The St. Louis Cardinals announced on Monday that they sent outfield prospect Joshua Baez to minor-league camp. Baez homered in three straight Grapefruit League games, but he'll begin the 2026 season at Triple-A Memphis after hitting .287/.384/.500 with an .884 OPS, 20 home runs, 79 RBI, 78 runs scored, and 54 stolen bases in 495 plate appearances over 117 games at High-A Peoria and Double-A Springfield. Sixteen of his 20 long balls came at Double-A in 79 games played. The power/speed is obvious here for Baez, who is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Cardinals' No. 4 prospect. He's the No. 87 overall prospect in MLB entering the 2026 season. If Baez performs well early on at Memphis, he'll most likely make his MLB debut at some point this year. There is 30-30 potential for the 6-foot-3, 220-pounder who was drafted in the second round in 2021. Baez's best path to playing time in St. Louis will be in right field. He's firmly back on the dynasty/keeper radar.

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said that outfielders Chandler Simpson (hamstring) and Cedric Mullins (back) are feeling better and should play on Tuesday in Grapefruit League action, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Simpson, the more attractive fantasy outfielder of the two because of his high-end speed, has not played since last Tuesday after feeling soreness in his left hamstring. It's an injury the 25-year-old had battled through early in camp, so the Rays aren't taking any chances. Simpson doesn't offer much to fantasy managers outside of stolen bases, so he could be vulnerable to a loss of playing time if his glove doesn't improve in the outfield. Mullins, 31, also hasn't played since last Tuesday due to a sore back, but it's not viewed as a long-term issue. He still has power from the left side and could be on the strong side of a platoon in Tampa, but declining batted-ball metrics for Mullins make him merely a late-round dice roll in mixed fantasy leagues this year.

Atlanta Braves left-hander Joey Wentz (knee) suffered a torn right ACL in a Grapefruit League game against the Tampa Bay Rays during a collision near first base on Sunday, according to Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Wentz will be forced to miss the entire 2026 season as a result. Although the 28-year-old southpaw has started only 39 of the 117 games he's pitched in over the course of his four-year big-league career, he offered the Braves some rotation depth with injuries to right-handers Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow) and Hurston Waldrep (elbow), who both had surgeries on their arms this spring. It's yet another blow to the Braves' pitching depth before the start of the new season. Wentz pitched for the Braves, Pirates, and Twins in 2025, posting an ugly 5.60 ERA (4.06 FIP) and 1.56 WHIP with 92 K's and 43 walks in 98 innings in 39 appearances (13 starts).

The New York Yankees announced on Monday that they reassigned right-handed pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez and outfielder Spencer Jones to minor-league camp. Rodriguez, who is the team's No. 3 prospect per MLB Pipeline, will begin the 2026 season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but he could be one of the top arms considered if the Yankees have any openings in their rotation down the road. The 22-year-old allowed two runs with five strikeouts and one walk in his two Grapefruit League starts over six innings. The former Boston Red Sox farmhand broke out in three minor-league stops in 2025, posting a 2.58 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with a 176:57 K: BB in 150 innings over 27 outings (26 starts). Rodriguez features a sinker, sweeper, and curveball and is already one of the best young ground-ball pitchers with improving control. He's a name to monitor in deeper single-year formats in 2026.