MLB Player News

Springer is at DH and leading off Saturday’s showdown against the Rangers following a two-week absence recovering from a concussion. The 35-year-old veteran has been a revelation this season, posting an impressive .889 OPS, his highest single-season mark since his Blue Jays debut back in 2021.

Veen showed up to camp looking physically transformed, and the added strength announced itself loudly with this staggering 468-foot missile, per Statcast. The 24-year-old former top prospect flopped in his first shot with the Rockies last season but he would be in line for a significant role if someone like Mickey Moniak, Jordan Beck or Jake McCarthy gets off to an ice-cold start to the year.

Mateo landed with the Braves last month after Ha-Seong Kim was ruled out for the beginning of the season, and he’ll serve as a utilityman while Mauricio Dubón starts at shortstop initally. Still, one of the game’s best basestealers, he’s probably not going to get enough to an opportunity for at-bats to help in fantasy leagues.

He allowed one hit, walked one and struck out one before departing. The Orioles’ additions have knocked Povich down to seventh or eighth on the SP depth chart for now, so he’s probably Triple-A bound to start the year. Still, it’s important that he pitch well and avoid getting passed by anyone else.

The 30-year-old Smith, who just signed a minor league deal with the Braves last week, doesn’t seem like a fit for Atlanta’s roster, but that’s not the only team he’s auditioning for this spring. He had a nice run with the Giants last year, batting .284/.333/.417 over 225 plate appearances, though his exit velocity numbers didn’t really back it up.

Neto’s two hits carried exit velocities of 101.7 mph and 95.5 mph, respectively, per Statcast. The 25-year-old former top prospec will be a second or third-round pick in fantasy drafts this spring on the heels of last year’s 26-homer, 26-steal campaign, which he accomplished in just 128 contests. He possesses 30-homer, 30-steal upside, if he manages to stay healthy for anything close to a full season.

Leiter came out firing in his spring debut, averaging a sizzling 97 mph on his four-seam fastball — topping out at 98.9 mph — while flashing a consistently upper-80’s slider. The 25-year-old former top pitching prospect was extremely streaky last year when he posted a respectable 3.86 ERA – 4.45 xERA – 1.28 WHIP and 148/67 K/BB ratio across 151 2/3 innings over a career-high 29 starts at the highest level. It’s relatively easy to envision him putting together a full-fledged breakthrough campaign given his raw talent, but only if he’s able to refine his command. He’s been a late-round pick in NFBC formats since the start of February, coming off the board at pick 255 overall, on average.

Detmers averaged just 93.7 mph with his four-seam fastball in his spring debut after averaging 95.8 mph in shorter bursts out of the bullpen last year. The diminished velocity is an expected byproduct of his return to a traditional starting role but it’s possible he’ll add a couple ticks in advance of the regular season. The 26-year-old former top prospect was tagged for three hits, including a two-run homer by journeyman backstop Danny Jansen in the opening frame. Detmers is an interesting late-round flyer for fantasy purposes given his strikeout upside and pedigree but it might take him a little while to regain his footing after pitching exclusively in relief last season.

Castro started at second base in this one and appears poised to occupy a versatile multi-position role for the Rockies this season, which gives him some fantasy appeal in deeper formats. The 28-year-old posted 11 homers and 10 steals in 120 games split between the Twins and Cubs last season. It’s likely he’ll receive a boost in the batting department based on hitter-friendly Coors Field’s historical tendencies, which makes him a potential .250 hitter with double-digit homers.

Murakami started at DH and recorded hits with exit velocities of 100 and 74.4 mph, respectively. The 26-year-old offseason import arrives stateside with some serious contact issues, especially since he’ll be facing premium velocity more frequently than he was in Japan. Yet, he’s shown an ability to drive the ball with authority during the early stages of spring training.

Taylor hit triple-digits three times and averaged a blistering 99.8 mph on his four-seam fastball, needing just 12 pitches to spin a flawless frame. The hard-throwing 23-year-old former top prospect has the unmistakable aura of a future closer — the velocity, the demeanor, the kind of stuff that feels pre-destined for the ninth inning. However, it feels like the rebuilding White Sox will turn the ninth inning role over to veteran Seranthony Domínguez at the outset of the season, if only to increase his value for a midseason trade.