Cincinnati Reds closer Alexis Diaz made his spring debut on Thursday in a 5-4 Cactus League win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 2023 All-Star struck out the side on nine pitches, generating six swing-and-misses, and the final to go down swinging was none other than perennial MVP candidate Mookie Betts. It looks like Diaz is ready for the regular season to begin and put a rough second half of last season behind him. The righty posted a 4.61 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in the second half of 2023, versus a first half that saw a 2.03 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. Nevertheless, even though it could be a bumpy ride, the 27-year-old will be a top-15 RP option in 2024.

Cincinnati Reds multi-positional player Spencer Steer was 0-for-2 with a walk in a 10-4 Cactus League loss to the Colorado Rockies on Saturday. After snagging two hits in his first spring game, Steer is now hitless in five straight at-bats, making him 2-for-8 with a walk, two RBI, and a run scored so far this spring. Steer had a breakout 2023 with a .271-23-86-74-15 line and is expected to put up similar numbers in 2024, although his projections are somewhat lighter across the board. The 15 steals were a welcome surprise after not stealing many bases during his minor league career. Combined with his multi-positional eligibility and hitting in one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in all of baseball make him an attractive asset going into 2024 drafts.

Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Yandy Diaz went 0-for-3 on Saturday in a 3-2 Grapefruit League loss to the Boston Red Sox. Last year's AL batting champ is now 1-for-9 with three strikeouts through four spring games. The 2023 Silver Slugger Award winner has a strong offensive profile, with his chase rate, Hard-Hit%, and average EV checking in at 92nd percentile or better. He's also got strikeout and walk rates that are much better than the league averages. Diaz will once again hit for a high average in 2024, although he projects for light home run and RBI totals as far as first baseman go. Despite this, his NFBC ADP is 130 overall which makes him a value there, with RotoBaller ranking him 117 overall.

Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson went 1-for-3 in an 8-5 Cactus League loss on Saturday. That makes him 2-for-7 in the spring with a run scored. The 2x All-Star also has three walks, putting his OBP at .500 (5-for-10). He's been on base via hit or walk in each of his first four spring games. Swanson should once again be a solid overall contributor for fantasy as he's produced no less than 22 HR, 80 RBI, 78 R, and 9 SB each of the past three seasons. ATC projections call for more of the same in 2024 plus double-digit steals to boot, making him a value at his current NFBC ADP of 125. RotoBaller ranks the 30-year-old Gold Glover much higher, at 103 overall.

Texas Rangers first baseman Nathaniel Lowe (side) experienced tightness prior to Thursday's Spring Training game, according to manager Bruce Bochy. Lowe was replaced in the Rangers' lineup by Jared Walsh, but his absence was merely a precaution, the veteran skipper noted. Even if Lowe remains sidelined for a couple more games, he should return for the back half of Spring Training and the Rangers' regular season opener on March 28. Today's update has no impact on the 2024 fantasy baseball outlook for Lowe, who impressed last year with a .262/.360/.414 slash line, 17 homers, 12.8 BB%, 22.8 K%, and 114 wRC+.