The St. Louis Cardinals announced on Monday that they signed free-agent catcher Jonathan Morales to a minor-league deal for the 2024 season. The 29-year-old Puerto Rican native has played in 632 minor-league games with the Atlanta Braves and Colorado Rockies organizations and has thrown out 51 percent of Triple-A base-stealers since 2019. The 28-year-old's offense is lacking, though, and has a .254/.311/.357 slash line in eight seasons in the minors. In 93 games for Triple-A Albuquerque last year, Morales hit .258 (92-for-357) with 14 home runs, 61 RBI and 44 runs scored in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. The defense-first backstop will open the 2024 season as organizational catching depth for St. Louis and will likely be assigned to Triple-A Memphis.

The Cincinnati Reds signed Alex Blandino to a minor-league deal in November. The 31-year-old hasn't played in the majors since 2021 and will be attempting a comeback as a pitcher this spring training, specifically as a knuckleballer. He hit .226 in 279 plate appearances over parts of three seasons with the Reds and suffered a torn ACL in July of 2018. In his three seasons with the Reds, he appeared at all four infield and both corner outfield spots. Blandino is expected to report to Double-A Chattanooga to begin the 2024 season. The former first-rounder (29th overall) in 2014 by the Reds pitched as a senior in college at Stanford and hit 90 mph with his fastball in a pitching appearance for the Reds in 2021. It's a cool story, but Blandino is unlikely to make a return to the big leagues as a pitcher as anything more than a mop-up option out of Cincy's bullpen.

The New York Mets have reportedly considered free-agent relief pitcher Adam Ottavino as an option to bolster their bullpen this offseason. The 38-year-old veteran pitched well for the Mets last season, going 1-7 with 12 saves and 12 holds along with a 3.21 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 23.8% strikeout rate in 61 2/3 innings pitched. Ottavino's fantasy relevance would most likely come in saves-plus-holds leagues wherever he ends up, although he likely would not see as many save opportunities if he rejoined the Mets, as Edwin Diaz will be returning from a right patellar tendon repair.

The New York Yankees and New York Mets are reportedly interested in free-agent relief pitcher Wandy Peralta. The 32-year-old pitched well for the Yankees last season, going 4-2 with four saves and 18 holds along with a 2.83 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 22.5% strikeout rate. The Yankees have maintained contact with Peralta over the offseason. He does not offer a ton of strikeout upside and will likely not see many save opportunities regardless of where he goes, but Peralta could be fantasy-relevant in saves-plus-holds leagues should he slot back into a middle-to-late-innings role.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are reportedly working on a one-year deal worth around $12 million with free-agent starting pitcher James Paxton, per MLB.com's Theo DeRosa. The 35-year-old lefty would add some depth to a rotation that has undergone major changes this offseason. Paxton was able to make 19 starts last season with the Red Sox, going 7-5 with a 4.50 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 24.6% strikeout rate. Injuries have been the biggest preventative of Paxton returning to fantasy relevancy. Therefore, while the Dodgers would be a great landing spot for him, fantasy managers should be wary of trusting him in the early going.