Brantley (shoulder) feels good Thursday after taking swings Wednesday, and he should participate in a five-inning simulated game Friday, Andre Knott of WTAM 1100 reports.

EDGE Analysis

These are small steps of optimism for the former MVP candidate, though his timetable remains undefined. He recently faced live pitching, though, if he can work something close to a week of spring games, his regular-season prognosis would improve dramatically. Though caution is recommended, Brantley can help mixed league fantasy drafters in the late rounds and/or as a fifth outfielder.

Brantley (shoulder) is scheduled to face Josh Tomlin in live batting practice Monday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Brantley continues to move through spring without an estimated timetable for his return, as the Indians are trying to keep him from feeling pressured to rush his rehab. He'll face live pitching for the first time this spring, and if all goes well, will be one step closer to making his Cactus League debut.

Brantley (shoulder) took batting practice on back-to-back days for the first time this spring, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Brantley has yet to hit live pitching, but his increased activity is promising. The Indians haven't set an estimated return for Brantley, who played in just 11 games during the 2016 season, as they're aiming to keep him from feeling pressured to rush his rehab. However, the club has remained optimistic that he should be able to play in a Cactus League game at some point this spring.

Brantley (shoulder) took batting practice on the field Monday, Nick Camino of WTAM 1100 in Cleveland reports.

EDGE Analysis

Brantley took batting practice indoors over the weekend, marking a milestone is his rehab after he'd been previously restricted to playing soft toss. This is another small step in the right direction for Brantley, though his availability for Opening Day still remains in jeopardy.

Brantley (shoulder) is taking normal batting practice pitching at an indoor cage Friday after previously being restricted to a soft-toss program, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The outfielder's timetable remains up in the air, and a need to rehab into the season looks highly possible. Still, the fact he's taking cuts off live pitches offers a step in the right direction. In the waning rounds of a mixed fantasy draft, owners still can take a logical chance on at least a partial season from the 2014 AL MVP candidate.

Sources say the Indians have no certainty for when Brantley (shoulder) will debut this season, despite the optimism offered by general manager Mike Chernoff and other officials, Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports.

EDGE Analysis

Heyman suggests 2017 is a lot like 2016, in that Cleveland is hoping Brantley can make significant progress. His complex surgeries and recovery should force fantasy owners to express similar caution, though as his price craters, it'll be hard to pass on the talented bat, for whatever portion of the season he plays.

Brantley (shoulder) took part in fielding drills on Tuesday, Tom Withers reports.

EDGE Analysis

The good news is that Brantley is increasing his activity level, but the bad news is that his status remains "week to week." Before working in the outfield on Tuesday, he stepped into the batter's box Monday, although he never took a swing as he just worked on tracking pitches. Seeing Brantley up his participation is encouraging, but the outfielder remains a high-risk pick until a timetable for his return is established.

Brantley (shoulder) has advanced to the soft-toss stage of his hitting program, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

It's another step in the long recovery journey for Brantley, who still hopes to be ready for Opening Day. The coaching staff is being precautionary with the rehabilitation process and there haven't appeared to be any setbacks at this point in time. However, until there's a firmer timetable in place, it's hard to pinpoint when he'll return to live game action.

Brantley (shoulder) won't play in Cleveland's early spring training games but he still hopes to be ready for Opening Day, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

EDGE Analysis

Reports have discussed that the embattled star is ahead of his rehab work, and this tidbit seems to say that the Indians aren't planning on taking any chances in his recovery process. Brantley is expected to progress past tee work relatively soon, so a firmer timetable for his return should be revealed as he progresses past that stage of his rehab program.

Brantley (shoulder) is at the "end stages" of his tee work, according to team president Chris Antonetti, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Slowly but surely, Brantley has increased the volume and intensity of his swings off the tee. He seems to be on the verge of taking the next step in his hitting progression, which will presumably be coach-pitch, soft-toss batting practice. The shoulder issues limited Brantley to just 11 games last year and the lost season has driven his cost down considerably, but his price figures to tick up if he looks healthy in spring training.