Milwaukee Brewers infield prospect Jett Williams fell just short of making the Opening Day roster out of camp, but should be in the mix to earn the call to Milwaukee in the near future. Williams was the centerpiece of one of the prominent trades this offseason that sent Freddy Peralta to the New York Mets. Williams was competing alongside Joey Ortiz, Luis Rengifo, and David Hamilton for a role at either the hot corner or shortstop on the MLB roster, but was unable to find a role. Williams enjoyed a hot start with Triple-A Nashville, tallying at least one hit in each of his first three games, but he has gone hitless over his last two. Last summer, he looked quite comfortable at Double-A, posting a .281/.390/.477 line with a .867 OPS, before posting a low .718 OPS at Triple-A Syracuse. Given that Ortiz held a low .230 AVG over 149 games last season and Hamilton has opened the campaign going 2-for-12, Williams should make his MLB debut sooner, rather than later.

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St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Joshua Baez was in the mix to break camp with the MLB roster but ultimately fell short in the competition. He was instead optioned to Triple-A Memphis to begin the 2026 regular season. Over his first five games at the top level of the minor leagues, the former 54th overall selection has gone 6-for-22 with two doubles and a stolen base. Last summer, Baez held his own over 117 games shared between High-A and Double-A. During this combined stretch, the No. 87-ranked prospect in the sport (per MLB.com), held a strong .287/.384/.500 line with 20 home runs and an impressive 54 stolen bases. Currently, St. Louis is relying on Nathan Church and Jordan Walker in their corner outfield spots while Lars Nootbaar (heel) remains on the 60-day IL. If either struggles for a longer period, Baez will likely get the call. He is worth stashing in deeper five-outfielder leagues given his high-end five-category skill set.

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San Francisco Giants first base prospect Bryce Eldridge continues to make a strong case to return to the major leagues in the near future. After a modest showing in spring training where the former 16th overall pick posted a low .225 AVG, the Giants opted to send him to Triple-A Sacramento to further his development. However, over his first five contests, Eldridge has posted a strong .278/.500/.333 line with a double and a 6:5 K:BB. The young slugger made his MLB debut in the second half of the 2025 campaign but held a low .107 AVG with a .476 OPS over a brief 10-game stint. Additionally, Eldrige carries high-end stash value as the Giants have not had consistent production at first base, especially when Rafael Devers serves as the DH. Currently, Casey Schmitt has taken on first base duties and has gone hitless in four of his seven starts. Given his high-end raw power and clear path to playing time, Eldridge carries high-end stash priority in all leagues ahead of Week 2.

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Tampa Bay Rays right-handed pitching prospect Brody Hopkins is worth viewing as a deep-league stash candidate early in the 2026 regular season. Hopkins is considered the No. 3-ranked prospect in the Tampa Bay system and the No. 85-ranked overall in the sport, per MLB.com. The 24-year-old spent the entire 2025 campaign with Double-A Montgomery and logged 116 innings to the tune of a 2.72 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. During this stint, Hopkins struck out 141 hitters while walking 60. Given this steady production, the Rays moved Hopkins to Triple-A Durham at the start of the 2026 regular season. In his first outing, Hopkins logged four innings and allowed one run, two hits, and posted a 5:3 K:BB. If he can continue to improve his command, Hopkins may compete for an MLB debut before the All-Star break. His strikeout upside makes him an intriguing target for those in deeper formats.

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Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Jose Quintana (hamstring) was placed on the 15-day Injured List on Thursday, retroactive to Monday. The veteran southpaw allowed two earned runs across 4.1 innings of work during his season debut on Sunday. He appears to have suffered a right hamstring strain during that start, which will knock him out for a few weeks. The severity of the injury is unknown right now, so it's unclear if Quintana will need any longer than the 15 days on the IL. In a corresponding move, right-hander Valente Bellozo has been recalled to take Quintana's spot in the starting rotation. Neither pitcher figures to offer much upside in terms of fantasy value, so Quintana can likely be dropped for a healthy arm.

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Colorado Rockies outfielder Mickey Moniak (finger) is expected to be activated from the Injured List ahead of Friday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Rockies made some moves on Thursday, but still have an open roster spot ahead of this contest. With that being said, it seems likely the Rockies are keeping that open to activate Moniak before game-time. The 27-year-old has missed the first six games of the season due to a sprained finger. He'll hopefully be ready to go for the home series opener, but fantasy managers should check back ahead of first pitch. Last season, Moniak slashed .270/.306/.518 with a career-high 24 home runs and 68 RBI in 135 games with the Rockies. He could offer value in mixed leagues, but Moniak isn't a must-have player.

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Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha (illness) has been scratched from his scheduled start against the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday. It appears the veteran right-hander is feeling under the weather, so he'll be pulled from this start, but shouldn't need to be placed on the Injured List. Luinder Avila has been recalled from Triple-A Omaha to make the start on Friday night. Avila registered a 1.29 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and a 16:6 K/BB ratio across 13 relief appearances with the Royals last season. The 24-year-old has been mainly working as a starter in the minors, but he still might not pitch deep into this game. The rest of the Royals' starters will remain the same, with Seth Lugo on Saturday and Kris Bubic on Sunday.

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Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider (oblique) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Friday in Phoenix. Strider is currently working his way back from an oblique issue that has kept him sidelined since the end of Spring Training. If everything goes well, Strider should be cleared to face live hitters next. He'll likely need a few weeks to ramp up activities and build up stamina before rejoining the Braves rotation. There's a chance that Strider is ready to rejoin the Braves' rotation by the end of April, but there's no exact timetable at the moment. The right-hander should be stashed on the IL in most fantasy formats right now.

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Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy (hip) was able to catch three innings of a simulated game on Wednesday without any issues. Murphy is currently with High-A Rome while he works his way back from right hip surgery. He has been sidelined since the beginning of Spring Training, but Murphy is now heading in the right direction. He'll likely need to work his way up to catching full games before he's activated from the 10-day Injured List. The expectation is that he'll start a rehab assignment soon and appears to be on track to return around late April or early May. Drake Baldwin should continue doing most of the catching while Murphy is out.

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Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Nick Lodolo (finger) exited his rehab outing early with Low-A Daytona on Thursday evening. The southpaw was expected to throw around 60-65 pitches in this outing, but managed to throw only 40 before leaving the bump early. Lodolo completed 2 2/3 shutout frames with no hits or walks and struck out four hitters. Managers should continue to keep a close eye on his status as the 28-year-old could be sidelined for a longer period if he is unable to make any steady progress in his recovery. Lodolo was not expected to have a long stint on the injured list, but will now likely require several more rehab outings to build up his workload. For the time being, managers should continue to view Lodolo as a priority stash option in all standard leagues. When active, he will likely replace Brandon Williamson in the starting rotation.

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Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain has struggled early in the 2026 season, slashing .190 AVG, .370 OBP, and .238 SLG with four hits in six games. McLain broke out in his 2023 rookie year but has faced challenges since missing the entire 2024 season with a shoulder injury. Despite the slow start, his expected slugging percentage sits at .469, which suggests better results could follow. The 26-year-old may be dealing with poor early luck, and if his underlying metrics hold, McLain could begin to trend back toward his previous form in the coming weeks.

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Boston Red Sox third baseman Caleb Durbin has yet to record a hit this season as he looks to find consistency early. Caleb Durbin is in his first year with Boston after being acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in a deal that sent Kyle Harrison, Shane Drohan, and David Hamilton the other way. The 26-year-old earned an everyday role last season and posted a .256 AVG, .334 OBP, and .387 SLG. He is working through early struggles but will look to turn things around quickly as the Red Sox search for production.

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Kansas City Royals catcher Carter Jensen was scratched from the lineup in Wednesday's 5-1 loss against the Minnesota Twins after reportedly oversleeping. Salvador Perez started in his place. Jensen took full responsibility for the mistake, saying, "Felt like I let teammates down, coaches down. Just learn from it and know it won't happen again." The 22-year-old is off to a slow start, slashing .125 AVG, .167 OBP, and .313 SLG through six games. He showed promise in a 20-game sample last season, but is still working to find consistency early this year. Jensen will look to move past the setback and take advantage of his next opportunity.

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Texas Rangers left-hander Cody Bradford (elbow) has been sent to Triple-A Round Rock on an injury rehab assignment as he continues his recovery from Tommy John surgery. Cody Bradford has progressed well and is expected to return in May if his rehab continues without setbacks. The 28-year-old did not appear in a game last season and owns a 4.28 ERA across 34 career appearances, including 21 starts. Bradford, the 175th overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft is working to establish consistency at the Major League level and could compete for a role in the Rangers rotation upon his return.

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Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford (shoulder) has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list after missing the start of the season with right shoulder inflammation. Crawford is expected to return to his everyday role as a steady presence in the lineup. The 31-year-old is entering his eighth season with Seattle and appeared in 157 games in 2025, posting a .265 AVG, .352 OBP, and .370 SLG. He has reached at least 145 games played in four of the last five seasons. If he stays healthy, Crawford should provide consistency on both sides of the ball as the Mariners look to build on last season's success.

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Pittsburgh Pirates top prospect Konnor Griffin has agreed to a nine-year, $140 million contract, setting a new benchmark for a player who has yet to make his Major League debut. Konnor Griffin, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft and the No. 1 ranked prospect in baseball, is on the verge of reaching the majors after being called up by the Pirates on Thursday. He has appeared in five games with Triple-A Indianapolis, recording seven hits in 16 at-bats with a .438 AVG, .571 OBP, and 1.196 OPS. The Pirates are making a clear long-term investment in their young star, who could emerge as a key piece in their push for contention in the National League.

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Pittsburgh Pirates outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia surged through the top two levels of the minors last season before a brief debut with Boston in August. The Venezuelan made a case for a spot on the Pirates' Opening Day roster this spring, going 15-for-37 (.405) with a double, two home runs, and three steals in 17 Grapefruit League games, but was ultimately reassigned to Triple-A Indianapolis. Things have not gone so well in Indy, with Garcia getting off to a 1-for-19 (.053) start with a 33.3 percent strikeout rate (21 plate appearances). Nevertheless, Pittsburgh's sixth-ranked prospect could find himself back on the doorstep to the majors if he can get going. A high strikeout rate could limit his batting average, but his power and ability to drive in runs would probably put him near the middle of the Bucs' lineup whenever he gets the call, which would make him an intriguing waiver wire consideration. For now, he's not a priority waiver stash, but that could change quickly, so interested managers should keep an eye out for any developments.

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Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi was excellent in 2025, posting an 11-3 record with a 1.73 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, and 129 strikeouts across 130 innings (22 starts). However, the 36-year-old right-hander has been unable to repeat his stellar performance early in the 2026 season. Across his first two starts of the year, Eovaldi has allowed 16 hits, 11 earned runs, and three walks across 8 2/3 innings of work. Still, there may not be a reason for fantasy managers to panic just yet. Eovaldi is suffering from a 3.12 HR/9 and a 54.1% strand rate, both of which should regress closer to his career norms of 1.00 and 72.9% over a larger sample size. Additionally, Eovaldi's average fastball velocity has actually increased from 94.4 mph in 2025 to 94.8 mph in 2026, and he has posted a stellar 26.7% strikeout rate amidst his larger struggles. Eovaldi's age makes his early-season decline a bit more concerning, but the veteran could easily return to form with some improved luck going forward.

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Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo went 2-for-5 in Wednesday's 8-3 win over the Rangers, with one of his hits being his first home run of 2026. It was a 437-foot solo blast to center that came off the bat at 109.5 mph. The left-handed slugger has reached base safely via hit or walk in four of the first five games, and there should be plenty more home runs on the way over the course of the season. The 21-year-old is getting regular at-bats to begin the year, making three starts at designated hitter, two at catcher, and one at first base, so with consistent playing time, there should be upwards of 25 home runs (or more) in his bat in 2026. The Dominican is available in more than 60 percent of Yahoo! leagues, but that number will probably start to creep up, especially when he gains eligibility at first base.

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Cincinnati Reds outfielder Noelvi Marte is off to a slow start to the 2026 season, as he's logged zero hits and five strikeouts through his first 10 plate appearances of the year. Perhaps most worryingly for Marte's fantasy profile, he has been out of the Reds' starting lineup in three out of their first five contests and could be stuck on the short side of a platoon with lefty-swinging Cincinnati outfielder Will Benson. A former top prospect, Marte posted a strong .263/.300/.448 slash line with 14 home runs, 51 RBI, 45 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases across 360 plate appearances in 2025. However, the 24-year-old is a converted infielder who is not known for his defensive prowess in the outfield, which could be impacting his playing time. Marte's combination of power and speed provides him with plenty of upside, but he will need to start hitting and earning more playing time quickly to merit a roster spot in most fantasy formats.

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