Spring Training Job Battles: And We're Off

Spring Training Job Battles

Arizona Diamondbacks

Left Field - The Diamondbacks may be tempted to try to secure some (or any) ROI from Yasmany Tomas by trotting him out in left field regularly to start the year. However, recent comments from manager Chip Hale suggest the left field job is very much open, with Socrates Brito representing the primary threat to Tomas' role. "Is (Tomas) our starting left fielder out of camp? We'll see," Hale said. "It's a competition." Hale said Brito will be hard to keep on the roster in a reserve role. Peter O'Brien is the X-factor, and long shot, in this equation.

Second Base - This may be Chris Owings' job to lose, but that's only because he's the incumbent. Brandon Drury looms as a very real threat to wrestle the job away, if not in spring training then perhaps relatively early on in the season. Jean Segura is also working out at second base this spring, and while that's mostly to increase his versatility, the team could move Segura to second occasionally and give Nick Ahmed spot starts at short if Owings gets off to a poor start.

Third Base - Drury is a candidate for time at third base as well, but his bat profiles better at second base. Jake Lamb, the incumbent, only managed six homers and a .386 SLG last season, but there is a substantial amount of raw power still untapped here. The Diamondbacks want to find out what Lamb is made of, but they are also dead set on competing this year, so no player not named Paul Goldschmidt or A.J. Pollock or David Peralta will be afforded a chance to work through prolonged struggles.

Rotation - The additions of Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller have shored up the top of the rotation, but there is still an opening for the No. 5 spot. Left-hander Robbie Ray is the leading candidate, as per Hale, but Archie Bradley and 2015 surprise Zack Godley will be in the mix, and top prospect Braden Shipley could push for a spot with a strong start at Triple-A.

Atlanta Braves

Closer - This competition figures to come down to one thing; Jason Grilli's health. The 39-year-old blew out his Achilles' tendon just before the All-Star break last year, affording Arodys Vizcaino an opportunity to showcase his skills in the ninth inning. Vizcaino did just that, successfully converting all but one of his 10 save chances, but the team may want to try to build Grilli's trade value back up by returning him to the closer role to start the year. The last we'd heard, Grilli was optimistic about his chances to be ready for Opening Day, having completed four bullpens already by the first week of camp.

Third Base - "The Adorable Adrian" Adonis Garcia and Kelly Johnson appear to be the leading candidates, but don't tell that to Gordon Beckham. Beckham is intent on proving this spring that he's the best man for the job. Him winning the job is well within the realm of possibility, considering Garcia's power production from last year is a mirage and Johnson is better suited for a utility role. That said, Beckham's performance has been lacking throughout most of his career, and Jace Peterson may need a platoon partner at second base if his struggles against lefties continue.

Rotation - The implications here are minimal, because whichever players win rotation spots will be little more than a streaming options to start the year. Among Williams Perez, Kyle Kendrick, Manny Banuelos and Jhoulys Chacin, Banuelos is easily the arm with the most upside, but he's coming off another elbow surgery and is not a strong bet to hold up throughout the season. Aaron Blair is believed to be the only prospect with even an outside chance to crack the Opening Day rotation, but the Braves would be wise to let him continue his development in the minors to start the season. Hard-throwing right-hander Mike Foltynewicz could eventually push for a starting job, but he too is coming off a procedure and facing an uncertain workload. Folty may open the year on the DL.

Baltimore Orioles

Right Field - Dexter Fowler would have been more than a "cherry on top" for the Orioles as first baseman Chris Davis said; he would have filled a glaring hole on the roster. With Fowler returning to Chicago, the team is left with Nolan Reimold, Dariel Alvarez and Jimmy Paredes to compete for time in the right corner. Mark Trumbo may factor in as well, but Trumbo and the team would be better off if he primarily served as the designated hitter. Reimold hasn't played in 100 games since 2009 and is unlikely to ever crack the bottom third of the batting order. There are better targets in the late rounds of AL-only drafts.

Boston Red Sox

Fifth Starter - Manager John Farrell has acknowledged that Joe Kelly has the inside track at the final rotation spot in Boston. Other candidates include Roenis Elias, Henry Owens, Steven Wright and Brian Johnson, although Johnson is behind schedule a bit after undergoing surgery on his elbow last year. Kelly turned things around down the stretch last season by mixing in his slider and changeup more often, but he's firmly in make-or-break territory (as a starter) this season.

Left Field - President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski subtly put Rusney Castillo on notice last week, saying the outfielder is "still not an established major league player." Two days later, the team signed David Murphy to a minor league deal with a spring training invite, ensuring that the seat will remain hot for Castillo throughout camp. Injuries bit Castillo early in the spring last year and may have inhibited his performance throughout the season, so this will be a crucial stretch for Castillo to show he belongs in a regular role.

Chicago Cubs

Fifth Starter - You know a team is well off when its only real job battle is between two pitchers who were each worth two-plus wins last year. Kyle Hendricks (3.4 fWAR) displays excellent control which makes him a strong WHIP asset in fantasy, but the big question is the strikeout rate. Can he maintain a strikeout rate north of 22 percent, or will he settle in somewhere between that number and his 14.6% mark from 2014? It could be the difference between Hendricks being a valuable mixed-league starter or a NL-only streamer. Meanwhile, Adam Warren (2.2 fWAR) seems destined to fill the swingman role to start given his experience and success in the Yankees' bullpen, but an injury could afford both players a chance to start.

Chicago White Sox

Shortstop - The Alexei Ramirez era came to an end when Chicago declined his club option for 2016, paving the way for top prospect Tim Anderson to eventually take over at shortstop. In the meantime, the Sox will slap a band-aid on the position, with Tyler Saladino and non-roster invitee Jimmy Rollins competing this spring for the primary share of the workload. Manager Robin Ventura recently suggested both Rollins and Saladino could make the roster.

Cincinnati Reds

Left Field - Offseason trade acquisition Scott Schebler has already made an impression this spring. He smacked a homer off the Indians' Felipe Paulino, and later made a leaping catch at the wall with the bases loaded, in the Reds' Cactus League opener on Tuesday. Adam Duvall started Tuesday's game in left field, going 1-for-2 with a single. Top prospect Jesse Winker got the nod Wednesday. Manager Bryan Price isn't ruling Winker out but has acknowledged that Winker is not the favorite out of camp.

Closer Role - Aroldis Chapman is now in pinstripes, and J.J. Hoover is going to get the first crack at replacing him. The peripherals do not support Hoover's 2.94 ERA and 1.17 WHIP from a year ago -- his FIP was pushing 4.50 -- but the thing working in his favor is the lack of viable options behind him. Jumbo Diaz finished last season reasonably well but had some terrible blowups in high-leverage spots early on. Hard-throwing lefty Tony Cingrani worked around a walk and hit in a scoreless frame Tuesday, but the control remains a major issue. Keyvius Sampson, who struck out the side in Wednesday's exhibition, is a player to watch.

Rotation - With John Lamb (back) and Homer Bailey (elbow) out to start the year, there are three openings in the Reds' rotation. Michael Lorenzen, Brandon Finnegan, John Moscot, and prospects Robert Stephenson and Cody Reed are in the mix. Most of Lorenzen's time with the big club last season was hard to watch, but a successful three-start reboot at Triple-A Louisville at the end of the year (1.13 ERA) provides some reason for optimism.

Cleveland Indians

Outfield - The Cleveland outfield is in shambles with Michael Brantley (shoulder) likely out to start the year and Abraham Almonte banned 80 games for PED use. Manager Terry Francona said Wednesday that Brantley is ahead of schedule, but an Opening Day outfield consisting of Lonnie Chisenhall, Rajai Davis, and Collin Cowgill is entirely possible. Joey Butler, Tyler Naquin, Will Venable, James Ramsey, and Zach Walters are all in the hunt as well. Have fun with that.

Fifth Starter - Josh Tomlin is by no means secure in a starting role despite turning in outstanding results in 10 starts for the Tribe last season. Cody Anderson is already closing whatever gap there may be between the two, tossing two perfect frames in his spring debut Wednesday, a day after Tomlin was knocked around for three hits and a run in his lone frame. After a 2015 campaign plagued by a shoulder injury, T.J. House is looking to prove he is past those issues and not a third wheel in the competition.

Colorado Rockies

Backup Catcher - Tom Murphy should be able to cement his status as the backup relatively easily this spring, with Dustin Garneau and Tony Wolters being the other options on the 40-man behind starter Nick Hundley. The 24-year-old Murphy gave us a glimpse of his power in 11 games with the big club last year, parking three balls in the seats, bringing his total to 23 home runs between three levels. Keep in mind, Hundley is now 32 and missed the final month of last season with a cervical strain.

Shortstop - The precedent set by the Aroldis Chapman 30-game suspension looms large here. No criminal charges were filed against Chapman. Jose Reyes is on leave awaiting trial on domestic abuse charges. Enter Trevor Story, who turned in a 20-20 season between Double-A and Triple-A last year, keeping his strikeout rate below 25 percent at both stops. He will need to get the walk rate back up -- it fell to below 6 percent after the move to Triple-A -- but Story's power-speed combo and path to regular playing time will make him a popular target late in mixed-league drafts. Cristhian Adames, Daniel Descalso, and Rafael Ynoa comprise his competition.

Detroit Tigers

Center Field - After a resurgent year with Atlanta, Cameron Maybin returned this offseason to the team that drafted him out of high school in 2005. It hasn't been a full-circle fairy tale to start spring training, though, as Maybin has already dealt with a couple injury issues. First it was his throwing shoulder, now it's a wrist contusion, the result of being hit by a Luis Severino fastball during Wednesday's exhibition. Anthony Gose struggled down the stretch last year but will attempt to push Maybin for the job this spring. Whichever player wins the job will likely bat ninth for Detroit.

Fifth Starter - Daniel Norris, the centerpiece in the return for David Price from Toronto at last year's deadline, is the clear frontrunner for the final rotation spot. Matt Boyd and Shane Greene are both candidates as well, but barring injury, it should be Norris in a landslide. Manager Brad Ausmus has already made it clear to Greene that a bullpen role could be in the cards.

Houston Astros

First Base - Remember when everyone thought Jonathan Singleton was doing himself a major disservice by signing a long-term deal with Houston back in 2014? It hasn't turned out to be such a club-friendly deal, as Singleton has mostly struggled at the highest level, playing in just 19 games a year ago. Singleton has reportedly packed on 17 pounds of muscle this offseason, and manager A.J. Hinch said Singleton will get the "first look" in the competition, but the powerful (and disciplined) A.J. Reed is the player to target here. Tyler White is a distant third in the competition.

Kansas City Royals

Second Base - Veteran Omar Infante has two years left on his deal and should have the job, if healthy. That caveat is no formality, as Infante is a week behind schedule already after undergoing surgery in the offseason to shave down a bone spur in his elbow. Christian Colon is the best bet to fill in during the regular season, ahead of Cheslor Cuthbert and Ramon Torres.

Fourth and Fifth Starter - There are two spots up for grabs between Kris Medlen, Chris Young, and Danny Duffy. Medlen, coming off his second Tommy John surgery, predictably had his ups and downs last year in his first season with Kansas City. Duffy, meanwhile, is at a crossroads in his career. Will he make it as a starter?

Los Angeles Angels

Fifth Starter - 2015 All-Star Hector Santiago (yes, that happened) may be the early frontrunner for the final rotation spot, but Matt Shoemaker, Nick Tropeano, and Tyler Skaggs are in the mix. The home run issues that plagued Shoemaker last year reared their ugly head Wednesday in his spring debut, with the Giants' Conor Gillaspie touching Shoemaker up for a long ball. Skaggs, returning from Tommy John surgery, will be available for between 165-175 innings this season.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Fifth Starter - Renewed discomfort in Hyun-Jin Ryu's surgically-repaired shoulder means Alex Wood's stock is on the rise. Wood doesn't officially have a starting job right now, but his struggles last season have been overblown, and he worked to clean up his delivery in the offseason. Michael Bolsinger and Brandon Beachy are competing with Wood for the open rotation spot. This situation could become a whole lot more interesting if Brett Anderson's back issues linger. Could some of the younger arms (Julio Urias, Jose De Leon) enter the fray?

Miami Marlins

Closer - Sadly, this competition, which appeared to be one of the more intriguing entering spring training, may already be decided. Carter Capps, seen by many as a very real threat to A.J. Ramos' role, underwent an MRI on his elbow this week. The results haven't been released publicly, but Capps is seeking a second opinion, and according to the Miami Herald, the Marlins are exploring the trade market for relievers.

Fourth and Fifth Starter - Edwin Jackson is believed to be a favorite for one of the two available spots in the Miami rotation. So, in other words, this one is wide open. Jarred Cosart, David Phelps, Brad Hand, Adam Conley, and Justin Nicolino are all in the hunt. Conley is the only one of the bunch getting any love in early drafts, going as high as 296 in an NFBC draft with an ADP of 416.

Milwaukee Brewers

Third Base - 2016 will be a year of talent evaluation for the rebuilding Brewers, and third base may be a revolving door for most of the season. Veteran Aaron Hill will lead the pack, but the team will see if there's anything there with Garin Cecchini and Will Middlebrooks, both discards from the Red Sox's organization. Cecchini posted a .583 OPS at Triple-A last year but is just entering his age-25 season, and is only a couple years removed from being a consensus top-100 prospect.

Center Field - With Khris Davis gone, Ryan Braun will shift to left and Domingo Santana will move to right, leaving center field open. Rymer Liriano, acquired via trade after being designated for assignment by the Padres, will face competition from Kirk Nieuwenhuis and perhaps Shane Peterson.

Closer Role - Shortly after pitchers and catchers reported, manager Craig Counsell formally announced that there would be an open competition for the close role between Will Smith and Jeremy Jeffress. The lefty Smith has been touted as the favorite by most since K-Rod was traded, and Jeffress has been slowed by a hamstring strain already this spring. He is without a timetable to pitch in exhibition games.

Minnesota Twins

Center Field - Everyone is ready to pencil Byron Buxton into the Opening Day lineup, but not so fast. The team has several center field options in Eddie Rosario, Danny Santana, and Max Kepler to fall back on if Buxton fails to hit this spring. Of course, Buxton could come up in mid-to-late April and still turn in the type of production owners are currently paying for, but nothing will be handed to him.

New York Yankees

Backup Catcher - Look out for Gary Sanchez. The departure of John Ryan Murphy in the offseason has opened the door for the powerful Sanchez to take over as Brian McCann's backup. In very deep mixed formats like the NFBC Draft Champions, Sanchez makes all the sense in the world as a late-round target. Austin Romine represents his primary competition.

Oakland Athletics

Rotation - Jesse Hahn scrapped his slider in hopes of avoiding a second Tommy John surgery, but remains a big health risk. If he holds up throughout the spring, Hahn will likely pair with Chris Bassitt to round out the A's Opening Day rotation. Felix Doubront will be waiting in the wings in case there is an injury to Hahn or another pitcher.

Philadelphia Phillies

Catcher - Out of respect for veteran Carlos Ruiz, manager Pete Mackanin is opting against naming a starting catcher for the 2016 season. In all likelihood, it will be 27-year-old Cameron Rupp behind the plate most days, as the rebuilding Phillies have little to gain by giving the 37-year-old Ruiz those valuable at-bats. Perhaps, if the team wants its young pitchers to work some with Ruiz, it will be a 60-40ish timeshare.

Closer - David Hernandez is the favorite, largely by default. He is one of two Phillies relievers with a guaranteed contract for the 2016 season. The options behind him include Luis Garcia, Ernesto Frieri, Edward Mujica, and Andrew Bailey. Hernandez worked a perfect frame in his spring debut, touching 93 mph on the radar gun.

Fifth Starter - Vincent Velasquez, acquired as part of the package for closer Ken Giles, currently has the inside track at the No. 5 starter job. There's always an outside chance the team could start Velasquez, who has had Tommy John surgery, in the bullpen as a way to manage his innings, but he's easily the most exciting arm among the field. That field includes Brett Oberholtzer, Adam Morgan, David Buchanan, Alec Asher and Severino Gonzalez.

San Diego Padres

Center Field - If Jon Jay plays primarily in left, center field will be open for the likes of Melvin Upton Jr. and Travis Jankowski. If Jay plays more in center, left field will be open for Jabari Blash and Alex Dickerson. It will be somewhat interesting to see how the lineups shake out as spring training progresses, but from a fantasy standpoint, there is not much here to like no matter how you look at it.

Fifth Starter - Take your pick between Colin Rea, Robbie Erlin, Brandon Maurer, and Brandon Morrow. It's anyone's guess who wins this job.

Seattle Mariners

Backup First Baseman - Adam Lind needs a platoon partner. Perennial underachiever Jesus Montero is one candidate, and 33-year-old Korean slugger Dae-Ho Lee is the other. Lee had to leave camp to work out some visa issues, but is expected back Friday. If he fails to earn the job, Lee plans on exercising the late-March opt-out clause in his contract.

San Francisco Giants

Fourth and Fifth Starter - Entering camp, Chris Heston trailed Jake Peavy and Matt Cain in the competition for the final two spots in the Giants' rotation. However, Cain is not currently throwing after having a cyst removed from his arm late last month, and will be well behind schedule when he resumes his program. Last year, Cain still had some bounce-back supporters. It doesn't seem as though many are willing to take that leap this year (NFBC ADP: 445).

St. Louis Cardinals

First Base - A torn quad, suffered in late May, sidelined Matt Adams for an extended period and led the Cardinals to bring in Brandon Moss from Cleveland. Moss will reportedly have the first opportunity to secure the job after a mostly successful stretch run with St. Louis. It's fair to wonder how much of Moss' early struggles were related to the hip surgery he had last offseason.

Toronto Blue Jays

Closer - Drew Storen was brought in from Washington to shore up the back-end of the bullpen, but will he close? Roberto Osuna thrived in the role last year as a 20-year-old, and the Jays seem set to let him compete for the job this spring rather than stretch him out. MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm recently said Storen is likely the leading candidate, but it's hard to know to what degree he was speculating.

Left Field - It seemed Toronto had found a solution to its outfield problem in Jay Bruce, but that deal, like several others for the Reds this offseason, fell through. As things sit now, Michael Saunders is positioned as the primary option for the Blue Jays, but Chris Colabello and Dalton Pompey could factor in if Saunders struggles or gets hurt again.

Fifth Starter - Drew Hutchison fell flat on his face as a fantasy sleeper last year, and now finds himself in a competition with Jesse Chavez, Aaron Sanchez, and Gavin Floyd for a rotation spot. Chavez has experience in a swingman role, and Sanchez has struggled as a starter at the major league level, so perhaps Hutchison will get a chance to redeem himself in the rotation.

Washington Nationals

Shortstop - New skipper Dusty Baker has "all but named" Danny Espinosa his Opening Day shortstop, but he has also had high praise for Trea Turner.

Fifth Starter - Will high-kicking, acoustic-jamming Bronson Arroyo, back from Tommy John surgery, make an appearance in the Nationals' vaunted rotation? Tanner Roark is in his way, and top prospect Lucas Giolito is knocking at the door, but Arroyo will get to make his case this spring.