MLB Player News

Fernández has been on the bench for both games against lefties since he arrived in the majors, and his five starts have seen him twice be hit for by Kyle Farmer with a lefty on the mound. That would all make sense if he were playing for a contender and major league ready aside from being able to hit lefties, but Fernández is 22, clearly not a finished product and playing for one of the worst teams of all-time. He needs to be allowed to try to improve against lefties, whether it’s in Triple-A or in the majors.

Anderson, the third-overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, looked extremely impressive in three Cactus League outings this spring and appears to be on the fast-track to the big leagues. The 21-year-old southpaw possesses enough strikeout upside to make an immediate fantasy impact once he reaches the majors. He’s one of the few pitching prospects worth stashing at the outset of the year, especially in deeper mixed leagues.

Malloy jolted Tampa Bay ahead by scalding 102.1 mph two-run double into the left-center field gap off Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson in the fourth inning. He brought home an additional run in the sixth by scorching a 105.7 mph single to left field against veteran reliever Liam Hendriks. The 26-year-old came over from Detroit in an offseason trade and could wind up being a classic change of scenery breakthrough candidate if he winds up getting a real chance with the Rays. It would likely take an injury for him to get an extended look, but he’ll be a name to keep on fantasy managers’ radar screens, especially in deeper mixed leagues.

Keaschall finished 1-for-3 and is already up to four doubles, while batting .371 across 11 Grapefruit League contests this spring. The 23-year-old top prospect was putting together an impressive breakthrough fantasy campaign last year before suffering a fractured forearm that kept him on the shelf for over three months. He’s an outstanding pure hitter who projects as a strong batting average source with the ability to reach double-digit homers and eclipse 20 stolen bases, making him a potential upper-echelon fantasy option at second base.

Ozuna’s seventh-inning blast came against Orioles reliever Yaromil Hiraldo and traveled 400 feet to left-center field, according to Statcast. The 35-year-old veteran is a one-dimensional slugger at this advanced stage of his career but he’s going to open the year batting in the heart of a respectable Pirates lineup. He’ll be a cheap power source in deeper mixed leagues but expecting anything beyond that might be unrealistic.

Rutschman got a high fastball from Pirates starter Carmen Mlodzinski and didn’t miss it, launching a 381-foot blast to right field for his second big fly of the spring. The 28-year-old backstop will cede occasional playing time to top prospect Samuel Basallo this season, but he’s locked in as Baltimore’s starting catcher, and is a top 12-15 range fantasy option at the position.

Beavers took Pittsburgh reliever Cam Sanders for his first round-tripper of the spring and is up to six extra-base hits in Grapefruit League action. The 24-year-old rookie is likely to open the regular season in a part-time role as a left-handed complement to Tyler O’Neill and Taylor Ward in the outfield corners. The lack of a clear full-time opportunity diminishes his immediate appeal to deeper mixed leagues, but he possesses an abundance of fantasy-relevant tools that will make him an impactful contributor sooner than later.

Rogers recorded three strikeouts, issued one walk and threw 61 pitches (41 strikes) in his first spring outing since being named Baltimore’s Opening Day starter. The 28-year-old southpaw revived his career last season with a stellar 1.81 ERA (3.40 xERA), 0.90 WHIP and 103/29 K/BB ratio across 109 2/3 innings over 18 starts. There are a wide range of opinions regarding where he should be selected in fantasy drafts this spring, but he makes sense as a top 35-40 range starting pitcher, which puts him squarely in SP3 territory.

It’s a best-case scenario for Arizona’s starting catcher after being scratched from Friday’s lineup with forearm tightness. The 26-year-old backstop underwent additional imaging that didn’t reveal anything serious. He’ll presumably take some time off over the final stretch of camp to allow the swelling to subside and figures to be ready for Opening Day.

White Sox manager Will Venable confirmed to reporters that Newcomb will operate in relief to open the season after battling for a spot in Chicago’s rotation during camp. The decision makes it a near-lock that both Anthony Kay and Erick Fedde will make the Opening Day rotation. There’s zero fantasy intrigue here but it’s worth noting that the White Sox are going to give a few veterans some run before they consider promoting a top prospect like Hagen Smith or Noah Schultz.

Lovelady returns to New York after spending a couple months with the division-rival Nationals. The 30-year-old southpaw compiled an inflated 8.49 ERA (5.80 xERA) over 11 2/3 innings across 10 appearances between the Mets and Blue Jays last year.