Aidan Miller Still Not Swinging a Bat: Philadelphia Phillies top prospect Aidan Miller (back) has yet to swing a bat as he recovers from a lingering back injury, although manager Rob Thomson said on Tuesday that Miller's activities have increased, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. Miller, who is considered the No. 9 overall shortstop prospect, started the 2026 season on the injured list at Triple-A Lehigh Valley due to a back injury that he's dealt with since last fall. The Phillies aren't going to rush the 21-year-old top prospect, especially after he was unable to play at all during spring training. The former 27th overall pick in 2023 hit .264/.392/.433 with an .825 OPS, 14 home runs, 42 RBI, 82 runs scored, and 59 stolen bases in 116 games with Double-A Reading and Lehigh Valley in 2025. Miller is currently blocked at the big-league level at shortstop by Trea Turner, but the Phillies will find a spot for him, potentially at third or second, when he's ready. At the rate he's going with his back rehab, Miller might not be a candidate to make his MLB debut in Philly until the second half of 2026. - as of Tue, 31 Mar 2026 17:49:28
Jorge Polanco Taking a Seat on Tuesday Against Cardinals: New York Mets infielder Jorge Polanco (Achilles), who is dealing with some minor Achilles soreness, is absent from the team's starting lineup on Tuesday at Busch Stadium against the St. Louis Cardinals, according to MLB.com. With Polanco getting a day off to rest -- he's expected to serve in the DH role until he gets over his injury -- Mark Vientos is the DH and will bat sixth against Cardinals right-hander Andre Pallante. Jared Young is starting at first base for the second straight game and will hit fifth for the Mets. Vientos could be a sneaky DFS play on Tuesday, as he's homered in four career at-bats against Pallante. In his first four games with the Mets, Polanco is off to a slow start, going 3-for-15 (.200) with a double, two runs scored, an RBI, five walks, and two strikeouts in 20 plate appearances. The Dominican switch-hitter will be a lineup regular who can provide underrated pop for fantasy managers when he's healthy, but the problem is that he has a history of lower-body injuries, and the fact that he's already dealing with something in the first week isn't a great sign. - as of Tue, 31 Mar 2026 17:18:40
Nick Kurtz Dropped to Third in Lineup Against Lefty: Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz hit leadoff for the team in the first four games of the 2026 season, but with Atlanta Braves left-hander Jose Suarez on the mound on Tuesday, Kurtz will drop down to third in the batting order, per MLB.com. The power-hitting left-hander looked amazing in his MLB debut with the A's last year, hitting .290/.383/.619 with a 1.002 OPS, 36 home runs, 86 RBI, and 90 runs scored in 489 plate appearances over 117 games played. The former fourth overall pick out of Wake Forest in 2024 is off to a slot start in 2026, though, going 1-for-13 with three runs scored, a stolen base, four walks, and eight strikeouts in four games played. Kurtz really struggled against southpaws in his rookie season, going 27-for-137 (.197) against them with nine of his 36 homers and a .685 OPS. With Kurtz dropping to third in the lineup, shortstop Jacob Wilson will jump up to the leadoff spot against a lefty on Tuesday at Truist Park. - as of Tue, 31 Mar 2026 16:45:33
Odds of Gunnar Henderson Signing Long-Term Extension are "Extremely Low": The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal said on Foul Territory on Tuesday that the odds of shortstop Gunnar Henderson signing a long-term contract extension with the Baltimore Orioles are likely "extremely low." Henderson is represented by super-agent Scott Boras, which means he's unlikely to agree to an under-market deal for the sake of long-term stability. As Rosenthal notes, Boras prefers to see his clients reach the open market so that they can sell their services to the highest bidder. If the 24-year-old reaches the open market, he'll be one of the top players available in free agency. Henderson was a first-time All-Star in 2024 and had a monster season, slashing .281/.364/.529 with an .893 OPS, 37 home runs, 92 RBI, 118 runs scored, and 21 stolen bases in 719 plate appearances over 159 regular-season games. He came back down to Earth in 2025 with a .274/.349/.438 slash line, 17 homers, 68 RBI, and 30 stolen bases in 154 games, but he's still one of the premier shortstops in the league in his prime. We wouldn't be surprised if Henderson posts his first 30-30 season in 2026 if he stays healthy. - as of Tue, 31 Mar 2026 16:23:07
Andrew Vaughn Undergoes Hand Surgery, Expected to be Out Until Mid-May: Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Andrew Vaughn (hand) had surgery on Monday for the fractured hamate bone in his left hand and will begin post-operation rehab on Tuesday, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Vaughn is expected to return in the middle of May, barring a setback. The Brewers placed Vaughn on the 10-day injured list on Saturday. With Vaughn sidelined for the first month-plus of the 2026 regular season, Jake Bauers and Gary Sanchez figure to split playing time at first base for the Brew Crew. If you haven't already done so in deeper fantasy leagues, Bauers is worth considering as a short-term boost for bench depth with more playing time. In his first four games, he's gone 4-for-15 (.267) with a home run, three RBI, three runs scored, and a stolen base. Vaughn, a former third overall pick in 2019 by the White Sox out of Cal, will be hoping he can pick up where he left off last year in Milwaukee (.308 average with nine homers and 46 RBI in 64 games) when he returns from his hand injury in May. - as of Tue, 31 Mar 2026 15:49:35
Ivan Herrera Catching, Batting in Two-Hole on Tuesday for Cardinals: St. Louis Cardinals catcher Ivan Herrera is behind the dish to catch right-hander Andre Pallante for Tuesday's matchup against the visiting New York Mets and right-hander Kodai Senga, according to MLB.com. Herrera is off to a cold start offensively, going 2-for-17 (.118) with a double, two RBI, and one strikeout in four games played, but the main takeaway is that he's already had two starts at catcher, so he should quickly regain catcher eligibility for fantasy managers. The 25-year-old native of Panama hit a strong .284/.373/.464 with an .837 OPS, 19 home runs, 66 RBI, 54 runs scored, and even eight stolen bases in 452 plate appearances in 107 games in 2025 in his first full year in the majors, but he didn't play at all on defense in the second half due to injuries. Durability is a real concern for the Cardinals catcher, but Herrera's solid contact rate and batted-ball metrics make him an intriguing catching option in fantasy leagues as long as he can stay on the field. He has never faced Senga in his career. - as of Tue, 31 Mar 2026 15:42:33
Carlos Lagrange Sharp in Triple-A Debut, Emerging as Sneaky Stash Candidate: New York Yankees pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange made his season debut at Triple-A on Sunday, allowing one earned run on four hits and no walks while striking out three in four innings of work. The Yankees' top pitching prospect began 2025 at High-A and moved up to Double-A after just eight starts, where his ERA improved, but his walk rate jumped. All in all, the right-hander posted a 3.53 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and a 21.1 percent K-BB% in 24 appearances (23 starts). His 168 strikeouts were the third-most in all the minors, collecting them all in just 120 innings pitched. The 22-year-old even got a taste of big league camp this spring, striking out 17 batters in 16 1/3 IP, and could be in line for an early-season call-up if he continues to perform. The 6-foot-7 hurler has a fastball that can touch 103 mph and sits in the high 90s, and if he's going to be in the majors sooner rather than later, fantasy managers in redraft leagues may want to consider stashing the flamethrower for his strikeout upside. - as of Tue, 31 Mar 2026 15:28:26
Ryan Sloan Beginning Campaign with Double-A Arkansas: Seattle Mariners pitching prospect Ryan Sloan will begin the year at Double-A Arkansas. The Mariners' third-ranked prospect spent most of 2025 at Single-A, where he pitched to a 3.44 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and a 21.8 percent K-BB%, which earned him three starts at High-A late in the season before an eye procedure ended his campaign somewhat prematurely. The 6-foot-5 hurler is now fully recovered and has looked good this spring by all accounts, although he logged just one inning in the Cactus League. The former second-rounder has a fastball that sits in the upper 90s along with two strong secondary offerings: a changeup and slider. There is projectability in his large frame, and he could make quick work of Double-A, likely making it to Triple-A by the end of the year. Although he should move fast through the organization, he's still just 20 years old, so a 2027 debut is more likely. The right-hander has the makings of a frontline starter and should be stashed away in dynasty leagues. - as of Tue, 31 Mar 2026 15:01:33
Kade Anderson Starting Season at Double-A: Seattle Mariners pitching prospect Kade Anderson will begin the 2026 campaign at Double-A Arkansas. Seattle's selection at third overall in last year's Draft did not pitch in regular-season games last year, but did get an invite to big league camp this spring, striking out nine batters in seven innings pitched. If all goes well, the southpaw could see time at Triple-A later this year and could be in the mix for a September debut in the majors. The 6-foot-2 hurler has a fastball, slider, curveball, and changeup in his repertoire, and with Seattle's penchant for developing pitchers, he's expected to be a quick mover through the system. The 21-year-old, who is already MLB's No. 19 prospect overall, should be on dynasty managers' radar if not already stashed away. - as of Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:26:38
Brice Matthews Goes Deep on Monday, Worth a Deep-League Pickup?: Houston Astros infield/outfield prospect Brice Matthews went 1-for-4 in Monday's 8-1 win over the Red Sox. His lone hit was a 434-foot solo blast off of left-hander Ranger Suarez that came off the bat at 111.1 mph. The right-handed hitter is now 2-for-9 (.222) on the young season, his other hit being a double, so there is certainly some pop in his bat, although he also owns a 0:6 BB:K, so there is some swing-and-miss, too. Houston's fourth-ranked prospect debuted in the majors in 2025 and saw similar results, belting four home runs in 13 games with a .167 average and 42.6 percent K%. Still, fantasy managers in need of some power could consider picking up the 24-year-old, as he also offers some stolen base potential, having swiped 41 bags at Triple-A last year. The former first-rounder has been used as more of a platoon option to start the year, but if he were to find his way into regular at-bats, more home runs and steals could follow, so managers in deeper leagues would be wise to keep an eye on him as he could become a solid waiver add. - as of Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:21:36