Fantasy Baseball Today: Everything you need to know before this weekend's drafts, plus latest news and notes

Find the latest storylines and rankings shifts here to make great decisions on draft day

By Chris Towers

Mar 21, 2025 at 9:12 am ET • 7 min read

USATSI

Six days until Opening Day ...

It's almost here. Draft Day. Opening Day. All of it.

This is the biggest draft weekend of the year, and you need to be ready for whatever comes your way. That's what today's newsletter is all about, as we've got links to absolutely everything you need to get ready for your draft from the Fantasy Baseball Today team, from rankings and Salary Cap Draft values to the latest spring storylines and how they'll affect your draft.

Before we get to all of that, though, let's very quickly run through some of the biggest news from the past few days, plus the biggest questions we're still waiting to get answered as Spring Training winds down:

Gunnar Henderson is still in question for Opening Day – He's progressing well from his intercostal strain, but with just three exhibition games left, he might not have enough time to be there on Opening Day. If he isn't it shouldn't be long, and I'm still not scared to take him in the first round.
George Kirby is trying to be ready by mid-April – We covered this one yesterday, but Kirby's shoulder continues to heal and he should begin throwing in the next few days. He's a viable gamble outside the top 100 in most drafts.
Ryan Weathers has a forearm strain – Weathers pitched his way onto Fantasy radars with an electric, 98-mph fastball this spring, and now he's opening the season on the IL. A tale as old as time. He'll be shut down for two weeks before trying to build back up, with a 4-6 week timetable if all goes well. He's still a decent bench target in IL leagues.
Jared Jones is still waiting on a second opinion – Jones is dealing with elbow discomfort and, as of Thursday afternoon, we haven't gotten an update. He's still in the late-round discussion until we know more.
Felix Bautista may not be on the Opening Day roster – Bautista has recovered from his pair of elbow surgeries and has pitched in four games this spring, striking out seven in four innings. But the Orioles are being very careful with Bautista, to the point where it's not clear he'll be available to start the season. He's still being drafted as a top-90 pick over the past week, and I just don't get it. It shouldn't be long if he's not ready, but they'll likely limit his usage early on even when he is, so there's room for someone like Seranthony Dominguez or Yennier Cano to steal a few early saves with your final pick.
Jackson Jobe still hasn't been confirmed in the Tigers rotation – Jobe is competing with the likes of Keider Montero and Kenta Maeda for a spot in the Tigers rotation, and it could come down to the wire if he makes it. The stuff is incredible, but he hasn't been great in spring, so they may opt to send him down to keep tinkering. I'm still drafting Jobe late, but I wish there were more certainty heading into the final weekend.
Kristian Campbell still has a chance – Despite a mediocre showing at the plate this spring, Campbell is still in the running for the Red Sox second base battle – and his chances improved with Vaughn Grissom being sent down. I'd say it's a coin flip that he gets the call at this point, and he's a must-draft player for the upside if he does make the roster.
Cam Smith still has a chance, too – Smith keeps hitting, and he's forcing the Astros into a tough decision – do they really call him up after just 32 pro games and one hot spring? They're considering it, even moving him out to the right field to facilitate the potential room. Like Campbell, it's probably a coin flip that he makes it, but I'm leaning yes.

Max Scherzer may not be ready – Scherzer opened eyes with some strong showings early in spring, but a thumb injury he has had to battle for years cropped back up recently. He's going to try to pitch in a game Saturday, and if all goes well, he's a decent late-round flier as he tries to prove he still has something left in the tank.
Clarke Schmidt may not be ready – Schmidt has been battling shoulder soreness, but he did throw a 30-pitch bullpen session Thursday without apparent issue. He won't be ready for a full workload by Opening Day, but he might only need a turn or two through the rotation to be ready. Carlos Carrasco looks likely to open the season in the Yankees rotation and I couldn't be less interested outside of AL-only leagues.
Shane Smith made the White Sox roster – Now it's a question of whether the Rule 5 pick will make the rotation. He had a 3.05 ERA and 10.8 K/9 in 94.1 innings between Double-A and Triple-A last season and has been pretty impressive this spring with a bit of extra velocity. I'm interested in any AL-only league, and potentially H2H leagues if he's in the rotation as a SPaRP.
Victor Scott is trying to force the Cardinals' hand – Scott is known more for his defense and speed, but he's hitting .349/.457/.692 with three homers and five steals this spring and could be the Cardinals Opening Day center fielder. He belongs on your late-round sleepers list in any category-based league.
Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker could still be in the Rangers rotation – The signing of Patrick Corbin may complicate things as he builds up to full strength, but injuries to Cody Bradford and Jon Gray have both in line for a chance to start the season in the rotation. Both have plenty of talent, along with both command and arsenal questions, but if they got off to a hot start, they could force their way into a season-long role. The upside for both is worth chasing.
The Diamondbacks aren't going to name a closer – They're going to play matchups, with Justin Martinez, A.J. Puk, and Kevin Ginkel all named as potential options by manager Torey Lovullo this spring. Puk and Martinez are worthwhile late-round fliers but don't panic early on if they don't immediately start racking up saves. I would guess they'll settle on one before long – my bet would be on Martinez, the righty – but if not, both should still be useful.