Orelvis Martinez hit a homer. I have a hard time believing he won’t be part of that infield this year. I know wins and losses matter, but giving 900 plate appearances to Ernie Clement and Davis Schneider is not a viable long term approach, and with Vlad potentially on the way out, the team needs to look toward its next wave.
Orioles 2B Jackson Holliday certainly appears to have added those 25 lbs of muscle we’ve been hearing about, and he has gotten rid of the big leg kick, but his front side is still bailing as the pitch comes in. Color me skeptical.
Red Sox OF Ceddanne Rafaela looks bigger too: a thought I had the literal pitch before he blasted a home run to left-center field. The prognosticators who’ve been writing him out of their long-term regular lineup have been underestimating him. UPDATE: He just drew a casual walk, which is perhaps even more important than the thump.
Rockies OF Zac Veen started in left field and hit a home run in the team’s spring opener. His dynasty value seems low to me, compared to the skill set and setting.
Rays OF Chandler Simpson fits that mold a bit, too, as a professional thief who looks good on the major league field and might fit perfectly into his team’s lineup early in the season. He’s traveled an entirely different route to this moment, of course. Had to create his own hype by stealing 94 and 104 bases in back-to-back minor league seasons. He hasn’t played in Triple-A yet, but I’m not sure he has much to learn there after posting a 141 wRC+ and .410 OBP in 78 Double-A games.
Rangers RHP Jack Leiter threw two shutout innings, deploying his new sinker with success. He did allow two hits and one walk.
Rangers 1B Abimelec Ortiz homered after subbing in as the right fielder. Could just be a late-game sub in a game that doesn’t matter. Could be the beginning of something intriguing.
Giants 1B Bryce Eldridge popped a homer in his debut. He’ll probably head back to Double-A after spending just a week there last year, but Posey is new at this, so it’s hard to predict how he’ll feel if Edlridge is terrifying pitchers throughout the preseason.
Rangers OF Trevor Hauver has two homers already and is hitting everything in sight.
Rockies RHP Chase Dollander pitched well his first time out there. Could force his way into the rotation with a dominant spring.
Angels 2B Christian Moore will get work at third base this spring in a continuation of the organization’s hammer-the-gas approach to prospect development. Feels like he’ll break camp with the club if he hits at all this spring.
The Nationals’ broadcast said Paul DeJong will be the everyday third baseman, but we’ll have to wait and see for sure before we bury Jose Tena, even if blocking a ready-now guy they acquired at last year’s deadline certainly seems like something a team would enjoy doing.
Orioles RHP Brandon Young was sitting 95 and touching 97 in his spring debut. Baltimore hasn’t exactly blocked its young starters this off-season, and if Young can sustain this uptick (about 3 mph harder than he threw last year), his timeline will move up a bit from midseason after an injury hits to whenever Baltimore needs an extra arm.
Red Sox 3B Rafael Devers doesn’t want to switch positions, but he might open the season in a designated hitter role anyway due to pain in both shoulders. This perhaps opens a crack for Kristian Campbell or Vaughn Grissom, but I’d have to guess they’d try Hamilton first anyway at this point.
Diamondbacks RHP Justin Martinez looks incredible. The delivery is smooth and simple, appearing effortless thanks in part to consistent balance throughout. The command should follow. Get some offers out there before he’s a minted closer if you can.
Mets OF Alexander Canario gets a fresh look in New York after Chicago sent him packing to make room on the roster for Justin Turner, the six million dollar man.
Look, I know there’s a fool-me-can’t-get-fooled-again aspect to Cubs 2B Vidal Brujan, but Matt Shaw is hurt, and Nico Hoerner is hurt, and Brujan is hitting. He’s 2-for-2 on the bases and smoked a home run from the right side during Tuesday’s game.
Astros 3B Cam Smith swatted an easy looking opposite field home run in his first spring training plate appearance. Then he hit another. I’m a little worried about drafting Moore over him in a couple leagues.
Nationals RHP Kyle Finnegan is the highest paid man in Washington’s bullpen now after signing for $6 million, but I’m not dropping Jose Ferrer or Jorge Lopez yet. I’ll probably hold Ferrer for quite a while. I just don’t think Finnegan is very good, as evidenced by his 1.34 WHIP.
Thanks for reading!
