The 32-year-old Japanese southpaw was an All-Star in his first year in the U.S. in 2024, going 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 174:28 K:BB in 29 starts (173 1/3 innings). Imanaga carried that over into the first half in 2025, posting a 2.65 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in 12 starts before the All-Star break. After a hamstring injury caused him to miss two months, his ERA jumped ot 4.70 with a 1.04 WHIP in the second half. He was even worse in a small sample size in the playoffs, but now back to full health, Imanaga is a clear bounce-back candidate in fantasy.

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San Francisco Giants left-hander Carson Whisenhunt was consistently hitting 96-97 mph during his simulated game in camp on Thursday, according to Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News. Whisenhunt's average fastball velocity last year was at 92.6 mph, so it's a notable development early in spring training as he heads into his second major-league season. The 25-year-old former second-round pick in 2022 out of East Carolina University made five starts in his big-league debut in 2025 and allowed 14 runs (13 earned) in 23 1/3 innings (5.01) ERA while walking 12 and striking out 16. Whisenhunt will most likely start the 2026 season at Triple-A Sacramento to continue his development. Command and control were both issues in his small sample size with the Giants last year. His future in the big leagues could be in the bullpen if those issues don't improve.

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Kansas City Royals outfielder Lane Thomas (foot) said on Thursday that he's fully healthy this spring after he had surgery to fix plantar fasciitis in his right foot last September, according to Sports Radio 810. Thomas was a total bust for the Cleveland Guardians last year due to injuries. He was limited to only 39 regular-season games and hit .160/.246/.272 with a .518 OPS, four home runs, 11 RBI, 10 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 142 plate appearances in his seventh year in the majors. Despite the lost season, the 30-year-old veteran could see most of the playing time in left field for the Royals in 2026 after signing a one-year, $5.25 million deal in December. The previous two seasons with the Washington Nationals and Guardians, Thomas hit .255/.312/.439 with a .751 OPS, 43 homers, 149 RBI, and 52 steals in 286 games, so there is bounce-back potential if he's fully healthy. At the very least, he could be a sneaky waiver-wire pickup for his speed.

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Boston Red Sox right-hander Kutter Crawford (knee, wrist, illness) is in the mix for the No. 5 starting rotation spot to begin the 2026 season, but MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo also reports that he "could start the year on the injured list." Crawford is behind the other starting candidates at spring training and has not faced hitters yet, and a bout with the flu delayed his progress early in camp as he works his way back from knee and wrist injuries that cost him the entire 2025 season. The 29-year-old led the team with 33 starts two years ago and was an All-Star candidate after having a 2.89 ERA in his first 11 starts. Crawford finished the 2024 campaign with a 4.36 ERA, 175 strikeouts, and 51 walks over 183 2/3 innings. Especially since he's behind due to the injuries he dealt with last year, Crawford is off the fantasy radar in single-year leagues.

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San Diego Padres right-hander Randy Vasquez has an "inside track" to one of the final starting rotation spots in San Diego to begin the 2026 season despite the recent additions of German Marquez and Walker Buehler, according to MLB.com's AJ Cassavell. Nick Pivetta, Michael King, and Joe Musgrove are locks. Vasquez, 27, likely earned himself a rotation spot to begin the year with his solid 2025 showing, in which he went 6-7 with a 3.84 ERA (4.85 FIP) and 1.32 WHIP with a career-high 78 strikeouts and 52 walks in 133 2/3 innings over 28 appearances (26 starts). While Vasquez was a solid back-of-the-rotation arm for the Friars, fantasy managers in deeper leagues should expect some regression due to his 5.51 xFIP and 5.44 SIERA. His 4.6% K-BB% was the third-lowest mark in the league among pitchers with at least 130 innings. Vasquez is outside of RotoBaller's top-100 starting pitchers in fantasy.

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Baltimore Orioles corner infielder Coby Mayo could see more opportunities at third base in Baltimore if infielder Jordan Westburg (elbow, oblique) is forced to miss time due to injuries to begin the 2026 season, according to Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner. Westburg is unable to perform baseball activities in camp right now and could be forced to the injured list to begin the year, making Mayo the starting third baseman for the O's. The 24-year-old came up through the system as a third baseman, but the O's moved him across the diamond to first last year. Pete Alonso is now locked in at first base, so Mayo could make the move back across the infield. Through his first 102 games played in the big leagues, Mayo has struggled at the plate, slashing .201/.285/.349 with a .634 OPS, 11 home runs, 28 RBI, and a 31.2% strikeout rate. There's hope that Mayo's strong finish to last season can carry over, but he's going to need to make more contact to find his way into Baltimore's lineup regularly.

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Cleveland Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams took another step last year, reaching personal bests across the board in ERA (3.06), strikeouts (173), innings (167 2/3), and starts (31). After the All-Star break, Williams had a 2.18 ERA over 12 starts, which tied him with Tarik Skubal for first among qualified American League starters. In the first few months of 2025, he threw less than six innings in eight of his 11 starts, logging a 4.27 ERA with 32 walks in 52 2/3 frames. According to MLB.com's Tim Stebbins, a subtle mechanical adjustment that Williams made on June 16 was the catalyst for his excellent finish. The 26-year-old raised the position of his hands from resting at the belt to his chest, to create a longer arm path so he could better locate his pitches. Williams also added a sinker last year, although he only threw it 6.6% of the time. The adjustment helped Williams throw more strikes, but he still led the majors with 83 walks. Going into 2026, Williams is an anchor in Cleveland's starting rotation and is a high-end No. 4 starting pitcher in fantasy with upside for more if he continues to lower his walk rate.

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Chicago White Sox manager Will Venable said that right-hander Seranthony Dominguez will be the team's closer to begin the 2026 season, according to James Fegan of Sox Machine. The White Sox signed Dominguez to a two-year, $20 million contract last month. The 31-year-old veteran has only 40 career saves in seven big-league seasons with three different teams, with 16 of them coming in his first major-league season in 2018 with the Philadelphia Phillies. Dominguez struck out 30.3% of the hitters he faced and had an opponent's expected batting average of just .200, partly because of a new split-finger fastball that he introduced. In a career-high 62 2/3 innings pitched for the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays, he held a 3.16 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, two saves, 20 holds, 79 strikeouts, and 36 walks. Dominguez's splitter is nasty and regularly generates whiffs, but a career-high 13.8% walk rate is worrisome, and he's unlikely to see a ton of save chances on one of the worst teams in baseball.

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Cincinnati Reds right-handed pitching prospect Rhett Lowder is in the mix for the team's No. 5 starting rotation spot this spring, competing with Chase Burns, Brandon Williamson, and Julian Aguiar, and so far, he has looked good, according to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. Lowder has faced hitters twice in live batting practice sessions and has looked "very polished," according to manager Terry Francona. "He's gross," a Reds hitter said of Lowder. The 23-year-old former seventh overall pick in 2023 out of Wake Forest missed all of last season with forearm and oblique injuries, but he had a normal offseason and looks primed and ready to return to the big leagues as a key part of the back end of Cincy's rotation. Lowder made his major-league debut in 2024 and made six starts, allowing only four earned runs while fanning 22 and walking 14 in 30 2/3 innings. He should already be stashed in dynasty/keeper leagues, and he could quickly emerge as a streamer on the redraft radar if he earns a rotation spot.

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Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona said that corner infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand (hamstring) could get into Cactus League games at the beginning of next week, according to Charlie Goldsmith of FOX 19. Encarnacion-Strand came to spring training a bit behind the other position players due to a minor hamstring injury that he suffered in January, but it doesn't appear to be anything that will keep the 26-year-old from being ready to go for Opening Day in late March. Ke'Bryan Hayes is now locked in as the team's starting third baseman, while Eugenio Suarez, Sal Stewart, and Spencer Stewart should all rotate between first base and designated hitter in 2026, making it likely that Encarnacion-Strand will be on the outside looking in for an Opening Day roster spot. CEH has notable power, but he chases outside the zone too much. The former fourth-rounder hit just .208/.234/.377 with a .610 OPS in 36 big-league games in 2025 and finished the year in the minors.

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Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that designated hitter/catcher Moises Ballesteros should be in camp by Saturday or Sunday, according to Bruce Levine of Marquee Sports Network. Ballesteros is making his way through Colombia with visa issues. Miguel Amaya and Carson Kelly are expected to split the catching duties in 2026, with Ballesteros serving as the team's primary DH against right-handed pitchers. The 22-year-old left-handed hitter made his major-league debut with the Cubs last year and appeared in only 20 games, going 17-for-57 (.298) with two home runs, 11 RBI, and 12 runs scored. The fact that Ballesteros might not regain catching eligibility in fantasy is a major drawback, but his bat will play, and he could have 20-25-homer upside at the major-league level. At Triple-A Iowa in 2025, he slashed .316/.385/.473 with 13 home runs and just a 13.2% strikeout rate in 114 games.

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After signing in free agency on a modest two-year contract, Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Matthew Boyd entered 2025 profiling as a quality depth arm but little more. The 35-year-old instead delivered a career season, posting a 14-8 record with a 3.21 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 154 strikeouts across 179 2/3 innings pitched (31 starts). Still, a look under the hood at Boyd could reveal that he's a prime regression candidate in 2026. Across 68 innings after the All-Star break, Boyd posted a 4.63 ERA. Additionally, with a below-average 21.4% strikeout rate, Boyd is unlikely to provide significant help to fantasy managers in the strikeout category. The veteran lefty also remains a significant health risk, as 2025 was his first time throwing more than 78 2/3 innings in a season since 2019. Boyd has a spot in the Cubs' rotation, which gives him a chance to rack up wins as long as he can stay on the mound. However, fantasy managers may want to price in some regression back to career norms and health risk before targeting him in drafts.

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In 2024, while pitching for the Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Griffin Jax emerged as one of the best high-leverage arms in baseball. Jax's performance declined in 2025, as he finished the year with a 4.23 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 99 strikeouts across 66 innings split between Minnesota and Tampa Bay. Still, Jax posted an elite 35% strikeout rate, and his ERA improved to a more manageable 3.60 across 23 appearances with the Rays after being acquired mid-season. Heading into 2026, Jax appears to be competing with right-hander Edwin Uceta and left-hander Garrett Cleavinger for the closer job in Tampa Bay. Rays manager Kevin Cash is known for using multiple relievers in the ninth inning, so the most likely scenario is that Jax will not see 100% of the team's save opportunities. However, given his ability to rack up strikeouts, he could be a useful relief option for fantasy managers even if he remains in a part-time closer role. With a current average draft position of pick 233, Jax could ultimately end up providing significant value for managers in the middle rounds of drafts.

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Across 695 plate appearances in 2025, San Francisco Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos hit .256/.328/.400 with 21 home runs, 69 RBI, 85 runs scored, and six stolen bases. While Ramos' production doesn't jump off the page, he established himself as an everyday regular in the San Francisco lineup. The 26-year-old also made significant strides in terms of swing-and-miss, lowering his strikeout rate from 26.1% in 2024 to 22.7% in 2025. However, Ramos sacrificed some power to make contact more often, as his barrel rate dropped from 14.5% to 8.8%. His isolated slugging percentage dropped over 50 points, and he hit one fewer home run despite logging nearly 200 more plate appearances. If Ramos can combine the best aspects of his 2025 approach with the power he displayed in 2024, he could be in line for a breakout season. However, he may ultimately settle in at the overall level he showed in 2025, which could put him at risk of losing playing time with the Giants.

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Colorado Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar battled through a down year in 2025, posting a .253/.294/.400 slash line with nine home runs, 33 RBI, 44 runs scored, and five stolen bases in 390 plate appearances. Hip and groin injuries limited the 24-year-old to just 95 games played. With a career strikeout rate of 27.3% and a career walk rate of 4.1%, Tovar's plate skills leave a lot to be desired. He also makes a good amount of soft contact, as he's never posted a hard-hit rate above 40% in any of his four big league seasons. Still, while not a perfect player, Tovar had been an above-average compiler for fantasy managers in 2024, collecting 26 home runs across 695 plate appearances. Playing his home games at the hitter-friendly Coors Field has also helped Tovar run a career batting average on balls in play of .331, which mitigates the impact of his below-average strikeout rate. As long as he's healthy, Tovar should see everyday playing time at the top of the Colorado batting order, and could be a strong buy-low candidate for fantasy managers at the shortstop position.

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Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco is said to be "confident and optimistic" ahead of a new trial on charges of sexual abuse of a minor in the Dominican Republic, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Franco was found guilty of the charges in June, but both sides appealed the decision, leading to the ordering of a new trial, which begins Friday. The 24-year-old has not appeared in an MLB game since August of 2023 and remains on the league's restricted list. If found guilty in the new trial, Franco could face stricter punishment, including jail time. If cleared of the charges, he would likely still face an uphill battle to make it back to the big leagues and could still be subject to a suspension from MLB.

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Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (knee), who is recovering from a torn ACL in his right knee that he suffered last September, has been ahead of schedule in his rehab to the point where he thinks he could be ready for Opening Day, according to MLB.com's Steve Gilbert. Gurriel took live batting practice on Tuesday in camp and has been running the bases. However, manager Torey Lovullo already said that the 32-year-old Cuban outfielder won't be an option on Opening Day. Alek Thomas, who has been a mainstay in center field for the Sankes in the last three years, has started taking fly balls in left field this spring. Corbin Carroll (hand) also had surgery to remove a broken hamate bone from his hand, but he has a realistic chance to be ready for Opening Day. With an unknown timetable on Gurriel, he's currently outside RotoBaller's top-100 fantasy outfield rankings entering 2026.

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Atlanta Braves right-hander Reynaldo Lopez consistently sat around 93 mph and hit 94 mph during the second inning of his live batting practice session in camp on Thursday, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Lopez "seems to be where he needs to be in February." The 32-year-old former reliever has proven he can be effective as a big-league starter at 94-95 mph, with the ability to dial up 98 mph when he needs it. Lopez is attempting to return from a lost season in 2025, in which he made just one start for Atlanta before having arthroscopic right-shoulder surgery. He's back to full health now, though, and is looking to bounce back to his All-Star form in 2024, when he went 8-5 with a career-best 1.99 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 148:42 K:BB in 135 2/3 frames. Expecting a repeat of his 2024 success would be foolish. Lopez has only gone over 70 innings in a season once since 2019, and he's a good bet to be moved back to a relief role later in 2026. He's outside RotoBaller's top-100 starting pitcher rankings.

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Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen will take the hill on Opening Day on March 26 against the St. Louis Cardinals, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Rasmussen gets the nod after exceeding expectations last year in his first full season back from right-elbow surgery. The 30-year-old veteran was a first-time All-Star in his sixth year in the big leagues and went 10-5 with a 2.76 ERA (3.84 FIP), 1.02 WHIP, career-high 127 strikeouts, and 37 walks in 150 innings pitched over 31 starts. Still, fantasy managers need to remember that Rasmussen has had three elbow surgeries in his career. The Rays could loosen the leash a bit in terms of his workload in 2026, but they will still probably be somewhat cautious, given his injury history. You can't argue with Rasmussen's results when he's been healthy, though, as he has the fourth-best ERA among all pitchers in the last five years. He has a decent floor as a No. 4 starting pitcher in fantasy.

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