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Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford (shoulder) is back in the Cactus League lineup on Monday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, as expected, after a brief hiatus this spring due to shoulder pain, according to Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times. Crawford is at shortstop and is batting fifth for the M's. He said he has played through worse during the regular season, but since it's spring training, the team decided to have him rest his shoulder. Barring a setback, Crawford should be just fine for the start of the 2026 regular season in late March. Monday's game is Crawford's first start at shortstop since Feb. 20. The 31-year-old former 16th overall pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2013 hit .265/.352/.370 with a .722 OPS, 12 home runs, 58 RBI, 69 runs scored, and a career-high eight steals in 157 games last year in his ninth year in the league. With limited power and speed -- he has only reached double-digit homers twice in his career and has never stolen double-digit bases -- Crawford has limited fantasy upside. He's ranked as RotoBaller's No. 39 fantasy shortstop.

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San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers (hamstring) is back in the Cactus League lineup on Monday as the designated hitter against the Los Angeles Angels after missing some time recently in spring training with hamstring tightness, according to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports. Devers is batting leadoff for the Giants. Barring another setback with his hamstring, Devers should be totally fine for Opening Day later this month. The 29-year-old is still searching for his first hit in spring training after going hitless in his first nine Cactus League plate appearances. The Dominican infielder and three-time All-Star was traded from the Boston Red Sox to the Giants last year and finished with a .252/.372/.479 slash line, .851 OPS, 35 home runs, 109 RBI, and 99 runs scored in 163 total games. Twenty of his 35 homers came with the Gigantes. Although he's in a pitcher-friendly park, Devers should be considered a top-10 fantasy first baseman.

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Athletics second baseman Zack Gelof (shoulder) is making his Cactus League debut on Monday in spring training against the Cincinnati Reds, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Gelof is serving as the designated hitter and will bat fifth for the A's. The 26-year-old is just now making his spring debut after having surgery in September of last year to fix a dislocated left shoulder. Gelof hit .174/.230/.272 with a career-worst .502 OPS, two home runs, seven RBI, and 12 runs scored in only 30 games in 2025 in his third year in the big leagues because of injuries. He hit .231/.294/.412 with 31 home runs, 81 RBI, and 39 stolen bases in his first two MLB seasons, but he led all of baseball with 188 strikeouts in 547 plate appearances in 2024. When healthy, Gelof will compete for a spot in the A's everyday lineup, but given his late start this spring, he's more likely to begin the 2026 season at Triple-A Sacramento.

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Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said that left-handed closer Josh Hader (biceps) will throw a bullpen session on Tuesday in camp, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. It will be the first time that Hader has thrown off a mound this spring after he reported to spring training last month with left-biceps inflammation. The 31-year-old southpaw also missed the end of last season with a left-shoulder strain, so he's carrying a lot more injury risk for fantasy managers going into his 10th year in the big leagues. The six-time All-Star was still pretty dominant as Houston's closer last year despite dealing with injuries, as he posted a 2.05 ERA (3.25 FIP), 0.85 WHIP, 28 saves, 76 strikeouts, and 16 walks in 52 2/3 innings pitched. There's a good chance that the Astros will play it safe and have Hader open the 2026 regular season on the injured list, which has made right-hander Bryan Abreu a more attractive late-round dart throw for saves speculators.

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Chicago Cubs right-handed pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins was sent to minor-league camp on Sunday afternoon. The team's No. 2-ranked prospect was given the opportunity to begin spring training with the MLB roster but will return to the minor leagues to continue his development. The 24-year-old was unlikely to begin the 2026 season in the major leagues, but should remain in the mix to join the Cubs later in the summer. In 2025, the former 2023 draft pick spent most of his time at High-A and Double-A before finishing the season with a short 9 2/3 inning stint at Triple-A Iowa. Across 68 1/3 innings at High-A and Double-A, Wiggins posted a stellar 1.84 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, with an 83:30 K:BB. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression at Triple-A, as he could be the first name called as an injury replacement.

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Chicago Cubs first base prospect Jonathon Long (elbow) is nearing a return to baseball activities, according to Bruce Levine of 670The Score. Long has been sidelined with a bruised elbow but has avoided any structural damage and should be cleared to return to action in the coming days. Long is considered the team's No. 7-ranked prospect on MLB.com and one of the top hitting prospects in the system. The Long Beach State product joined the Cubs back in the ninth round of the 2023 MLB Draft. Last summer, he spent his entire campaign at Triple-A Iowa and looked rather impressive. Across 140 games, Long held his own, posting a .305/.404/.479 line with 23 doubles, 20 home runs, and an .883 OPS. Given that Michael Busch is slated to be the everyday first baseman, Long will need to wait for an injury to be in the mix for his MLB debut.

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Atlanta Braves right-handed pitching prospect Didier Fuentes tossed two innings of relief in his spring training debut on Saturday against the Baltimore Orioles. Fuentes logged two innings and did not allow a hit or a walk, and struck out four hitters. The 20-year-old right-hander made his MLB debut last summer but was unable to find much success, posting a hefty 13.85 ERA with a 2.23 WHIP over his first 13 innings in Atlanta. During this stint, he struck out 12 hitters and allowed walks at an 8.7% rate. In the minor leagues, he logged 57 innings across stints at High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A, where he posted a 4.58 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, with a 71:16 K:BB. While Futenes is likely ticketed for Triple-A to begin the season, an early promotion is likely possible given that Atlanta is already without starting pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow).

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Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect Josue De Paula was assigned to minor-league camp on Sunday. The team's No. 1-ranked prospect (according to MLB.com) was unlikely to make the MLB roster out of spring training but was given a small taste of MLB action. During spring training, De Paula posted a strong .375/.464/.417 line across 14 games. Fantasy managers should expect the No. 15-ranked prospect in the sport to begin the 2026 regular season with Double-A Tulsa. In 2025, De Paula spent most of his season with High-A Great Lakes before earning a short four-game stint at Double-A. With High-A, De Paula posted .263/.406/.421 line with 12 home runs and eight stolen bases. While a 2026 MLB debut seems unlikely, he could be in the mix for a first-half promotion to Triple-A if he continues this trajectory.

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St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Joshua Baez is making a strong impression early in camp and could contend for a much-earlier-than-expected MLB debut. Through nine games, the team's No. 4-ranked prospect has posted a strong .333/.429/.667 slash line with two home runs and one stolen base. Last summer, Baez spent time at High-A and Double-A. While he has yet to step foot onto a Triple-A diamond, he may continue to make a strong case to join the MLB roster early in the 2026 season. At High-A, he held a .317/.404/.483 line with four home runs and 20 sotlen bases over 38 games. Over his first stint at Double-A (79 games), the 22-year-old held a .271/.374/.509 line 16 home runs and seven stolen bases. Given his five-category profile, he is a top prospect to monitor in deep five-outfielder formats.

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The Arizona Diamondbacks reassigned outfield prospect Ryan Waldschmidt to minor-league camp on Sunday, according to Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. The D-backs were seriously considering having Waldschmidt make their Opening Day roster due to injuries to Corbin Carroll (hand) and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (knee) in their outfield. The 23-year-old former 31st overall pick in 2024 out of Kentucky will start at Triple-A Reno in 2026, but if he's playing well early on, an early-season promotion to the Show could be in order. In nine Cactus League games in spring training, Waldschmidt has gone 9-for-28 (.321) with a homer, five RBI, six runs scored, and a stolen base in 30 plate appearances. Waldschmidt hit .289/.419/.473 with an .892 OPS, 18 homers, 78 RBI, 114 runs, and 29 steals in 134 games with High-A Hillsboro and Double-A Amarillo last year. He could become Arizona's starting center fielder by season's end, and his power/speed combination makes him a must-stash in dynasty/keeper leagues.

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Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal could continue pitching with Team USA in the World Baseball Classic tournament. The original plan was for Skubal to pitch against Great Britain and then return to the Tigers camp. After Saturday's start, Skubal expressed interest in continuing to pitch with Team USA after feeling great emotion when pitching for his home country. Skubal would need approval from both his agent and the Tigers organization to continue playing in the WBC. It would be a huge boost for Team USA if the superstar southpaw is allowed to continue pitching with the team.

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St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Nelson Velazquez appears to have a legitimate chance at landing a spot on the 26-man roster. The Cardinals are looking for an option in left field with Lars Nootbaar (heels) still sidelined. Nootbaar is still recovering from surgery on his heels, so it doesn't sound like he'll be ready for Opening Day. Velazquez has looked good at the plate during his six Grapefruit League games. He's looking to rebound after posting a .200/.274/.366 slash line with eight home runs and 27 RBI in 64 games with the Kansas City Royals last season. He joined the Cardinals as a non-roster invitee, so they'd need to drop someone off the 40-man roster to keep Velazquez for Opening Day. Nathan Church and Thomas Saggese are also competing for the starting left field gig. The Cardinals lineup could use a slugger from the right side, such as Velazquez, but we'll see if he can earn the spot.

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Team Venezuela manager Omar Lopez said that Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio (hand) is "ready" and should be back in the lineup for the World Baseball Classic contest against Nicaragua on Monday, according to Kevin Barral of FishOnFirst.com. A left-hand injury has caused Chourio to miss Venezuela's first two games of the WBC, but it's not a serious injury, and he'll be back in action next week after injuring his hand in an exhibition game last Wednesday when he was hit by a pitch. The 21-year-old will be ready for Opening Day at the end of this month and will look to continue improving as one of the league's best young outfielders after slashing .272/.317/.463 with a .781 OPS, 52 home runs, 157 RBI, 168 runs scored, and 43 stolen bases in 1,162 plate appearances over his first 279 regular-season games. Chourio is ranked as RotoBaller's No. 8 overall fantasy outfielder going into the 2026 season.

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Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Porter Hodge (elbow) will begin the 2026 season on the injured list, according to manager Craig Counsell. Hodge has been diagnosed with a right flexor tendon strain and will be shut down from throwing for at least two weeks. That decision will end Hodge's chances of making the 26-man roster to start the season. Before the injury, Hodge wasn't helping himself with seven walks and yielding seven earned runs in two innings of Cactus League play. The 25-year-old posted excellent rookie numbers in 2024, but couldn't get anyone out last season. He was once viewed as a possible closing option in Chicago, but Daniel Palencia has run away with that job.

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Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (forearm) is "fine" after he was removed from Friday's World Baseball Classic game for Team USA against Brazil after being hit by a pitch on his right forearm in the fifth inning, according to Team USA manager Mark DeRosa. X-rays came back negative on Buxton's arm. He initially stayed in the game in the WBC opener on Friday before being replaced in the outfield by Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. It's great news for the injury-prone two-time All-Star and for the Twins, with the start of the 2026 regular season less than three weeks away. It's also great news for Team USA, which is without Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll (hand) due to a fractured hamate bone that required surgery last month. Buxton didn't start in Saturday's win over Great Britain, but he's not expected to miss much time.

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The Texas Rangers have claimed outfielder Dairon Blanco off waivers from the Kansas City Royals on Sunday. Blanco quickly finds a new home after being designated for assignment by the Royals earlier in the week. Blanco figures to have a legitimate shot at claiming a 26-man roster spot. The 32-year-old is a solid contact hitter with elite speed. Blanco has recorded 59 steals over parts of four seasons with the Royals. He could be a potential platoon option in the outfield, but his fantasy value will be dependent on his playing time.

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Texas Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka (back) is expected to return to the lineup on Monday, according to manager Skip Schumaker. Higashioka has been sidelined since being scratched from Saturday's lineup due to back spasms. Luckily, it sounds like a minor issue that is only going to sideline Higashioka for a few days. The expectation is that Higashioka will split up the playing time behind the plate with Danny Jansen. Last season, Higashioka slashed .241/.291/.403 with 11 home runs and 47 RBI across 94 games. The fact that he's going to be in a platoon situation doesn't bode well for his everyday fantasy value.

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Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Andrew Abbott has been named the Opening Day starter, according to manager Terry Francona. This will be the first Opening Day assignment for Abbott, who earned it as a consolation prize. Normally, ace Hunter Greene (elbow) would get the Opening Day nod. Unfortunately, Greene is dealing with an elbow injury and won't be able to make that start. Abbott posted a 2.87 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and a 149/43 K/BB ratio across 29 starts with the Reds last season. His current ADP sits at 208, which feels like a steal given his success last season. Abbott has the potential to be a top 45-50 starting pitcher in the league.

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Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (back) was able to throw a successful live batting practice session on Sunday. According to Steve Gilbert, Kelly felt good during the session and everything went well. The next step will likely be Kelly throwing a bullpen session before getting into game action. Barring any setbacks, Kelly should be ready in time for Opening Day. In 2025, Kelly posted a 3.52 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and a 167/48 K/BB ratio across 32 starts. The 37-year-old pitched well last season, but a regression is possible given his age. If healthy, Kelly could be an interesting late-round option, but he's unlikely to surpass last year's numbers.

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Tampa Bay Rays infielder Gavin Lux (upper body) is expected to make his Spring Training debut on Tuesday. The team has been vague about Lux so far, but they've been holding him out due to body soreness. He'll take some live at-bats on Sunday and will get into game action on Tuesday. Barring any setbacks, Lux should be ready to go for Opening Day. Lux was traded to the Rays in a three-team deal in January. He figures to get regular playing time at second base with Brandon Lowe no longer on the team. Last season, Lux slashed .269/.350/.374 with five home runs, 53 RBI, and one steal in 127 games. The 28-year-old is unlikely to offer much fantasy value given his lack of power and speed.

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