Jayden Daniels vs Caleb Williams
Jay Felicio
Spring Training is a wild time for fantasy players, as we see considerable overreactions to tiny sample sizes, changes in player value due to velocity jumps or drops, and other big swings. We aim to cover notable news, value changes or other valuable nuggets. We’ve got you covered!
AL East
Baltimore Orioles: Cole Irvin (SP)
Coming over from Oakland as a depth arm, Cole Irvin looks to capitalize on some Baltimore rotation openings. Injuries to Kyle Bradish and John Means give Irvin a clear path to start in Camden Yards, a very friendly home venue for pitchers. Irvin is worth a look in all leagues now, but we will continue to see how this goes. Irvin’s velocity has spiked significantly, a very interesting development! However, many starters can bump up their velocity quickly but lose it over a full starter’s workload.
Boston Red Sox: Connor Wong (C), Wilyer Abreu (OF)
Connor Wong has been diagnosed with elbow soreness, a typical injury when ramping up from a long winter layoff. The speedy catcher hit as a DH on Sunday and will continue ramping up his throwing program in the coming days. This is a keep-tabs-on-things note strictly for 50-round draft and hold leagues, as Wong isn’t a FAAB-league catcher at the moment.
In a vote of confidence, Wilyer Abreu has been announced as the early favorite for the right-field job. A ringing endorsement for the multi-faceted talented OF, Abreu does a little bit of everything. Red Sox manager Alex Cora stated that he likes Abreu’s defensive chops, and his offensive ability is pretty well-documented. Stock up in a significant way for Abreu!
Toronto Blue Jays: George Springer (OF), Ricky Tiedemann (SP)
In an unsurprising move, veteran outfielder George Springer was named the leadoff hitter for Toronto. That was already baked into his value, but it never hurts to have that confirmation. Springer is reportedly attempting to increase his pull rate to tap into more power as he ages.
After spending the offseason putting on 19 pounds of muscle mass, star prospect arm Ricky Tiedemann has dealt with hamstring and calf strains. Tiedemann has undergone an MRI for both issues and has been deemed day-to-day, but the oft-injured hurler can’t afford to keep missing time if he wants to provide fantasy value in 2024.
AL Central
Cleveland Guardians: Kyle Manzardo (1B)
In an unsurprising move, the Guardians may begin Kyle Manzardo in AAA to begin 2024. They already have Josh Naylor as an everyday regular at first base, with Rule-5 pick Deyvison De Los Santos on the roster as well. De Los Santos is picking up corner outfield, as well as his natural third base and first base position, and must remain on the MLB roster or he will be sent back to Arizona if he is demoted to the minor leagues. Manzardo will likely come up once he lights up AAA (.938 OPS with Columbus).
AL West
Los Angeles Angels: Luis Rengifo (SS/2B/3B/OF)
The ultimate Swiss-army knife Luis Rengifo is fully recovered from a strained left bicep that was surgically repaired and finds himself with another injury – a hamstring strain. He will be taking a few days off, and his Opening Day availability is supposedly not in jeopardy.
Texas Rangers: Evan Carter (OF), Wyatt Langford (OF)
Evan Carter dodged a bullet on Sunday as a pitch hit him on the forearm. An MRI revealed no damage, so thankfully we can breathe a sigh of relief.
The hype train is entering sixth gear for Wyatt Langford, the superstar college draftee out of Florida. Fantasy managers are salivating for any bit of news that comes out about Langford, given how electric his debut was in 2023. Rangers manager Bruce Bochy has stated that Langford will be given every opportunity to make that team, and his ADP will be skyrocketing with every piece of good news surrounding him.
Seattle Mariners: Matt Brash (RP)
In some news that must be closely monitored, Seattle ace reliever Matt Brash is dealing with some slight arm issues and will be shut down for a few days to see how he reacts. Brash didn’t feel great after a recent bullpen session, but this can be normal during a spring training ramp-up. More news will trickle out in the coming days.
Houston Astros: Yordan Alvarez (OF), Kyle Tucker (OF), Chas McCormick (OF)
New Astros skipper Joe Espada stated that his ideal top four of his lineup is Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker. Additionally, he stated that he views outfielder Chas McCormick as an everyday regular, a welcome bit of news. McCormick was occasionally spelled last year when the Hall-of-Famer Dusty Baker was at the helm, and everyday at-bats for Chas will be a boon for his fantasy value.
NL East
Atlanta Braves: Reynaldo López (SP)
With a leg up on Bryce Elder for the last starter spot in the Braves rotation, Reynaldo López is currently the frontrunner for the previous Braves starter spot. That would be a cozy position for the wins with elite run support. Elder still has multiple options to begin his year in AAA, while Reylo was provided a three-year, $26 million deal to attempt to start and, at worst, be a leverage reliever for the Braves. The last time Lopez was a starting pitcher, the results weren’t pretty, but perhaps Atlanta can optimize him into something better. The price to find out is very cheap.
Miami Marlins: Tim Anderson (SS)
Coming off a disastrous 2023 campaign, Tim Anderson looks to make good on his career and have a big bounce-back year after signing a one-year, $5 million pillow contract. Anderson dealt with an MCL strain in 2023, which led to an elevated ground-ball rate, according to him. As a reserve-round pick with plenty of upside, he is worth moving up draft boards since we know his landing spot, and he may have a good shot to hit at the top of the lineup.
New York Mets: Tylor Megill (SP)
Tylor Megill has always had loud stuff. His issues revolved around poor control, the ability to prevent loud contact and preventing runs from being scored. That said, Megill features a much harder slider (six MPH harder than before), a pitch that could propel him to a better true talent level. Indeed, keep an eye on his performance.
NL Central
Cincinnati Reds: Jonathan India (2B)
As mentioned in my previous article, playing time jams often work themselves out. The Reds depth chart is in the process of that, with Jonathan India hitting the shelf with a recurring bout of plantar fasciitis. India has been shut down for multiple weeks with his foot injury, an issue he dealt with last summer that never went away during the offseason. This is a concerning development for those with India shares, given he already has a history with this issue.
Chicago Cubs: Cody Bellinger (1B/OF)
After a long winter trying to find the right fit, Cody Bellinger signed a three-year, $80 million pact with the Northsiders. This deal has opt-outs for Cody, and its short length helps protect the Cubs from too much downside. It’s a nicely balanced contract for both sides. This move brings Bellinger back to the organization that helped resurrect his career from the ashes. Stock has to be neutral; if not, stock up if you believe in Bellinger.
The two players directly affected by this move are first baseman Michael Busch and center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. Their roles are now more tenuous. A strong spring training from either could help force the team’s hand in playing them.
NL West
Colorado Rockies: Sean Bouchard (OF)
A late-round NFBC Draft Champions flier, Sean Bouchard is primed to be a starting corner outfielder in Colorado, a comfy landing spot. Bouchard has been very productive in the minors, although a little old for the level. Regardless, he is now worth a look in all 15-team formats!
San Francisco Giants: Keaton Winn (SP)
After being shut down with a sore elbow, Keaton Winn will begin a throwing program, a welcome sign. Nothing too concerning was found medically in Winn’s elbow. Winn is projected to be still ready for Opening Day. With irregular spring training, his durability and length might be questionable from the outset.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Teoscar Hernández, OF
Coming over from the very pitcher-friendly T-Mobile, Teoscar Hernández looks to explode in an LA Dodgers lineup that could be legendary. We have heard batters mention frustration playing in certain parks, and Teoscar had issues playing in Seattle (.643 OPS at home.) Whether the problems with T-Mobile are real or mental, a significant upgrade must be applied to Hernandez’s outlook in 2024.
