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San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove (elbow) was sharp in a simulated game early this week and is making a strong case to debut in spring training sometime next week. Musgrove is working his way back from Tommy John surgery but is slated to be a full-go for the start of the regular season. In this simulated game, Musgrove reached 95 MPH with his fastball and located his sinker and slider "very well." Earlier in the offseason, reports suggested that Musgrove would not face any major inning restriction, which is a great sign for his fantasy outlook. In 2024, Musgrove held a 3.8 ERA with a modest 1.17 WHIP. However, from 2021 through 2023, Musgrove held a strong 3.09 ERA with a dominant 1.09 WHIP. The 33-year-old carries solid sleeper appeal in all formats as he should take on a large role in the San Diego rotation.

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Colorado Rockies left-handed pitcher Kyle Freeland (back) completed a successful bullpen session this week and could make his spring training debut as early as this coming week. The southpaw has been dealing with a minor back injury, but appears to be progressing quite well. Managers should continue to monitor his status, but he does not appear to be in danger of missing the start of the regular season. Last summer, Freeland logged 163 2/3 innings with the Rockies and held a 4.98 ERA with a 1.42 WHIP. He struck out only 124 batters but had solid command of his pitches, allowing walks at a 5.4% rate. When healthy, Freeland figures to serve as the No.1 option in the Colorado rotation. Given his minimal strikeout upside and high ratios, Freeland only holds value as a low-end streamer in deeper 15-team leagues in favorable matchups.

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Colorado Rockies infielder/outfielder Willi Castro is expected to be aggressive on the basepaths during the 2026 season. Rockies president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta noted that Castro's skill as a baserunner was one of the first qualities they took note of when they signed him to a two-year deal this offseason. While Castro only swiped 10 bags last season and 14 the year prior, he did total a season-high 33 stolen bases back in 2023, showing the raw skill he possesses as a baserunner. The Rockies have expressed interest in being aggressive on the bases this season, and adding Castro to their lineup suggests it will be a major focus for them in 2026. Castro is slated to be their everyday second baseman but could also see time in the outfield. Playing in a hitter's paradise at Coors Field, Castro possesses sneaky power and speed upside as a late-round option in category formats.

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New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole (elbow) is set to face live hitters again on Friday. According to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, the 35-year-old will face Aaron Judge, Trent Grisham, and Giancarlo Stanton in the live inning. Cole has progressed quite well during the early stages of camp and is making a strong case to return to the mound early into the 2026 season. Cole was unable to pitch during the 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery with an internal brace procedure in March of 2025. However, Cole has looked quite sharp in his previous bullpen session and remains in the mix to return early within the first half. In 2024, Cole logged 95 innings with a 3.41 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. However, in the preivous season, Cole took home the AL Cy Young Award after striking out 222 hitters with a 2.63 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. He remains a prime stash option in the opening month as he could hold high-end SP2 upside as soon as he returns.

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Athletics right-handed pitcher Gunnar Hoglund (knee) is set to see a doctor regarding a knee injury he suffered earlier in camp, according to Marin Gallegos of MLB.com. The 26-year-old has not been on the mound since last May after undergoing season-ending hip surgery. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status, but it appears Hoglund could be in danger of missing time to begin the 2026 season. In 2025, Hoglund made his MLB debut and posted a 6.40 ERA with a 1.52 WHIP over his first 32 1/3 innings with the Athletics. In this stint, Hoglund struck out only 23 hitters. At Triple-A, Hoglund found much more success, posting a 2.43 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, witha 30:7 K:BB over a short 29 2/3 inning stint. When cleared to return, Hoglund should be in the mix to see spot starts in the rotation or operate in a long relief role in the bullpen.

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Athletics left-handed starting pitcher Jacob Lopez (elbow) has been throwing live batting practice this week and is tentatively lined up to make his spring training debut on March 8 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 27-year-old has been on the shelf since being placed on the 15-day injured list last August with a shoulder strain. However, the southpaw has progressed well and appears to be on track to be a full-go to begin the season. With the Athletics last summer, Lopez logged a career-high 92 2/3 innings with a 4.08 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. He struck out 113 hitters but posted a modest 9.3% BB rate. Under the hood, Lopez generated a strong 3.64 xERA with a .211 xBA, suggesting he should see some positive regression in 2026. He carries some sleeper appeal in deeper leagues given his underlying metrics and above-average strikeout upside.

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Baltimore Orioles catching prospect Samuel Basallo (abdomen) is not expected to undergo further testing. The top prospect was removed from Thursday's game with an abdominal injury, but it appears the move was precautionary. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status over the next few days, but Basallo looks to have avoided a serious injury. Orioles manager Craig Albernaz also noted that Basallo could have remained in the game. The 21-year-old made his MLB debut last summer and is poised to see a near-everyday role in the upcoming campaign. Through his first 31 games in the majors, Basallo held a .165/.229/.300 line with a modest .559 OPS. However, at Triple-A Norfolk, Basallo posted a strong .270/.377/.589 line with 23 home runs across 76 games. The young backstop is a top high-end No. 2 catcher in all formats heading into 2026.

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Seattle Mariners top prospect Colt Emerson has begun to find his footing in spring training and is making a strong case to crack the Opening Day roster. On Tuesday, Emerson went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run. In his next contest on Thursday, Emerson stayed hot at the dish, going 2-for-3 once again. He has now gone 4-for-11 through his first five contests this spring. Last summer, the 20-year-old spent most of his time at High-A and Double-A but did earn a short stint at Triple-A, which has opened the door for an early 2026 MLB debut. Across 124 games shared between High-A and Double-A, Emerson posted a .280/.380/.444 line with 14 long balls and 14 stolen bases. The No. 9-ranked prospect on MLB.com remains a top name to watch in camp as he would hold high-end sleeper value if he can earn a spot on the Opening Day roster.

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Colorado Rockies first base/outfield prospect Charlie Condon has been among the top hitters throughout the opening week of spring training games. The former third overall selection from the 2024 MLB Draft has gone 6-for-10 with two home runs and a 2:2 K:BB. The 22-year-old is in the mix to claim the starting first base job, and a strong showing in camp opens the door for an early promotion. Last summer, the former Georgia standout spent most of his time with High-A and Double-A. With High-A, Condon posted a .312/.431/.420 line across a 35-game stint. In his first look at Double-A, Condon flashed higher power, launching 11 long balls but held a lower .235/.342/.465 line. While he is likely ticketed for Triple-A to begin the campaign, Condon could remain in the mix for an early-season call-up if he continues this trajectory.

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According to Lochlahn March of The Philly Inquirer, Phillies top infield prospect Aidan Miller (back) is still getting treatments on his back but remains without a clear timetable to resume hitting. March noted that the Phillies remain very cautious with the former 27th overall selection. The 21-year-old was in the mix to potentially crack the Opening Day roster, but this injury will likely send him back to Triple-A to begin the season. In 2025, Miller spent the majority of his campaign with Double-A before earning a short taste of Triple-A in the final month. Through 108 games at Reading, Miller held a stellar .259/.382/.427 line with 13 home runs and an eye-catching 52 stolen bases. In his first eight games at Triple-A, Miller swiped another seven bags while holding a .333 AVG. Even though Miller is trending towards beginning the season in the minor leagues, he remains a viable stash option for deeper leagues given the immense speed upside he possesses.

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Philadelphia Phillies right-handed pitching prospect Andrew Painter is set to make his spring debut on Sunday against the New York Yankees. Painter is currently in contention for the final spot in the starting rotation, and a strong showing in camp should put him as the favorite to claim it. Last summer, Painter returned to the bump for the first time since 2022 (after undergoing Tommy John surgery) and found little consistency. Across 106 2/3 innings at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, the former 13th overall pick posted a modest 5.40 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, with a 111:46 K:BB. However, before undergoing surgery in 2022, Painter posted a stellar 1.56 ERA and 0.89 WHIP over 103 2/3 innings at the lower levels. During camp, the Phillies have noted that the right-hander has shown improved command and looks far more comfortable another year removed from his surgery. Painter remains a prime late-round sleeper given that immense strikeout upside he flashed early in his career.

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New York Mets outfield prospect Carson Benge was perfect at the plate on Wednesday afternoon and continues to make a strong case to be on the Opening Day roster. Facing the Astros, the team's top hitting prospect went a perfect 3-for-3 at the dish (all singles). Given New York's current outfield situation, Benge could make a strong case to begin the regular season as the team's primary right fielder, as Juan Soto is slated to shift to left field. Last summer, Benge began the season at High-A but was able to reach Triple-A in the second half. While he posted a dominant .317/.407/.571 line across 32 games at Double-A, Benge faced some growing pains during his first stint at Triple-A, posting a much lower .178/.272/.311 line. Despite this, Benge will continue to have an opportunity to claim the starting job from veterans Tyrone Taylor and Mike Tauchman. He remains an intriguing late-round target in five-outfielder formats.

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Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said he pulled third baseman Josh Jung (hamstring) from the Cactus League lineup on Thursday against the Chicago White Sox as a precaution because he "felt something" in his hamstring, according to Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. Schumaker said that Jung "wasn't thrilled that I pulled him." Jung is likely to be back in the lineup on Friday, so it's obviously nothing serious. The 28-year-old should be fine, but it's worth noting for a player who has struggled to stay on the field early in his career due to injuries. Jung played a career-high 131 games in 2025 and slashed .251/.294/.390 with a .684 OPS, 14 home runs, 61 RBI, 53 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 511 plate appearances. Injuries in the last two seasons have caused his batted-ball metrics to dip and his draft stock to slide. Jung still has plenty of power from the right side, though, and isn't a bad depth option at the hot corner if you're looking for home runs.

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New York Mets left-hander Sean Manaea performed like an ace in the second half of 2024 after lowering his arm slot to emulate Chris Sale. In 2025, Manaea went even lower with his arm slot, but it didn't work, and he also dealt with elbow and oblique injuries before finishing with a 5.64 ERA in just 60 2/3 innings. The Athletic's Will Sammon writes that Manaea is "one of the Mets' biggest X-factors" in 2026, and while working with Tread Athletics over the offseason, he is "closer to where he was at his best in 2024" in terms of his revised arm slot. The 34-year-old veteran southpaw is also feeling totally healthy this spring. Pitching coach Justin Willard describes Manaea's fastball as "elite" because it's "a different pitch than hitters are used to seeing." Manaea has relied mostly on his fastball and sweeper in recent seasons, but he's working more on his changeup to potentially bring it back. Manaea isn't a bad late-round flier in fantasy drafts to mitigate the risk of an aging pitcher with two above-average seasons since 2020.

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Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Cody Ponce made his Grapefruit League debut on Wednesday and threw a clean inning with no walks, no hits, and two strikeouts against the Detroit Tigers. Ponce is an interesting arm going into the 2026 season in the middle of Toronto's starting rotation. The Jays signed him to a three-year, $30 million contract in December after he was named the MVP of the Korean League last year with the Hanwha Eagles, where he had an impressive 1.89 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and 252:41 K:BB in 180 2/3 innings pitched. Ponce won't have it easy as he returns to the majors in the tough American League East and in a hitter-friendly home ballpark, but he's returning with a better splitter and the addition of a kick-change. The 31-year-old had a 5.86 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, and 48:17 K:BB in 20 outings (five starts) in 2020 and 2021 with the Pirates. Ponce will be one to watch in deep-mixed leagues and a sleeper for those in AL-only leagues.

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Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler (shoulder) threw his first bullpen session this spring on Thursday since undergoing thoracic outlet surgery on Sept. 23 of last year, which involved the removal of a rib, according to Corey Seidman of Sports Illustrated. Wheeler felt great after throwing 21 fastballs on Thursday. When asked if Wheeler could be ready to pitch in a big-league game six weeks from Thursday, manager Rob Thomson said, "Possibly." It's also possible that he could pitch in a Grapefruit League game, but it's still unclear. Barring soreness or a setback, Wheeler should be expected to throw another bullpen on Sunday. Wheeler will begin the 2026 season on the injured list, but if he continues to progress at this pace, it's possible he could make his season debut in April. Still, the 35-year-old veteran isn't a lock to return to his ace form, which is why he's dropped in the starting pitching rankings to No. 48 overall at RotoBaller.

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New York Mets right-handed pitching prospect Nolan McLean was dominant in his Grapefruit League debut on Thursday against the Houston Astros, allowing no runs on one hit, one walk, and six strikeouts in four innings pitched, according to MLB Pipeline. The No. 6 overall prospect in all of baseball picked up where he left off after posting a 2.06 ERA in eight starts for the Mets last year in his MLB debut. McLean retired 12 of the 14 batters he faced on the day and topped out at 97.9 mph on the radar gun with his fastball. The 24-year-old former third-rounder in 2023 out of Oklahoma State University should be considered a top-100 overall fantasy player going into his first full year in the big leagues. In addition to his 2.06 ERA in New York in 2025, McLean had a 1.04 WHIP, 57 strikeouts, 16 walks, and a 61.1% ground-ball rate in 48 innings. McLean already has an advanced arsenal with multiple offspeed pitches that can also generate swings and misses. He's one of the most attractive young arms in the game.

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Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that the team is "holding out hope" that if right-hander Merrill Kelly (back) can ramp up his throwing "sooner than later," that he'll have time to get ready to pitch in the second series of the season and "avoid the injured list," according to The Arizona Republic's Nick Piecoro. It was believed that the 37-year-old would open the 2026 season on the IL, and that's still likely to be the outcome, with the D-backs probably preferring not to rush the veteran hurler back early in the year. When healthy, Kelly is a top-of-the-rotation arm for Arizona, even though his fantasy baseball value is limited due to his lack of strikeouts (22% career strikeout rate). Kelly opened the 2025 season with the D-backs before being traded to the Rangers at midseason. He finished with a 3.52 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 167:48 K:BB in 184 innings (32 starts). An aging pitcher with an injury concern heading into the season isn't exactly a strong late-round fantasy target.

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The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal said on Foul Territory on Thursday that it looks like Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop prospect Konnor Griffin is "trending toward being" the team's Opening Day shortstop. It was seen as a bit of a stretch going into spring training, since Griffin is only 19 years old and has played just 21 games in the minors above High-A. However, he's the consensus No. 1 prospect in baseball, and Rosenthal says the Pirates think he can be the hitting version of a "unicorn" that right-hander Paul Skenes is. It puts a lot of expectations and pressure on Kriffin, but despite still being a teenager, he is "put together physically," is mature beyond his years, and has a good head on his shoulders. Rosenthal thinks it's possible that Griffin can be one of those rare players like Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols, Ken Griffey Jr., Mike Trout, and Juan Soto that can immediately come to the big leagues and succeed. The hype is real and will continue to inflate his ADP going into the 2026 season.

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Updating a previous report, Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo (abdomen) left Thursday's Grapefruit League game with right-side abdominal discomfort, the team announced. Basallo was injured when he reached out to tag Matt Vierling out on a play at the plate. The 21-year-old Dominican backstop eventually walked off the field under his own power, and he should be considered day-to-day for now. After making his MLB debut last year, the left-handed hitter is expected to see plenty of playing time behind the dish in Baltimore if he's healthy in 2025, allowing Adley Rutschman to play first base or serve as the designated hitter. Basallo hit only .165/.229/.330 with a .559 OPS over a small sample size of 31 games played last year, but he's a rising young catching talent who should be considered a high-end No. 2 fantasy catcher as long as this injury isn't serious.

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