Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (back) received cortisone and lidocaine shots in his back last week and was able to play catch on Sunday without issue, per Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. Gilbert reports that Kelly is "optimistic" he will be able to "pitch at the backend" of Arizona's rotation to start the season. The 37-year-old was traded by the Diamondbacks to the Texas Rangers at the 2025 trade deadline, but returned to Arizona in free agency this offseason. Across 184 innings (32 starts) split between the Diamondbacks and Rangers in 2025, Kelly posted a 12-9 record with a 3.52 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 167 strikeouts. It's not a great sign that he's dealing with back issues in spring, particularly given his age. However, it appears as though Kelly could avoid missing time, even if it requires him ramping up to a full workload in his first couple starts of the regular season.

Throughout his big-league career to this point, Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno has had a difficult time staying on the field. Over the past two seasons, groin and finger injuries have limited the 26-year-old to just 660 plate appearances. However, when healthy, Moreno has proven himself to be a productive player. Across 309 plate appearances in 2025, he hit .285/.353/.433 with nine home runs, 40 RBI, 44 runs scored, and two stolen bases. Moreno owns a career batting average of .281 and a career strikeout rate of 16.9%, so he should remain a batting average asset for fantasy managers, particularly relative to his position. Moreno may never threaten 20 home runs, but he did improve his barrel rate to a career-best 7.1% in 2025. Still, Moreno's inability to stay healthy is a major red flag in his fantasy profile. RotoBaller currently ranks Moreno as the number 16 fantasy catcher heading into 2026.

New York Mets third baseman Mark Vientos posted a breakout season in 2024, slugging 27 home runs in 454 plate appearances and carving out a role in the middle of the Mets lineup. However, the 26-year-old came crashing back down to earth in 2025, slashing .233/.289/.413 with 17 home runs, 61 RBI, 44 runs scored, and one stolen base. Vientos also graded out as one of the worst defensive third basemen in the big leagues, making it more difficult for the Mets to stick with him through his relative struggles at the plate. New York added former Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette in free agency this past winter with the plan to move him to the hot corner, eliminating a pathway to playing time for Vientos. Vientos should be in the mix at designated hitter in New York, but he could find himself in a rotation with infielders Brett Baty and Jorge Polanco. If Vientos can get back to the 14.1% barrel rate he posted in 2024, he could force his way into everyday playing time at DH. However, there are holes in his profile that lead to playing time questions, making him a risky bet for fantasy managers heading into 2026.

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Noah Cameron burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2025, recording a 9-7 record with a 2.99 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 114 strikeouts across 138 1/3 innings pitched (24 starts). Cameron's ability to rack up whiffs left something to be desired for fantasy managers, as he posted just a 20.5% strikeout rate. The 26-year-old's underlying metrics also suggest that he could be in line for some regression in 2026, as he significantly outperformed his xERA (4.08) and FIP (4.18) in 2025. At the same time, Cameron logged significantly better strikeout numbers during his time in the minor leagues, recording a 27.8% strikeout rate across 128 2/3 innings split between Double-A and Triple-A in 2024. If Cameron can add some swing-and-miss to his repertoire in 2026, it could help mitigate the regression that may be coming for his ERA and WHIP. As an innings-eater at the back end of a fantasy pitching staff, Cameron has a chance to provide solid value in 2026.