Stars might put fans in the seats, but baseball is a sport
that rewards the most complete clubs. That's what makes Spring Training more
than a series of exhibitions; big league jobs are on the line, and they could
end up having a major impact on the season-end standings.
The next five weeks will see lots of shuffling on Major
League rosters. Here are the most intriguing positional battles on each of the
30 MLB clubs.
NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL
PIRATES: SHORTSTOP
The Pirates will spend Spring Training evaluating their internal options at
shortstop before picking a starter. It could be Kevin Newman, the
former first-round pick who struggled in his late-season debut last year. Or it
could be Erik Gonzalez,
the Indians' former super-utility man who joined the Pirates in an early
offseason trade. Pittsburgh is high on the slick-fielding Gonzalez, believing
he could thrive with the everyday opportunity that he couldn't secure in
Cleveland. The Bucs still believe in Newman, too, and he reported to camp in
good shape after dropping 15 pounds before his debut last season. Also keep an
eye on shortstop prospect Cole Tucker, who could
make his debut later this year if all goes well in Triple-A.
BREWERS: ROTATION
The Mike
Moustakas signing means the Brewers' position player group
is set, but there are plenty of spots up for grabs on the pitching staff. Jhoulys Chacin is
the only real lock in the starting rotation, though Chase Anderson and Zach Davies have
a leg up by virtue of their experience, and Jimmy Nelson will
have a spot if healthy. Then it comes down to a group of promising young
pitchers like Brandon
Woodruff, Corbin Burnes and Freddy Peralta,
or veteran non-roster invitee Josh Tomlin. The
Brewers used 11 different starters last year, so just because a player doesn't
make the cut on Opening Day does not mean he won't contribute during the
season.
CARDINALS: RIGHT FIELD
Dexter Fowler will
get every opportunity to re-earn the starting right-field job this spring.
That's Plan A for the Cardinals. However, two things could complicate that
decision. One is Jose Martinez,
who was the team's most consistent offensive performer last season. A strong
spring from Martinez could give the Cards pause. The team may also have to
reconsider its plans if Fowler does not show the sort of offensive bounce back
expected on the heels of a career-worst year.
CUBS: BULLPEN
With closer Brandon
Morrow (right elbow) likely to be out for all of April, the
Cubs have a long list of arms in the hunt for spots in the bullpen. The only
sure things appear to be Pedro Strop, Steve Cishek, Carl Edwards
Jr., Mike Montgomery and Brad Brach. Behind
that group, Tyler
Chatwood, Brian Duensing
and Brandon
Kintzler enter camp with something to prove. Chicago also
signed Tony Barnette and Xavier Cedeno, and has
a considerable amount of rostered and non-roster candidates jockeying for
position. That gives manager Joe Maddon a lot of things to consider for a
competition that will likely take the entire Spring Training to shake
out.
REDS: CENTER FIELD
By far the most interesting position battle on the Reds will be who becomes
their regular center fielder. After non-tendering Billy Hamilton, the front
office looked at the trade and free-agent market but did not make an acquisition,
choosing instead to look in-house. Scott Schebler and Yasiel Puig --
both natural corner outfielders -- have some experience in center field. Then
there is No. 1 prospect Nick Senzel (No. 6 overall
according to MLB Pipeline), an infielder who is learning center field and
competing for the job simultaneously. The club has no starting spots for Senzel
besides center field, so if he can earn the spot it would solve the problem of
finding him a place to play.
NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST
BRAVES: BENCH
The primary question is whether the Braves will choose to carry Adam Duvall as a
bench player again this year. The veteran outfielder produced a second
consecutive 30-homer season in 2017 and he is regarded as an above average
defender. But while he has the tools to be a productive backup, he didn't make
a good impression with the bat or the glove as he hit .132 with a .344 OPS over
the 57 plate appearances he compiled after being traded from the Reds to the Braves
before last year's Trade Deadline. If Duvall continues to create concerns
during camp, the Braves might take a chance on Ryan LaMarre, a
30-year-old outfielder who showed some potential when he hit .303 and produced
a .809 OPS over 71 plate appearances for the White Sox last year.
MARLINS: SHORTSTOP
Miguel Rojas'
versatility created enough playing opportunities for himself and JT Riddle at
shortstop in 2018. But this Spring Training may determine if the club settles
on just one. Last year, Rojas played in 153 games, but moved around to third
base, second and was a late-innings defensive replacement at first. Riddle, who
played in 103 games, opened the year on the injured list as he recovered from
shoulder surgery. Riddle is fully healthy, and is a left-handed alternative at
short.
METS: FIRST BASE
While the Mets could use some clarity in center field and the bullpen, their
foremost competition will unfold at first base, where top prospect Peter Alonso
hopes to make the roster as a rookie. Service-time considerations may come into
play here, because the Mets can ensure an extra year of team control by keeping
Alonso in the Minors until mid-April. But manager Mickey Callaway and GM Brodie
Van Wagenen have both been outspoken in saying they plan to bring the best 25
players north with them -- including Alonso, if he proves he's among that
group. If not, Todd Frazier makes
the most sense to start regularly at first base, given the fact that Jed Lowrie appears
to have displaced him at third. With a strong spring, Dominic Smith could
also crack the roster as the left-handed half of a platoon with Frazier. Much
remains unsettled at the position.
PHILLIES: OUTFIELD
The Phillies have a few position battles this spring, but the outfield battles
might be more intriguing than third base or the bullpen because of the
personnel involved. Andrew
McCutchen will play almost daily in left field,
putting Odubel
Herrera, Nick Williams, Roman Quinn and Aaron Altherr in
an open competition for playing time in center field and right field. Herrera
has to be considered a slight favorite in the foursome because of his track
record. Williams might be No. 2 for now. Everything changes if the Phillies
sign Bryce Harper in
the coming days or weeks. If that happens, the Phillies might try to trade
Williams.
NATIONALS: FIFTH STARTER
While Dave Martinez acknowledged Jeremy
Hellickson has the "upper hand" in the battle for
the Nationals final rotation spot, the team plans to hold an open tryout. That
means Joe Ross, Erick Fedde and Henderson
Alvarez will all have an opportunity to win the job in
camp, making each of their Grapefruit League outings worth keeping an eye on.
Hellickson performed well in the role last season, and with a solid spring
showing he will be the Nats likely fifth starter.
NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST
D-BACKS: CLOSER
Archie
Bradley appeared to be the de facto closer until the
D-backs signed free agent Greg Holland at
the end of January with the promise that he would get to compete for the role.
As camp started, the race appeared to be wide open. The D-backs also have Yoshihisa
Hirano slated for the back end of the 'pen, but when it
comes to the closer role it's a two-man race between Bradley and Holland.
DODGERS: CATCHER
The departure of Yasmani
Grandal has left the catching position up for grabs. Austin Barnes returns
after a dreadful offensive season, and he'll need to beat out former
Dodger Russell
Martin, who just turned 36 and has tailed off offensively as
well in recent years. The Dodgers' rumored pursuit of J.T. Realmuto is
a sign that neither Barnes nor Martin has the full faith and confidence of
management. Will Smith,
the most advanced of a deep prospect pool, is ready defensively and figures to
open the season at Triple-A -- but he could arrive any time.
GIANTS: BACKUP CATCHER
The Giants are searching for Buster Posey's new
backup after allowing Nick Hundley to
depart via free agency this offseason. It will be a key competition to watch
this spring, as the Giants want to be cautious with Posey as he works his way
back from major hip surgery. Rookie Aramis Garcia impressed
after being called up in September last year, but he will be challenged by
veterans Rene Rivera, Cameron Rupp and Stephen Vogt, all of
whom are in camp as non-roster invitees. Vogt's ability to handle multiple
positions aligns with the Giants' desire for more versatility, but he is coming
off shoulder surgery and likely won't be ready to play in Cactus League games
until mid-March.
PADRES: OUTFIELD
On the current Padres roster are six outfielders who have seen time as regulars
over the past three seasons. There's a chance that as many as two of those big
league caliber outfielders open the season in Triple-A. The competition will be
particularly fierce in the corners, where Wil Myers, Hunter Renfroe, Franmil Reyes and Franchy
Cordero are all set to compete for playing time. Cordero
could fight for starts in center field, too, but Manuel Margot and Travis
Jankowski are options in center as well.
ROCKIES: SECOND BASE
Ryan McMahon brings
left-handed power potential. Garrett
Hampson is a right-handed hitter with above-average speed
and a line-drive swing. Pat Valaika had a
strong 2017 as a right-handed pinch-hitter, although he didn't accomplish much
last season. Brendan Rodgers -- the Rockies' No. 1 prospect and the No. 10
prospect overall per MLB Pipeline -- has power and solid defensive tools.
Unless one player is so dominant this spring that the Rockies count on him
excelling immediately when the season begins, expect this to at least begin as
a two-man job. One issue is this group has a total of two years and 44 days of
big league experience, and Rodgers has yet to debut. If they all prove unready,
the Rockies could always slide non-roster veteran Mark Reynolds into
the position.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
EAST
BLUE JAYS: LEFT FIELD
Teoscar
Hernandez and Billy McKinney are
set to battle it out for the starting job. Hernandez offers a lot more power
after slugging 22 home runs in 134 games last season. McKinney is the vastly
superior defender, someone who draws walks and frequently puts the ball in
play. The early favorite might be Hernandez, but this is also a make-or-break
year for him in the outfield. The Dominican native wants to avoid being labeled
as a designated hitter and this will be the spring to do it.
ORIOLES: RIGHT FIELD
Trey Mancini is
ticketed for left, and Cedric Mullins has
the inside track on claiming the center-field job. The O's right-field
situation, though, is wide open. Joey Rickard, Anthony
Santander, DJ Stewart and Austin Hays are
the four immediate candidates, with the runner-up likely cracking the roster in
a backup role. All come with big league experience; Rickard is the only member
of the group without options. They'll battle it out in the shadow of top
prospect Yusniel Diaz,
who could be up in Baltimore as early as this summer.
RAYS: FIRST BASE
When the Rays traded away Jake Bauers to
Cleveland; they knew they would learn a lot about their situation at first base
during the spring. But despite not having a proven first baseman on the roster,
Tampa Bay remains optimistic that it has enough options for it to not be a
problem. Ji-Man Choi, Yandy Diaz and Brandon Lowe will
get the reps at first base during the spring. Choi, Diaz and Lowe all have the
ability to play multiple positions for the Rays, which only adds to the
versatility, but the big question of the spring will be which of the three
steps up and solidifies a very important position for Tampa Bay.
RED SOX: CATCHER
The Red Sox have a wide-open race for the starting catcher spot. Last year, the
club carried three catchers for most of the season in Christian
Vazquez, Sandy Leon and Blake Swihart. Vazquez
and Leon essentially shared the position, with Swihart serving in more of a
utility role. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and manager Alex
Cora are both on record as saying that arrangement is no longer sustainable.
One of the three will likely get traded, leaving the other two to battle for
the top spot. Swihart has the most offensive upside in the group, and seems to
be far more in the mix to win the job than he was a year ago. Swihart has made
significant improvement defensively in the last year thanks to exhaustive work
with catching instructors Jason Varitek and Chad Epperson. Leon is the best
defender of the three, but his bat went nearly silent last season. Vazquez is
coming off a down year at the plate but has a cannon arm. The area he needs to
improve most at is game calling.
YANKEES: FIRST BASE
Luke Voit has
"a leg up" in the competition to serve as the Yankees' everyday first
baseman, according to general manager Brian Cashman, by virtue of the terrific
offense he provided in the second half of last season. Cashman has said that
Voit was the most impactful bat moved ahead of the Trade Deadline, a group that
included Manny Machado. Greg Bird will
have an opportunity to reclaim the promise that he showed at the end of 2015,
before injuries derailed his rise.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
CENTRAL
INDIANS: LEFT FIELD
Although who will take the job is unknown, it's almost certain that the Indians
will only consider in-house candidates and not look to the free-agent market to
sign an outfielder. The Tribe could dip into infielders Bauers, Carlos Santana or Jason Kipnis (though
he was named the
starting second baseman on Monday) if they feel they need
extra depth in left, but the true race will come down to returning
outfielders Tyler Naquin and Greg Allen, new
addition Jordan Luplow and
non-roster invitee Matt Joyce.
ROYALS: RIGHT FIELD
This will be the most intriguing position battle in camp. Jorge
Bonifacio, Brett Phillips, Jorge Soler and Brian Goodwin all
will compete for the job. Do the Royals go offense there? That would be Soler.
Do they go defense, which has been their mantra for years? That would be the
speedy Phillips, who has an 80-grade arm. Further complicating matters is
that Terrance Gore,
their designated late-inning pinch-runner, will occupy a roster spot as an
outfielder, meaning the Royals will have to decide whether to keep five or six
outfielders (Alex Gordon, Billy Hamilton,
Soler, Gore and Goodwin are locks). Phillips and Bonifacio have options, which could
work against them.
TIGERS: SECOND BASE
Niko Goodrum was
a revelation as a super-utility player last spring but settled into regular
duty at second down the stretch last year. The Tigers must decide what role
he's more valuable in. Dawel Lugo,
widely seen as the second baseman of Detroit's future, will push to move up his
timetable. Another utility player, Ronny
Rodriguez, is in the competition, as is former White Sox second
baseman and non-roster invite Gordon Beckham.
TWINS: 25TH ROSTER SPOT
With the defensively limited Nelson Cruz needing
a spot on the Twins' roster, positional flexibility will be at a premium on
Minnesota's bench. Behind utility infielder Ehire Adrianza,
who is out of options and is expected to earn a bench role, the Twins could
currently have fourth outfielder Jake Cave and
backup catcher Mitch Garver.
But there are several contenders for a possible fourth bench role, including
first baseman/outfielder Tyler Austin --
who is also out of options and showed promising power last season -- utility
infielder Ronald
Torreyes and super-utility catcher Willians
Astudillo, who impressed at the plate in September and could
offer the Twins a second alternative to starting catcher Jason Castro, who
hasn't appeared in a Major League game since his knee surgery last May. That's
not to mention veterans Lucas Duda and Adam Rosales, who are
in camp on Minor League deals and could also push for consideration.
WHITE SOX: FIFTH STARTER
The White Sox traded for Manny Banuelos because
they had enough interest to secure his services before he became a six-year
free agent. The southpaw is out of options and could have a slight edge as
Cactus League action approaches, but don't count out Dylan Covey or
even Carson Fulmer,
who is being viewed more as a reliever but has renewed confidence after
returning to a delivery he used successfully at Vanderbilt. General Manager
Rick Hahn still might go out of the organization to find a more veteran
candidate.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
WEST
ANGELS: SECOND BASE
The Angels will have a competition for the second-base job this spring,
as David
Fletcher is considered the favorite but will compete with
prospect Luis Rengifo and
veteran Tommy La
Stella. Third baseman Taylor Ward is
also in the mix, but if he wins the job it will mean Zack Cozart will
open the year at third base. Cozart is practicing at third and second this
spring to be prepared for both positions, depending on how the infield
competition shakes out.
ASTROS: FIFTH STARTER
The Astros filled one rotation spot by signing Wade Miley to a
one-year deal a few weeks ago, but the spring will see an open audition for the
fifth spot. The two to watch are hard-throwing Josh James and
lefty Framber
Valdez, both of whom weren't even in big league camp last year
and pitched in key games down the stretch. Forrest Whitley, the top pitching prospect in
baseball, is in the mix as well, but he'll probably make his debut later in the
season.
ATHLETICS: ROTATION
At this point, only three starters in A's camp are guaranteed a rotation spot
when camp breaks: Mike Fiers, Marco Estrada and Brett Anderson.
The competition behind them is crowded. Daniel Mengden appears
to be a leading candidate in a group that also includes the organization's top
pitching prospect, Jesus Luzardo. Paul Blackburn, Parker
Bridwell, Aaron Brooks, Frankie Montas and Chris Bassitt can
also be found on this lengthy list. Complicating matters is the short spring
schedule; the A's leave for Tokyo in less than a month, which will likely force
them to speed up the decision process.
MARINERS: FIRST BASE
Ryon Healy is the
returning starter, but he'll compete again this spring with Daniel
Vogelbach as well as new veteran acquisitions Jay Bruce and Edwin
Encarnacion. Healy, 27, started 128 games last year and hit 24
homers with 73 RBIs, but he'll need to raise his .235 batting average and .277
on-base percentage to remain part of the Mariners' rebuilding plans. Vogelbach,
26, has been a big producer at Triple-A the last three years, but has yet to
translate that to the Major League level and is out of Minor League options, so
decision time is looming for his future with the organization. He could be a
viable designated hitter contender should the Mariners trade Encarnacion, who
will be the primary DH and see some time at first base as long as he remains
with the club. Bruce will back up in the corner outfield spots, but also see some
time at first as the club wants to keep his bat in the lineup as well in order
to maximize his trade value.
RANGERS: FOURTH OUTFIELDER
This one is interesting because it could come down to Hunter Pence versus Willie Calhoun.
Pence may be a better fit for the Rangers because he gives them a right-handed
hitter to help balance a predominantly left-handed lineup. But the Rangers have
also been impressed with how hard Calhoun worked in the offseason and how he
looks coming into Spring Training. Pence is also coming off a poor offensive
season, so he has to show that he can still swing the bat. 
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