MLB's 2024 MLB Pipeline Poll, which asks front-office executives from all 30 organizations for their opinions on prospects, named Seattle Mariners middle infielder Colt Emerson as the most underrated prospect. The 2023 first-round pick slashed .302/.436/.444 in 79 plate appearances with Single-A Modesto as a 17-year-old. While he is not in MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects at this time, he does slot in as the team's fourth-ranked prospect and is known for his advanced bat-to-ball skills. While he may not have an impact on the Mariners for a few seasons, he appears to be a name for dynasty managers to keep on their radar.

The Tampa Bay Rays signed free-agent catcher Rob Brantly to a minor-league deal on Monday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training. Rene Pinto is currently the only catcher on Tampa's 40-man roster, so Brantly should have a chance to earn the backup catching gig in spring training. The 34-year-old veteran left-handed hitter was with the Toronto Blue Jays this past season but never appeared in the big leagues. Instead, he hit .271/.390/.361 with a home run and 16 RBI in 46 games at Triple-A Buffalo before he was cut in July. Brantly has eight years of major-league service with five different teams and has a career .225/.287/.326 slash line with only seven home runs and 37 RBI in 134 games played over 456 plate appearances.

The Miami Marlins re-signed outfielder Jonathan Davis to a minor-league deal on Monday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training. Davis will return to South Beach to provide outfield depth for the Fish. The 31-year-old right-handed hitter appeared in only 34 games for Miami in 2023 and hit .244 (22-for-90) with two home runs and 10 RBI before needing season-ending surgery for a torn meniscus in his knee. In six seasons in the big leagues with four different teams, Davis has a career .198/.295/.276 slash line with only six home runs, 30 RBI and 19 stolen bases in 205 games over 454 trips to the plate. There's a good chance that Davis will open the 2024 season at Triple-A Jacksonville. He won't be anywhere near the fantasy radar.

As of right now, the likely favorite to start at third base on Opening Day for the Detroit Tigers is Matt Vierling, whom the team acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies last offseason. With a weak free-agent market for hitters, the Tigers seem content to let their internal options battle it out while also keeping the runway clear for young hitters like Colt Keith and possibly Jace Jung to make their big-league debuts in 2024. Last year, Detroit's third basemen ranked 28th with a .624 OPS and 27th at minus-0.3 bWAR. Vierling played 35 games at the hot corner in 2023 but had a pedestrian .261 average and 96 OPS+. The Tigers will be hoping he can start elevating and pulling the ball more to dig into more of his power. If the 27-year-old struggles, Detroit has plenty of other options in Andy Ibanez, Zach McKinstry, Nick Maton and Ryan Kreidler. Ibanez is more comfortable at second, but he's deserving of more playing time after posting an .891 OPS after June 2.

Kansas City Royals catcher/outfielder MJ Melendez is expected to primarily play the outfield in 2024 after he mostly served as a catcher in his second MLB season in 2023. The 25-year-old produced impressive numbers at the position in 148 games over 602 plate appearances, slashing .235/.316/.398 with 16 home runs, 56 RBI, 29 doubles, three triples, six stolen bases and 65 runs scored after hitting 18 home runs in just 129 games in his rookie season in 2022. Melendez's numbers slipped a bit in his sophomore campaign with KC, but he still hit the ball hard and had an exit velocity in the 96th percentile, and he could become even more productive at the plate this year if he's not catching at all. The main problem for his fantasy value moving forward is that he's going to lose catcher eligibility.