Los Angeles Angels infielder Nick Madrigal has been optioned to minor-league camp. Despite a strong performance in camp, Madrigal appears set to begin the season in Triple-A. He slashed .333/.391/.429 with three RBI in 23 plate appearances this spring. The former first-round pick hasn't played in the big leagues since the 2024 season with the Chicago Cubs. Madrigal is a solid contact hitter, but his lack of power and ability to draw walks hurts his overall value. He'll head to the minors alongside outfielders Gustavo Campero and Wade Meckler, who were also optioned this weekend.

From RotoBaller

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (hand) is in the starting lineup and will make his Grapefruit League debut against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. Lindor has made a remarkable recovery after having surgery to address a fractured hamate bone in his left hand in mid-February. He took batting practice on Friday and didn't have any issues, so he has officially been cleared for game action. Lindor will be in the leadoff spot and play shortstop during his spring debut. Barring any setbacks, Lindor should be ready on a full-time basis for Opening Day against the Pittsburgh Pirates on March 26. This is great news for Mets fans and fantasy managers who took the risk of selecting injured Lindor on draft day.

From RotoBaller

Kansas City Royals outfielder Jac Caglianone could be ready to take the next step in 2026. Caglianone got his first taste of big league action last season, but struggled to adjust. He slashed .157/.237/.295 with seven home runs and 18 RBI in 62 games in 2025. The 23-year-old appears to have made the proper adjustments as he's tearing the cover off the ball in camp. Through six games, Caglianone is slashing .455/581/.970 with one homer, four RBI, and five walks. Caglianone was also impressive during his four games in the World Baseball Classic. The former first-round pick came into the league with a ton of hype, and wasn't ready last season. Early in camp, it looks like he's made the right adjustments and is ready to crush big league pitching.

From RotoBaller

Los Angeles Angels pitcher Reid Detmers appeared to have finally turned a corner when he became a full-time reliever last season. According to Jeff Passan, he wouldn't be shocked if Detmers leads the Angels in saves in 2026. Detmers was a struggling starter for the first four years of his career before shifting to the bullpen in 2025. He registered a 3.96 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and an 80/25 K/BB across 61 appearances last season. The Angels are giving him another chance in the rotation this spring. However, it's not going well with a 7.27 ERA across three starts. The best route for him could be as a late-inning reliever. Detmers recorded three saves last season, and it sounds like he could be the favorite for the closer role in 2026.

From RotoBaller

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Mick Abel has put together impressive numbers early in camp. Through four starts, Abel has a 1.35 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, and a 17/1 K/BB ratio. The 24-year-old is making a strong case to crack the 26-man roster to begin the season. Abel was part of the trade that sent closer Jhoan Duran to Philadelphia last July. He posted an ugly 6.23 ERA with eight home runs allowed across 39.0 innings of work with the Phillies and Twins last season. The Twins have already lost starter Pablo Lopez (elbow) for the entire 2026 season. They definitely need help in the rotation, and Abel could provide that if he keeps pitching like this. He's someone worth monitoring in deep league fantasy drafts.

From RotoBaller

Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki (knee) was forced from the World Baseball Classic game for Team Japan on Saturday with right-knee discomfort against Venezuela, according to the Miami Herald's Jordan McPherson. Suzuki will continue to be evaluated. ESPN's Alden Gonzalez reports that Suzuki limped off the field with a right-knee injury after attempting to steal second base in the bottom of the first inning. The 31-year-old hurt his knee on the slide and eventually walked off the field with a trainer. Suzuki is probably done competing in the WBC, even if Japan advances to the semifinals. For now, he should be considered day-to-day, but we'll know more after Suzuki is evaluated. Depending on the severity of his knee injury, he could be looking at an injured list stint to begin the 2026 regular season. Suzuki hit 30 homers and drove in over 100 runs in Chicago in 2025, putting him in top-25 outfield territory in fantasy. If he were to miss extended time to begin the season, it would open up more playing time in right field for Matt Shaw and perhaps Kevin Alcantara.

From RotoBaller

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Ivan Herrera (knee) is reportedly feeling improved and is making good progress, according to Derrick Goold. Herrera has been held out of action for over a week due to a lingering knee issue. He was being eased into action originally due to offseason elbow surgery. With that being said, Herrera has only made seven plate appearances thus far this spring. The organization plans to have Herrera get behind the plate in game action before the end of Spring Training. It sounds like the Cardinals are confident that Herrera will be ready for the beginning of the season. It wouldn't be shocking if Herrera does see time at designated hitter until he's ready to be behind the plate full-time again. The 25-year-old brings enough upside with the bat to rank slightly outside the top 10 fantasy catchers to begin the 2026 season.

From RotoBaller

Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Orion Kerkering (hamstring) threw a successful live batting practice session on Tuesday. Afterwards, Kerkering told reporters he expects to pitch in Tuesday's Grapefruit contest against the Minnesota Twins. Kerkering has been held out of game action this spring while dealing with a Grade 1 hamstring strain. The right-hander is hopeful to pitch in three Spring Training contests before Opening Day. Kerkering posted a 3.30 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and a 65/27 K/BB ratio across 60 innings of work in 2025. He's likely going to operate as one of the primary setup relievers for closer Jhoan Duran.

From RotoBaller

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Corbin Burnes (elbow) threw a 15-pitch bullpen session on Friday. This was the first time that Burnes has thrown a bullpen session since undergoing Tommy John surgery last June. It sounds like everything went well, but Burnes still has a long road to full recovery. The plan is for Burnes to throw two bullpen sessions a week, and he's aiming to return around the 2026 All-Star break. When healthy, Burnes is a stud, but it's difficult to know what kind of pitcher we're going to get after major elbow surgery. He'll likely be eased back into action once he does return, so fantasy managers probably won't get a ton of value out of Burnes this season.

From RotoBaller

Seattle Mariners outfielder Brennen Davis (illness, hamstring) was removed early during Saturday's Cactus League matchup against the Los Angeles Angels. Davis appears to have tweaked something while swinging the bat. He was moving gingerly to first base before being removed from the contest. According to Ryan Divish, Davis was likely dehydrated from the heat. Regardless of the reason, it sounds lIke Davis is going to be fine moving forward. He has done a nice job at the plate this spring as he looks to earn a spot on the 26-man roster. This spring, Davis is 12-for-34 with four home runs and six RBI, but he'll need to keep it up if he wants to crack the Opening Day roster.

From RotoBaller

Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto (hand) was removed from Saturday's Cactus League matchup against the Seattle Mariners. Neto was pulled out of the game in the seventh inning due to a hand injury he suffered while sliding at home plate. Angels' manager Kurt Suzuki said Neto will undergo further testing to determine the severity of the injury. This could be a significant blow to fantasy managers if Neto lands on the injured list to start the season. Neto is a clear top-10 fantasy shortstop heading into 2026, so hopefully it's only a day-to-day type of issue. Fantasy managers will need to check back for another update after the testing is done.

From RotoBaller

Chicago White Sox right-handed pitcher Mike Vasil (elbow) exited with a trainer during the middle of his Cactus League start against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday. According to an announcement from the team, Vasil is experiencing right elbow soreness and will undergo additional evaluation. At the time of his departure, he had gone 3.2 scoreless innings with two hits, two walks, and three strikeouts. Vasil has been in the mix for a rotation spot this spring, making two relief appearances and two starts. That follows a similar trend from the 2025 regular season, in which the right-hander threw 101 innings across three starts and 44 bullpen outings. He typically offers long relief, and this new injury may impact his quest to make the White Sox' rotation out of camp. Anthony Kay and Erick Fedde are currently projected to earn regular-season starts over Sean Newcomb, who was confirmed as a reliever this weekend, and the injured Vasil.

From RotoBaller

Chicago White Sox pitcher Sean Newcomb will open the regular season in the bullpen, manager Will Venable told Kyle Williams of The Chicago Sun-Times. Newcomb has produced mixed results this spring. His 9.00 K/9, 2.45 BB/9, and 47.2% ground ball rate are impressive, but the same can't be said about his 1.64 HR/9 and 5.11 FIP. While Newcomb has experience starting and relieving, this decision shouldn't come as much of a surprise. Only five of his 48 appearances last year were starts, and he hasn't made more than five starts in a single season since 2018. Newcomb's placement in the bullpen should lead to Anthony Kay and Erick Fedde making the White Sox' Opening Day starting rotation. Pitching prospects Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz will likely open the year in Triple-A.

From RotoBaller

Boston Red Sox infielder Romy Gonzalez (shoulder) said that he hopes to return in late May after undergoing surgery earlier this week, according to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. Gonzalez noted that the surgery was a clean-up procedure, and so he doesn't expect to miss more than the minimum 60 days associated with his injured list placement. The veteran infielder specialized in hitting left-handed pitching last year, so his absence through the first two months will be felt, especially since the team no longer has Rob Refsnyder, a fellow slugger against left-handed pitching. Gonzalez primarily played first base in 2025, but his injury creates more of a general void on the right side of the infield now that Boston has Willson Contreras at first base and no clear answer at second base.

From RotoBaller

Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno's (elbow) medical tests revealed only inflammation and no structural damage, manager Torey Lovullo told Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. Lovullo said that Moreno should be ready for Opening Day. The young had been scratched Friday night with forearm tightness, and while any sort of ailment is concerning, fans and fantasy managers should feel relieved that he doesn't have any structural damage in his elbow. Moreno, 26, has dealt with some durability concerns throughout his young career, but he did post an encouraging .285/.353/.433 slash line with nine home runs, a 9.4% walk rate, a 17.2% strikeout rate, and 117 wRC+ last year. Because he's not a lock to play a full complement of games, he ranks as the #17 catcher in RotoBaller's updated fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.

From RotoBaller

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan will not pitch in the World Baseball Classic, a club official told MLB.com's Matthew Leach. The decision is not injury-related. Rather, the move reflects the fact that the USA coaching staff wasn't planning to use him as a starter, and they preferred a reliever to give them short-length relief outings. Leach explains that the decision was "probably not quite as black and white" as simply rostering a reliever over a starter, but that fans should rest assured Ryan is healthy and the team would have supported his choice to pitch in the WBC. Returning to Twins camp should give him the opportunity to make one or two more starts before Opening Day. He remains the #21 starter in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.

From RotoBaller

Houston Astros second baseman Brice Matthews "will get some run in left field" during Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the New York Mets, manager Joe Espada told Chandler Rome of The Athletic. It's a very interesting development since Matthews has almost exclusively played the infield since being selected in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft. He has just 64.2 total innings in center field (all in the minors) and has never played a professional inning in left field. Matthews went just 7-for-42 in the majors last year and had 118 wRC+ in Triple-A, so it's unclear whether this introduction to a new position is the Astros' way of getting his bat into the lineup or just an effort to increase his defensive versatility. You could also argue that we shouldn't read too much into one spring training lineup, so it'll be important to see if Matthews playing the outfield becomes a trend or is just a one-time occurrence.

From RotoBaller

MLB.com's Christina De Nicola has Connor Norby projected as the Miami Marlins' starting third baseman for the start of the 2026 regular season. Graham Pauley (elbow) was expected to compete for starting third base duties with Norby in spring training, but Pauley remains in a no-throw status due to an elbow injury and has been relegated to the designated-hitter role in Grapefruit League games. Norby "will need to continue improving on defense" and "showing better plate discipline," but as of right now, he appears to have a leg up on playing time at the hot corner in Miami to begin the 2026 season. The 25-year-old Norby needs to make more contact at the plate to keep the third base job. He's hit .276 (8-for-29) with a home run, three RBI, three runs scored, no walks, and 11 strikeouts in 11 Grapefruit League games. In deeper leagues, Norby is certainly worth a late-round flier for his moderate power/speed upside.

From RotoBaller

Tampa Bay Rays right-handed reliever Edwin Uceta (shoulder) threw a bullpen session in camp on Saturday morning, the first time he has thrown off a mound since receiving a cortisone shot for shoulder inflammation in mid-February, according to John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times. The Rays haven't officially ruled Uceta out for Opening Day in late March, but he's still likely to begin the year on the injured list due to his injury setback this spring. With the 28-year-old likely to be ready, it sets up the Rays for a closer-by-committee approach, which is expected to feature Griffin Jax, Garrett Cleavinger, and Bryan Baker. Despite his shoulder injury, the 28-year-old Uceta is an intriguing stash candidate in fantasy baseball leagues as a high-leverage relief arm. The Dominican hurler had a 1.51 ERA in 2024 and was one of just five relievers in baseball in 2025 to strike out over 100 batters in 76 innings of work for Tampa.

From RotoBaller

Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Hyeseong Kim (hand) is expected to be back in the Cactus League lineup on Sunday against the Chicago Cubs, manager Dave Roberts told Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Kim injured his left hand on March 8 against Australia while playing for Team Korea in the World Baseball Classic. It's not considered a serious injury, though, and all signs point to Kim being fine for Opening Day with the Dodgers later this month, barring a setback. The 27-year-old South Korean native ended up playing in 71 games for L.A. in the regular season in 2025 in his first year in the big leagues, slashing .280/.314/.385 with a .699 OPS, three home runs, 17 RBI, 19 runs, and 13 stolen bases in 170 plate appearances. Kim's power and playing time will be limited as a utility player for the Blue, and he'll mostly be valuable in deeper fantasy leagues for his speed on the base paths while offering eligibility at second base, shortstop, and center field. Tommy Edman's ankle injury will give him a better path to at-bats early on in 2026.

From RotoBaller