We often do not care a lot about managing or teaching modifications. At greatest, they have a tendency to have fairly marginal impacts on how a group performs, and it is often fairly onerous to know what these impacts can be and how they may play out. However the Braves‘ addition of Antoan Richardson most likely ought to have confirmed up on extra Fantasy radars this offseason.
If you do not know the title, Richardson was the primary base coach for the Mets and the first level of credit score when it got here to Juan Soto’s sudden, surprising emergence as a base stealer. And the hope right here is he will assist the Braves be a extra aggressive, profitable group on the bases.
That may very well be huge information for Ronald Acuna, after all, although he was already such a prolific base stealer up to now that I might count on him to take a step ahead it doesn’t matter what. And Michael Harris and Ozzie Albies are enthusiastic sufficient about taking the additional base that getting a number of extra would not be asking an excessive amount of.
However Austin Riley? A base stealer? Nicely, now that might appear to be a Juan Soto-esque miracle if Richardson can coax it out of him. In spite of everything, he has simply seven in 821 profession video games. For all intents and functions, Riley is a complete non-zero for steals, placing all the strain for his Fantasy profile on his bat. However that might change in 2026, particularly if you happen to ask Harris’ opinion.
“He’ll get 20,” Harris advised MLB.com.
Riley is not as bullish, a minimum of publicly. However new supervisor Walt Weiss is on the file eager to be aggressive on the bases to grow to be much less reliant on the homer than the Braves have grown, and Riley is definitely higher located to benefit from that than you would possibly assume. As a result of, in contrast to Soto, Riley is definitely a fairly good athlete, rating within the 72nd percentile in dash pace; Soto was within the thirteenth percentile en path to his 38 steals.
That does not robotically imply Riley can be a greater base stealer than Soto. But it surely does recommend that it will grow to be part of his sport for the primary time. And for a man who struggled by way of a few disappointing seasons in a row with the bat, that might be a welcome sight – both to make Riley a possible five-category stud or to offer him slightly further margin for error in case the bat does not bounce again all the best way.
It is too early to say for positive. Riley does have one steal this spring in 11 video games, and which may not be nothing – he had by no means stolen a base throughout Spring Coaching in Spring Coaching seasons earlier than this one. And the way would he? It is by no means been a part of his sport; why waste vitality on it when the video games do not even matter?
Until it is about to grow to be part of his sport. I believe it would, and I am keen to slip him up within the rankings based mostly on that hope. It is simply hypothesis till the video games matter, however it’s an fascinating sufficient concept to tamp down on a few of my skepticism towards Riley. We’re not speaking a couple of multi-round leap up the rankings, after all. Not but, anyway. We’d get there by the top of the season.
In the remainder of right now’s e-newsletter, we’re looking at a bunch of different gamers I’ve moved up within the rankings this spring, a number of I’ve moved down, and some I have never fairly discovered what to do with but. And we’re operating out of time …
Rankings risers and fallers
Spring rankings risers
Yordan Alvarez, DH, Astros
He is taking part in within the discipline. He is wholesome, and he is taking part in within the discipline. Who is aware of how lengthy both will final, but when you have not upgraded Alvarez a minimum of slightly bit for these two details, you are falling behind. Positive, he could not keep wholesome – in actual fact, he could also be much less more likely to keep wholesome as a result of he is taking part in within the discipline – however when different gamers are literally damage proper now, I am much less inclined to carry the longer term perhaps’s towards Alvarez. We want to see him acquire eligibility, and if he does that, these third-round picks for Alvarez are going to look rather a lot higher.
(I assumed they seemed fairly good all alongside, so this one is extra about everybody else assembly me nearer to the place I already was.)
Matt McLain, 2B, Reds
I wish to watch out with this one. As I mentioned, we’re in search of tangible modifications past the floor degree numbers in spring, and I am not really positive we’re seeing that with McLain. He is been phenomenal – .543/.600/1.057 with 5 homers in 12 video games – however I am unsure “he tweaked his batting stance” and “he is utilizing a quarter-inch longer bat” are sufficient to again up an enormous change in McLain’s outlook.
However I am open to it! I assumed McLain was being a bit missed earlier in spring, when his ADP was exterior of the highest 200. The issue is, we may be overdoing it – in 55 drafts over the previous 5 days on the NFBC platform, McLain is as much as a hundred and fiftieth in ADP. Transferring a man up 50 or extra spots within the rankings ought to require greater than only a good 12 video games towards a bunch of borderline major-leaguers, so I am unsure I really wish to pay this value. However I can not deny he ought to be shifting up within the rankings, a minimum of.
Jac Caglianone, OF, Royals
With Caglianone, we’re additionally probably taking a look at a spring overreaction, although in his case, I do not actually care that he hit .400/.550/.733 in six video games earlier than becoming a member of Workforce Italy’s Cinderella run by way of the WBC – and I do not actually care that he’s 4 for 11 with a homer in 4 World Baseball Traditional video games. Okay, perhaps I care slightly bit about the truth that he has 9 walks to only six strikeouts in these 10 video games, although plate self-discipline wasn’t essentially my concern with Calgianone, both.
No, what I care about right here is the under-the-hood stuff. Caglianone struggled mightily as a rookie, however the case for him was all the time going to revolve round his mighty uncooked energy beginning to present up in video games. And, nicely, early in spring, he turned simply the eighth participant in Statcast historical past to hit a ball 120 miles per hour or tougher. With 12 batted balls in spring, he had a 98.8 mph common, which is fairly superior, too. It doesn’t suggest it will present up as soon as the video games depend, however it’s good to see it there from a man who was a comparable prospect to Nick Kurtz this time final yr.
Mick Abel, SP, Twins
Like with McLain, there is not an apparent change to level to with McLain this spring. He hasn’t featured an expanded arsenal or elevated fastball velocity this spring. Possibly we’re seeing a number of extra changeups and sliders than we did final season, however nothing drastic has actually modified right here. He is all the time had good things, and he is simply executing at an extremely excessive degree over an extremely small pattern measurement.
So skepticism about his stand up the rankings is cheap, too. However on this case, we’re speaking a couple of pitcher who went from an afterthought competing for a rotation spot to somebody whose job appears all however assured at this level. We’re simply assuming right here, however with 17 strikeouts to 1 stroll and two earned runs allowed in 13.1 innings, it looks like a protected assumption to make. Particularly since Abel’s ADP stays exterior of the highest 300 over the previous 5 days. I will be thrilled to get him with a reserve spherical decide, however I am additionally not opposed to only drafting Abel with certainly one of your closing two or three beginning spots if you happen to actually like what you see this spring.
Jordan Lawlar, 3B, Diamondbacks
It appears at this level, the Diamondbacks are ready for Lawlar to drive them to consider in him. The previous prime prospect has been round for some time, however between accidents and an actual incapacity to hit breaking balls, it looks like the Diamondbacks are simply ready for him to offer them a motive to offer him an opportunity. Honest or not, they have him out right here this spring studying a close to place on the fly whereas preventing for a roster spot … and he would possibly simply be doing sufficient to win it.
Lawlar is garnering optimistic evaluations for his work in middle discipline, a place he hasn’t performed since he was a child, and he is additionally greater than holding his personal as a hitter, with a .278/.381/.639 line by way of 42 plate appearances. That features a manageable 26% strikeout price with six walks and 4 homers, which must be sufficient to get him on the Opening Day roster. What he does then is as much as him, however I nonetheless assume it is value betting on the 23-year-old with a near-1.000 OPS at Triple-A and 18 homers and 24 steals in 91 video games. In the event you’re in search of some low cost upside and positional flexibility, Lawlar ought to have third base and outfield after a couple of week.
I am not a lot of a believer in Meyer at this level, however smarter individuals than me nonetheless have some motive to be excited. I do not belief his fastball combo, however his slider and sweeper are probably elite pitches, and his changeup flashes sometimes, too. Meyer has had a whole lot of hassle staying wholesome over time, however we have seen flashes on the MLB degree too – bear in mind when he had a 3.18 ERA with 47 strikeouts to 11 walks in his first 34 innings final season? Meyer was mainly off my radar coming into this spring, however he is seemed fascinating sufficient to climb again onto the mixed-league bench vary of drafts. That is not nothing.
Edgar Quero, C, White Sox
This is not actually due to something Quero has finished, although he is having a high-quality spring himself, hitting .351/.385/.486 thus far. No, he is shifting up as a result of Kyle Teel is more likely to miss the primary month of the season after struggling a hamstring damage taking part in for Italy within the World Baseball Traditional. Quero was already in line for loads of taking part in time between catcher and the DH spot, however now he is actually going to get some early run. He did not do a ton together with his first style of the minors in 2025, largely as a result of he barely hit for energy – if he can get again to being even the 15-homer man he was within the minors in 2024, he may very well be a viable No. 2 catcher. In leagues with an IL spot, I like focusing on Teel and Quero with two of my final picks and hoping I get one nice catcher season out of them.
Didier Fuentes/ JR Ritchie, SP, Braves
Even when Spencer Schwellenbach, Hurston Waldrep, and Joey Wentz all did not have surgical procedure this spring, Ritchie and Fuentes can be pitching their methods onto our radars. Fuentes acquired rushed up for his MLB debut and seemed overwhelmed in 4 begins, however he is been excellent in a few temporary outings this spring, displaying top-shelf stuff en path to 9 strikeouts in 5 innings of labor, and Ritchie hasn’t been so unhealthy himself, putting out 14 to 5 walks in 12 innings of labor. Even with the accidents, the Braves most likely will not have room for both of them to begin the season, however it’s a rotation actually filled with query marks, both of the efficiency selection (Bryce Elder) or the well being selection (everybody else). Ritchie and Fuentes are going to get their possibilities, and it will most likely be sooner relatively than later. You most likely need not draft both of them exterior of some deep NL-only codecs, however it’s best to know each of those Braves’ pitching prospects’ names.
It has been a bizarre spring for Mayo, however the arrow is unquestionably pointing up. Principally as a result of Jordan Westburg is more likely to miss a minimum of the primary month of the season with {a partially} torn UCL. But it surely’s additionally as a result of Mayo is having a fairly good spring in his personal proper, hitting .500 with only one strikeout in 28 journeys to the plate, a promising signal for a man who has struggled to make sufficient contact within the majors. He is not hitting for a ton of energy, however his common exit velocity is as much as 90.3 mph, a 3-mph enchancment over final season. None of which means he will survive, not to mention thrive, towards major-league pitching for the primary time. However given his pedigree and the chance specified by entrance of him, it is the very best likelihood he is ever needed to matter for Fantasy. Be certain he is in your late-round radar.
Spring rankings fallers
Chase Burns, SP, Reds
I do not know if it is a motivational tactic or what, however the Reds have made a degree of emphasizing that Burns nonetheless has to compete for his rotation spot. It has by no means appeared all that doubtless he would not be within the rotation, and that appears even much less doubtless with Hunter Greene having elbow surgical procedure, however it does appear notable that Burns’ personal group is holding him at arm’s size a bit greater than the Fantasy group. I additionally do not assume his brief outing in his most up-to-date begin (he threw simply two innings as deliberate) is something too severe to fret about, however it’s sufficient to make me a bit cautious of going all in on Burns as a No. 2 SP for Fantasy. The ceiling is sky excessive, however between the restricted monitor file of success and the flexor pressure that landed him on the IL final season, it simply appears like there are extra methods issues can go incorrect for Burns than some would possibly assume. And “some” included me only a few weeks in the past. I am positively not out on him, however he is slid slightly.
Blake Snell, SP, Dodgers
After all, Snell is sliding. He doubtless will not pitch within the majors till late April or Might after being held again in Spring Coaching after feeling some discomfort in his shoulder early on. However we may be going too far. In my Tout Wars draft, I acquired Snell for $1 – in a H2H factors league with limitless IL spots! I’ve by no means been as excessive on Snell as many Fantasy analysts, however they’re actually giving him away at this level, and in any league with IL spots, you need to be comfortable to take the flier on him if and when he slips to the 200 vary in your draft.
On that be aware: In leagues with IL spots to play with, I fairly like drafting guys who will open the yr on the IL, particularly if they don’t seem to be at the moment damage, as is the case with Snell. Worst case situation, I spent $1 that will not assist me this season. However I will get a free take a look at the primary waiver-wire run of the season, and I would simply have an excellent impactful SP2 for the ultimate 4 months or so of the season.
Zack Wheeler, SP, Phillies
Nothing has modified with Wheeler, however that is form of the purpose. Getting back from an damage (Thoracic Outlet surgical procedure) that does not have an extended monitor file of success, I a minimum of wished to see Wheeler get on a mound this spring earlier than I used to be keen to speculate a lot of something in him. I get the attract: This was a man who was talked about in the identical breath as Tarik Skubal, Paul Skenes, and Garrett Crochet when wholesome final season, and if there’s any path to that form of upside once more, it is onerous to argue with a decide exterior of the highest 100.
However with out seeing him on a mound, it is mainly unimaginable to know if that upside really exists. He has confronted batters as soon as in a stay batting observe session, however clearly, we do not have Statcast knowledge for that to see what his stuff appears to be like like. Am I passing up on vital upside by not taking Wheeler at his 120-ish ADP? Presumably! However he would possibly by no means be the identical man once more. In reality, that looks like the extra doubtless end result, a minimum of till we’ve got proof on the contrary.
Sean Manaea, SP, Mets
Manaea has by no means price a lot in drafts, however I used to be a minimum of fascinated about him as a attainable late-round sleeper coming into the spring. However Manaea has been tinkering together with his arm slot and has seen his velocity collapse in latest begins, topping out at 90.4 mph in his most up-to-date outing Thursday – he averaged 92.2 throughout his profitable 2024 marketing campaign. The Mets and Manaea insist he’s wholesome, however this was a man who wanted to offer us some motive to be optimistic after he flopped final season (whereas pitching by way of free our bodies in his elbow that had been by no means cleaned up), and he definitely hasn’t finished that but. There are extra fascinating pitchers on the market today.
Carlos Estevez, RP, Royals
At the very least throughout Spring Coaching, it is affordable to take velocity readings with a grain of salt, particularly from a veteran like Estevez with nothing to show. However Estevez has pitched in some video games that matter, and guess what: His velocity continues to be utterly absent. Pitching for the Dominican Republic within the World Baseball Traditional, Estevez averaged simply 90.7 mph on his four-seamer, proper consistent with the place he was with the Royals this spring however down 5.2 mph from the place he was in 2025. Estevez is not going to lose his job as a result of his velocity is down this spring, however he had a fairly mediocre 3.69 xERA final season to go together with his 2.45 ERA, so the margin for error right here was already fairly low. If he is throwing within the low-90s on prime of that? Nicely, let’s simply say, it’s essential know the names Lucas Erceg and Matt Strahm already.
Spring rankings … somewhere-in-between-ers
Konnor Griffin, SS, Pirates
You do not know if Griffin goes to make the Pirates. Neither do I, after all, however I’ve made a degree of expressing how unsure I believe this example is all alongside. He hasn’t been so unhealthy this spring that you just assume he positively will not make the group, however he additionally hasn’t been so good that he is forcing the Pirates’ hand but – his .200/.273/.533 line comes with a paltry .158 BABIP, but additionally eight strikeouts to zero walks. The ability has been there, and the truth that Griffin has tapped into it with out an exorbitant strikeout price would appear to be a fairly good signal if you happen to’re in search of a motive to be optimistic.
However the fact is, none of us is aware of what the Pirates are in search of from Griffin proper now. He is barely performed above A-ball, however he is additionally the form of precocious younger expertise who would possibly simply be major-league prepared as a 19-year-old. If it had been my resolution, we might be throwing warning to the wind and naming him the Opening Day shortstop already. However I do not know what the Pirates are in search of precisely, so I do not understand how doubtless that really is.
He stays in a holding sample for Fantasy, consequently, although I nonetheless assume he is most likely value drafting round 150 if he falls there. It most likely will not be greater than a month or so earlier than we see him both method. Coming off a 20-homer, 65-steal season, he must be nicely definitely worth the wait.
Shane McClanahan, SP, Rays
I made the next joke Sunday afternoon: “We switched Shane McClanahan out for Matthew Boyd. Let’s examine if anybody notices.”
That is unfair in each instructions. For McClanahan, it is unfair as a result of he is nonetheless averaging 95-ish mph together with his four-seamer, almost 2 mph north of the place Boyd was final season. That is nonetheless a further 2 mph south of the place McClanahan was in 2023, however it’s nonetheless fairly spectacular for a left-handed starter.
But it surely’s additionally unfair to Boyd, who’s a legitimately good MLB pitcher. It should not be an insult to match McClanahan to him – Boyd was an All-Star final season and completed with a 3.21 ERA! If McClanahan actually is simply Matthew Boyd proper now, we might take that!
You are hoping for higher than that, after all. And that is not unreasonable. McClanahan’s greater velocity does most likely give him a better ceiling than Boyd’s, and the secondary pitches nonetheless look wonderful – particularly the changeup, which generated a bunch of actually ugly whiffs in Sunday’s begin. However the fastball does not have the identical form of late chunk it used to, and coming in 2 mph decrease than it did is barely going to make it much more hittable. It is most likely not a foul fastball, however the very best model of McClanahan dominated with top-of-the-line fastballs in baseball, and he most likely does not have that anymore. He might nonetheless be good, however he most likely cannot be dominant anymore.
Others are shifting him up of their rankings this spring, however I am maintaining McClanahan exterior of the highest 200. Hey, that is not removed from the place Boyd is, too!
Ivan Herrera, DH, Cardinals
By this level, I had hoped we’d be nicely on our method to Herrera rising as an everyday catching possibility for the Cardinals. However after a delayed begin to spring, Herrera has been coping with knee soreness, which has put a halt to his behind-the-plate plans. He ought to nonetheless be prepared for Opening Day, however it would possibly simply be as a DH. Herrera is nice sufficient to thrive as an on a regular basis DH, and he would most likely nonetheless matter for Fantasy even when he wasn’t eligible at every other place. But it surely’s additionally unquestionably true that he can be much more fascinating if he weren’t DH/Util-only. In the intervening time, nevertheless, it appears to be like like he can be, which has put a pause on his stand up the draft boards.
