During Spring Training, the fantasy baseball landscape seems to be ever-changing.
Every transaction, box score, article, tweet and quote coming out of Florida or Arizona has the potential to profoundly impact how fantasy owners draft. As a result, the MLB.com Fantasy Player Preview has undergone more than 200 updates since its release on Feb. 6.
But some changes stand out as especially significant from the multitude of adjustments made across more than six weeks of daily analysis. Attentive owners will be aware that the following players have made significant moves since the MLB.com Fantasy Player Preview launched.
• 2017 Fantasy Player Preview: Full rankings
Positions listed denote players' season-opening fantasy eligibility in most leagues.
David Price, starting pitcher (Red Sox)
Fantasy ranking on Feb. 6: 44th
Fantasy ranking now: 118th
Price delivered plenty of fantasy value by finishing among the top 5 American League pitchers in wins (17), innings (230) and strikeouts (228) last season, but he also recorded his highest ERA (3.99) since '09. The left-hander then began dealing with elbow and forearm soreness during Spring Training, leading to an absence that is expected to extend into April. Although he avoided surgery, Price now presents the double whammy of injury and performance risks.
Jose Peraza, 2B/SS/OF (Reds)
Fantasy ranking on Feb. 6: 255th
Fantasy ranking now: 94th
The trade of Brandon Phillips to the Braves caused Peraza's fantasy value to soar. Now the Reds' starter at second base, Peraza could hit .300 with 40-plus steals across 600 plate appearances. The youngster also has the potential to score more than 85 runs if he can secure a premium lineup spot.
Keon Broxton, outfielder (Brewers)
Fantasy ranking on Feb. 6: 328th
Fantasy ranking now: 142nd
Though he emerged from the offseason without a guaranteed starting job, Broxton quickly distinguished himself as the Brewers' center fielder of choice in Spring Training. Manager Craig Counsell has even indicated that he likes the idea of batting the speedster out of a premium lineup spot. While he is unlikely to post a high average due to a lofty strikeout rate, Broxton has the potential to provide 20 homers and 40 stolen bases.
Ian Desmond, outfielder & Mark Reynolds, first baseman (Rockies)
Fantasy ranking on Feb. 6: 47th (Desmond), 752nd (Reynolds)
Fantasy ranking now: 143rd (Desmond), 591st (Reynolds)
Despite fading badly during '16, Desmond seemed likely to produce 25 homers, 90 RBIs and 20 steals after signing with the Rockies this past offseason. But the 31-year-old should now fall to the middle rounds of mixed-league drafts following March surgery to repair a left hand fracture. The Rockies are expected to fill their early-season first-base vacancy with Reynolds, who should provide plus power for NL-only owners and may even earn a temporary roster spot in deep mixed formats.
Matt Harvey, starting pitcher (Mets)
Fantasy ranking on Feb. 6: 125th
Fantasy ranking now: 158th
Having posted stellar lifetime ratios (2.53 ERA, 1.00 WHIP) before struggling and undergoing surgery to alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome in '16, Harvey entered Spring Training this year as a reasonable bounceback candidate. But owners may want to keep their short-term expectations in check, as Harvey has lacked his trademark fastball velocity while producing inconsistent results during Grapefruit League games. For now, he should be viewed as a No. 4 starter with upside in mixed-league drafts.
Jason Kipnis, second baseman (Indians)
Fantasy ranking on Feb. 6: 68th
Fantasy ranking now: 182nd
Even when healthy, Kipnis is a bit of a fantasy enigma. Across the past five seasons, the second baseman has posted a wide range of figures in the homer (low of six; high of 23), stolen-base (low of 12; high of 31) and batting-average (low of .240; high of .303) departments. But no matter how owners choose to view him, they now know that the 29-year-old will not be available during April due to a right rotator cuff strain.
Joe Musgrove, starting pitcher & Mike Fiers, starting pitcher (Astros)
Fantasy ranking on Feb. 6: 310th (Musgrove), 297th (Fiers)
Fantasy ranking now: 207th (Musgrove), 382nd (Fiers)
Fiers entered Spring Training with an edge on Musgrove for the Astros' fifth-starter gig, but the gap appears to be closing. After showing exciting potential in the Minors (lifetime 2.83 ERA, 7.8 K/BB ratio) and promising flashes as a rookie with Houston last year, Musgrove has fared well in his spring outings. Mixed-league owners should cross Fiers off their draft list and view Musgrove as a viable late-round sleeper.
David Dahl, outfielder (Rockies)
Fantasy ranking on Feb. 6: 112th
Fantasy ranking now: 231st
With a diverse skill set and a hitter-friendly home park, Dahl was seemingly set up to be a major mixed-league asset following a stellar rookie-year showing in '16. But the youngster is now expected to open the season on the disabled list due to a stress reaction in his sixth rib. And when he returns, Dahl will likely have to battle for playing time with veteran Gerardo Parra.
Jose Reyes, 3B/SS (Mets)
Fantasy ranking on Feb. 6: 335th
Fantasy ranking now: 269th
Heading into Spring Training, Reyes' fantasy value was directly tied to the health of third baseman David Wright. And with Wright (75 games across '15-16) now set to open '17 on the disabled list due to a shoulder injury, Reyes will be the Mets' starting third baseman for the foreseeable future. The sparkplug should use his solid speed and a possible spot atop New York's lineup to secure a roster spot in most mixed leagues.
Amir Garrett, starting pitcher (Reds)
Fantasy ranking on Feb. 6: 705th
Fantasy ranking now: 420th
The latest in a long line of pitching prospects to come through the Reds' system, Garrett posted a solid 3.46 ERA in Triple-A last season. Still, the left-hander seemed like a long shot to emerge from a large cast of characters who entered Spring Training in search of a rotation spot. But Garrett has turned heads in recent weeks and could be a popular waiver-wire target in deep-mixed formats during April.