Preseason Prep – Feb. 20, 2026
Christian Encarnacion-Strand, 1B (CIN)
Encarnacion-Strand is recovering from a hamstring injury suffered in January. The former top prospect has struggled mightily over the past two years, dealing with injuries and underperformance. After exhibiting extraordinary power during his minor league career, CES has posted exit velocities below 88 miles-per-hour each of the past two major league seasons. He continues to strike out a lot and walk very little. His overaggressive approach (56.3% swing rate was a career high in 2025) and inability to generate loud contact has caused his stock to fall precipitously. Meanwhile, the Reds have continued to build depth on offense, particularly in the infield where Encarnacion-Strand would have to rely on injuries or leapfrog multiple players, including Sal Stewart, Noelvi Marte, Matt McLain, Ke’Bryan Hayes, Spencer Steer and Dane Myers, in order to acquire regular at-bats. This feels a lot like a change of scenery would be best for everyone. Until then, fantasy owners can ignore struggling slugger.
Rays closer situation
Edwin Uceta is getting testing on his shoulder, which is a bit of a concern after the high-leverage reliever experienced discomfort upon arriving to camp. After reportedly resting his shoulder, he tried to play catch but the discomfort remained. Not good when just playing catch causes issues. Uceta was in line to potentially compete for the Tampa Bay closer job after the departure of Pete Fairbanks in free agency. Griffin Jax and Garrett Cleavinger are also in the mix. Even with a healthy Uceta, Jax has the most upside in the pen. He generated swinging-strike rates above 18% in each of the past two seasons, and while his 2025 ERA was 4.23, his xFIP was 2.13. He has big strikeout potential and a very manageable walk rate and avoids home runs. Those are prime skills for a closer. It’s time Jax gets his chance, and Uceta’s injury opens the door wider for the former Twins starter.
Braves Rotation
Reynaldo Lopez appears to be on track for a full return to the Braves rotation for the start of the regular season. The 32-year-old hurler is looking to return from shoulder surgery that pretty much cost him the entire 2025 season. According to Braves beat writer Mark Bowman, Lopez touched 94 miles-per-hour on his fastball on Thursday. That’s not quite at the 95-mph he historically posted, but it’s not far off, especially considering the regular season is more than a month away. Even though he reduced his use of the heater when joining Atlanta in 2024, it’s still the pitch he relies on the majority of the time. If he can get it back into the mid-to-high 90’s, there’s reason to believe he can emulate the form he showed when he dominated as a starter in 2024. And Atlanta sees him as a starter. With injuries to Spencer Schwellenbach, AJ Smith-Shawver and Hurston Waldrep, Lopez is pretty much a lock for the starting rotation. Grant Holmes is fairly secure there, too. The fifth spot is likely a battle between Bryce Elder and Joey Wentz. Lopez probably won’t surpass 150 innings this season, but he could be a nice depth piece in 12-team leagues.
Janson Junk, SP (MIA)
Junk was diagnosed with a Grade 1 ankle sprain. That’s significantly better news than earlier in the week when he was seen in a boot and sent back to Miami for imaging. The low-grade sprain should only keep him out a short time, and there’s a good chance Junk will be pitching in spring training games within a couple weeks. The bad news for Junk is that he needs an injury to someone else to earn a spot in the rotation. Miami’s signing of Chris Paddack in free agency knocked Junk out of the Starting 5 and likely into a relief role. At the same time, the Marlins starters haven’t been the model of health and a couple of them could get traded during the first half of the season. So Junk will almost certainly get an opportunity. On the other hand, he offers very little upside. While 2025’s 4.17 ERA is fine, he benefited from a 6% HR/FB rate despite giving up a 91.6-mph average exit velocity. A streamer under the worst conditions, waiver wire fodder in most circumstances.
Kevin McGonigle, SS (DET)
Tigers top prospect Kevin McGonigle is fighting to make the team’s Opening Day roster. Detroit is all in to contend this year, and it’s hard to imagine anyone in the organization sees Trey Sweeney as a better option at shortstop. Zach McKinstry and Javier Baez are also in line to get playing time at shortstop, but McGonigle may be major league ready sooner than originally thought event though he’s only 21 years old and hasn’t played higher than AA. While he only got 169 at bats at AA last year, he demonstrated the same strong plate discipline that has elevated him up most prospect rankings. He has a minor league walk rate around 15% and a strikeout rate under 10%. Although his power is still coming along, he did manage to hit 12 home runs in that short AA stint. Detroit has been one of the more aggressive organizations in promoting young talent, and McGonigle offers a high floor for an inexperienced player.
Rays Rotation
With uncertainty surrounding the health of Shane McClanahan, the Rays named Drew Rasmussen the team’s Opening Day starter. In reality, however, Rasmussen earned the starting nod with a fantastic 2025 season. The 30-year-old’s career has been marked by injuries, stints in the bullpen and an inconsistent strikeout rate. Throughout all of that, he has been extremely consistent in results. Here are his ERA’s over the last five years: 2.84, 2.84, 2.62, 2.83, 2.76. Since 2022, his walk rates haven’t dropped lower than 5.2% or rose above 6.3%. Where we have seen variability is in his strikeout rate, which peaked primarily as a reliever in 2024 at 30.2% in only 28.2 innings but dropped to 21.7% solely as a starter in 2025 in 150 innings. The strikeouts will be somewhat muted as long as Rasmussen is a starter, but his excellent ratios and potential for a good chunk of wins make him a solid rotation piece in 2026.
Jordan Westburg, 3B (BAL)
Westburg is becoming riskier with each news nugget that drops. On Thursday Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said the 27-year-old infielder is not able to participate in spring training right now. This comes after the team revealed last week that Westburg was dealing with an oblique injury Albernaz did not say that Westburg’s current limitations are related to the oblique, but that would be the most likely explanation. Injuries are nothing new for that talented slugger. He hasn’t appeared in more than 107 games in any of his first three seasons. However, when healthy he has shown flashes of above-average power and an ability to hit for a decent batting average. If Westburg misses time, it will likely be Blaze Alexander, Coby Mayo and Ryan Mountcastle who see a boost to their playing time. Remember, Jackson Holliday is also banged up. For those owners who have already drafted Westburg, it might not be a bad idea to seek an alternative 3rd baseman. Mayo is an upside option, if the dominoes fall that way.
Shota Imanaga, SP (CHC)
Cubs manager Craig Counsell provided an encouraging report on left-handed starter Shota Imanaga. According to Counsell, Imanaga is throwing harder this spring. He didn’t provide a specific radar reading, but Counsell said Imanaga’s velo was down last year perhaps due to a lingering hamstring injury. His velocity really lagged in July when he gave up nine home runs in 33.1 innings and struggled to a 4.53 xFIP. Yet, overall his numbers weren’t so bad. He finished 9-8 with a 3.73 ERA. His strikeouts were down, but his walks remained low as well en route to posting a sterling 0.99 WHIP. Not bad for a guy who essentially fell out of favor in Chicago and is only back because he picked up his one-year qualifying offer in the offseason. The Fantistics Draft Software projects Imanaga for 173 innings, with a 3.98 ERA and 1.10 WHIP.
Lane Thomas, OF (KC)
After mostly a lost season in 2025, Thomas is claiming full health and a new start with a new franchise. The dynamic outfielder underwent foot surgery in September, but he is fully recovered and ready to revive his career in Kansas City. It was only three years ago Thomas hit 28 home runs with 20 stolen bases, but last year he was limited to 39 games, hitting .160 with four homers and four steals. His plate discipline was bad and his quality of contact was worse. However, he has shown better numbers throughout his career so it’s reasonable to see last season as simply a lost season. He could be limited to the short-side of a platoon in the early going, but Thomas doesn’t have massive obstacles in front of him to earn more playing time, if he can regain his previous form.
Kodai Senga, SP (NYM)
Senga is flashing high-velocity numbers in the early part of spring camp. According to Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, Senga hit 97 miles-per-hour on the radar on Thursday. That would top his velocity of any season. Last year, while struggling to stay healthy, Senga averaged less than 95-mph. That explains the 6.5% drop in strikeout rate from 2023 to 2025. Strikeouts aren’t the most significant factor to Senga’s success. His walk rate is more important. Prior to July 11 Senga had a 10.6% walk rate. He was 7-3 with a 1.47 ERA. After that time frame, his walk rate rose to 12.7%. Correspondingly, he was 0-3 with a 5.90 ERA during that span. He’s walking a tightwire with that control. More velocity implies good health. That’s positive. More velocity will likely lead to more strikeouts, but if he can’t limit the walks, at least somewhat, his results will be unspectacular.
Randy Vasquez, SP (SD) [Padres rotation]
Vasquez is one of the players that is difficult to explain. He outperformed his 5.51 xFIP by more than 1.5 runs, with an ERA of 3.84. His strikeout rate was an unbearable 13.7% and his walk rate was a poor 9.1%. He gives up hard contact and a lot of fly balls, and yet he delivered a good ERA and somehow managed to remain in the Padres rotation most of the year. Now we head into 2026 and Vasquez has the inside track to remaining a starter for San Diego. The is grasping at straws for the backend of its rotation, bringing on veterans Walker Buehler, Marco Gonzales and Triston McKenzie via minor league deals. The team also has JP Sears, Kyle Hart and Matt Waldron on the roster, all of whom have starting experience. German Marquez is also slated to start and Griffin Canning could enter the rotation upon return from injury. This all leads to a very precarious starting role for Vasquez, but that was the case last year and he beat all odds to deliver 26 starts. Repeating that seems highly unlikely, but for now Vasquez could be a streamer in deep leagues.
Kutter Crawford, SP (BOS)
Crawford can’t catch a break. He is still working his way back from wrist surgery in the middle of last season, and now he’s battling the flu, which has pushed his timeframe back a bit. It’s looking more likely that he will either start the season on the injured list or in the bullpen. Boston’s final rotation spot is more than likely going to Johan Oviedo, but the Red Sox also have Patrick Sandoval along with budding prospects Payton Tolle and Connelly Early. Crawford’s previous experience in the bullpen and recent health struggles reinforce the likelihood he will pitch in relief, but his skillset is still enticing. Crawford has shown decent strikeout numbers, solid walk rates while limiting hard contact. He is still only 29 years old and the upside is worth keeping an eye on.
Rockies First Base
It’s anyone’s guess who’s going to be the Rockies’ starting first baseman in 2026, and the likelihood is whoever it is won’t be in that role all year. According to the Denver Post’s Patrick Saunders, T.J. Rumfield is in the mix. Rumfield was traded to Colorado from the Yankees in January in exchange for reliever Angel Chivilli. The big lefty slugger didn’t have a path to the 25-man roster in New York, but anyone can dream in the Mile High City. He hit 48 home runs over the past three seasons for the Yankees’ minor league affiliates. His batting EYE is solid, but his power is limited, his speed is non-existent and his fielding is subpar. However, if you can put the ball in play at Coors Field, good things can happen. The Rockies have a bunch of random guys to play first base: Troy Johnston, Blaine Crim and Rumfield are all possibilities. Johnston and Crim are three years older than Rumfield so the rebuilding Rox could turn to the player who offers more long-term upside.
Jared Triolo, INF (PIT)
Triolo is probably going to start somewhere for the Pirates. The 28-year-old appeared at every infield position last year, but Pittsburgh has its biggest need at the hot corner. His versatility and strong fielding should earn him a significant number of at-bats, and Triolo is capable of accumulating some numbers with that playing time, especially in an improved Pirates lineup. He has improved every year as a hitter, which is why the Fantistics projections forecast a near 20/20 season for the versatile infielder.
Jonathan Cannon, SP (CHW)
Cannon was seemingly banished from a starter’s role after a dismal 2025 campaign where he finished 4-10 with a 5.82 ERA, but the White Sox are reportedly giving him an opportunity to reenter the rotation in 2026. It’s not as if Chicago has the most elite options at the backend of their rotation so Cannon will have to outperform the likes of Erick Fedde, Sean Newcomb and maybe Tanner Tanner McDougal. For now, Cannon is not worthy of fantasy consideration.