The Pirates have expressed interest in free agent Marcell Ozuna. (Source: Katie Woo)
Fantasy Impact: The market has remained fairly quiet for Ozuna. He should sign with a team soon with spring training around the corner.
Gavin Lux will serve as the Tampa Bay Rays’ starting second baseman this season. (Source: MLB.com)
Fantasy Impact: The Rays plan to give Lux regular playing time as the team’s everyday second baseman, believing consistency will bring out the best in his game. Last season with the Cincinnati Reds, Lux appeared in 140 games, splitting time between left field, third base, second base and designated hitter, primarily playing left field and designated hitter. He comes off a solid 2025 campaign, posting a .269/.350/.374 slash line, and the Rays are hoping he can build on that in 2026.
Wed, Feb 4th 7:27am EST
By Nicholas Rodriguez
Taylor Walls is expected to begin the season as the Tampa Bay Rays’ starting shortstop. (Source: MLB.com)
Fantasy Impact: Walls, known for his defensive skills, has struggled at the plate in his career, posting a .195/.286/.319 slash line. However, he hit a career-high .220 last season in 101 games, still well below average. He is expected to be the Rays’ starting shortstop to begin the season, though No. 63 prospect Carson Williams (MLB Pipeline Top 100) could take over if Walls struggles early.
Harry Ford will compete with Keibert Ruiz for the Washington Nationals' starting catcher spot during spring training (Source: MLB.com)
Fantasy Impact: Ford enters spring training as a legitimate contender for the Nationals’ starting catcher role. The organization’s No. 2 prospect, he slashed .293/.408/.460 with Triple-A Tacoma last season and brings upside on both sides of the ball. Ruiz has been Washington’s primary catcher since being acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Max Scherzer–Trea Turner trade in 2021, posting a .249/.294/.370 slash line across 466 games. However, he was limited to 68 games last season after sustaining a concussion in June and struggled to stay on the field as he worked his way back.
Tue, Feb 3rd 5:55pm EST
By Nicholas Rodriguez
Keibert Ruiz will compete with Harry Ford for the Washington Nationals' starting catcher spot during spring training (Source: MLB.com)
Fantasy Impact: Ruiz has served as the Nationals’ starting catcher since being acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Max Scherzer–Trea Turner trade in 2021. Over that span, he has posted a .249/.294/.370 slash line across 466 games. However, he was limited to 68 games last season after sustaining a concussion in June and struggled to remain on the field as he worked his way back. He will now compete with Ford, the Nationals’ No. 2 prospect, who slashed .293/.408/.460 with Triple-A Tacoma last season.
Tampa Bay Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander said on a Monday conference call that newly acquired infielder Ben Williamson could see time at second base, third base and shortstop. He was on the team’s shortlist as a right-handed, versatile utility option. (Source: Ryan Bass on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Williamson was acquired by the Rays in a three-team trade that sent Brendan Donovan to the Seattle Mariners. He appeared in 85 games with the Mariners in 2025, all at third base, and slashed .253/.294/.310 with one home run in 295 plate appearances. If he makes the 26-man roster, Williamson is expected to serve as a utility player, providing the Rays with valuable infield depth.
Mon, Feb 2nd 3:31pm EST
By Nicholas Rodriguez
Sal Stewart is expected to open the season as the Cincinnati Reds’ designated hitter and corner infielder, serving in a role similar to recently signed Eugenio Suarez. (Source: MLB.com)
Fantasy Impact: Stewart and Suarez will split time between first base and designated hitter, occasionally starting at third base when Ke’Bryan Hayes needs a breather. Stewart posted a .255/.293/.545 slash line with five home runs in 55 at-bats and will look to build on his first season in the big leagues.
Mon, Feb 2nd 3:11pm EST
By Nicholas Rodriguez
Ke’Bryan Hayes is expected to open the season as the Cincinnati Reds’ starting third baseman despite the team signing Eugenio Suarez on Sunday. (Source: MLB.com)
Fantasy Impact: Hayes, a two-time National League Gold Glove Award winner, is expected to remain at third base, with Suarez primarily serving as the designated hitter while also seeing time at first and third. Hayes appeared in 52 games with the Reds last season and posted a .234/.315/.306 slash line.
Trey Yesavage said he plans to add a curveball to his pitch mix this season. (Source: Toronto Star)
Fantasy Impact: Yesavage currently features a fastball, splitter and slider, but noted that his unique over-the-top arm angle makes a glove-side breaking ball an ideal addition. Adding a curveball would allow him to better leverage his high release point and tunnel the pitch with his fastball, forcing hitters to cover the entire vertical plane. Hitters would need to account for the fastball’s ride, the splitter falling off the table and a looping curveball that could be effective against both righties and lefties. Yesavage impressed during the postseason, finishing with a 3.58 ERA and 1.05 WHIP across 27.2 innings, and will look to build on that performance in his first full season in the big leagues.
The Red Sox are “among the many teams that have checked in” on Matt Shaw. (Source: Alex Speier)
Fantasy Impact: Shaw and Nico Hoerner have both been checked in on by Boston. They continue to have their names come up in the middle of trade talks with spring training around the corner.
The Red Sox are “among the many teams that have checked in” on Nico Hoerner. (Source: Alex Speier)
Fantasy Impact: Hoerner has had his name in the middle of trade talks for the majority of the offseason, but they have been a bit quieter recently. If he is traded, it would likely happen in the next couple of weeks with spring training around the corner.
The Yankees have reportedly expressed interest in free agent Ty France. (Source: Chris Cotillo)
Fantasy Impact: France hit .257 with 52 RBI across 444 plate appearances with the Twins and Blue Jays last season. He'll likely hold a bench role where ever he lands.
The Mariners reportedly remain interested in trading for Brendan Donovan. (Source: Buster Olney on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: The talks around a trade involving Donovan have been quiet recently. It is unclear how close the Mariners and Cardinals got to a deal previously. It is currently slated to be Ben Williamson and top prospect Colt Emerson at third base for the Mariners after Eugenio Suarez signed a one-year deal with the Reds.
San Francisco Giants President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey said that Jung Hoo Lee will primarily play right field for the team this upcoming season. (Source: Alex Pavlovic on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: The Giants recently signed Harrison Bader to a two-year, $20.5 million contract, confirming him as the new center fielder. Lee has played right field in the past in South Korea, but it will likely take him some time to adjust to the unique dimensions of Oracle Park.
The Arizona Diamondbacks have been linked to Carlos Santana as they continue their search for a complementary first baseman. (Source: Chris Cotillo on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Arizona’s president and CEO, Derrick Hall, recently said the team is looking to add another complementary first baseman. With Pavin Smith, a left-handed hitter, on the roster, the team’s interest in Carlos Santana makes sense, as he is a switch-hitter who performs better against southpaws, owning a .274/.371/.446 career slash line.
Jacob Wilson has spent the winter working out at the Athletics’ spring training complex in Arizona under the supervision of strength and conditioning coach Josh Cuffe, focusing on growing into his body and adding more muscle. (Source: MLB.com)
Fantasy Impact: Wilson is coming off an excellent rookie campaign in which he made the AL All-Star team and finished the season slashing .311/.355/.444 with 13 home runs, 63 RBI and just 39 strikeouts across 523 plate appearances. With his offseason focus on strength, he could add more home runs and extra-base hits, although he’s always been known for his contact-oriented approach. He is currently ranked 16th in fantasy baseball ADP among shortstops.
The Astros have shown interest in Christian Vazquez.
Fantasy Impact: It would be a reunion between Vazquez in Houston. He would serve as the backup catcher with Victor Caratini leaving in free agency.
The Atlanta Braves are reportedly eyeing free-agent right-hander Chris Bassitt. (Source: MLB.com)
Fantasy Impact: MLB Network's Jon Heyman named Bassitt and fellow right-hander Lucas Giolito as specific targets for the Braves as they seek a rotation upgrade. Bassitt, 36, worked as a reliever in the 2025 postseason for the Jays after posting a solid 3.96 ERA across 32 appearances (31 starts) for the club in the regular season.
The Yankees have expressed interest in re-signing Paul Goldschmidt. (Source: Jack Curry on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: The market has been quiet for Goldschmidt with the Yankees expressing interest. It sounds like they could get a deal done ahead of spring training.
Austin Wells said he’s had conversations with the Dominican Republic team about playing for them in the World Baseball Classic. (Source: Jack Curry on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: “Hopefully, we get to work something out,” Wells said. “We’ll see how it goes.” There should be an official announcement made soon.
