Free-agent outfielder/designated hitter Jorge Soler said he has not been in contact with the Miami Marlins this offseason. "There has been no contact with the Marlins," Soler said. Soler opted out of the final year of his deal with Miami, making it unlikely that he'll return to South Beach in 2024 and beyond. The 31-year-old right-handed slugger managed to hit 36 home runs with an .853 OPS over 580 plate appearances in his second season with the Fish in 2023 and has a handful of teams interested in his services as a corner outfielder/designated hitter. Among the teams interested in him include the Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks and Toronto Blue Jays. Soler is an elite target for power in fantasy drafts as long as he can stay healthy, and a move to a more hitter-friendly ballpark in 2024 could make him even more attractive.

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco is facing a lesser charge after a judge in the Dominican Republic analyzed evidence that alleges he had a relationship with a 14-year-old girl and paid her mother thousands of dollars for her consent. Franco was originally accused of commercial and sexual exploitation and money laundering, charges that carry up to 30 yards, 10 years and 20 years of prison respectively. He now stands accused of sexual and psychological abuse. He has not been formally accused, but if found guilty, he could face between two to five years in prison. Franco was released from jail on Monday but is required to meet with authorities once a month in the Dominican as the investigation continues, and he's unlikely to be allowed back into the U.S. anytime soon, which means he's unlikely to play for the Rays by Opening Day. There's a high probability the 22-year-old won't play major-league baseball again.

In a 2024 MLB Pipeline poll of front-office executives from all 30 organizations, Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong was voted the best defensive prospect. Crow-Armstrong has been considered the top defensive player in the minor leagues for a while now, and he made his major-league debut in Chicago in 2023, going hitless in 14 at-bats with an RBI and two stolen bases in 13 games. There should be multiple Gold Gloves in his future at the big-league level. The 21-year-old probably isn't going to hit for a high average in the Show, but he did bat .283/.365/.511 with 20 home runs and 37 steals in 107 games at the top two levels of the minors last season before getting his first major-league call-up. If he has a strong spring, Crow-Armstrong could be starting in Chicago's outfield on Opening Day, and his power/speed combination will make him a highly coveted prospect in all fantasy drafts.

In a 2024 MLB Pipeline poll of front-office executives from all 30 organizations, Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes was voted the game's best pitching prospect. It shouldn't come as much of a surprise. Skenes was the first overall pick in last year's draft, and many viewed the big righty from LSU as the best pitching prospect in the draft since Stephen Strasburg. He could be in the big leagues sooner than later in 2024, too, which is why he also received votes for Rookie of the Year. The 21-year-old made it to Double-A Altoona in 2023 and checked all of the boxes while striking out 10 in his first 6 2/3 minor-league innings. Because of the fact that there's a good chance Skenes will be with the rebuilding Pirates early in 2024, he needs to be drafted in all single-year fantasy formats as the best pitching prospect in baseball.

In a 2024 MLB Pipeline poll of front-office executives from all 30 organizations, Baltimore Orioles shortstop Jackson Holliday received 70 percent of the votes as baseball's best hitting prospect. Holliday is the game's top prospect after slashing .323/.442/.499 over four minor-league levels in his first full year of professional baseball in 2023. He was also just one of eight players with more than 100 walks on the year, finishing with a 17.4 percent walk rate and just a 20.3 percent strikeout rate. The 20-year-old will have a shot to make the Opening Day roster out of spring training this year, but the Orioles also won't rush the youngster if they think more time on the farm will benefit his long-term development. Needless to say, Holliday will be a high-end prospect commodity in all fantasy drafts in 2024, even if he doesn't start the year in the majors.