Houston Astros outfield prospect Cam Smith started in right field for the Astros' exhibition game on Monday against their Triple-A affiliate, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, and went 1-for-3 with a two-run triple and a run scored. It was the 22-year-old's first game at Houston's home field now that the team has wrapped up Grapefruit League play, and he continued his push for an Opening Day roster spot. The 2024 first-round draft pick was fired up after the triple and manager Joe Espada was quoted as saying, "We love that, the guys really enjoy the energy and the passion. We need some of that." If the youngster can secure a spot, which seems very likely at this point, he'd be worthy of consideration for a bench spot in deep-mixed fantasy leagues.

Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung left Monday's game after two at-bats due to neck stiffness. He wanted to stay in the game according to manager Bruce Bochy, so the injury isn't expected to be serious. Jung will be looking to take a step forward in 2025 after slashing .264/.298/.421 with seven home runs, 16 RBI, and 19 runs in 46 games in a 2024 season that was derailed by a broken wrist. He showed immense power potential in 2023 when he launched 23 homers in 122 games while posting a .482 xSLG and 47.4% hard-hit rate. Still only 27 years old, he makes for a solid upside play late in fantasy drafts.

Miami Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers has made the team's Opening Day roster, reports Isaac Azout. Whether he has won the starting left-field job is yet to be known, but he should at least see some playing time as part of a platoon. He hasn't exactly shown out during Spring Training, batting just .162 with a 34.7% strikeout rate. After being traded to the Marlins at the trade deadline in 2024, he slashed .186/.282/.295 with two home runs in 50 games. He did show some positive signs in 2024, like a 51.3% hard-hit rate, but he clearly has some work to do before he becomes a relevant player for fantasy.

Milwaukee Brewers catching prospect Jeferson Quero (shoulder) played in a minor-league contest with Double-A Biloxi on Monday evening, serving as the designated hitter. Quero was unable to play in any Cactus League games after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in 2024. He was only able to appear in one contest last season before being sidelined. During spring training, the team eased his workload, but it appears the backstop could be ready for the start of the 2025 MiLB regular season. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as he will likely remain the designated hitter for the foreseeable future until he returns behind the plate. In 2023, Quero spent his entire season at Double-A and posted a .262/.399/.440 slash line with 12 doubles and 16 home runs. If he can perform well at Triple-A this season, he could contend for an MLB debut during the second half of the campaign.

Cleveland Guardians left-handed pitching prospect Joey Cantillo will open the season in the bullpen. Cantillo was competing for a spot in the rotation but will instead begin his 2025 season pitching out of the bullpen. During spring training, Cantillo held a high 7.82 ERA with a 1.89 WHIP across 12 2/3 innings of work. During this stint, he tallied 18 punchouts but served up nine free passes. Last summer, Cantillo made his MLB debut, appeared in nine games, and started eight of them. Across 38 2/3 innings, the southpaw held a 4.89 ERA with a 1.29 WHIP. He posted a 15:44 BB:K while generating a strong .224 xBA. At the Triple-A level last season, Cantillo posted a 3.29 ERA with a 1.54 WHIP. Fantasy managers should monitor his progression in the bullpen as he could return to the rotation if he performs well.