Spring Training Prospect Report - February 26, 2026

Ah, can you smell it? The smell of fresh-cut grass and the dirt of the diamond. Baseball is back, and it is a beautiful sight. Spring Training games have kicked off, and we are here to break down everything you need to know regarding the top prospect performers from the previous day’s action.

What prospects are standing out? Who is making noise? Who could break camp with teams? Let’s discuss what you need to know!

Exit Velocity Leaders (Prospects Only)

Whiff Leaders(Prospects Only)

Spring Training Prospect Watch

🚀 Standout of The Day

Nolan McLean, RHP, New York Mets

Stats: 4 IP/1 H/0 ER/1 BB/6 K

Notable Data: 96.5 average FB velocity, 8 whiffs on 24 swings(33%), 36% CSW

Why The Performance Matters:

McLean looked like an ace on Thursday, dominating the Astros lineup full of regulars. He tossed four scoreless innings and was nearly perfect. McLean allowed just one hit and a walk while striking out six batters.

The arsenal was dominant as McLean mixed six different pitches, generating eight whiffs on 24 swings. McLean added 12 more called strikes for a 36 percent CSW.

McLean worked two fastballs, a sinker that averaged 96.3 mph and the four-seam, which sat at 96.8 mph. He throws from a 5’4” release height, which helps the pitch play at the top of the zone and has a rising effect despite the IVB not being overwhelming. The sinker showed good depth and had 19 inches of arm-side run on average, while the four-seam had 14 inches of IVB and 13 inches of arm-side run.

The slider has around 10 mph of velocity separation from the fastball, sitting in the mid-80s with heavy sweeping action. It has late horizontal movement, which deceives hitters, largely due to its extremely high spin rates, which have been up to 3200 rpm. Watching the pitch, it is easily plus or better, and the metrics back it up.

McLean mixed in his cutter at 93.5 mph and threw an 88 mph changeup with heavy fading action and a ton of depth. The curveball was a big pitch for him in 2025, but McLean threw it just three times on Thursday, sitting 83 mph with strong two-plane movement.

Fantasy Spin:

Over the last month on NFBC, McLean has an ADP in the top 100. It certainly feels high, but the upside warrants it. In a dynasty league, I am usually hesitant to buy high on arms, but McLean feels like he could reach SP2 status and maybe beyond. He should smash his projections this season and have a mid-threes ERA and an upper twenties percent strikeout rate. -CC

Join the Dynasty Dugout, Trusted by Thousands