Preseason Prep-March 1, 2026
Around the League
Willson Contreras-Red Sox-1B
Willson Contreras was traded to the Red Sox during the offseason. Contreras is expected to be the Red Sox’s full-time first baseman after making the transition from catcher to first base last year. Part of Contreras’ appeal last year was that he would have catcher eligibility but get full playing time at 1B. That is gone this year, so Contreras is going to be a value against other 1B. He hit .257 with 20 HR, 70 R, 80 RBI, and 5 SB in 563 PA last year. He finished as the #14 1B in auction dollars earned, right behind Tyler Soderstrom and in front of Bryce Harper and Ben Rice. Contreras has a profile that fits nicely in Boston because he hits the ball hard (13% Barrels and 49% Hardhit) and likes to pull the ball (39% Pull). Right-handed hitters benefit from playing in Fenway because it decreases strikeouts and increases extra-base hits. He is currently being drafted outside of the top 15 1B, which makes him a CI in most mixed leagues. Contreras has room to add more value in terms of counting stats with a better lineup, so he could easily sneak into the top 15 at 1B, giving him a nice floor with some upside.
Luke Keaschall-Twins-2B
Luke Keaschall got his first cup of coffee at the major league level last year. It was brief due to an injury, but he hit .302 with 4 HR, 25 R, 28 RBI, and 14 SB in 207 PA. He showed an excellent plate approach (9% BB and 14% K). Keaschall does a good job of not chasing out of the zone (22% O-swing), and as he matures, he is going to grow into more power as he learns when to be more aggressive in the zone. Currently, he is a double-digit HR guy (10 HR) with 25+ SB potential, which makes him a very intriguing option at a weak 2B position. He is currently expected to hit second, which is a good spot for him to maximize at-bats while giving him the best chance for counting stats (R+RBI). The price is not going to be cheap because he is already being drafted in the top 10 2B, so he will have to produce for you.
Luis Garcia Jr.-Nationals-2B
There are currently 15 2B going ahead of Garcia Jr. in drafts. This is despite coming off a season in which he hit .252 AVG with 16 HR, 67 R, 66 RBI, and 14 SB in 526 PA. In 2024, he hit .282 with 18 HR, 58 R, 70 RBI, and 22 SB. The core skills look good (16% K and 9% Barrels), but a little bit more digging tells us why he is going so late in drafts. Garcia Jr. is not a good defender to the point that the Nationals were trying him at 1B at the end of the season. They have also issued in a new regime that does not have ties to Garcia. There is also the issue that he struggles with left-handers (.237 AVG, .591 OPS, and 59 wRC+), and the Nationals will continue to platoon guys, which means there are real questions about Garcia Jr.’s playing time and ability to reach 500+ AB. With that being said, a 2B with 15 HR/15 SB potential after pick #225 could be a nice value if the playing time is there.
Ezequiel Tovar-Rockies-SS
Ezequiel Tovar was unable to build on his breakout 2024 season (.269 AVG with 26 HR, 83 R, 78 RBI, 6 SB) mainly because of injury in 2025 (.253 AVG with 9 HR, 44 R, 33 RBI, and 5 SB). The good news is that he showed improved skills in his 390 PA by cutting his strikeouts from 29% to 25% while still barreling the baseball (9% Barrels). Add in the Coors Field effect, and Tovar looks like a nice bounce-back candidate in 2026. A 20 HR/10 SB season with a .260 AVG is well within the range for Tovar, and considering he is just 24 years old, there is potential for even more growth as he gets more experience. He is just two years removed from being a top 35 hitter and top 10 SS while going after pick #175 in most mixed league drafts.
Alec Bohm-Phillies-3B
Alec Bohm has had to endure two straight off-seasons of trade talk. This also involves bringing up his lack of power at either 1B or 3B. Prior to last season, he had produced double-digit auction dollars earned for three straight seasons despite 20 HR being his career-high. Bohm is not a sexy name for fantasy, but he quietly provides value due to his spot in the order (cleanup), ability to hit for average (career .279 AVG), and non-zero speed. Don’t expect major growth in the power department, and take him for what he is, which is a CI in mixed leagues, and the deeper the league, the more valuable he becomes. Bohm is going to play every day unless injured, and his own manager has stated that he is likely going to hit cleanup this year behind Bryce Harper and in front of Brandon Marsh/Adolis Garcia.
Ramon Laureano-Padres-OF
Ramon Laureano had a strong season in 2025 (.281 AVG with 24 HR, 72 R, 76 RBI, and 7 SB) after quietly putting together a nice small sample 2024 (.259 AVG with 11 HR, 35 R, 33 RBI, and 8 SB in 309 PA). He made a swing change in 2025 that resulted in a lower strikeout rate (24% K) and more hard contact (14% Barrels). His potential for both power and speed makes Laureano an attractive option in drafts. The only concern for Laureano is that he has had trouble staying healthy throughout his career. He has never had more than 500 PA in a season. His 488 PA last year was a career-high. Heading into 2026, Laureano is going to get regular at-bats for the Padres and offers nice upside if he can stay healthy and get 500+ PA.
Eury Perez-Marlins-SP
Eury Perez had a successful return from Tommy John surgery last year. Between the minors and majors, he was able to throw 118 IP. Realistically, he could push towards 150 IP this year. In the past, this would have lowered his value, but the current landscape features fewer innings pitched from starters, and there is a higher likelihood that Perez is going to give you near elite stats in those 150 IP. Perez was able to miss bats (27% K and 13% SwStr) and limit walks (8% BB). Throw in his pitcher-friendly home park and the second year coming off surgery, and Perez should make good on the potential he showed as a rookie in 2023. He has the full package to be an elite starter because he has elite stuff and good control. Perez is going right around the 25th SP taken off boards, which is not cheap, but he has top 15 upside with a nice floor.
Ryan Weathers-Yankees-SP
Ryan Weathers has averaged 98.5 mph this spring, which is up from the 96.9 mph he averaged last year. This highlights his potential, but also why he hasn’t topped 100 IP in a season at the major league level. In fact, the most that he has pitched was 86.2 IP in 2024. Weathers has made the decision that he is going to pitch close to max, which allows his stuff to play up but also increases his injury risk. He has been good when on the mound over the past two seasons (3.81 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 22% K, and 7% BB). The Yankees also have a good reputation when it comes to getting the most out of their pitchers, so when they traded for Weathers, it was assumed that they saw something they liked. Left-handed starters are also preferable in Yankee Stadium with the short porch to rightfield. Drafting Weathers requires having a plan for back-filling some innings pitched because anything over 100 IP would be considered gold. There is a fair degree of confidence when he is on the mound that he is going to provide nice fantasy production.
Aaron Nola-Phillies-SP
Aaron Nola is coming off the worst season of his career. He had a 6.01 ERA and 1.35 WHIP in 94.1 IP last year. His underlying skills looked solid (24% K and 7% BB), but his velocity has fallen into dangerous territory for an over 30 right-handed pitcher (91.9 mph). Nola’s Stuff+ also dropped to the lowest of his career. A write-up talking about Nola also has to mention his every other year values. For the past eight seasons, he has alternated good seasons with down seasons. There is no statistical weight to this, but it is interesting and will be tested again this year. The core skills point towards a bounce back simply due to regression (.315 BABIP, 1.72 HR/9, and 62% LOB), but the declining stuff makes it harder to do so. Nola is only 32 years old and is coming into camp healthy, which is a good sign for a rebound season in 2026. It does take a leap of faith coming off a 6.01 ERA, but he has a proven track record of success and IP at the major league level.
Cade Cavalli-Nationals-SP
Cade Cavalli missed all of the 2023 season and most of the 2024 season due to injury. He was able to complete a full season in 2025 with 74 IP at the minor league level and 48.2 IP for the Nationals at the end of the year. Cavalli posted a 4.25 ERA and 1.48 WHIP in that small sample. The strikeout rate left a lot to be desired (18% K), but his swinging strike rate (12.4%) and Stuff+ (108) suggest that more strikeouts should be coming. The good news is that he showed good control (7% BB), which is going to be important moving forward. Cavalli has five pitches, including three different fastballs (four-seam, cutter, and sinker), slider, curve, and changeup. He also has plus velocity (97 mph) from the right side. The Nationals are going to want to see what they have in Cavalli as they navigate their rebuild, so he is going to get every chance to show them that he belongs. This makes Cavalli an interesting late-round dart throw.
Blake Snell-Dodgers-SP
The most recent reporting about Blake Snell is that he is not going to be ready for the start of the season. This is not a concern to the Dodgers, given their depth at the major league level and in the minors. The concern for fantasy owners is that this is the same injury that put him on the IL twice last year and limited him to only 11 GS. The more concerning part is that with an offseason to recover, it still hasn’t gone away. Snell is throwing on flatground right now but has not progressed to any mound work. On one hand, this is to be expected with Snell. He is going to be elite when on the mound (2.35 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 28% K, and 10% BB), but will miss time due to injury. On the other hand, pitchers with shoulder injuries are a scary proposition, especially in season, and Snell is coming into the year with a shoulder injury. He is in an awesome situation in LAD, but the risk is even higher this year.
Zach Wheeler-Phillies-SP
Zach Wheeler was shut down at the end of 2025 due to Thoracic Syndrome in his right shoulder. There are different forms and severities of thoracic syndrome. It is reported that the type that Wheeler had is less severe, which is a positive for one of the best pitchers in baseball. Wheeler was expected to have a 6-8 month recovery, putting Opening Day in jeopardy. The most recent report from Phillies manager Rob Thomson is that Wheeler has started a six-week buildup. He is unsure if he will make a Grapefruit League start and is on track for an early April return if everything goes well. The risk is high with any pitcher coming back from this injury, but if you are going to take a risk, Wheeler would be the guy. Before the injury, he was a top 5 pitcher in baseball with good velocity and multiple pitches. He is also a veteran starter who knows how to get hitters out, even with reduced stuff if that is the case. There is still a good chance he doesn’t return to elite status, but he should be a fantasy viable starter on a good team.
Cardinals Rotation
The Cardinals tore down their roster over the offseason. Their current projected rotation is Matthew Liberatore, Dustin May, Andre Pallante, Michael McGreevy, and Kyle Leahy. Matthew Liberatore and Dustin May are the two most intriguing fantasy options. Liberatore is coming off his first full season in the big leagues. He was 8-12 with a 4.21 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 13% K:BB. Liberatore struggled to miss bats (19% K and 9% SwStr) and did not have an elite ground ball profile (37% GB), which is why his SIERA was 4.40, nearly matching his production. This spring, Liberatore is trying to add a splitter to his repertoire, which would give him another pitch to use against RHB and, in theory, would help keep hitters off his changeup. There isn’t much upside in his profile given the lack of pure stuff, but Liberatore could be a streamer/back-end starter in deeper mixed leagues. The only positive for Dustin May in 2025 was that he made 23 starts and was able to throw 130+ IP. The results were poor (4.96 ERA and 1.42 WHIP). He struggled to miss bats (21% K and 8% SwStr) despite premium velocity and arm-side movement. May also struggled with control/command (10% BB), and that was backed up by a below-average Location+. The path for success for May would be to keep his current strikeout rate but improve control (7-8% BB) and combine that with an elite ground ball rate (55%+). Pitchers are able to keep lower ratios with limited strikeouts if they can keep the ball on the ground and limit the damage. There is added good news for May, which is that he was sitting 97-98 mph in his latest simulated game after dropping down to 95.4 mph last year. Andre Pallante had a 5.31 ERA and 1.44 WHIP across 162.2 IP. He doesn’t strike many guys out (15% K) and doesn’t have great control (9% BB). This is a recipe for disaster, and that’s why his SIERA was 4.44 last year. Michael McGreevy also struggled with missing bats (15% K and 8% SwStr), and his Stuff+ (90) doesn’t suggest that is going to change. Kyle Leahy spent almost all of 2025 in the bullpen but had encouraging results. He had a 3.07 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 22% K, 8% BB, and 3.73 SIERA. The transition to the rotation is not a straight translation, but he could be a streamer option if the skills hold in the rotation. Unfortunately, for Cardinals fans, this could be one of the worst starting rotations in all of baseball for 2026.