The Houston Astros have been pleased with how second baseman Jose Altuve has looked while playing the outfield in spring training. "[He's done] enough for me to feel good about playing left field," manager Joe Espada said. Even though the Astros didn't re-sign Alex Bregman in the offseason, the Astros are going forward with their plan to move the 34-year-old Venezuelan second baseman to left field on a full-time basis in 2025. The early returns defensively have been positive for Altuve, and the eventual addition of outfield eligibility in fantasy will make him an even more attractive fantasy option this year despite the fact that he isn't getting any younger. Altuve is a top-three fantasy second baseman as a former MVP, nine-time All-Star, seven-time Silver Slugger winner and three-time batting champion. He dealt with injuries in 2023 but bounced back last year to post a 20-20 season while hitting .295.

Miami Marlins outfielder Jesus Sanchez (side) was forced from Thursday's Grapefruit League outing against the Houston Astros in the fourth inning. Sanchez went 2-for-3 with a single and a double but was pulled precautionarily after manager Clayton McCullough "didn't like [his] mannerisms" while standing at second base. When asked about it after the game, the 27-year-old merely pointed at his side. Fortunately, it doesn't appear to be a big deal at this time. Still, side injuries are never good news. Sanchez hits the ball hard often, ranking in the 95th percentile in 2024 with a 51.3% hard-hit rate. He swiped 16 bags last season and hit .305 in September across 85 at-bats -- nearly 40 points better than in any other month. He's being selected inside the top 300 in fantasy drafts and holds some sleeper appeal if he can replicate his late-season form from a year ago.

Texas Rangers infielder Jonathan Ornelas was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Wednesday. Ornelas was competing for a depth role in the Texas infield but will begin the campaign at the top level of the minor leagues. Across the past two seasons, Ornelas has appeared in just 26 contests in the major leagues. Last summer, across 18 contests in Texas, the 24-year-old held a .215/.256/.270 slash line. He tallied just eight hits and only two went for extra-bases. During his brief stint in the majors, Ornelas was valuable from a defensive standpoint as he made starts at second base, third base, shortstop, and the outfield. In 88 games with Triple-A, Ornelas held a .251/.322/.326 line with 10 doubles and three long balls. Fantasy managers in deeper formats should expect him to return to the majors later in the season but will only carry minimal fantasy value given his lack of offensive upside.

The Texas Rangers have optioned right-handed pitcher Gerson Garabito to Triple-A Round Rock. Garabito made his MLB debut last summer but will begin the 2025 season in the minor leagues. Across his first 26 1/3 innings in the major leagues, Garabito held a 4.78 ERA with a 1.33 WHIP. He tallied 22 punchouts while serving up walks at a high 10.4 percent rate. However, he was able to limit hard contact as he generated hard hits at an impressive 35.1 percent rate. In 55 1/3 innings with Triple-A Round Rock last summer, Garabito posted a 3.42 ERA with a 1.03 WHIP. He held a strong 12:55 BB:K and allowed just six long balls. Fantasy managers should monitor his progression at Triple-A as he should contend for a return to the big leagues later in 2025.

The St. Louis Cardinals optioned right-handed pitcher Ryan Loutos to Triple-A Memphis. Loutos was competing for a spot on the Opening Day roster but will begin his 2025 season with the Memphis Redbirds instead. Last season, Loutos made a brief MLB debut as he logged two 1/3 shutout frames. He spent the majority of his season at the Triple-A level where he posted a 3.40 ERA with a 1.43 WHIP across 53 innings of work. He tallied 59 punchouts while serving up 23 free passes. This was a strong improvement compared to the high 6.40 ERA and 1.90 WHIP he held across 71 2/3 innings at Triple-A during the 2023 season. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status at Triple-A as he will likely return to the majors when St. Louis needs additional pitching depth.