Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Felix Bautista (elbow) threw his second live batting practice on Thursday and is nearing his spring debut. Roch Kubatko of MASN noted, "it won't be much longer until he pitches in his first Grapefruit League game." Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status, but it appears that the high-end closer is nearing a return to game action. He missed the entire 2024 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery in October. During the 2023 season, Bautista was one of the most dominant closers in the sport as he held a 1.48 ERA with a 0.92 WHIP across 68 frames. He tallied 110 punchouts with 33 saves, which were the third-most in the AL. Bautista was also placed in the 100th percentile in xERA and xBA. Given his current status, fantasy managers should expect Bautista to have a good opportunity to be cleared in time for Opening Day, making him a top closer to target in standard formats.

Texas Rangers shortstop prospect Sebastian Walcott (arm) went 1-for-2 with a solo shot in his return on Thursday. Walcott battled arm soreness throughout the week but moved past this injury quite quickly as he launched his first long ball of the spring. Later in the contest, Walcott tallied his second RBI on a groundout. The top prospect in the Texas system was invited to spring training as a non-roster invite. Walcott spent most of last season with High-A Hickory before earning a brief taste of the Double-A. Across 105 contests with High-A, the infielder posted a .261/.342/.443 slash line with 31 doubles, 10 home runs, and 26 stolen bases. He held a 52:125 BB:K ratio. Through his first five games at Double-A, Walcott tallied eight hits (four extra-base hits) with one stolen base. If he continues to produce during camp, Walcott could make a push to reach Triple-A later in the 2025 campaign.

Miami Marlins outfield prospect Jakob Marsee (oblique) has resumed baseball activities. The former sixth-round selection of the 2022 MLB Draft sustained a minor oblique injury during camp but is slowly nearing a return to game action. Last season, the 23-year-old spent most of his campaign at the Double-A level but did earn a late-season taste of Triple-A. Across 115 contests at Double-A with San Antonio and Pensacola, Marsee held a .188/.341/.306 slash line with 14 doubles, nine home runs, and an impressive 44 stolen bases. He held an 80:115 BB:K. Through his first 22 games at the Triple-A level, the Central Michigan product posted a .275/.370/.363 line with four doubles and seven home runs. He held a strong 12:20 BB:K. Marsee could contend for an early 2025 MLB debut when he's cleared to return.

Miami Marlins right-handed pitcher Freddy Tarnok (ankle) is expected to be sidelined for two weeks with an ankle injury. He rolled his left ankle and is not expected to return to a spring training contest for at least two weeks. Tarnok was invited to Miami's camp as a non-roster invite. The 26-year-old has logged just 14 1/3 innings in the majors throughout his career. Across this small stint, Tarnok has posted a 4.70 ERA with a 1.50 WHIP. He tallied 15 punchouts and served up a high 11 walks. Through 92 1/3 career innings at the Triple-A level, the Riverview HS product has held a 4.68 ERA with a 1.41 WHIP. He tallied 94 punchouts and 48 walks while operating primarily as a relief pitcher. Fantasy managers should expect Tarnok to compete for a low-leverage bullpen role when cleared for action.

New York Mets second baseman Nick Madrigal (shoulder) will undergo surgery on his shoulder and will likely miss the entire 2025 campaign. Madrigal signed a one-year deal with the Mets worth $1.35 million earlier in the offseason. During the early part of spring training, Madrigal exited a contest after taking a hard fall on his shoulder. He was later diagnosed with a fractured shoulder and was shifted to the 60-day IL. As a result, fantasy managers should expect infield prospect Luisangel Acuna to see significant opportunities during camp and will have an excellent opportunity to make the Opening Day roster. Acuna received a brief 14-game stint in the majors last season and held a .308/.325/.641 line with two doubles and three home runs. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression during camp as he could earn a more significant role at the keystone alongside Jeff McNeil.