In 156 games last year, Washington Nationals outfielder Lane Thomas slashed .268/.315/.468 with 26 home runs and 20 stolen bases. The 29-year-old was a glimpse of the future for a team in the middle of a rebuild. Going into 2024, he looks to have another stellar season. So far, he is off to a promising start. Through his first three games in the Grapefruit League, he has produced three hits, a walk, and a homer. This is a good sign for both Nationals fans and fantasy baseball managers. This season, fantasy experts consider Thomas a top-30 outfielder.

The Detroit Tigers have designated infielder Andre Lipcius for assignment in order to clear a 40-man roster spot for fellow infielder Buddy Kennedy, who the club claimed off waivers from the Cardinals on Thursday afternoon. The 25-year-old made his big-league debut in the 2023 season, appearing in 13 games and holding his own with a .286 average with one homer and a .742 OPS across a small 38 plate-appearance sample size. However, his work at Triple-A didn't impress much, as he hit .272 with 11 home runs and a .782 OPS in 97 games, underwhelming production for a 25-year-old in the hitter-friendly International League. However, he does have a solid track record in the minors, a factor that could land him with another club in short order.

The Detroit Tigers have claimed infielder Buddy Kennedy off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals designated the 25-year-old for assignment in order to clear a roster spot for the recently signed Brandon Crawford. Kennedy has appeared in each of the last two big-league seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, logging 123 plate appearances in that time. However, he has hit just .206 with one homer and a .592 OPS across 40 appearances. He fared much better at Triple-A, however, hitting .318 with five home runs, three stolen bases, and a .925 OPS across 90 games with Triple-A Reno within the D-backs organization last season. Infielder Andre Lipcius has been designated for assignment in a corresponding move.

Last season, Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott struggled to attack good pitches and lay off bad ones. Despite that, he posted respectable offensive numbers. He now wants to improve his plate aggression while swinging at more hittable pitches. If successful, he could get even more hits than the 164 he had in 2023. This would make him one of the most valuable contact hitters in 2024. On top of that, Stott is also a threat to steal over 30 bases.

Baltimore Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle was scratched from the Grapefruit League lineup on Thursday against the Pirates. There was no reason given for why Mountcastle will not play, but we'll update you if it was injury-related. Tyler Nevin ended up taking his place at first base and hit third in the lineup. Mountcastle went on the injured list last year in June due to vertigo and missed a month, but when he returned, he started crushing the ball and finished the regular season with a .270/.328/.452 slash line, 18 home runs, 68 RBI and 64 runs scored in 423 at-bats in his third full major-league season. Mountcastle resides in a great lineup and hitting environment, but there are injury concerns. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 26 fantasy first baseman.