Fantasy Baseball Spring Training Roundup (3/17)

Spring training is a wild time for fantasy baseball players, as we see considerable overreactions to tiny sample sizes, changes in player value due to velocity jumps or drops and other big swings. As we head toward the start of the season, we aim to examine notable news, value changes or other valuable nuggets. We’ve got you covered.

Fantasy Baseball Spring Training Roundup (3/17)

AL East

Baltimore Orioles: Gunnar Henderson (SS, AP 11), Zach Eflin (SP, 190)

Though no guarantees have been provided, Gunnar is looking good for Opening Day and is certainly being drafted that way. If you are risk-averse and want to begin the year without a player with an injury designation, I have no issues passing on Gunnar in the first round since they are all good players at the top of the draft. 

O’s starter Zach Eflin is not only the Opening Day starter for Baltimore but is affordable in the Main Event, with an ADP of 191. I find that to be a juicy price for a good pitcher with a 1.09 WHIP in 418.1 innings since the 2022 season began.

Boston Red Sox: Roman Anthony (OF, 303)

Red Sox prospect Anthony is currently not penciled into the Opening Day roster, but he is a worthy stash in all 15-team formats as he is a supremely talented baseball player. Even though he won’t turn 21 until mid-May, he could be a force this season, and I like the idea of taking a cheap stab at him.

New York Yankees: Clarke Schmidt, (P, 241)

Last year, Schmidt dealt with a lat issue and currently has some shoulder soreness, so this is not a great sign. He will toss a bullpen Monday, so we must see how he responds. The Yankees’ pitching depth cannot afford any more hits.

Tampa Bay Rays: Jonny DeLuca (OF, 357)

DeLuca is still expected to be the Rays’ primary CF this year, which is a good assurance for those looking to grab some cheap steals late in the draft. The park could boost his stock, too, and I love taking a chance on the 26-year-old athletic OF.

Toronto Blue Jays: Daulton Varsho (OF, 313)

Typically, it is wise to expect the longer end of the range for an injury timetable, but some players are freaky athletes and heal quickly. Varsho appears to be one of those types of guys. He was not expected to return for Opening Day, but he is pacing toward that and crushing spring. He will need to be ready to play OF before he is cleared for OD. He is throwing from 120 feet, so this hurdle can be cleared. His 1.491 OPS is a great sign for those who take the defensive wizard on the cheap in early drafts. 

AL Central

Chicago White Sox: Sean Burke (P, 431), Mike Clevinger (P, 644)

Despite playing for a crummy team, Burke is a nice fantasy flier to take in 15-teamers given his supreme strikeout ability. He is guaranteed a spot, and with the cold Midwest weather in the beginning portion of the MLB schedule, he is a nice pitcher to have at the ready. New manager Will Venable named the rookie his Opening Day starter. 

White Sox closer is not a sought-after fantasy position in 2025, but Clevinger seems to be leading the pack for that spot. Clevinger was a closer in college and could be good enough to record some saves this season. Keep expectations within reason, given his lack of track record in this role, poor team context, and health woes from Clevinger. VDP currently projects Clevinger as the team’s saves leader (not by much) while Dan Thompson’s Bullpen Report posts him in the lead spot.

Detroit Tigers: Spencer Torkelson (1B, 401), Parker Meadows (OF, 276)

In an attempt to increase his versatility, Tork will receive some RF reps in the spring. This is a good sign for his future. If Torkelson can play a decent OF, he will get more fantasy eligibility and the ability to get onto the lineup card more regularly.

Meadows has been a buzz guy this spring, but some nerve issues have halted that train, and he will not be ready for Opening Day. His status is day-to-day, as he is ramping up, but he has a lot of uncertainty. His pitcher-friendly ballpark limits his ceiling, but if there are positive reports about him, expect him to move up at the live events. I am concerned with the nerve issue and the park enough to fade him entirely at cost.

Kansas City Royals: Carlos Estévez (P, 189)

The potential Royals closer has made his spring debut and reportedly feels very good. He states he needs three to four outings to be dialed in and is in a park that suits his flyball tendencies. I don’t mind him as a second RP if you waited, and he is near pick 200, but I still like Lucas Erceg as a flyer. Kansas City could win many close games with their good pitching and decent offense, giving both relievers fantasy value in 15-team leagues. 

Minnesota Twins: Royce Lewis (3B, 125), David Festa (P, 330), Zebby Matthews (P, 406)

The uber-talented Royce Lewis hurt his hamstring legging out a single Sunday and will open the year on the IL. This is a bad blow for a Minnesota team hoping to compete, and it boosts the stocks of Jose Miranda and Ty France in the short term. 

Minor league options often determine how a team emerges out of camp. Festa and Matthews will be opening the year in the minors, with Chris Paddack and Simeon Woods Richardson snagging the last two rotation spots for the Twins. Festa and Zebby will get their turns to pitch, as SP depth is always tested in a long six-month MLB season, but they both look like cuts in 12-team leagues. 

AL West

Seattle Mariners: George Kirby (SP, 90)

Despite being as healthy as a horse, Kirby not only had a little bout of shoulder inflammation but also received an injection in his shoulder. This doesn’t materially change my outlook, but I wanted to add this note.

Texas Rangers: Cody Bradford (P, 349), Jon Gray (P, 484)

The human body is not designed to throw a baseball, and Cody Bradford will be shut down for four weeks as he was experiencing elbow issues. He is not draftable in NFBC leagues with FAAB. Jon Gray suffered a fractured wrist and will miss “extended time.” This opens the door for Kumar Rocker and/or Jack Leiter to take a few rotation jobs, or it could allow them to bring in Kyle Gibson or Lance Lynn for stability. This is stock up for Rocker. Regarding Leiter, the jury is still out, but he also has a good path. Monitor this situation closely. 

NL East

Atlanta Braves: Austin Riley, (3B, 31), Spencer Schwellenbach (P, 80)

Riley was hit by a pitch on his hand, and there was a brief scare, but he is already back in Grapefruit League play. This was good news, given the high investment fantasy managers have with Riley and how beloved he is. I love him in the third round, and he is different from Matt Olson and Pete Alonso as he provides power and batting average, and we all know how scarce average is.

Schwelly is a major riser in spring drafts, and his Main Event draft cost is higher than his DC ADP, which is far from a shock. Schwellenbach represents an upside guy with a chance to be a front-line SP to some aggressive Main Event drafters, so if you want a share, be ready to pay up.

Miami Marlins: Jesús Sánchez (OF, 239) 

After losing The Sanchize to the IL with a side issue, the Marlins’ offense is weaker than SpongeBob SquarePants attempting to lift a stick with two marshmallows on the end. Without Sánchez, I think it is the worst offense I have ever seen in this era. I cannot weigh in on the viability of stashing Sánchez until we have a clearer timetable.

New York Mets: Brandon Nimmo (OF, 205), Clay Holmes (P, 227) 

Going from a solid closer on the Yankees to an Opening Day starter for the highest-payroll team in MLB is wild, but Holmes is dialed in this spring. Given his new pitches and tweaks, his drafters are feeling great with him. Holmes went 126 overall in an NFBC draft Saturday. The helium is here.

If you have had Nimmo in fantasy, you realize that he is constantly nicked up, but he produces every year. This is a positive, not a negative, note for me. 

Philadelphia Phillies: Bryce Harper (1B, 24), Max Kepler (OF, 360), Brandon Marsh (OF, 319)

Harper is a team guy and offered to move back to the OF if the Phillies can land a premium 1B option. This is not very actionable information, but it is a cool tidbit, so I wanted to add it. 

Keep tabs on these banged-up Philadelphia OFs, as they are dealing with some injuries.

NL Central

Cincinnati Reds: Tyler Stephenson (C, 181), Jose Trevino (C, 615), Jeimer Candelario (1B/3B, 310)

Coming off a career year in 2024, during which he crushed 19 homers and had a .258 AVG, Stephenson will open the year on the IL with an oblique strain, though it was considered minor. This opens the door for backstop Jose Trevino to come in and have an opportunity for a few weeks or more until Stephenson returns. Trevino is not a great hitter, but he is a nice flyer in a 15-team league due to the playing time and park.

Legendary manager Terry Francona is trying to figure out how to fit together the puzzle pieces, and as a result, Jeimer Candelario could platoon some. The Candy Man was a full-time guy last year, and it will hinge on how Lux and Candelario can defend 3B. If they are not good there, Santiago Espinal could nip away opportunities as he can field well. Regardless, this roster will shift daily because they have many moving parts, so monitor usage until Francona settles into a pattern. 

Milwaukee Brewers: Tobias Myers (P, 323)

After breaking out in 2024, Myers will undergo imaging on his oblique Sunday. The severity is unknown, but this reinforces the importance of starting pitching depth in real baseball and fantasy.

Pittsburgh Pirates: David Bednar (P, 139)

Skipper Derek Shelton did not announce Bednar as the closer Feb. 25 or Sunday, March 16; fantasy managers have felt a tinge of concern. Add on the ugly spring Bednar posted, and they should be very concerned. If the Pirates had a better bullpen, perhaps Bednar wouldn’t even be picked in the top 250, so we are relying on a pre-2024 track record. Bednar has posted 5.0 IP, 10 hits, six strikeouts to three walks, and a bloated 14.40 ERA with a 2.60 WHIP through Sunday morning. His hold on the job will be very tenuous if these struggles continue through the regular season. I wouldn’t select him at his current cost, so this has spooked me off him. 

NL West

Colorado Rockies: Thairo Estrada (2B, 295)

Los Angeles Dodgers: Mookie Betts (SS/OF, 13)

Betts had an illness, has lost some weight, and has felt fatigued during pre-game workouts. If he cannot improve, he may not be cleared for play in the Japan Series Tuesday morning, which begins in just one day. Even if he is ruled out of the Japan Series, he should be just fine, and drafters should accept any discount they can get with Mookie. 

Update: Betts will not be playing in the Japan Series out of an abundance of caution, and skipper Dave Roberts is contemplating sending him home early for rest. 

San Diego Padres: Yu Darvish (P, 232)

The veteran Darvish is dealing with some fatigue, but it is not considered a big deal, as the experienced pitcher knows his body well. Keep tabs on this as the story develops, but I don’t think this is even a yellow flag. 

San Francisco Giants: Jung Hoo Lee (OF, 222)

Lee is dealing with lingering back discomfort and will be unavailable for a few days. He supposedly slept wrong and just needs some rest. I want to see him doing baseball activities before selecting him near his ADP — something to monitor.