Kansas City Royals outfielder Dairon Blanco (Achilles) has resumed on-field baseball activities and should be able to get back into a spring game soon, although it will likely be a minor-league game first. Blanco was scratched from a Cactus League game at the end of February with an Achilles injury, but X-rays came back negative and he's nearing a return to game action at spring training. The 31-year-old veteran should have the time he needs to get ready for Opening Day in late March. Blanco is merely competing for a roster spot as a reserve outfielder in camp after slashing .258/.308/.392 with four home runs, 13 RBI, 31 stolen bases and 37 runs scored in 88 games in 2024. He has swiped 55 bases the last two years, giving him some appeal in AL-only and deep-mixed leagues, but Blanco has primarily served as a late-game defensive replacement and pinch-runner.

The Chicago White Sox have reassigned pitching prospects Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith to minor-league camp. Schultz finishes Cactus League action with three innings pitched, allowing zero earned runs, one hit, and three walks while striking out one. The Sox's 2021 first-round draft pick dominated at Double-A last season with a 1.48 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and a 22.6 percent K-BB%. The 6-foot-9 southpaw will presumably start at Triple-A but Chicago's top prospect will likely make his MLB debut at some point this season, so redraft managers will want to keep an eye out for a promotion. Smith, on the other hand, finished with three Cactus League IP, also allowing zero earned runs, one hit, and three walks, but was able to notch four strikeouts. The 2024 fifth-overall draft pick made just three starts at High-A last year and will need more time in the minors; the 21-year-old has an ETA of 2026 per MLB.com.

Kansas City Royals right-hander Kyle Wright (hamstring) has continued his throwing progression in camp and is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Saturday. Wright, who is trying to make a return after right-shoulder surgery, suffered a mild right-hamstring strain late last month, which has put him behind the rest of the pitchers at spring training. Especially due to the fact that he didn't pitch at all last year while rehabbing his shoulder, the 29-year-old is now considered a long shot to win a spot in KC's Opening Day starting rotation, let alone be ready for the start of the 2025 regular season. The Royals are merely hoping Wright can discover some of the magic he had with the Atlanta Braves in 2022, when he posted a 3.19 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 174:53 K:BB in 180 1/3 innings. Even if Wright gets past his hamstring and shoulder injuries and joins the Royals' rotation at some point this year, he'll be on a strict innings limit that will cap his fantasy upside.

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (elbow, shoulder) last threw a bullpen session in camp on Feb. 25. He continues to play catch, but manager Dave Roberts said on Thursday that the team is giving Ohtani "a little respite" from ramping up as a pitcher as he ramps up as a hitter for the start of the 2025 regular season this month. The 30-year-old right-hander won't face live hitters before the team leaves for the two-game season-opening series in Tokyo, Japan, on March 18 and 19 against the Chicago Cubs, and it's to be determined on how it will impact his timeline. Ohtani didn't pitch at all in 2024 while recovering from Tommy John surgery and then had surgery last fall on his left (non-throwing) shoulder. The Dodgers aren't rushing him at all to make his 2025 debut on the mound, which isn't expected to come until sometime in May. As a hitter, though, he should be the first player off the board in fantasy drafts.

The Atlanta Braves have reassigned infielder Jose Devers to minor-league camp. The 25-year-old tallied 10 at-bats in Grapefruit League play, collecting one hit and a walk while striking out three times. The left-handed hitter will likely start out at Triple-A, which is where he spent nearly all of 2024, but in the Marlins organization. The Dominican slashed .244/.305/.371 with three home runs and four stolen bases in 54 games, so he doesn't offer much with the bat or with his legs. The Braves are going to roll with veteran Orlando Arcia at shortstop this season, with light-hitting Nick Allen backing him up, while Devers will add depth in the minors. Regardless, Devers doesn't move the needle for fantasy at this point.