Chandler Simpson, Cedric Mullins Expected to Play Tuesday: Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said that outfielders Chandler Simpson (hamstring) and Cedric Mullins (back) are feeling better and should play on Tuesday in Grapefruit League action, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Simpson, the more attractive fantasy outfielder of the two because of his high-end speed, has not played since last Tuesday after feeling soreness in his left hamstring. It's an injury the 25-year-old had battled through early in camp, so the Rays aren't taking any chances. Simpson doesn't offer much to fantasy managers outside of stolen bases, so he could be vulnerable to a loss of playing time if his glove doesn't improve in the outfield. Mullins, 31, also hasn't played since last Tuesday due to a sore back, but it's not viewed as a long-term issue. He still has power from the left side and could be on the strong side of a platoon in Tampa, but declining batted-ball metrics for Mullins make him merely a late-round dice roll in mixed fantasy leagues this year. - as of Mon, 09 Mar 2026 21:42:29
Corbin Carroll Could Make Spring Debut This Week: Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll (hand) could debut in a Cactus League game at some point this week, manager Torey Lovullo told Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. Carroll had surgery to fix a broken hamate bone in his right hand last month, but the 25-year-old former National League Rookie of the Year is recovering very quickly. At this pace, Carroll should be ready for Opening Day in late March. Carroll has been an All-Star in two of his four MLB seasons, including last year, when he slashed .259/.343/.541 with a career-best .883 OPS, 31 home runs, 84 RBI, a league-leading 17 triples, 107 runs scored, and 32 stolen bases in 642 plate appearances and 143 games played. Despite Carroll's hand injury this spring, fantasy managers shouldn't hesitate to take him late in the first round of fantasy drafts as a five-category contributor in a hitter-friendly home ballpark. - as of Mon, 09 Mar 2026 18:42:12
Bryce Eldridge to Begin Season at Triple-A?: San Francisco Giants first base prospect Bryce Eldridge has been in camp hoping to be a part of the team's Opening Day roster, but the Giants' top-ranked prospect could very well end up starting the year at Triple-A Sacramento. Giants manager Tony Vitello stated Monday that development is the most important thing for the 6-foot-7 slugger, and when asked if Eldridge would develop in San Francisco or Sacramento, the Giants' skipper said, "maybe see where it goes the last couple weeks of spring training." The former first-round draft pick made his big league debut in 2025, and while there is big-time power in his bat, there is a lot of swing-and-miss as well, registering a 30.8 percent K% in 66 games at Triple-A last year. So far this spring, the left-handed hitter has a 32.3 percent K% in 31 plate appearances, so perhaps the Giants want to see some improvement there before making him their designated hitter for the 2026 season. The 21-year-old is going undrafted in most fantasy leagues, but for power-needy managers, Eldridge is worth keeping an eye on as he could provide some pop despite the contact issues. - as of Mon, 09 Mar 2026 15:33:36
Kevin McGonigle Still in Big League Camp After Latest Roster Cuts: Detroit Tigers infield prospect Kevin McGonigle survived the latest rounds of big-league roster cuts on Monday, meaning he's still in contention to break camp with the Tigers with the regular season just a little over two weeks away. The Tigers' top-ranked prospect has shown well in spring training, going 6-for-17 (.353), including two doubles and a triple in nine Grapefruit League contests. He even went 3-for-3 with a walk and a home run off veteran pitcher Luis Severino in a WBC exhibition game against the Dominican Republic. MLB's No. 2 prospect overall seems to be ready for big league competition, however, he's yet to play a single game at Triple-A, so there is still a chance the Tigers could send him there to begin the year in order to make sure he's fully prepared to make the jump to the major leagues. Either way, expect the left-handed slugger to be fantasy relevant in 2026, whether it is on Opening Day or later in the year. Fantasy managers who have yet to draft should keep an eye on the remaining roster cuts, as he could be a value pick around his ADP of 311 if he begins the year in Detroit. - as of Mon, 09 Mar 2026 14:35:42
Max Clark Reassigned to Minor-League Camp: Detroit Tigers outfield prospect Max Clark was reassigned to minor league camp on Monday. The Tigers' second-ranked prospect participated in his first big league camp this year, but went just 2-for-18 (.111) during his time there. It's not clear which level he'll begin the season at, but if successful, the left-handed slugger could debut in Detroit later this year. The former third-overall draft pick finished the 2025 campaign at Double-A, slashing .251/.360/.439 with seven home runs and seven steals in 43 games. Notably, MLB's No. 10 prospect walked (14.2 percent) nearly as much as he struck out (16.7 percent), showing that he was not overmatched at that level. With no major league debut imminent, Clark isn't draftable in most fantasy leagues, but with the potential to be a multi-category contributor later in the year, fantasy managers should keep an eye on the 21-year-old's progress once the season gets underway. - as of Mon, 09 Mar 2026 14:18:38
J.P. Crawford Back at Shortstop on Monday: 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. - as of Mon, 09 Mar 2026 12:21:37
Zack Gelof Making Cactus League Debut on Monday: 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. - as of Mon, 09 Mar 2026 11:47:28