

The Atlanta Braves have rewarded Reynaldo Lopez with the fifth spot in the rotation, beating out Bryce Elder among others. Lopez, 30, has been a reliever for the past couple of seasons, but the Braves had big hopes that he could return to his original position as a starting pitcher and so far, so good. In the Grapefruit League, Lopez allowed four runs with six walks and 13 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings. It has been a few seasons since he was a regular as a starting pitcher, but pitching for one of the best teams in the league, Lopez makes for an intriguing end of the draft flier.


Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has named starting pitcher Gavin Stone the teams No. 5 starter to enter the 2024 season. Stone, 25, has been a top pitching prospect for the Dodgers over the past few seasons and had a dominate Cactus League to secure the fifth spot in the Dodgers rotation. Over 9 2/3 innings, Stone struck out nine with one walk and one run allowed. Stone made his big-league debut this past season and struggled with a 9.00 ERA, 22 strikeouts and 13 walks in 31 innings over eight outings (four starts). Despite his rough debut in 2023, Stone worked hard this offseason to improve his pitch mix and even gained around 10-15 pounds. The sample size is small, but his spring results are eye popping. On one of the best teams in the league, Stone should be able to provide managers with plenty of victories to go along with strikeouts. With an ADP of 367, Stone should be around for managers in the deepest of leagues and is well worth the gamble with his big upside at a low cost.


Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's Grapefruit League matchup versus the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 29-year-old has now homered twice with a pair of RBI this spring, but has struggled with just three hits in 23 at-bats. Lowe has historically been a good source of power that will sink one's batting average, but has struggled with injuries over the last two seasons. His value isn't what it once was, but with an ADP of 330, his power is worth the gamble.


San Diego Padres infielder Ha-Seong Kim went 2-for-4 with a pair of two-run homers in Sunday's 5-4 win over the LG Twins in Korea. This was an extra special one for Kim, who was playing in the stadium he used to call home when he played in the KBO. Fantasy managers will hope that his homecoming continues to be a good one when they open the season against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Korea on March 20. Kim is being taken at an ADP of 85 in fantasy drafts and should provide plenty of speed at his cost while knocking out the occasional homer.


Baltimore Orioles outfielder Kyle Stowers went 3-for-3 with three homers, three runs scored and four RBI in Sunday's tie against the Detroit Tigers. Stowers homered in each of his plate appearances as he continues to make a case for himself to make the big league roster. Given the logjam in the Orioles outfield, it seems unlikely that he would grab a starting role. There is the possibility that he makes the team as a bench bat, but the Orioles may opt to give him some extra time in the minors where he will see more pitches.
