How is your 2022 fantasy baseball draft prep going? Have you been looking at the updated fantasy baseball rankings? Have you studied our fantasy baseball mock draft? Not only is the Jim Bowden Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide rich with information you won’t find anywhere else, but we’ve been rolling out a ton of free content as well to ensure we leave no stone unturned. Like this article series, for example. The Fantasy Baseball Daily Round Up offers you an insightful look at all the latest news and free agent signings you need to crush your draft.

Before we get to today’s round-up, I want to let everyone know that if you have SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio available, you’re going to want to tune in to tonight’s Fantasy Alarm Show from 6-8pm ET. New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone will be joining us to answer all of our MLB questions and dish out all the information you need to dominate in your fantasy baseball leagues. Set yourself a reminder as you won’t want to miss it. Last week we brought you managers Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox and A.J. Hinch of the Detroit Tigers, as well as Atlanta Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos. No one else has this kind of reach for their subscribers, so you will want to take full advantage.

 

 

MLB Spring Training Updates:

 

St. Louis Cardinals Say the Starting Shortstop is Paul DeJong’s Job to Lose

 

 

It looks like Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol is prioritizing DeJong’s power potential over Edmundo Sosa’s defense and on-base work as he says the job is DeJong’s to lose here in spring training. DeJong is a 20-25 home run bat, but his batting average went into the toilet last season, right alongside his OBP. Sosa overtook him late last year and the expectation was that the Cardinals would move DeJong over to the DH role, but the signing of Corey Dickerson seems to have mucked that up for us. But before you start moving DeJong up on your boards, keep in mind that if he doesn’t hit, he’s not going to play. If he’s batting below the Mendoza Line, expect a change so keep a watchful eye.

Ha-Seong Kim Impressing in San Diego Padres Camp

 

 

The Padres are hoping Kim can perform better than his 2021 rookie campaign as they look to replace Fernando Tatis Jr. for the next three months. Defensively, he’s been good. Or maybe we should say ‘good enough.” The bat will be the question over the next couple of weeks. He had an RBI-double in Monday’s game and needs to keep that momentum rolling. If he doesn’t hit, you may see the Padres shuffle around their infield and give Jurickson Profar more work at second base while Jake Cronenworth handles the shortstop work. Just keep tabs on this if you’re looking for middle infield help late in your draft.

 

 

MLB Injuries:

 

Philadelphia Phillies OF Odúbel Herrera Sent for MRI

 

 

The Phillies defense is going to be a serious problem all year unless they make some hard and fast decisions as to where everyone will play and hit. Bryce Harper is an average fielder and both Nick Castellanos and Kyle Schwarber are below-average, at best. With the addition of the universal DH, they can keep Schwarber as just a hitter and put someone with some defensive capabilities out there in center. Hererra, known as David to some of his friends, is the veteran and has good speed, but this oblique issue he is dealing with could land him on the bench. We’ll await results from his MRI, but this is going to open the door for Adam Haseley and Matt Vierling. None of the defensive plays in center field are going to be worth much in fantasy, but if someone lands the gig by themselves, then maybe there’s an inkling of value to be had.

Strained Quad Keeps Milwaukee Brewers SS Luis Urías Out for Two Weeks

 

 

The Brewers sent Urias out for further testing and after seeing the results, have shut him down for the next couple of weeks. The team is saying two weeks for now, so that means Urias will miss the rest of the spring and may not be ready for Opening Day. Milwaukee will use a platoon of Jace Peterson and Mike Brousseau to fill in for the time being. Don’t get too attached to either, though. 

 

 

MLB Free Agency:

 

Miami Marlins Sign OF Jorge Soler to a Three-Year, $36M Contract

 

 

We were waiting for the deal to become official which it has. From a fantasy standpoint, not much has changed for Soler. He’s got great power, some decent table-setters batting in front of him and while the ballpark is considered pitcher-friendly, Soler has the raw power to hit well no matter where he calls home. He continued to improve his plate discipline last season, cutting his strikeout rate down to a career-best 23.6-percent rate and saw an uptick in walks. We won’t see a great batting average but the OBP should settle in around the .330 mark. Couple that with 30-plus home runs and you’ve got a solid fantasy outfielder. A key not on his contract, by the way, is that Soler has opt-outs after the first two years, so if he continues to mash like he did in the Braves World Series run last year, he’s going for another big pay-day and we like that. 

Arizona Diamondbacks Sign RHP Zach Davies to a One-Year, $4.5M Deal

 

 

It’s worth mentioning because Davies was brought in to compete with Dan Straily and Tyler Gilbert for the fifth starter’s job in Arizona. However, this is a major avoid in fantasy. Davies’ career ratios are not good and while he’s flashed the occasional strikeout here and there, he lacks consistency. Maybe he’ll hold some late-round value in a deeper NL-only league if he wins the job, but he still probably doesn’t need to be drafted.

 

 

MLB Rumors:

 

Chicago Cubs Catcher Willson Contreras Drawing Interest from New York Yankees

 

 

The rumors started when the Cubs signed veteran backstop Yan Gomes to a two-year, $13M deal prior to the lockout, but we’re still not sure Chicago is looking to trade Contreras. The Yankees would be a fantastic place for him to land as he would certainly push aside both Kyle Higashioka and Ben Rortvedt for starting duties. His bat would also play well in the middle to bottom of the order and give the Yankee bats some depth. Word is the San Diego Padres are also kicking the tires, but they seem to have a full house behind the plate right now.

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