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Outfielder/infielder Alec Burleson is set to be the St. Louis Cardinals' everyday first baseman in 2026, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The move comes after St. Louis dealt Willson Contreras to the Red Sox earlier this week for right-handers Hunter Dobbins, Yhoiker Fajardo, and Blake Aita. With Contreras gone, Burleson will move over to first base after spending most of 2025 in the outfield. He put together a strong offensive season last year, posting a .802 OPS and .275 xBA with 18 home runs, 69 RBI, 54 runs scored, and five stolen bases, good for a 124 wRC+. He also showed excellent plate discipline, striking out just 14.5% of the time. Defensively, Burleson graded out as a below-average outfielder, but he did make 38 starts at first base in 2025, so the transition shouldn't be much of an issue. From a fantasy perspective, Burleson offers dual eligibility and is expected to play every day, including against left-handed pitching after showing real improvement against them last season. Looking ahead to 2026, Burleson projects for up to 25 home runs with a .270 batting average while hitting in the middle of the Cardinals' lineup, making him a player who should be rostered in both 12- and 15-team leagues.

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Free-agent left-hander Helcris Olivarez and the Kansas City Royals have agreed to a minor-league contract that includes an invitation to spring training, according to Ari Alexander of 7 News Boston. Olivarez has spent his entire professional career in the minor leagues, posting a 4.18 ERA with 387 strikeouts, 238 walks, and a 1.46 WHIP across 325 innings. The 25-year-old isn't a lock to make the team, and even if he does, he's unlikely to have any fantasy relevance in 2026.

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Outfielder/first baseman Tyler Soderstrom and the Athletics have agreed to a seven-year, $86 million contract extension, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. The deal includes a club option for 2033 and can escalate to $131 million if all incentives are reached. This is the largest guaranteed deal in A's history. The 2025 season marked Soderstrom's first full year in the majors and his first extended run in the outfield, and he impressed on both sides of the ball. He slashed .276/.346/.474 with 25 home runs, 93 RBI, and 75 runs scored across 624 plate appearances, good for a 125 wRC+, while also finishing as a Gold Glove finalist. While the 24-year-old ran at a relatively high.327 BABIP, his 49.8% hard-hit rate suggests the production was driven more by skill than luck. The former first-round pick consistently barreled the ball while keeping his strikeout rate to a manageable 22.6%. Looking ahead to 2026, Soderstrom is expected to hit in the middle of the A's lineup in one of the most hitter-friendly parks in baseball. With a current 95.6 ADP, he offers legitimate 30-homer, 100-RBI upside while providing positional flexibility, making him a solid target for fantasy managers in all leagues.

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Infielder Cole Young is expected to be the Seattle Mariners' primary second baseman in 2026, according to Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic. The report also effectively shuts down any possibility of a Ketel Marte trade. If Seattle does acquire infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan, he would likely slot into the outfield or at third base rather than second. Young spent most of last season in Triple-A, where he hit .277/.392/.461 with five homers and four steals over 245 plate appearances. After getting the call to the big leagues, the 22-year-old didn't exactly light it up, posting an 80 wRC+ across 257 plate appearances. Even so, the M's still appear ready to commit to their former first-round pick out of Pennsylvania. From a fantasy standpoint, Young is basically free right now with an ADP around 700.8, though that figure will almost certainly rise as draft season moves along. For now, the left-handed hitter is mainly a 15-team middle infield option, but he's a name to keep on your radar heading into 2026.

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The Miami Marlins right-handed reliever Ronny Henriquez (elbow) will miss the entire 2026 season after undergoing a hybrid UCL reconstruction surgery with an internal brace on his right elbow, according to Christina De Nicola of MLB.com. Henriquez was expected to compete for the closer's role after a strong 2025 campaign, where he posted a career-best 32.3% strikeout rate along with a 2.22 ERA (2.98 xERA) across 73 innings. With Henriquez sidelined until at least 2027, Miami signed free-agent reliever Pete Fairbanks to a one-year, $13 million contract. Fairbanks has had trouble staying healthy in the past, but he delivered his best workload last season, throwing a career-high 60 1/3 innings with 59 strikeouts, a 1.04 WHIP, and 27 saves for the Tampa Bay Rays. From a fantasy perspective, Fairbanks' value has jumped in a hurry. Since the news broke, he's been drafted as early as pick 96, after carrying an ADP of 132 beforehand. As long as Fairbanks stays healthy, he will be the Marlins' primary closer for 2026.

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The Cincinnati Reds signed free-agent infielder Michael Chavis to a minor-league deal, according to Kiley McDaniel. The two sides agreed to a deal on Wednesday that includes an invitation to spring training. The 30-year-old has bounced around the league since making his MLB debut with the Boston Red Sox in 2023. He spent the entire 2025 season in Triple-A Oklahoma City with the Los Angeles Dodgers. During that time, Chavis slashed .291/.350/.547 with 13 home runs and 45 RBI across 63 games. He'll get a chance to compete for a roster spot in camp, but he will likely end up in the minors as infield depth.

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The New York Mets signed free-agent right-handed pitcher Mike Baumann to a minor-league deal on Wednesday. The assumption is that this is a non-roster deal with an invite to spring training. Baumann is back in the MLB after pitching in Japan last season. He posted a 4.15 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, and 28/17 K/BB ratio across 27 appearances with the Yakult Swallows in 2025. His last time pitching in the big leagues, Baumann posted a 5.55 ERA across 57 games during the 2024 season with five different teams. The 30-year-old figures to serve as a depth option for the organization and will be off the fantasy baseball radar.

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The Washington Nationals signed free-agent first baseman Matt Mervis to a minor-league deal on Wednesday. According to Jon Heyman, this is a minor-league deal with a non-roster invite to spring training. The Washington D.C. native will get a chance to catch on as a possible depth option for the Nats. Last season, Mervis slashed .175/.254/.383 with seven home runs and 14 RBI in 42 games with the Miami Marlins. Mervis came up through the minors with some buzz after slugging 36 homers during the 2022 season. The 27-year-old hasn't been able to put it together at the MLB level, but he could be decent depth for the organization.

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Free-agent right-handed reliever Pete Fairbanks and the Miami Marlins agreed on a one-year, $13 million contract on Wednesday, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN. Fairbanks landed on the open market this offseason after the Tampa Bay Rays turned down an $11 million option for the 32-year-old closer. His deal with Miami also includes a $1 million signing bonus and another $1 million in appearance-based incentives in 2026. Fairbanks should immediately become the Marlins' primary closing option for next season after they went with a committee approach to close out games for most of 2025. In 60 1/3 frames in Tampa last year, Fairbanks was solid, with a 2.83 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 59 strikeouts, 18 walks, and a career-high 27 saves in 32 chances. Health has been an issue for Fairbanks in his career, though, and Miami isn't exactly the greatest landing spot for save opportunities.

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The Philadelphia Phillies and right-hander Levi Stoudt have agreed to a minor-league deal, reports Ari Alexander of 7News Boston WHDH. Stoudt was a third-round pick in 2019 by the Seattle Mariners. Shortly after being drafted, the 28-year-old underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the shortened 2020 season. Since then, he has spent nearly his entire career in the minors, pitching to a 5.06 ERA with 341 strikeouts, 177 walks, and a 1.42 WHIP across 389 1/3 innings. His only brief stint in the majors came in 2023 with the Cincinnati Reds, where he posted a 9.58 ERA (5.23 xERA) with nine strikeouts in 10 innings. Stoudt may never see the majors again, so he can safely be left off your fantasy radar.

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The Chicago White Sox and free-agent left-hander Sean Newcomb have agreed to a one-year deal worth $4.5 million, according to Will Sammon of The Athletic. Sammon also reported that Newcomb "will at least get the chance to start" for Chicago. Newcomb was a first-round pick by the Angels in 2012 and had his best season with the Braves in 2018. That year, the 32-year-old southpaw posted a 3.90 ERA (3.69 xERA) with 160 strikeouts across 164 innings. Unfortunately, he struggled in 2019, eventually getting demoted to Triple-A and moving into the bullpen when he returned. Since then, he's been going back and forth between starting and relieving without much luck, until last year. In 2025, Newcomb struck out 91 batters in 92 1/3 innings while posting a career-low 2.73 ERA with the Red Sox and Athletics. For 2026, he will join a White Sox rotation that includes Shane Smith, Davis Martin, Sean Burke, and Anthony Kay. Right now, Newcomb can be safely left off your fantasy radar, but he's worth keeping an eye on since he's a lefty who once showed some potential.

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The Cincinnati Reds have re-engaged in trade talks with the Chicago White Sox on outfielder Luis Robert Jr., according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Robert is under contract for $20 million in 2026 with a club option for 2027. In return, the White Sox are reportedly looking for young talent and prospects who are close to MLB-ready. Over a year ago, the Reds showed interest in Robert, and now it appears they're even more serious about making a deal happen. The 28-year-old is a former Gold Glove Winner and All-Star who hasn't been able to recapture the success he had earlier in his career due to injuries and underperformance. Last year, Robert slashed .223/.297/.364 with 14 home runs, 53 RBI, 52 runs scored, and a career-high 33 stolen bases across 431 plate appearances. Right now, the Reds outfield consists of TJ Friedl, Noelvi Marte, Gavin Lux, and Will Benson. Robert would be a clear defensive upgrade, and hitting in Great American Ball Park would be a huge boost for his fantasy value. At an ADP around 133, you're drafting a potential 30/30 candidate without spending an early pick. If he does get traded, don't be surprised if he starts moving up draft boards pretty quickly.

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Free-agent first baseman Ryan O'Hearn and the Pittsburgh Pirates have agreed on a two-year, $29 million contract, according to Robert Murray of FanSided. The deal also includes $500,000 in performance bonuses for each season. For the Pirates, O'Hearn should split time between first base and designated hitter and slide right into the middle of the lineup. In 2025, the 32-year-old left-handed hitter posted a .272 xBA with a 10.7% walk rate while hitting 21 home runs across 544 plate appearances for the Baltimore Orioles and the San Diego Padres. Even though the Pirates aren't a great offensive team, O'Hearn should have the freedom to play every day. Overall, you don't need to bump him up your board much, but you should feel more confident clicking his name on draft day.

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The New York Mets are showing interest in free-agent outfielder Austin Hays, according to Jon Heyman of The New York Post. Hays, 30, slashed .266/.315/.453 with 15 home runs, 64 RBI, 60 runs scored, and seven stolen bases across 416 plate appearances in 2025. Hays has posted a 105 wRC+ or better in five of his last seven seasons. The right-handed hitter's biggest flaw has been his inability to stay on the field. Over the past two seasons, he's dealt with multiple hamstring and calf injuries and finished last year on the bench due to back spasms. Right now, the Mets have their No. 2 prospect, Carson Benge, penciled in as the starting left fielder. With that said, they need as much outfield depth as possible after losing Cedric Mullins, Starling Marte, Jesse Winker, Jose Siri, and Jose Azocar in free agency, along with trading Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil. If Hays signs with the Mets, he'll be most fantasy relevant in 15-team fantasy leagues.

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The New York Mets have been busy making moves this offseason, and that continued on Monday when they traded infielder/outfielder Jeff McNeil to the Athletics. The Mets are wasting no time looking for this replacement as they've reportedly explored trading for Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Ketel Marte, per MLB Insider Francys Romero. The biggest problem with this move is that Marte would likely have to shift to the outfield in New York, since they have second base locked up after acquiring Marcus Semien earlier this offseason. Marte would likely take over in center field, which is a position he hasn't played in consistently since the 2021 campaign. The Mets seem to be fine with the downgrade in defense with Marte being an elite-level bat. This is nowhere near a done deal, but it will be something to monitor throughout the offseason.

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The Seattle Mariners have signed free-agent first baseman/outfielder Rob Refsnyder on Monday, according to Jeff Passan. The deal is reportedly a one-year contract worth $6.25 million for the 2026 campaign. The journeyman has spent each of the last four seasons as a part-time player with the Boston Red Sox. Refsnyder mostly plays against left-handed pitching, but has excelled enough at that to carve out a decent career for himself. Last season, Refsnyder slashed .302/.399/.560 with seven home runs and 25 RBI against southpaws. The 34-year-old figures to be a platoon option at both first base and right field, and possibly sees time at designated hitter, making him mainly an option in AL-Only Leagues.

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The Chicago Cubs agreed to a minor-league contract with catcher Christian Bethancourt on Monday. According to Jon Heyman, Bethancourt will get an invitation to spring training with the Cubs. The 34-year-old is likely coming in to serve as depth at catcher with the organization moving on from Reese McGuire this offseason. During his last big league season, Bethancourt slashed .209/.241/.367 with five home runs and 22 RBI in 62 games between the Miami Marlins and Cubs in 2024. The Cubs have Carson Kelly, Miguel Amaya, and Moises Ballesteros as their top options behind the plate right now. It looks like Bethancourt will have an uphill battle to make the 26-man roster to begin the season.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates have added some depth by signing outfielder Dominic Fletcher to a minor-league contract. The 28-year-old will get an invitation to spring training to catch on as outfield depth. Fletcher is a former second-round pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2019. He hasn't panned out at the MLB level yet, but maybe a change of scenery will help. Fletcher is slashing .233/.280/.325 with four home runs and 33 RBI across 112 big league games between the D-Backs and Chicago White Sox. He played well in Triple-A Charlotte last season, so hopefully he can bring it to the next level. This doesn't seem like anything more than a depth move for Pittsburgh.

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New York Mets infielder/outfielder Jeff McNeil was traded to the Athletics on Monday, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. In exchange, the Mets will receive right-hander Yordan Rodriguez from the A's. The assumption is that McNeil will take over the starting second base job to begin the 2026 season. Last season, McNeil slashed .243/.335/.411 with 12 home runs and 54 RBI in 122 games with the Mets. His numbers have fallen over the last few seasons, but McNeil is still a decent contributor. McNeil finished with a 2.0 WAR last season, so the A's will take that in exchange for a 17-year-old pitcher. The hope is that the move to a smaller stadium with the A's should boost his offensive numbers. The 33-year-old did undergo thoracic outlet surgery in November, but he's expected to be ready for spring training.

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The St. Louis Cardinals have acquired right-handed pitcher Hunter Dobbins and right-handed pitching prospects Blake Aita and Yhoiker Fajardo from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for veteran first baseman Willson Contreras, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. As part of the deal, St. Louis will cover $33.5 million of the $41.5 million remaining on Contreras' contract. The Cardinals are in rebuild mode and did not see Contreras as their first baseman of the future. Dobbins, 26, logged a 4.13 ERA and 1.28 WHIP with 45 strikeouts over 61 innings during the 2025 season before suffering a torn ACL in his right knee while attempting to cover first base. He has since begun a throwing program and is expected to be ready for spring training, where he'll compete for a rotation spot. Aita, 22, spent last season between Single-A and High-A Greenville, posting a 3.98 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and a 14.9% K-BB rate across 115 1/3 innings. He is expected to remain in the minors next season. Fajardo, the youngest of the trio at 19, recorded a 2.81 ERA and 1.23 WHIP with a 28.8% strikeout rate over 51 1/3 innings last season. Although Fajardo is a few years away from being called up to the majors, his strikeout ability gives him the highest ceiling among the three pitchers.

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