The San Francisco Giants are committed to using right-hander Jordan Hicks as a "conventional starter" in 2024, and he'll start the year stretched out to five innings and/or 75 pitches. Hicks is excited for the opportunity to be a starter that he hasn't yet received in the big leagues. The 27-year-old hard-throwing right-hander has never thrown more than 77 2/3 innings in the big leagues in a single season, and durability hasn't exactly been his strong suit, so it's a bit of a risk turning him into a starter. He'll also be on an innings limit in his first year in San Francisco, which will surely limit his fantasy ceiling. But Hicks throws as hard as anyone in the majors and had career-highs in strikeouts (81) and strikeout rate (28.4%) in 65 2/3 relief innings for the St. Louis Cardinals and Toronto Blue Jays in 2023. Pitching half his games in San Fran will also make him appealing when he's on the mound.

Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said that the team isn't trying to trade utility player Christopher Morel this offseason. And as far as where Morel will play in 2024, they view him as a game-changing hitter whom the Cubs want to keep in their lineup, whether he's playing one spot or moving around. Morel has appeared at each outfield spot, shortstop, second base and third base in his career, but he made 61 appearances in 107 games as the designated hitter in 2023 while hitting 26 home runs, which was tied with Cody Bellinger for the team lead. Morel didn't make his season debut until May 9 and was tied for 19th in MLB with a .508 slugging percentage. Not only can Morel hit and hit for power, but he could give fantasy managers some nice positional flexibility in 2024. Third base and first base, in addition to DH, might be the most realistic for Chicago.

The Milwaukee Brewers have considered a reunion with first baseman Carlos Santana but have also considered free-agent first baseman/outfielder Garrett Cooper, according to sources. The 33-year-old right-handed-hitting veteran was originally drafted by Milwaukee in the sixth round in 2013 and is coming off a season with the Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres in which he hit .251/.304/.419 with 17 home runs and 61 RBI. A rival scout predicted that Cooper could hit 20 to 25 home runs in a hitter-friendly ballpark like in Milwaukee. If Cooper joins the Brew Crew, he'd become an interesting late-round flier for some pop in deep mixed leagues. He was a first-time All-Star for the Fish in 2022, when he hit .261/.337/.415 with nine home runs and 50 RBI in 119 games.

New York Yankees outfield prospect Jasson Dominguez (elbow) is doing well and his estimated return timetable is "sometime in the summer," according to general manager Brian Cashman. "We're going to need him whenever he's ready." The 20-year-old Dominican made his major-league debut in 2023 and played in only eight games before needing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. He looked good in a small sample size, hitting four home runs, but he may not be guaranteed the starting center field job in the Bronx now that the team has added Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo this offseason. Dominguez is probably still worth stashing in most fantasy leagues this year, even if he doesn't play in the first half of the year and is eased in once he's ready. MLB.com the player they call the Martian listed as New York's No. 2 prospect, behind only outfielder Spencer Jones.

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said that first baseman Anthony Rizzo (concussion) is currently cleared from the concussion he suffered last year and that doctors aren't concerned about symptoms returning. Rizzo was probably fine to play in games at the end of the regular season, but the Yankees weren't going to put him in harm's way with their chance at the playoffs already over. The left-handed slugger was limited to 99 games because of his head injury last year, and he didn't play after August. The 34-year-old veteran played through the concussion before eventually being shut down, too, and he finished with a .244 average (91-for-373) with only 12 home runs and 41 RBI. If Rizzo's concussion issues are truly behind him, he could be a decent late-round value pick in a Yankees lineup that should be stronger in 2024.