San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin said on Monday at the MLB winter meetings that outfielder Jung Hoo Lee (shoulder) won't have any restrictions when he reports to spring training in mid-February after his rehab from shoulder surgery has gone smoothly. "Jung Hoo is good to go. Jung Hoo is ready," Melvin said. The 26-year-old Korean had season-ending surgery to fix a torn labrum in his left shoulder in June but should be ready for Opening Day in 2025, barring a setback. The left-handed-hitting outfielder was the club's starting center fielder and leadoff man before his injury, hitting .262/.310/.331 with a .641 OPS, only two homers, eight RBI, two steals and 15 runs in 145 at-bats before his injury. Lee has more power than his surface stats in a limited sample size show, but elite contact ability and on-base skills should continue to carry his value in fantasy heading into next season.

Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton said at the MLB winter meetings on Monday that the expectation is that catching prospect Endy Rodriguez (elbow) will be "fully healthy" for the start of spring training in mid-February. Rodriguez was forced to miss all of the 2024 season after undergoing surgery to fix the UCL and flexor tendon in his right elbow in December of 2023, although he did take part in a minor-league rehab assignment in September for Double-A Altoona. The 24-year-old backstop switch-hitting Dominican made his MLB debut in 2023 and slashed .220/.284/.328 with three homers and 13 RBI in 57 games for the Bucs in 57 games. Given all the time he missed last year while recovering from elbow surgery, it would not be a surprise at all to see Rodriguez start in the minors in 2025 while serving as catching depth for Joey Bart and Henry Davis at the big-league level.

New York Mets right-hander Paul Blackburn (back), who had surgery on Oct. 11 to fix a spinal fluid leak in his back, is on track to be healthy and ready to roll for Opening Day in 2025, according to president of baseball operations David Stearn. The front-office executive also said that the Mets view Blackburn as a starter, but he can also pitch out of the bullpen if needed. It sounds like the Mets could very easily use Blackburn in a swing role next year, especially after already adding right-handers Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes, the latter of which is expected to move from a relief to starting role in 2025. The 31-year-old began the year with the Athletics in 2024 before being acquired by the Mets in a trade at the deadline. The former first-rounder went a combined 5-4 with a 4.66 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with a 59:21 K:BB in 75 1/3 frames over 14 starts. He'll only be relevant in fantasy in a starting role for the Mets.

According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Dispatch, starting pitching prospect Quinn Mathews will receive a non-roster invite to Spring Training. This is a great sign, as Mathews could have a great opportunity to make the Opening Day roster. The southpaw is considered one of the top pitching prospects in the sport and was named Baseball America's top pitching prospect of the 2024 season. The 24-year-old opened the season with Single-A and eventually progressed all the way up to Triple-A by August. Across all four levels of the St. Louis system, the Stanford product carried a solid 2.76 ERA and a stellar 0.98 WHIP. He struck out an incredible 202 batters across 143 1/3 innings while giving up just 49 free passes. He spent the most time at Double-A, posting a 2.41 ERA and 0.96 WHIP. Given his elite strikeout upside, fantasy managers in deeper formats should pay close attention to Mathews as he may be a popular late-round target in drafts this offseason.

According to the Detroit Tigers, starting pitcher Sawyer Gipson-Long (elbow) is playing catch from 120 feet three times a week. Gipson-Long is currently recovering from Tommy John surgery he underwent in April and also a hip operation he underwent in July and was unable to pitch at all last summer. In 2023, the Mercer product made his major league debut and performed quite well as he posted a 2.70 ERA and 1.10 WHIP across 20 innings (four starts.) During this small stint, he struck out 26 batters and served up eight walks. Across 34 2/3 career innings at the Triple-A level, Gipson-Long has posted a 5.45 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. Fantasy managers in deeper AL-only formats should continue to monitor his status throughout the first half of the season, as he may find himself back in rotation once he returns to the mound.