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  • George Valera CF | CLE

    Guardians' George Valera: In mix for Opening Day roster

    Valera enters spring training under no restrictions and will compete for a spot on the 26-man roster, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.

    Valera's previous three springs were marred by injuries, with two of them impacted by offseason rehab. He's had a normal offseason this year, and Guardians manager Stephen Vogt hopes to see the outfielder in a spring training game for the first time since he was named Cleveland's skipper prior to the 2024 season. Valera made his MLB debut in 2025, posting a .220/.333/.415 slash line with two home runs, five RBI and a 13:7 K:BB ratio over 16 contests down the stretch and into the postseason. He regularly started against right-handers and was often used as the No. 2 hitter. "He can manage an at-bat," Vogt said. "He makes great swing decisions. He's got power. He's just a good, good hitter." The 25-year-old will compete with current prospects Chase DeLauter and CJ Kayfus for a spot in the outfield/DH mix.

  • White Sox's Andrew Benintendi: Focused on getting on base

    Benintendi anticipates focusing on getting on base rather than hitting for power in 2026, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

    Benintendi has hit 20 home runs in consecutive seasons, but he's gotten on base at just a .289 and .307 clip during those two campaigns. He explained that he felt added pressure to deliver power based on the lack of pop elsewhere in the White Sox's lineup, something that is expected to change in 2026 with Colson Montgomery and Munetaka Murakami a part of the everyday starting nine. Benintendi shed weight this offseason to take pressure off his Achilles, after suffering an injury in July that nagged him for the rest of the 2025 season.

  • Ryan Feltner SP | COL

    Rockies' Ryan Feltner: Entering season healthy

    Feltner feels 100 percent healthy after dealing with back and shoulder injuries in 2025, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reports.

    Feltner was limited to only six starts due to a combination of injuries, but he spent his offseason in Florida, working out for six hours most days to improve his durability. His regimen included some traditional strength work, but he also worked with a personal trainer to better understand his movements and the strain placed on his body while on the mound. The Rockies have added several veterans to their pitching staff this offseason, but Feltner should still be a strong candidate to contribute if he can remain healthy.

  • Henry Davis RF | PIT

    Pirates' Henry Davis: Reworking stance and swing

    Davis studied the biomechanics of his swing this offseason and has made adjustments to both his stance and swing, Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

    Davis has reversed his scouting report as a prospect early in his big-league career, as he is now struggling as a hitter but becoming a solid defensive option at catcher. He acknowledged that he lost his rhythm at the plate and was not close to reaching an answer by solely watching film and working in the batting cage, so he worked with hitting coach Matt Hague to change his stance this offseason. Davis is reportedly more upright and no longer rests the bat on his shoulder, with the goal being to improve against high-spin and high-velocity pitches. While the Pirates remain optimistic about Davis' ability to develop as a hitter, the reality remains that he has hit just .181/.262/.294 across 660 plate appearances in the majors.

  • Pirates' Jhostynxon Garcia: Impressing with glove

    Garcia has impressed manager Don Kelly during fielding drills early in spring training, Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

    Garcia has been a fairly well-regarded prospect due to his strong potential to hit for power, and he has displayed that ability during live batting practice early on in camp. However, with a retooled lineup, the Pirates' defensive outlook in the outfield has become a concern, so Garcia's abilities with the glove could be the key factor in his ability to earn playing time this season. He is competing for a roster spot this spring, with Jake Mangum being one of his primary competitors.

  • Felix Bautista RP | BAL

    Orioles' Felix Bautista: No rush to pitch in 2026

    The Orioles aren't going to push Bautista (shoulder) to pitch in 2026, per MLB.com.

    The hard-throwing right-hander is progressing well from right shoulder surgery in August of 2025 to repair a torn rotator cuff and torn labrum, but Baltimore has no intentions to rush Bautista back into the fray. His throwing progression will be worth monitoring, but the expectation remains that Bautista won't be much of a fantasy factor in 2026, if at all. Ryan Helsley signed a two-year contract with the O's in November and is all set to start the new season with a big opportunity to bounce back as the club's top closer, after limping to a 7.20 ERA through 20 regular-season innings with the Mets to finish last year.

  • Adolis Garcia RF | PHI

    Phillies' Adolis Garcia: Candidate to hit cleanup

    Garcia is a candidate to bat in the cleanup spot this season, per Cole Weintraub of NBC Sports Philadelphia.

    The departure of Nick Castellanos, who was the club's primary cleanup batter a year ago, this offseason further increases Garcia's chances of beginning the new campaign as Philadelphia's No. 4 hitter. Garcia is lined up as the Phillies' top right fielder this spring, but he's turned in a sub-.700 OPS in consecutive seasons with the Rangers and enters 2026 as a late-round gamble in most fantasy leagues. That said, the prospect of batting behind All-Stars Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper offers Garcia plenty of upside for run production.

  • Jonny DeLuca LF | TB

    Rays' Jonny DeLuca: In line for short-side role

    DeLuca (hamstring/quad) is likely to see regular at-bats against left-handed pitching this season, per John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times.

    DeLuca stands out as one of Tampa Bay's few right-handed-hitting outfielders, considering the club's primary options consist of as lefty-hitters Chandler Simpson, Cedric Mullins and Jake Fraley. DeLuca ended the 2025 season on the 60-day injured list due to a right quadriceps strain, so he'll need to prove he's healthy during spring training before the Rays trust him to handle this role. The 27-year-old posted a promising .812 OPS with six stolen bases through 59 regular-season plate appearances amidst an injury-plagued 2025 campaign, and it doesn't sound like he'll open the new year in a spot for everyday action.

  • Red Sox's Carlos Narvaez: Expected to remain starting catcher

    Narvaez (knee) will serve as Boston's starting catcher again in 2026, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

    According to manager Alex Cora, Narvaez's knee was a problem throughout the entire 2025 season. Narvaez was able to avoid the injured list and remained an excellent defensive backstop, but the injury helps explain his offensive downturn in the second half, when he posted a .187/.233/.387 slash line. Following a left knee meniscectomy in October, Narvaez will slot back in as the No. 1 catcher for the Red Sox ahead of Connor Wong.

  • Giants' Landen Roupp: Throws first live BP of spring

    Roupp (knee) completed his first live batting practice session of the spring Saturday, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

    The right-hander did not make an appearance after Aug. 20 last year after taking a comebacker off his knee, but he appears to be all set for a normal camp without restrictions. While Roupp does not throw particularly hard and has a modest strikeout rate, he has achieved respectable results (3.80 ERA over 106.2 innings last season). He figures to be locked into a rotation spot for San Francisco to begin 2026.

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