Rafael Devers 3B/1B/DH? BOS
Devers (shoulders) doesn't feel up to speed yet while taking live batting practice, so he has asked Red Sox manager Alex Cora to delay his spring debut a bit. Multiple red flags are there with the potentially disgruntled soon-to-be-former 3B. Monitor his health and happiness and if anything comes back to normal draft with confidence. If the shoulder is real, then wait and stash late. Again, if he's healthy this is a HOF stud, with 53% Hard Hit Rate, .509 xSLG and 93 MPH average Exit velocity. We will wait and see if health, both physical and mental are stable for Devers. Trashcan Bregman stealing the hot corner could burn Boston.
Vaughn Grissom 2B BOS
Where were you in '22? Grissom looked so promising and now he leads the Red Sox with six starts at second base this spring, Joe Weil of WEEI reports. If Masataka Yoshida (shoulder) is on the injured list, Grissom could be the Opening Day starter at second base. This news might be meaningless to us in the fantasy community as Grissom has yet to reveal what's what on the MLB level. He did flash 42% Sweet Spot contact in 2024, so maybe a Xander off-season stat line is possible in limited time. He may start the season as a 2B starter, but don't count on that lasting. Late flier in AL-only or hopeful lottery in mixed leagues.
Heliot Ramos OF SFG
Ramos (oblique) is starting in left field and batting second Tuesday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Ramos has an oblique injury but is trending toward playing time now. Obliques are an oblique injury, difficult to comprehend or predict. Monitor closely as you consider snagging the 2024 breakout Ramos. The pride of Leadership Christian High stroked the ball with a 15% Barrel rate last season and showed 75 MPH average Bat speed, which points to repeatable numbers, if health is recovered. Don't expect more than 20 HR, but his BA won't kill you. Don't reach, but don't be disappointed to snag him in 5 OF leagues and NL Only.
Max Fried SP NYY
Fried threw 2.1 innings in a Grapefruit League game against Pittsburgh on Monday, allowing two runs on two hits and one walk while striking out two batters.He threw 31 of his 49 pitches for strikes, with 29 of his offerings being four-seam fastballs and sinkers. Fried is a lock-n-load SP1 even though he's SP2 on the Yanks. Despite possessing no overwhelming stuff, Max minimizes damaging contact with 86 MPH Exit Velo and 59% Ground Ball rate. Yanks defense won't save him too many runs, don't be surprised if his ERA climbs north of 3.50 as he travels across the Mason-Dixon line.
Alan Ashby SP/RP MIL
Ashby was pulled from Monday's contest due to a left oblique strain, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. Ashby made it through one inning Monday before being pulled with the injury. Ashby showed dynamic, dominating stuff in late 2024, averaging 95 MPH on his fastball and damaging the dirt with 61% Ground Ball rate. Sadly, he cannot stay healthy and therefore will not make your roster unless you can draft straight to the IL slot. I will be stashing him after the draft, as he could be the next Hader, Hudson, Brewer LHP stud.
Taylor Ward OF LAA
Ward is "unconcerned about the knee soreness that kept him out of Monday's Cactus League game against the Rockies and said Tuesday that he expects to be back in game action soon", Jack Janes of TheSportingTribune.com reports. Ward missed again Tuesday. Monitor health but if the knee is A-OK, Ward has elite bat skills, 42% Sweet Spotting it in 2024, not to mention 21% Chase and a healthy 13% Barrel rate. If healthy, draft before your buddies do as his name is somehow not as sexy as say, Anthony Santander, but he might finish with as many HR.
Pete Crow-Armstrong OF CHC
Crow-Armstrong (hamstring) will return Tuesday, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports. PCA was scratched from the lineup for Monday's game against the Diamondbacks due to right hamstring tightness, but the young outfielder claimed his absence was precautionary, and he could have played. The speedster is set to be starting CF and hopes his recent hairstyle boosts his 7.4% Hard Hit rate and slow his 41% Chase Rate. Tough combo to make work offensively, for a guy who cannot hit the ball hard and can also not hit the ball. Draft for defense, avoid otherwise in all formats unless you absolutely are on your knees for speed. 30 SB? Maybe, but worth finding it elsewhere.
Quinn Priester SP BOS
Priester could squeeze into the Boston's rotation if Brayan Bello (shoulder) hits the IL, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. It would likely be either Priester or Richard Fitts filling in for Bello. Priester has an intriguing 4% Barrel Rate allowed in 50 IP in 2024, not to mention a 57% Ground Ball rate. He could provide SP depth in the latest of rounds, should he make the Beantown Rotation, and if he does, Priester would be quite the prize in AL Only formats for solid ratios and potential sneaky wins.
Adolis Garcia OF TEX
Garcia was scratched Tuesday due to a left oblique injury and will undergo an MRI, Jeff Wilson reports. Garcia will now be sent for testing. If Garcia does require IL time, it would likely open up more playing time for Leody Taveras. Despite his 48% Hard Hit Rate, 12% Barrel Rate and 91 MPH average exit velo, this injury puts a big discount on his draft position. He will likely be avoided in the mid-rounds, setting up an opportunity for a late stash for diminishing power and speed...boy that sounds sarcastic, but honestly, Adolis is on the downside at age 32. Shop OF elsewhere.
Triston Casas 1B/DH BOS
Casas has been scratched from Tuesday's lineup due to illness, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports, but he should be ready to play in a day or two. Devers could be moving to 1B and is dealing with a shoulder issue, Trashcan Bregman could be taking over at 3B, so Casas may find DH his part-time home. His Barrel rate of 13% in limited time in 2024 was good, as was his low chase rate of 23% and solid BB Rate of 13%. Health returning, he could be a sneaky mid round 1B to snag after Vlad, Alonso and Co are gone.
Jordan Walker OF STL
Walker was removed from Tuesday's game with a pain in his left knee, says Katie Woo of The Athletic. Walker's knee was injured as he tried to play defense, a role not suited to his style of play (see Ozuna, Marcell): he was seen "grimacing and grabbing at his leg after the play". He will be re-evaluated once the Cardinals return to their spring training complex. Walker's high bat speed of 77 MPH and rocket-blasting 91 MPH average exit velocity make him a great late flyer in 5 OF leagues, and a potential steal late in NL Only. Monitor health and never, ever, under any circumstances, watch him play defense.
Caleb Durbin 3B MIL
Durbin came to MIL in the Devin Williams deal along with Nestor Cortez. He's a high contact, high speed, low height ball player that Cashman clearly found expendable for a 1-year reliever rental. He went 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs and a stolen base in Monday's game, with his second HR in four days. He stole 30 in minors last year with a .388 OBP. It's possible he could play his way into the weak side of 3B platoon, starting vs LHP, or he could become Murphy's darling and snag the starting spot completely, leading off vs LHP and hitting bottom o' order vs RHP.
Andre Pallante SP STL
Rock bottom (in a good way) at 3.3% Barrel Rate allowed along with elite 62% Ground Ball rate, Pallante poses an intriguing SP profile for 2025. The conundrum is that he's better in real life than in fantasy. You may cash in on nice IP, decent ERA and a WHIP that won't kill you but don't expect counting stats (beyond IP). Pallante's four-seamer down 1.7 mph from last year and the velocity on his sinker down 2.4 mph. Heat is not his forte, but keep an eye on that if you're panning for late round gold with Pallante. Good NL only SP to target late.
Manny Machado 3B SD
Machado (back) will make his return to the lineup for the first time since last Tuesday, after a bout with back tightness prompted the Padres to hold him out. The fact that the Padres have Machado at 3B points to recovery in right direction. Machado is still a 3B stud, sporting 93 MPH average Exit Velo, 75 MPH Bat Speed and 49% Hard Hit rate. Monitor the back, and if all is clear, draft with confidence for 2024 type numbers. If the back is wonky, back off.
Zach McKinstry SS DET
McKinstry is a candidate to serve in a platoon along with Javier Baez at shortstop to begin the regular season, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports. He did have sneaky 38% Sweet Spot swatting in 2024 along with 31% Squared up rate. He has some SB potential but stinks at getting on base. Lefty McKinstry would be on the strong side of the platoon, with Baez vs LHP and Trey Sweeney beginning the year at Triple-A. This is of AL-Only desperation interest and I say please, don't let friends don't let friends draft Javier Baez.
