Spring Training Job Battles: The Games Begin

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Updated on February 25, 2019 10:58PM EST

Arizona Diamondbacks

Catcher

The Diamondbacks rotated through three catchers last season, and while the cast has changed a bit this year, the plan remains the same. Carson Kelly came over from St. Louis in the Paul Goldschmidt trade. He brings a decent amount of prospect hype and looks to be the long-term solution at the position, but he's hit just .154/.227/.188 in 131 major-league plate appearances thus far, so he'll have to earn his at-bats. Alex Avila returns after a miserable first season in Arizona in which he hit .165/.299/.304 while striking out 38.5 percent of the time. Now 32 years old and without much of a defensive reputation, his case for an expanded role is a weak one. John Ryan Murphy was better than Avila last season but still far from good, hitting just .202/.244/.375. He'll be battling Caleb Joseph for the third catcher spot. The 32-year-old is a backup at best and hit just .219/.254/.321 for the Orioles last season.

Fifth starter

Merrill Kelly is a wild card as a 30-year-old with no big league experience. He's been out of affiliated baseball since 2014 but posted good numbers in four seasons with the SK Wyverns in Korea, recording a 3.86 ERA in a high-offense environment. Matt Koch was competent enough in 14 starts and five relief appearances for the Diamondbacks last season, finishing with a 4.15 ERA, though he benefited from some batted-ball and strand-rate luck. Matt Andriese is in the picture as well. Taijuan Walker could eventually

Arizona Diamondbacks

Catcher

Fifth starter

Closer

Archie Bradley appears to be the favorite for the closer job in Arizona with Brad Boxberger now in Kansas City, though manager Torey Lovullo wouldn't confirm that the position was his. Bradley tied for second on the team with three saves last season, and led the team in holds with 34. Yoshihisa Hirano tied Bradley with three saves and beat him with a 2.44 ERA, though his 3.69 FIP suggests he got a bit lucky, and his 22.5 percent strikeout rate would be quite low for a closer. Greg Holland has 189 career saves and can't be ruled out, though his fastball now sits at just 93 mph and he slumped to a 4.66 ERA and 47:32 K:BB last season.

Atlanta Braves

Fifth starter

The first wave of Braves pitching prospects has begun to establish itself in the big-league rotation and things are getting crowded. Mike Soroka was in the conversation before the shoulder began barking again. That would seem to put Touki Toussaint in position to break camp in the rotation, though fellow youngsters Kyle Wright, Max Fried and Kolby Allard can turn up the pressure with strong performances in camp. Toussaint made five starts and two relief appearances for the team last season, finishing with a respectable 4.03 ERA. His 26.0 percent strikeout rate was strong, but his 17.1 percent walk rate is a concern. Soroka posted better numbers, with a 3.51 ERA and a 2.85 FIP in five starts while walking just 6.2 percent of batters.

Baltimore Orioles

Catcher

Chance Sisco, who turned 24 years old Sunday, projected as at least an average regular as a prospect, but he hasn't shown much in the big leagues thus far. He hit just .181/.288/.269 in 63 games last season. He'll fight for time with Austin Wynns, who posted a better but still unimpressive .255/.287/.382 line as a 27-year-old rookie.

Shortstop

Jonathan Villar is likely to play nearly every day, though he'll spend the majority of his time at second base. The main contestants for the shortstop job are at opposite ends of their careers. In the one corner is Alcides Escobar, a key member of two pennant-winning teams in Kansas City but not one who ever offered much offensively. His wRC+ has been below 70 for four straight seasons, and he's lost his speed, stealing a combined 12 bases in the last two seasons. In the other corner are a pair of Rule 5 draft picks, Richie Martin and Drew Jackson, who could earn playing time due to that status even if they aren't necessarily big-league ready. Martin has a shot to earn his at-bats legitimately, as his .300/.368/.439 line at Double-A Midland last season led to the Orioles taking him first in the Rule 5 draft. Jackson is a long shot, having been taken 11th in that draft, though he did hit 15 homers and steal 22 bases for Double-A Tulsa last season.

Right field

DJ Stewart hit three homers in 40 at-bats in his first taste of the big leagues last season, though his numbers at Triple-A Norfolk hardly suggest that stardom is in his near feature, as he hit a mediocre .235/.329/.387 with 12 homers in 116 games. Joey Rickard will be looking for at-bats as well, though he's done little to show he's more than a bench piece through three partial big-league seasons, compiling a forgettable .252/.298/.376 career slash line.

Boston Red Sox

Catcher

The Red Sox won the World Series without getting much from the catching position, at least offensively, so they had little motivation to seek out an upgrade. Christian Vazquez was the primary option in 2018 when not sidelined with a broken finger and will likely receive more than half the starts again this season. His defensive reputation is strong, but his .207/.257/.283 slash line won't excite fantasy owners. Sandy Leon also grades well as a pitch framer and had some small-sample success at the plate back in 2016, but he's done very little with the bat since then, hitting a miserable .177/.232/.279 last season. Blake Swihart is still around but hasn't done anything to carve out a significant role thus far, slashing .229/.285/.328 in 2018.

Closer

A reunion with Craig Kimbrel makes sense and is still possible, but there has been nothing to suggest a deal is close. What's left is a collection of interesting but unproven arms, including 31-year-old Ryan Brasier, who has just 42.2 big-league innings to his name. Most of those came last season, and they were good innings. His 23.4 percent strikeout rate isn't typical closer material, but he limits traffic on the basepaths, walking just 5.7 percent of batters last season. Matt Barnes appears to be the primary competition. His 3.65 ERA last year could have been considerably better, according to his 2.71 FIP. His strikeout rate spiked up to 36.2 percent, typical closer territory, though his control issues (11.7 percent walk rate) may make him a bit of an adventure in the ninth inning. Tyler Thornburg saved 13 games for the Brewers in 2016 but has since seen his career derailed by thoracic outlet syndrome.

Chicago Cubs

Second Base

Javy Baez should eventually play most games at second base, but he'll be needed at shortstop in April with Addison Russell serving a month-long suspension for domestic violence. The primary contenders for at-bats at the keystone will be a pair of veterans who can play all over the diamond: Ben Zobrist and Daniel Descalso. The 37-year-old Zobrist is coming off a bounce-back season in which he hit .305/.378/.440 and his defense still grades out well at the position, but he doesn't have much pop (nine homers last season) or speed (three steals). Descalso is similar to Zobrist, though with less experience in the outfield. He doesn't hit for as high an average (just .238 last season) but Descalso gets on base and has a bit more power (13 homers). David Bote, who started four games at second base while hitting .239/.319/.408 in his rookie season, could be in the mix as well.

Outfield

Manager Joe Maddon loves rotating players, and it looks like he'll have to continue to do that in the outfield again this season, as the Cubs possess a number of adequate options but no true stars. Jason Heyward dragged his batting average up to .270 last season but managed just eight homers and one steal. His strong defense will continue to earn him at-bats, though his defensive metrics took a step back last season according to DRS and UZR. Ian Happ didn't grade well defensively in center field and struck out 36.1 percent of the time, but he still managed an above-average 106 wRC+ on the back of a .233/.353/.408 line, adding 15 homers and eight steals. Kyle Schwarber knocks righties around to the tune of an .818 career OPS, but his .616 OPS against lefties limits him to a platoon role. Albert Almora Jr. earns playing time in center field with good defense, and he hit a solid .286 last season, but he has just 16 homers and two steals in 331 career games. The aforementioned Zobrist and Descalso will also factor into the picture in the outfield corners.

Chicago White Sox

Outfield

Eloy Jimenez could well be the best player in the entire organization (only Jose Abreu has a strong claim to say otherwise) and should play every day once called up, but his debut will sadly be delayed for service-time reasons. Until he arrives, the outfield on the south side of Chicago will be patrolled by a collection of sub-standard options. Center field will be a battle between Adam Engel, who stole 16 bases and played average defense but hit just .235/.279/.336, and Leury Garcia, who played below-average defense but stole 12 bases and hit a slightly better .271/.303/.376. In left, Daniel Palka appears to be the favorite. He hit 27 homers last year but also struck out 34.1 percent of the time and had a .294 OBP. Nicky Delmonico will be his primary competition but looks like a bench bat with a career .231/.322/.409 mark and 17 homers in 131 games. Veteran Jon Jay will get time at all three positions and hit a respectable .268 last season, but he paired that with just three homers and four steals.

Fifth starter

Carlos Rodon, Ivan Nova, Reynaldo Lopez and Lucas Giolito should have the top four spots locked down, but the team's fifth starter role remains open. Dylan Covey started 21 games last season but owns a career 6.10 ERA, striking out 15.5 percent of batters while walking 10.1 percent. Fellow 27-year-old Manny Banuelos came over in a trade from the Dodgers in November. He hasn't pitched in the majors since 2015, though he did manage a 3.73 ERA with a 27.0 percent strikeout rate for Triple-A Oklahoma City last season. Veteran Ervin Santana was a late addition to camp. Finger issues limited him to just five ugly starts last season, but he had five straight seasons with an ERA no higher than 4.00 from 2013 to 2017.

Closer

A pair of newcomers will compete for save chances for the White Sox this season. Alex Colome has 96 career saves and is coming off a season in which he recorded a 3.04 ERA, though his 25.5 percent strikeout rate falls short of typical closer numbers. Kelvin Herrera has 60 saves of his own and recorded a 2.44 ERA last season. His groundball rate plunged nearly 12 points to 35.6 percent while his strikeout rate sat at an unimpressive 20.7 percent.

Cincinnati Reds

Center field

With Billy Hamilton non-tendered and now in Kansas City, the Reds lack a traditional center fielder on the roster. Their creative solution appears to be to make a center fielder of their own rather than find one via trade or free agency, so they're asking highly-rated prospect Nick Senzel to try out the position this spring. Senzel can definitely hit (a .310/.378/.509 line for Triple-A Louisville last season) and is a good athlete, but third-base-to-center transitions are far less common than middle-infield-to-center moves, so we'll see. For at least the first few weeks of the season, assuming Senzel is held down for service-time reasons, and possibly longer should the prospect prove incapable of the switch, Scott Schebler will get the nod. His numbers at the plate (.255/.337/.439 with 17 homers in 107 games) look better in center, though his glove plays better in an outfield corner.

Cleveland Indians

Catcher

Roberto Perez averaged just 217 plate appearances over the last four seasons, but playing time has opened up with Yan Gomes now in Washington. He hasn't made a great case to move into a starting role, though, as he hit just .168/.256/.263 last season. He's been a very good pitch framer, which could give him an edge over offseason addition Kevin Plawecki. Plawecki is a mediocre defender and not great with the bat, though his .210/.315/.370 line last year beat Perez's by a considerable margin.

Outfield

Outfield is a clear hole for the three-time defending division champions. Leonys Martin should have the Opening Day center field job locked down. That leaves four players competing for the rest of the at-bats: Greg Allen, Jordan Luplow, Tyler Naquin and Bradley Zimmer. Allen stole 21 bases in 91 games last season but managed just two homers while hitting .257/.310/.343. Luplow has done very little in 64 major-league games with the Pirates, hitting .194/.274/.371, but his .300/.378/.479 line at the Triple-A level hints at at least some potential. Naquin posted strong numbers in his rookie campaign back in 2016 but hit just .264/.295/.356 last season. Zimmer has some speed, with 22 steals in 135 career games, but strikeouts have been a problem and he's still being eased into activity following a serious shoulder procedure last July.

Colorado Rockies

Catcher

The 35-year-old Chris Iannetta returns and has probably the inside track on the starting backstop job, though his profile isn't particularly exciting. He's held onto his ability to walk, and a .345 on-base percentage was fine for a catcher, but he hit just .224 with 11 homers last season. Tony Wolters brings a strong reputation as a pitcher framer and had a key hit in last year's Wild Card Game, but that followed a season in which he hit an awful .170/.292/.286. Tom Murphy is still on the 40-man roster as well.

Second base

Daniel Murphy is now in Colorado, but at his age he's probably best suited to play mostly first base. That leaves a pair of 24-year-olds, Ryan McMahon and Garrett Hampson, fighting for time at the keystone. McMahon received 202 plate appearances last season but did very little with them, hitting just .232/.307/.376 with five homers. His .337/.379/.577 line over the last two seasons at Triple-A Albuquerque hints at his potential, particularly in the power department. Hampson is more of a legitimate speed threat. He hit .275/.396/.400 in a small sample of 48 plate appearances in his debut last year and stole 36 bases in 110 minor-league games.

Fifth starter

Chad Bettis started 20 times and relieved in seven more for Colorado last season, but his results weren't particularly impressive, as he struck out just 15.4 percent of opposing hitters en route to a 5.01 ERA. Antonio Senzatela fared better in 13 starts and 10 relief appearances of his own, finishing with a 4.38 ERA, but he also doesn't strike out many batters (17.7 percent). Jeff Hoffman has also been mentioned in the conversation and had hype as a potential mid-rotation starter as a prospect, but his ERA sits at 5.88 over parts of three seasons.

Detroit Tigers

Rotation

Three pitchers will battle for the final two spots in the Tigers' rotation. Daniel Norris has thus far failed to put things together since headlining a trade for David Price back in 2015, posting ERAs north of 5.00 in two straight seasons. He's still just 25 years old and can blame a groin injury for his struggles, though, and a career-best 25.5 percent strikeout rate provides some reason for optimism. Fellow lefty Matt Moore struggled to a 6.79 ERA with Texas last season, losing his rotation spot in June. Tyson Ross is nowhere near what he once was after multiple serious injuries, but his 4.15 ERA last season was the best of the trio.

Closer

Shane Greene led the Tigers with 32 saves last season, but his numbers don't make a great case for him sticking in the role. He combined a 5.12 ERA with a pedestrian 23.3 percent strikeout rate. Joe Jimenez's 4.31 ERA is hardly closer material, either, though it hid a strong 2.91 FIP, and he struck out 29.2 percent of opposing batters.

Houston Astros

Right field

Josh Reddick has been a quality platoon player for several years, but his numbers started to slip last season, as he hit an unremarkable .242/.318/.400. A .258 BABIP can be blamed for some of his slide, but he's also now 32 years old, so a loss of skills would make sense. Tony Kemp and Jake Marisnick will receive some at-bats, but the real threat comes from Kyle Tucker. The 22-year-old hit a miserable .141/.236/.203 in his 28-game debut and is expected to open in the minors, but he's the future of the position for Houston and has little left to prove at Triple-A after hitting .332/.400/.590 for Fresno last season.

Kansas City Royals

Fifth starter

Chris Ellis was picked seventh in the Rule 5 draft by the Rangers and promptly flipped to the Royals, where he'll look to duplicate Brad Keller's success from last season. His 3.76 ERA for Triple-A Memphis was decent enough but hardly makes him a shoo-in for the job. Jorge Lopez will look to claim the job himself. Heath Fillmyer also has a shot.

Closer

Manager Ned Yost suggested he may go away from the traditional closer role this season. Brad Boxberger has plenty of experience, with 76 career saves, and he struck out 30.2 percent of batters for the Diamondbacks last season, but his 13.6 percent walk rate led to an unimpressive 4.39 ERA. Wily Peralta recorded his first 14 career saves last season, paired with a decent 3.67 ERA, but his 15.4 percent walk rate makes him hard to trust. Tim Hill has also been named in the conversation.

Los Angeles Angels

Setup man

Cody Allen arrives from Cleveland as a "proven closer" and is unlikely to have any competition for that role initially, but his 4.70 ERA from last season makes the question of who the next man up is a relevant one for fantasy owners. Ty Buttrey recorded four saves in his 16-game debut last season, striking out 28.6 percent of batters and giving up zero homers en route to a 3.31 ERA and 1.63 FIP. Hansel Robles got a pair of saves and also throws 96 mph, but it took some good luck just to get him to a 3.70 ERA, as his FIP sat at 4.59. Justin Anderson saved four games of his own with a 97.3 mph fastball, but he'll have to trim his 16.6 percent walk rate to have a legitimate shot at the job. Cam Bedrosian had some closer speculation heading into last season but looks like a middle reliever at this point, with an ERA of 3.80 and a pedestrian 21.0 percent strikeout rate.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Left field

Joc Pederson showed real improvement in his fourth full season, trimming his formerly troubling strikeout rate to 19.2 percent while slugging a career-best .522 and hitting 25 homers. He continued to be shielded against lefties, and for good reason. Utility players Chris Taylor and Enrique Hernandez can pick up the slack against southpaws, but the real threat to Pederson's playing time will come from Alex Verdugo. The 22-year-old has little to show for his 111 major-league plate appearances thus far, hitting a mediocre .240/.309/.360, but he's spent several seasons as one of the Dodgers' top prospects and has little left to prove in the minors, hitting .321/.389/.452 at the Triple-A level. As a fellow lefty, he'll be given a legitimate shot to beat Pederson for the starting role.

Miami Marlins

Outfield corners

The Marlins remain firmly in rebuild mode with a long list of fringe prospects to try out, but they nevertheless signed the 37-year-old Curtis Granderson to bring some stability to a very weak lineup. The vet can still play, as he posted a solidly above-average 116 wRC+ last season, though most of his value comes from his ability to take a walk, as he hit a modest .242 with just 13 homers and two steals. He could well be the team's best hitter, but he's only signed to a minor-league deal, so the Marlins could theoretically choose to move on and give time to younger players instead. Austin Dean and Peter O'Brien will compete for the rest of the at-bats in the corners. Dean hit just .221/.279/.363 in his 34-game debut last season, but his numbers for Triple-A New Orleans (.326/.397/.475) were quite strong. O'Brien looked good in an even shorter, 22-game sample, hitting .273/.338/.530, but it would be unwise to expect too much from a 28-year-old who has yet to establish himself at the top level.

Closer

No Marlin had more than 10 saves last season, and both of those who reached that mark (Brad Ziegler and Kyle Barraclough) are no longer with the team. Drew Steckenrider and Adam Conley are reportedly the top remaining options for the role. Steckenrider's 94.7 mph fastball and 27.2 percent strikeout rate probably fit better in a setup role but could be good enough in Miami. The left-handed Conley converted to relief last season and saw his fastball spike up nearly six ticks to 95.3 mphl. Sergio Romo is now in town and has 109 career saves under his belt. His 26.4 percent strikeout rate is quite remarkable considering that his fastball sat at 86.3 mph. Tayron Guerrero has the stuff to be a potential closer, with a fastball that sat at 98.8 mph and regularly hit triple digits, but he struck out fewer batters than Romo (25.4 percent) while walking too many (11.2 percent), leading to a 5.43 ERA.

Milwaukee Brewers

Rotation

The Brewers proved you can succeed without a top-tier starting rotation by making it to Game 7 of the NLCS last season, but the unit remains a question mark heading into 2019. Jhoulys Chacin and Chase Anderson appear to be locked in, but the remaining three spots are all undecided. Jimmy Nelson could be the team's best starter if he can repeat his 3.49 ERA from 2017, but he missed all of last season with a shoulder injury. He's on track to be ready by Opening Day, but given the amount of time he missed, nothing can be taken for granted. Zach Davies recorded ERAs below 4.00 in each of his first three seasons, but shoulder injuries of his own contributed to that number jumping to 4.77 in a 13-start campaign last year. Then comes a trio of interesting, unproven arms. Corbin Burnes impressed in a relief role last season, with a 2.61 ERA in the regular season and a 2.00 mark in the playoffs, but he's expected to return to starting this year. He projected as a mid-rotation starter or better as a prospect. Brandon Woodruff also impressed in a flexible role in the playoffs, striking out 43.5 percent of batters and recording a 1.46 ERA in 12.1 postseason innings. He's also viewed as a starter long-term and is in camp fighting for a rotation spot. Freddy Peralta is perhaps a long shot, but he struck out 29.9 percent of opposing hitters in 14 starts and a pair of relief appearances as a rookie.

Minnesota Twins

Catcher

Veteran Jason Castro returns after missing most of last season with a torn meniscus and will attempt to reclaim his starting job. He's nothing special at the plate but hit a respectable .242/.333/.388 with 10 homers in 2017. Mitch Garver will be his primary competition after hitting .268/.335/.414 last season, good for a slightly above-average 103 wRC+. The internet's favorite player Willians Astudillo remains in the mix as well. He hit an excellent .355 with a miniscule 3.1 percent strikeout rate in a 30-game debut last season.

Closer

Trevor May put up closer-worthy numbers in 25.1 innings in his return from Tommy John surgery last season, posting a 3.20 ERA while striking out 35.0 percent of batters. Blake Parker saved 14 games for the Angels last season and recorded a 3.26 ERA, though his 25.4 percent strikeout rate fits better on a setup man. Lefty Taylor Rogers belongs in the conversation as well after finishing with a 2.63 ERA and a 28.9 percent strikeout rate.

Fifth starter

Martin Perez was brought in on a one-year deal to compete for a rotation spot after posting a 6.22 ERA for the Rangers last season. Adalberto Mejia is the top returning candidate for the position, as he recorded a 2.01 ERA in 22.1 innings for the Twins last season and a 3.32 mark in 62.1 frames for Triple-A Rochester. Kohl Stewart debuted as a 23-year-old last season with a solid 3.68 ERA in four starts and four relief appearances, though his 24:18 K:BB isn't particularly promising.

New York Mets

Outfield

Brandon Nimmo and Michael Conforto have two of the three spots in the Mets' outfield locked down, but the third is open with Yoenis Cespedes set to miss at least half the season while recovering from a pair of heel surgeries. Both Nimmo and Conforto fit best in the corners but aren't complete zeros in center field. The winner of the third spot depends on if manager Mickey Callaway prefers offense or defense. Juan Lagares, Keon Broxton and Rajai Davis all play strong defense in center but offer little with the bat. It sounds like the preferred plan will be to shift Jeff McNeil out to left field, pushing Nimmo to center. McNeil's primary position of second base is now blocked by Robinson Cano, but his strong .329/.381/.471 line in his 63-game debut means that the team will want to find a way to get his bat in the lineup. If he proves he can handle the outfield, a role on the strong side of a platoon is possible, with one of the glove-first trio starting in center against southpaws.

New York Yankees

First base

Luke Voit reportedly has the inside track on the starting first base job, a position he would seem to deserve after hitting a remarkable .333/.405/.689 in 39 games following a trade from St. Louis last season. Former highly-rated prospect Greg Bird will get his shot at the role but would seem to be a long shot after hitting just .199/.286/.386 last season. Starting second baseman DJ LeMahieu is reportedly seen as the backup first baseman.

Oakland Athletics

Left field

Nick Martini performed well in a part-time platoon role last season, hitting .296/.397/.414 in 55 games, though it took a .379 BABIP to get him to that mark. Switch-hitter Robbie Grossman joined the team on a one-year deal and is reportedly viewed as a leadoff candidate due to his ability to take a walk. His .273/.367/.384 line for the Twins last season was playable but nothing special. Chad Pinder could be in the mix against lefties after hitting a similarly decent .258/.332/.436 in 333 plate appearances. The same can be said for Mark Canha, who hit .249/.328/.449 with 17 homers in 122 games. Franklin Barreto is a wild card. The middle-infield prospect is blocked at his preferred positions by Jurickson Profar and Marcus Semien and is now auditioning in the outfield in search of playing time.

Rotation

Mike Fiers and Marco Estrada are probably rotation locks, but the rest of Oakland's rotation spots are up for grabs. Jesus Luzardo, one of the top pitching prospects in baseball, is knocking on the door, though his 7.31 ERA in four starts at Triple-A Nashville gives Oakland an excuse to keep him in the minors long enough to earn an extra year of team control. Daniel Mengden started 17 games and relieved in five more last season, finishing with a solid 4.05 ERA, though his 15.1 percent strikeout rate caps his ceiling. Southpaw Brett Anderson walked just 3.9 percent of opposing batters last season but struck out only 14.1 percent, leading to an unimpressive 4.48 ERA in 17 starts. He also has major durability concerns and has only reached 20 starts twice in his 10-year big-league career. Frankie Montas' fastball clocks in at 95.8 mph, yet his strikeout rate was also quite low at 15.2 percent. Chris Bassitt's unimpressive 20.1 percent strikeout rate looks practically elite compared to the rest of Oakland's options. He could be a rotation option at some point in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery.

Philadelphia Phillies

Third base

Maikel Franco had a bounce-back season last year, but his .270/.314/.467 line with 22 homers wasn't anything special for a third baseman. That line is still far better than the one posted by Scott Kingery, who managed just eight homers and a miserable .226/.267/.338 slash line in his rookie season. On the surface, this hardly appears to be a battle, but the Phillies are clearly enamored with Kingery, as they handed him a nine-year deal before he ever took a major-league swing. He's also theoretically a better defender, having been trusted with primary shortstop duties last season. Kingery has only started eight major-league games at third base.

Center field

Andrew McCutchen is locked into an everyday role in left field, but the Phillies have four players battling for the other two spots in the outfield. Odubel Herrera was a rare point of stability and competency during the darkest days of the team's rebuild, but he struggled last season and is already down with a hamstring strain this spring. Roman Quinn battled a long list of injuries on his path to the big leagues but hit a respectable .260/.317/.412 with 10 steals in 50 games last season.

Right field

Over in right field, Nick Williams saw the bulk of the playing time last season and looks like the favorite again (unless Quinn bumps Herrera over to a corner). He's capable enough but not too exciting, hitting .256/.324/.425 with 17 homers in his first full season last year. Aaron Altherr is also in the conversation but is unlikely to earn anything more than a spot on the short side of a platoon after hitting .181 with a 31.9 percent strikeout rate last season. This particular battle could be rendered irrelevant should the Phillies manage to land the long-coveted Bryce Harper.

Closer

David Robertson, an 11-year vet with 137 saves to his name, was brought in on a two-year deal in January, but there's no guarantee that he'll be a traditional closer despite traditional closer numbers (a career 2.88 ERA and a career 32.4 percent strikeout rate). Seranthony Dominguez ended 2017 as a High-A starter but finished 2018 as the Phillies' saves leader with 16. He looks like a closer, with a 98.1 mph fastball and an 88.9 mph slider giving him a 32.0 percent strikeout rate, though his inexperience in relief showed at times last season as he struggled to pitch on back-to-back days. Hector Neris remains in the conversation as well despite a mid-season demotion last year, as he came back to record a 2.04 ERA over his final 20 appearances.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Shortstop

Erik Gonzalez appears to be the favorite at shortstop following an offseason trade from Cleveland. His opportunities were limited with the Indians but he didn't do a whole lot with them, slashing .263/.292/.389 in 275 plate appearances over three seasons. Kevin Newman will be his primary competition. A first-round pick in the 2015 draft, Newman received a 31-game cameo last season but struggled at the plate, hitting just .209/.247/.231.

Fifth starter

Jordan Lyles is reportedly the favorite for the Pirates' final rotation spot. His unremarkable 4.11 ERA in 87.2 frames for the Padres and Brewers last season was the best mark of his eight-year career. His strikeout rate jumped considerably, from a previous career-best of 17.0 percent to 22.6 percent, offering at least some reason for optimism. Lefty Steven Brault remains an option as well. Nick Kingham excited in his debut start as a 26-year-old last season but finished with an unimpressive 5.21 ERA in 76 frames.

San Diego Padres

Catcher

A pair of good young backstops will fight for playing time behind the plate in San Diego. Austin Hedges has a strong defensive reputation and finally started to put things together offensively, but his .231/.282/.429 slash line was still nothing to write home about. Francisco Mejia doesn't have the same defensive reputation but has a promising bat. He's done very little with 76 big-league plate appearances so far, hitting just .174/.250/.333, but his hit tool grades out very well and he owns a .293/.338/.471 slash line at the Triple-A level.

Outfield

The Padres have six candidates battling for three outfield spots. Wil Myers should play frequently unless the team decides to move his contract. Manuel Margot brings a strong glove to center field, but his bat hasn't developed much, as he hit .245/.292/.384 last season. He'll need to swipe more than the 11 bags he managed last year to be an interesting fantasy option. Franmil Reyes showed big power last season and was able to overcome a 28.1 percent strikeout rate to hit .280/.340/.498 with 16 homers in 87 games. Hunter Renfroe also has big power, with 26 homers in 117 games last season. The toolsy Franchy Cordero managed seven homers and five steals in just 40 games, though that came with a 35.7 percent strikeout rate. Finally, Travis Jankowski brings a decent glove to center field and stole 24 bases in a part-time role last season.

San Francisco Giants

Left field

Steven Duggar and Mac Williamson should have the inside tracks at center field and right field, respectively, leaving a group of mediocre options battling for time in left. Chris Shaw projected as a fringe starter with big power as a prospect. Austin Slater owns a .319/.391/.513 line in parts of three seasons at the Triple-A level but has yet to translate that success to the big leagues, hitting .251/.333/.307 in 74 games last season. Gerardo Parra was brought in on a minor-league deal and looks on the surface like the strongest candidate, but his .284/.342/.372 line last season looks a lot less impressive after factoring in Coors Field, translating to an 80 wRC+. Fellow non-roster invitee Cameron Maybin is in the picture as well and could take at-bats from Duggar in center.

Closer

Will Smith hasn't been named the club's closer, but he has the skills for the job. The lefty managed 14 saves last season and a 2.55 ERA while striking out 33.8 percent of opposing hitters. Mark Melancon has 182 career saves and was supposed to be the closer when the Giants brought him in on a four-year deal prior to the 2017 season, but injuries have derailed his career since then. He saved just three games last season, and while his 3.23 ERA was fairly strong, his 17.8 percent strikeout rate hardly makes him a terror for opposing hitters. Sam Dyson is involved in the competition as well. He makes up for a mediocre strikeout rate (20.5 percent) by keeping the ball on the ground (61.3 percent groundball rate).

Seattle Mariners

First base

Jay Bruce came over in the Robinson Cano/Edwin Diaz deal and could start frequently at first base in addition to occasional appearances in the outfield corners. He's not a particularly appealing option at this point in his career, after he slumped to a .223/.310/.370 line in an injury-riddled 94-game season last year. Ryon Healy is his top in-house competition. His 24 homers are decent considering his tough home park, but his .235/.277/.412 slash line doesn't really play at first base.

Shortstop

J.P. Crawford, who came over from Philadelphia in the Jean Segura trade, is a former highly-rated prospect who was supposed to combine a strong glove with excellent on-base ability. In two short stints with the Phillies, he did indeed show the ability to take a walk, doing so at a 12.9 percent clip, but he hit .214 with just three homers. His glove has also disappointed, according to the advanced metrics. He still has potential but isn't a lock to make the Opening Day roster. Tim Beckham will be his main competition. The first overall pick in the 2008 draft struggled to a .230/.287/.374 line for the Orioles last season, and at age 29, the clock is ticking.

Closer

The loss of Edwin Diaz leaves a massive hole at the back of the Mariners' pen. Hunter Strickland had a decent run as the Giants' closer last year before his hot-headed nature got the best of him again. Anthony Swarzak recorded a 2.33 ERA in 2017, but injuries ruined his 2018 campaign as he finished with an ugly 6.15 ERA. Shawn Armstrong has just one career save, but his 1.23 ERA in 14.2 innings last season should at least put him in the conversation. Dan Altavilla's fastball sits at 96 mph and he struck out 27.1 percent of opposing hitters last season, but he also walked far too many (17.7 percent).

St. Louis Cardinals

Right field

Dexter Fowler endured a miserable second season in St. Louis, hitting .180/.278/.298 while battling injuries. He'll get a shot to rebound, but the Cardinals aren't without other options. Jose Martinez isn't great defensively in the outfield but has no other spot to play now that Paul Goldschmidt is locked in at first base. With a .305/.364/.457 line last season, his bat definitely plays. Tyler O'Neill could be the future at the position. He has big power, managing nine homers in 142 plate appearances, but he also struck out 40.1 percent of the time.

Rotation

Injuries cloud the rotation picture in St. Louis. Carlos Martinez has been an ace in the past, but injuries forced him to the bullpen late last season and have already returned. He may not be ready by Opening Day and could spend time in the bullpen for workload management reasons. Alex Reyes looked to be on the doorstep of a rotation spot in 2017 before being shut down and sent for Tommy John surgery. He returned last season to make just a single start before being shut down with a lat strain. He's hoping to be a starter but could also require time in the bullpen to keep his workload down. Veteran Adam Wainwright is still around, but injuries limited him to just eight starts last season. Don't forget about Daniel Ponce de Leon or Austin Gomber.

Closer

Andrew Miller has posted closer-worthy numbers in the past, but he's also been very happy to be used earlier in the game as necessary. Injuries limited him to just 34 innings for Cleveland last season, and he struggled to a 4.24 ERA, but a bounce-back season would make him a top-tier option. Jordan Hicks' fastball comes in at an incredible average of 100.5 mph, though that didn't lead to a high strikeout rate in his rookie season. If the strikeouts start to come in line with the stuff, he'll look like a textbook closer.

Tampa Bay Rays

First base/designated hitter

The Rays will continue to trot out a collection of sneaky-decent players across the diamond, and these two spots are no exception. Yandy Diaz came over in a trade from Cleveland and could play either spot as well as third base. He hits the ball often and hits it hard, giving him a .312/.375/.422 line in 39 games last season, but he can't seem to keep it off the ground, leaving him with just one career homer in 88 games. Ji-Man Choi's .269/.370/.506 line in 49 games for the Rays last season was good for a 141 wRC+, and he added eight homers. Avisail Garcia could factor into the designated-hitter mix as well. He hit a strong .330/.380/.506 for the White Sox in 2017 but struggled with knee injuries last season, slumping to a .236/.281/.438 line in 93 games. He managed a career-best 19 homers in that abbreviated season.

Texas Rangers

Catcher

Jeff Mathis brings 14 years of experience and a strong defensive reputation to Texas and is apparently the frontrunner for the starting backstop job, but he offers shockingly little at the plate. He's never recorded a wRC+ greater than 68 in a full season and hit just .200/.272/.272 last year. Converted infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa will compete with him for playing time.

Toronto Blue Jays

First base/designated hitter

Justin Smoak was unable to repeat his 38 homers or his .270 average from 2017, but 25 homers and a .242/.350/.457 line were still adequate for the position. Kendrys Morales' 21 homers and .249/.331/.438 line weren't all that good for an offense-only player. Rowdy Tellez will hope to take at-bats from both players, as he did down the stretch last season. The 23-year-old has big power, hitting .314/.329/.614 in 23 games last season. He also struck out a tad too much at 28.8 percent, though his strikeout rate typically sat below 20 percent in the minors.

Second base

Freddy Galvis is apparently in line for an everyday role at shortstop, leaving a handful of players fighting for at-bats at second. Lourdes Gurriel looked good in his first taste of the big leagues, at least at the plate, hitting .281 with 11 homers in 65 games. Devon Travis is still around but is no longer particularly interesting from a fantasy perspective, as he hit just .232/.275/.381 while playing a career-high 103 games last season. Brandon Drury is expected to open at third base while young phenom Vladimir Guerrero Jr. "works on his defense" in the minors, but that arrangement won't last long. Severe migraines wrecked Drury's 2018 campaign.

Washington Nationals

Catcher

This one may not end up being a proper battle, as the Nationals may simply elect to split time between Yan Gomes and Kurt Suzuki, an arrangement both backstops have been familiar with in recent years. Gomes is coming off a solid .266/.313/.449 line with 16 homers for the Indians last season. Suzuki posted a similar .271/.332/.444 line with 12 homers for the Braves.