Texas Rangers left-handed pitcher Robert Garcia (forearm) tossed a shutout frame during his spring debut on Thursday against the San Diego Padres. Garcia allowed one free pass and tallied one punchout. Garcia was battling nerve irritation in his left forearm during the early part of spring training. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his production during camp as he is expected to compete for a high-leverage role in the bullpen. Earlier in the offseason, the Rangers acquired Garcia from the Nationals in exchange for first baseman Nathaniel Lowe. Last season, Garcia posted a 4.22 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP with 75 punchouts. He generated an elite 2.53 xERA, suggesting he should see significant positive regression in 2025. He will be competing for save opportunities alongside right-hander Chris Martin.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have reassigned pitching prospect Bubba Chandler to minor-league camp. Chandler entered camp with a chance to compete for a spot on the major-league roster but instead, the team will opt to continue his development in the minor leagues. Last season, the 22-year-old received his first extended look at the Double-A level and performed quite well. Across 80 1/3 innings of work, the 22-year-old held a 3.70 ERA with a strong 1.01 WHIP. He tallied 94 punchouts with just 26 walks. He then earned a taste of Triple-A where he logged 39 1/3 innings to the tune of a 1.83 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. Fantasy managers should keep a close eye on Chandler's status at the start of the minor-league season as he should push for an early 2025 MLB debut.

Texas Rangers right-handed pitcher Jack Leiter tossed three shutout innings of relief on Thursday against the San Diego Padres. Leiter allowed two hits, no walks, and tallied three punchouts. Through eight innings of work in spring training, Leiter has held a 2.25 ERA with a stellar 0.88 WHIP. He has tallied eight punchouts and only served up one free pass. The former second overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft is competing for a spot in the starting rotation. Leiter made his MLB debut last season but struggled as he held a high 8.83 ERA with a 1.71 WHIP across 35 2/3 innings. However, seeing the Vanderbilt product take a strong step forward in spring training is a positive sign. Through 80 1/3 innings at Triple-A, the right-hander has held a 3.70 ERA with a 1.33 WHIP and 114 strikeouts. If he continues to perform well in spring training, he could earn the final spot in the rotation over Kumar Rocker and Dane Dunning.

The Boston Red Sox have assigned right-handed pitching prospect Luis Perales (elbow) to minor-league camp. The 21-year-old is still recovering from the Tommy John surgery he underwent last June. Fantasy managers should not expect him to be available to pitch in a minor-league game this season. Before the surgery, Perales spent most of the season at High-A and received a brief look at Double-A. In 22 1/3 innings at High-A, Perales held a 3.63 ERA with a 1.45 WHIP. He tallied an impressive 38 strikeouts with just nine free passes. During his brief seven 1/3-inning taste of Double-A, Perales allowed just one earned run and tallied 10 strikeouts. When he is cleared to return, fantasy managers should expect him to return to Double-A and could push for a late 2026 MLB debut given the strikeout upside he showed at the lower levels of the minor leagues.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have assigned infield prospect Alex Freeland to minor-league camp. The 23-year-old was competing for a depth role in the Dodger infield but will begin the 2025 season in the minor leagues instead. Last season, Freeland performed very well in the minors as he opened the season at the High-A level and eventually progressed through Triple-A. At High-A, Freeland held a .346/.518/.591 slash line across 23 contests. Then at Double-A, the former Central Florida product held a .245/.370/.422 line with 15 doubles and 11 home runs across 74 contests. He then finished the campaign with Triple-A Oklahoma City where he posted a .243/.355/.396 line across 39 contests. Fantasy managers should expect Freeland to open the season at Triple-A and could push for an early 2025 MLB debut if he takes the next step in his development.