| | | | Monday, March 24, 2025 | | Three days until Opening Day ... | | We're in the home stretch of draft season, and for some of you, that means you're still finalizing your draft plans. Nothing wrong with that – I've got two drafts of my own left this week, so I'll be going right up to Wednesday night with my final draft. | | If you're in that spot, we've got a few things that can help you. First up, make sure you check out Scott White's Tiers 4.0, with every position available on one page so you can print it off and cross names off as they come off the board if you're the analogue sort. And, if you've got more time to go deep in your prep, we're here for you too, with all of our relevant preseason content right here in one convenient place . Seriously, everything you need from the Fantasy Baseball Today crew to get ready for your draft is right there in that link. Don't miss it. | | Of course, most of you have probably already finished drafting, so now it's time to turn our attention to getting through the 2025 season. Sunday night, I wrote about the top waiver-wire targets for every type of league, with the following players being worth a look in your shallower leagues: | | Gabriel Moreno, C, Diamondbacks (67%) Michael Toglia, 1B, Rockies (72%) Ryan Mountcastle, 1B, Orioles (59%) Kristian Campbell, 2B, Red Sox (69%) Cam Smith, 3B, Astros (60%) Zachary Neto, SS, Angels (75%) Michael Conforto, OF, Dodgers (65%) Evan Carter, OF, Rangers (62%)Jorge Soler, OF, Angels (56%) Taj Bradley, SP, Rays (74%)Shane Baz, SP, Rays (74%) Justin Verlander, SP, Giants (70%)Reese Olson, SP, Tigers (62%) | | | | And, before you write in to tell me that all of those guys are already rostered in your league, I've got options for deeper leagues to consider at each position as well: | | C: Ivan Herrera, Cardinals (44%) – Deep-league target: Hunter Goodman, Rockies (8%)1B: Spencer Torkelson, Tigers (36%) – Deep-league target: Gavin Sheets, Padres (5%) 2B: David Hamilton, Red Sox (34%) – Deep-league target: Curtis Mead, Rays (11%) 3B: Joseph Ortiz, Brewers (28%) – Deep-league target: Brett Baty, Mets (17%)SS: Jacob Wilson, Athletics (27%) – Deep-league target: Max Muncy, Athletics (2%) OF: Victor Scott II, Cardinals (19%), J.J. Bleday, Athletics (48%), Matt Wallner, Twins (48%) – Deep-league targets: Alan Roden, Blue Jays (6%), Jordan Beck, Rockies (8%)SP: Casey Mize, Tigers (38%), Jack Leiter, Rangers (34%), Max Meyer, Marlins (39%) – Deep-league targets: Cade Povich, Orioles (10%), Chris Paddack, Twins (9%)RP: Kris Bubic, Royals (41%), Aroldis Chapman, Red Sox (55%) – Deep-league target: Scott Barlow, Reds (2%), Marc Church, Rangers (4%) | | Every Sunday afternoon, we'll have a look at all the top waiver-wire targets for leagues of all shapes and sizes, and the plan is to send a newsletter every week before waiver-wire and FAB runs on Sunday night, so keep an eye out for that – and, of course, every day in the FBT Newsletter once the season starts will highlight the most interesting waiver-wire targets from the previous night's action for those of you in daily transaction leagues. | | For now, while we're so close to Opening Day, there's still a need to take one look back at Spring Training. In the rest of today's newsletter, we're focusing on 11 big storylines you need to know about from spring training, as teams put the finishing touches on their rosters, divvy up playing time, and answer any questions we may have left. | | At least until Thursday, when we'll start to have all new questions we haven't even considered yet. | | | | 11 things to know from the last weekend of Spring Training | | | | Kristian Campbell will be in the Opening Day lineup | | The Red Sox haven't confirmed this one yet, but it's been reported as of Sunday night that Campbell has been informed he has made the team . Campbell hasn't exactly torn the cover off the ball this spring, hitting .174/.304/.283 with a 30.4% strikeout rate, but the Red Sox apparently saw enough from him to pick him as their primary starter at second base. Campbell was a fast riser last season, hitting .330/.439/.558 across three levels of the minors as a 22-year-old, with 20 homers and 24 steals – evidence of the legitimate five-category tools here. There's some risk in his profile because Campbell has only hit at that level for one season, but he passes pretty much every scouting and analytical test you could want and is a consensus top-10 prospect in baseball right now. He should be drafted in every remaining league and should be the biggest priority on waivers for Week 1 if he wasn't already drafted. | | And so will Cam Smith (probably) | | We haven't received the official word from the team on this one either, but it sure seems like that's the way they're leaning , per Jim Bowden. Smith didn't enter camp with the hype Campbell did, but he hit .371/.450/.771 and seemingly did everything the Astros wanted to fast-track him to the majors – if he makes his debut Thursday, it'll come after just 32 games as a pro. He was the No. 14 pick in last year's draft, and while his profile isn't quite as Fantasy friendly as Campbell's – he doesn't run much and has had questions about how likely he is to maximize his raw power – but the way Smith won over a smart organization like the Astros has to count for something. He should also be drafted in every league that remains, though I'd certainly put a priority on Campbell. | | There's another Max Muncy to know about! | | No, for real. You know the guy on the Dodgers, a stalwart slugger who has mostly held down the hot corner across the last decade of the Dodgers burgeoning dynasty. And now there's another one, who could be the Opening Day second baseman for the Athletics after a broken hamate bone delayed the start of Zack Gelof's season. | | And I think you could make a case for the Athletics' Muncy as having a more Fantasy-friendly skill set in categories leagues than Smith. Smith is the better prospect, of course, but Muncy is coming off a solid season where he hit .277/.374/.491 at Triple-A despite being limited to 58 games with a hand injury, and he should make at least a little bit of an impact on the bases – he has stolen as many as 19 bases in a minor-league season, though he only had five last season. He probably profiles pretty similarly to Gelof, albeit with quieter tools overall, and he's probably worth just a late-round flier in deeper leagues. | | | | Gunnar Henderson won't be ready for Opening Day | | Henderson is still dealing with that intercostal strain from earlier in camp and just wasn't able to get up to speed in time. It's never great when a player is injured to start the season, and it's even worse when it's your first-round pick, but I'm relatively unconcerned about Henderson. It sounds like he's mostly healed at this point and just wasn't able to get into a game before the end of Spring Training – he did face live pitching this weekend, for example. Orioles GM Mike Elias told reporters he hopes Henderson's absence will be measured in "days, not weeks," and there's a very real chance he is back after a minimum IL stay is up, which would be a week after Opening Day. There's some risk that he just never gets going after having his Spring Training derailed, but I'm still willing to take Henderson at the end of the first round. | | And Mookie Betts may not be either | | Betts' issue is both more straightforward than Henderson's and much less so. He's been dealing with a stomach issue since the Dodgers traveled to Japan, and while he was scheduled to return to the lineup Sunday for an exhibition against the Angels, he was a late scratch. He revealed he hasn't been able to keep any solid food down and is down to 157 pounds from his pre-spring weight of 175 pounds. He has been taking medication and doesn't seem to be concerned, but if the symptoms persist, he will have to undergo further testing, and until he gets it under control might not be able to play. It's possible there won't be any lingering issues here, but losing that much weight and struggling to keep food down could have an impact on Betts' strength and conditioning for the season. Hopefully, Betts gets to the bottom of this with doctors and there are no long-term ramifications, but I think it's appropriate to downgrade Betts to the second round of drafts while this is going on. | | Shane McClanahan looked like himself … and then he got hurt | | Luckily the injury was not nearly as significant as it looked, because it looked bad – McClanahan delivered a pitch during a game against the Red Sox Saturday and immediately hopped off the mound with his left arm hanging by his side. It turned out to just be a nerve issue in his triceps, and though he'll miss the start of the season, Rays manager Kevin Cash told reporters Sunday it was, "Probably the best news we could have heard ." There is no timetable for McClanahan's return, but it seems like it could be measured in weeks rather than months, which is good news. It isn't ideal that McClanahan suffered an injury in his third outing back from Tommy John surgery, and I'll drop him to around 55th in my SP rankings for remaining drafts, but we don't have to take him off our boards entirely, thankfully. McClanahan pitched seven innings this spring, striking out eight, walking two, and allowing no runs in his return from a second Tommy John surgery. | | Plenty of other notable names will be on the IL, too | | Alexis Diaz (hamstring) – We'll have more on this one shortly, but I do think it's notable that it comes after days of speculation about Diaz's job security. Add in the vague nature of the injury designation – "inflammation" – and this feels as much about trying to find a way to get Diaz right as it does about his health. Thairo Estrada (wrist) – Estrada will miss 4-8 weeks after being hit by a pitch. They traded Nolan Jones to the Guardians for Tyler Freeman, who will probably fill in for Estrada. Not that that makes it a good, or even defensible, trade for the Rockies. Spencer Steer (shoulder) – Steer is still dealing with an injury that hampered him last season, but it did sound like he was making progress over the past few weeks. The interesting wrinkle here is whether the Reds will have him return as a DH/1B, or if they want his shoulder to strengthen enough to play him at multiple other spots. If he's just a DH, it puts a lot more pressure on his bat and makes it harder for Gavin Lux, Jeimer Candelario, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand to get in the lineup every day. Yu Darvish (elbow) – Darvish has been dealing with inflammation in his elbow this spring, and while the Padres don't seem too concerned, his age and relative lack of upside make Darvish a fringe option for a roster spot in most Fantasy leagues. Keep an eye on Kyle Hart as a deep sleeper if he cracks the rotation here. Ranger Suarez (back) – Suarez's 2024 season was derailed by a back injury, and though this one apparently isn't as severe, it's hard not to be concerned – Suarez's margin for error is slim enough that it doesn't seem to take much to remove him from Fantasy relevance. He's not a must-stash player while on the IL. Zack Gelof (hand) – This is how Muncy's new role came about. According to BaseballProspectus.com's Recovery Dashboard tool, hitters miss an average of 44 days with this injury, so expect Gelof to be out until at least May. Clarke Schmidt (shoulder) – Schmidt came out of a live batting practice session Thursday feeling fine, but there just isn't enough time to get him fully stretched out after dealing with a back issue earlier in spring. We should see him after a few turns in the rotation, and that will give the Yankees time to see if Will Warren or Carlos Carrasco can make a case for staying in the rotation. Daulton Varsho (shoulder) – Varsho was healthy enough to hit this spring, but he isn't ready to play the field. Alan Roden will make the team in Varsho's absence, and there are some interesting skills here as he has consistently hit well in his minor-league career. Roden is a name to know in 15-team leagues. Brooks Lee (back) – The Twins will be without both Lee and Royce Lewis (hamstring) to open the season, creating room for Edouard Julien to try his hand at unlocking some sleeper appeal early on in the season. Jose Miranda will also get regular opportunities early in the season, at least. Jerar Encarnacion (hand) – This one is a bummer because Encarnacion has a ton of power and is just plain fun to watch hit. He could have been the Giants DH, but now it will likely be Wilmer Flores, who is much less fun. | | And that's not even counting Connor Norby (oblique) or Vinnie Pasquantino (hamstring), both of whom left games this weekend with injuries of uncertain seriousness. | | We have no idea who the Reds closer will be | | Diaz is out, but it seemed like his grip on the closer role was pretty tenuous even before this issue. And, I'll be honest: I'm not even sure this group is worth chasing. The Reds are probably just a .500 team and they play in a tough ballpark, so it isn't the best of circumstances to begin with, and now we're trying to figure which of a bunch of mediocre options will emerge as the closer. Emilio Pagan, Taylor Rogers, and Scott Barlow all have some closer experience, though none are really light's out options; Graham Ashcraft has the stuff to be one, but it'll have to play up a lot better than it did in the rotation, where he was consistently a below-average strikeout pitcher. If I had to speculate on anyone, it would probably be Barlow, but I really don't want to. | | Jackson Holliday and Victor Scott will get their post-hype chances | | Holliday and Scott both flopped in their first tastes of the majors last season, but they're getting a second chance here. Holliday is the better prospect and higher-upside bet of the two, especially if his new focus on running this spring carries over; he has five steals in 15 games after stealing just four bases in 60 games in his MLB debut. And, for what it's worth, he's making more contact this spring, a potential sign he has overcome his biggest issue as a rookie. He's worth drafting in the top 200 in all leagues. | | Scott is more format-dependent, especially since I really don't buy that his four homers in 15 games this spring represent a new normal for him – he had just eight in 134 games between Triple-A and the majors last season. But Scott has difference-making speed and could be among the league leaders in steals if he can manage to be even a tolerable hitter – he had a .179/.219/.283 line in the majors and his just .210 at Triple-A last season, so that's no guarantee. But the stolen base upside makes him worth targeting in all category leagues, at least. | | Here are some rotation names you need to know about | | Jackson Jobe, Tigers – Jobe didn't get the strikeout numbers we hoped for this spring, but the Tigers still saw enough to give him a rotation spot, apparently. I think that's probably the right call, and I'm willing to draft Jobe everywhere on the chance the results catch up to the stuff. Cade Povich, Orioles – Povich flopped in the majors last season, but he's looked much better this spring. There's plenty of strikeout upside if he can consistently get batters to go out of the zone to chase against him, and maybe his new changeup can be a key there. It's a low-probability bet, given his struggles in 2025, but the supporting cast around him could really elevate Povich if he clicks. Richard Fitts, Red Sox – Fitts is another one I would like to have seen more strikeouts from this spring, especially since he struggled to miss bats in last year's cup of coffee. But he has a solid minor-league track record, and I'll bet on him being pretty useful with a velocity jump this spring. Drew Rasmussen , Rays – With McClanahan out of the picture to open the season, Rasmussen is in a five-man rotation for the time being, and he remains pretty interesting. He has a career 2.95 ERA and flashed tons of strikeout upside in fits and starts over the past few seasons – when he isn't injured. And he isn't right now. A.J. Smith-Shawver, Braves – Grant Holmes has garnered more hype from the Fantasy community this spring, and I like him fine. But let's not forget about Smith-Shawver, who made his debut two years ago as just a 20-year-old and has still put up big strikeout numbers in the high minors. If he keeps the walks under control, he could be useful, though he's likely the first man out of the rotation right now when Spencer Strider is ready in mid-April. Logan Allen, Guardians – The strikeouts haven't been there for Allen in the majors, but he did get 19 in 19 innings this spring. He's mostly an AL-only arm for now, but if he gets off to a fast start that could change. Landen Roupp, Giants – This one is speculative, but Roupp outperformed Hayden Birdsong Sunday, and if they were in a head-to-head battle, that might have decided it. Birdsong is the more interesting talent, but Roupp has put up some pretty huge strikeout numbers in the minors and was very good this spring, so there could be some sneaky upside for deeper leagues. | | Also: Keep an eye out for Shane Smith for the White Sox. He hasn't been named to the rotation, but the team is keeping the Rule 5 pick around, and he showed up this spring with increased velocity after putting up a very solid season across Double-A and Triple-A in the Brewers minor-league system last season. There's some interesting SPaRP potential here. | | Clay Holmes sure looks like a starter | | As a reliever, Holmes was pretty straightforward: He fed you a heavy dose of sinkers, sliders, and sweepers, and almost nothing else. As a starter this spring, he has shown off a full six-pitch mix, adding a cutter, changeup, and four-seamer to the arsenal. I have no idea how sustainable his success this spring will prove, but 23 strikeouts and a 0.93 ERA over 19.1 innings is definitely worth taking notice of. Holmes knew he needed to expand his arsenal to deal with lefties better and get through the order multiple times, and he did just that. It's not enough to make him a must-start Fantasy ace over 19.1 innings, but it's more than enough to make him worth drafting in any and all leagues. That happened fast. | | | | | | | | Golazo Network | | 24/7 Sports News | Watch LIVE global soccer coverage on the CBS Sports Golazo Network, available FOR FREE on the CBS Sports App, Pluto TV and streaming on Paramount+.
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