New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (shoulder) will start the 2026 season on the injured list after recovering from left-labrum surgery last October, and he's unlikely to return until at least May, according to Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media. Volpe's fantasy value obviously will take a pretty big hit this year with the expectation that he'll miss at least the first month of the campaign. He initially injured his left shoulder while diving for a ball on May 3 and required several cortisone shots to get through the season. It most definitely hurt Volpe's offensive production in 2025, and he finished with a depressed .212/.272/.391 slash line with a .663 OPS, career-low 19 home runs, career-high 72 RBI, 65 runs scored, and 18 stolen bases in 153 regular-season games. It could take the 24-year-old some time to work his way back as well in 2026. Until Volpe is cleared to make his season debut, speedster Jose Caballero is expected to handle most of the work at the 6 in the Bronx.

Tampa Bay Rays infielder Brett Wisely was designated for assignment by the organization on Friday. Wisely was the odd man out after the team acquired outfielder Victor Mesa Jr. from the Miami Marlins earlier in the day. Wisely never got a chance to play for the Rays, as he was acquired by the organization in a trade with the Atlanta Braves last month. The 26-year-old is slashing .214/.265/.319 with seven home runs and 49 RBI in 168 games across parts of three big league seasons. It's possible another team claims him and gives Wisely a chance to earn a spot in Spring Training.

Chicago White Sox pitcher Mike Vasil will get a chance to compete for a starting rotation spot in Spring Training. Vasil mostly pitched as a reliever last season, but recently said on the Baseball Isn't Boring podcast that he'll get a chance to pitch as a starting pitcher. The 25-year-old registered a 2.50 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and an 82/52 K/BB ratio across 47 games (three starts) with the White Sox last season. He mostly worked as a multi-inning reliever and threw over 100 innings in 2025. The transition to a starting pitcher doesn't seem too difficult for Vasil, given he's already stretched out as a multiple-inning reliever. Before the 2025 campaign, Vasil was a full-time starting pitcher in the minor leagues with the New York Mets. The White Sox certainly need help in the starting rotation, so they might as well give Vasil a chance.

San Diego Padres right-handed pitching prospect Miguel Mendez "could factor into San Diego's starting depth this season and push up his timeline with a strong spring," according to MLB.com. Mendez is still raw at 23 years old and made only six starts at Double-A San Antonio last year, but the Dominican hurler broke out in 2025. At three minor-league levels, he went 8-7 with a 3.22 ERA and 1.22 WHIP with 118 strikeouts and 45 walks in 95 innings pitched over his 21 starts. General manager A.J. Preller is notoriously aggressive in promoting prospects if he feels they are deserving, so nobody should count out Mendez for his big-league debut in 2026, especially since the Padres' pitching depth is one of their glaring weaknesses. Mendez features plus pitches in his 95-98 mph fastball and mid-80s slider. Despite his slim build (6-foot-2, 165 pounds), Mendez can hit triple digits regularly and has one of the best sliders in the minors.