1. New York Yankees: Shortstop
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MLB spring training: 10 positional battles ahead of Opening Day, including Yankees shortstop, Phillies starter
Players are fighting for a starting job (or a job in the majors at all) as spring training creeps along
By
Mike Axisa
•
17 min read
The 2023 Major League Baseball regular season is only a one month away and teams around the league will use these next four weeks to evaluate their players and eventually finalize their roster. Spring training games don't count, but they do matter. For many players, this spring training is their best opportunity to win a big league roster spot. It might be their only opportunity, really.
With that in mind, let's break down 10 important position battles that will take place around the league this spring, with an emphasis on contending teams. These aren't the only ongoing position battles this spring, not even close. They're the important ones.
The Yankees have passed on an awful lot of high-end free agent shortstops the last two offseasons because they believe so much in Peraza and Volpe, their top two prospects. Kiner-Falefa was brought in as a stopgap last year, mostly underwhelmed, and then got benched in the postseason because his tendency to botch routine plays became a real issue. The Yankees had a revolving door at short in October (Peraza and Oswaldo Cabrera also got starts there) and that's just not a thing that should happen.
"I don't think there's any way I'm hoping it necessarily goes," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said about the shortstop competition on the first day of spring training (video). "You'd like for it to declare itself at some level, but you'd like for the guys to continue to make it hard, because you feel like they all bring something potentially special to the table. So we'll let that play itself out. Obviously, performance always matters, but hopefully maybe it will declare itself about who is the best guy to be in that spot when we break camp. In the end, we feel like whatever way it goes, there's a few really good options there."
Left field in the Bronx is up in the air as well (Cabrera and Aaron Hicks are battling for the job), plus Frankie Montas' shoulder surgery opened up the No. 5 starter spot for either Domingo Germán or Clarke Schmidt, but shortstop is a crucial up-the-middle position and deserves the most attention. The Yankees don't want to do the revolving door thing again this summer. Fair or not, the microscope will be on the kids this spring after the Yankees passed on the free agent shortstops.
The frontrunner: I think it's Peraza. Kiner-Falefa is the incumbent, though Peraza did what he had to do in Triple-A last season, and he impressed in his September big league cameo as well. Kiner-Falefa was brought in as a temporary fill-in until the kids are ready and all indications are Peraza is ready. Volpe is the more highly regarded prospect, though he's barely played in Triple-A, so he's likely third in line for the shortstop job behind Peraza and Kiner-Falefa at this point.
2. Atlanta Braves: No. 5 starter
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This battle might already be down to two candidates because Soroka, who hasn't pitched in an MLB game since 2020 because of a twice-torn right Achilles, has been dealing with a hamstring issue early in camp. Given his injury history, the Braves are being cautious with Soroka, who is behind the team's other starters with his preparation. That gives Anderson, who is said to be working on a new slider this spring, and Elder a leg up in the No. 5 starter competition.
"I think we're both fairly clear in understanding that we're both going to do what we need to do that stays baseball, right?" Soroka told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in January about competing for a rotation spot with Anderson. "We both wish the best for each other, and I think that's important. It's not exactly as simple as one spot, two guys righting, right? There's a lot of stuff involved, and we're both excited for the competition. We both said that's when the best comes out."
Truth be told, the Braves will need all these guys to make starts throughout the season. That's just the way it is. Atlanta used 12 different starting pitchers last season and no team used fewer than eight. Anderson, Elder, and Soroka all figure to start at some point (ditto Kolby Allard). Plus whoever wins the No. 5 spot in camp has to pitch well to keep it. That said, the winner will have a head start on everyone else and thus a better chance to have staying power in the rotation all season.
The frontrunner: Soroka's hamstring injury puts Anderson in the driver's seat. Anderson has gradually gone backwards since his boffo big league debut in 2020, though he's still only 24 and extremely talented. The Braves have a dynamite top four atop their rotation (Max Fried, Charlie Morton, Spencer Strider, Kyle Wright) and are in position to roll the dice with someone as talented as Anderson in the No. 5 spot. If Soroka gets healthy, he'll be a real threat for the job. Elder (and Allard) seems ticketed for Triple-A.
3. Los Angeles Dodgers: Center field
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The Dodgers non-tendered former MVP Cody Bellinger and then didn't do much to replace him. Heyward was brought in on a minor league contract and that's it. Thompson performed very well in a half-season's worth of playing time last year and Outman is a touted prospect, plus Taylor is Taylor. He had a down 2022 season, but the Dodgers are comfortable plugging him in anywhere, including center field. Los Angeles figures to lean on all these guys in center field throughout this summer.
"I don't (know). I think your guys' guess right now is as good as mine," manager Dave Roberts said when asked who will play center field at the team's FanFest event last month (per the Orange County Register).
Heyward made changes to his swing this spring and the Dodgers are excited -- "It's in there, and I think he might have unlocked something," longtime friend Freddie Freeman told MLB.com -- but with all due respect, this isn't the first time Heyward has tweaked his swing. He's been a below-average hitter for the better part of a decade now, and his defense has slipped from Gold Glove-caliber to merely good now that he's in his 30s. I'm not sure Heyward is a realistic center field solution at this point in his career.
The frontrunner: I'm going with Thompson. Taylor will continue to move around and it's difficult to expect Heyward to contribute meaningfully after the last few years. Thompson seems like Plan A with Taylor backing him up, and Outman looms should the Dodgers decide to make a change. A Heyward revival would be some kind of story though.
4. St. Louis Cardinals: Center field
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At this time last year, Carlson was coming off a third place finish in the Rookie of the Year voting and was basically untouchable. Then he underwhelmed over the summer and was reportedly on the table in Sean Murphy trade talks with the Athletics while others, most notably Lars Nootbaar, were off-limits. Now it seems Carlson has to compete for his center field job. O'Neill, a two-time Gold Glove left fielder who played 21 games in center last year, is looking to wrestle the job away (Nootbaar has played center this spring as well.)
"I'd love to play center field, and I'm not trying to boot anybody away from that position either, but it's whatever they deem fit," O'Neill told MLB.com last week. "I know they're very analytically driven here, and I just want to be the best player I can be. I've worked really hard this offseason, increasing my first-step quickness and making sure my legs are under me. I believe I can play the position if that's where they want me."
O'Neill proving capable in center field would open some roster possibilities for the Cardinals. Alec Burleson, who debuted late last year, is a left fielder exclusively, and it would be easier to get him into the lineup. Top prospect Jordan Walker is a natural third baseman, but with Nolan Arenado not going anywhere, he started to work out in the outfield last season. O'Neill in center would create a clear path for Burleson or Walker in the event Carlson's underwhelming 2022 carries over into 2023.
The frontrunner: I could see this one going either way and it will depend on Burleson (and Walker?) as much as Carlson and O'Neill. If the youngster really lights it up and forces his way into the lineup, O'Neill in center goes from luxury to necessity. I don't think it's fair to say Carlson is falling out of favor with the Cardinals, but he's certainly not as locked into his lineup spot as he was at this time last year.
5. Chicago White Sox: Right field
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Coming into camp, it appeared the White Sox would have competitions in right field and at second base, though the recent Elvis Andrus re-signing took care of the latter. Sheets, a left-handed hitter, was the most of the time right fielder last season and did hit 15 homers in 365 plate appearances against righties. Colas tore up the minors last year though and reached Triple-A. Chicago's No. 3 prospect is coming for the right field job. The question is whether he can win it this spring.
"He's not going to (act like he's already won the job) because that's not the case. Obviously, he's an extremely talented kid, and this organization has plans for him, but he is competing for a job," White Sox manager Pedro Grifol told the Chicago Sun-Times about Colas. "He's an extremely focused kid. There's no BS about him. He comes here to work. He's competing for a job and he knows it. This is what he loves to do. He takes pride in it. He asks a lot of good questions. He's extremely detailed for a young kid. Obviously, he's got ability. I'm looking forward to watching him progress this spring."
As productive as Colas was last season -- he slashed .314/.371/.524 with 23 homers at three minor league levels -- he played only seven games at Triple-A, so it would not be crazy to send him back there to begin the season. Then again, the White Sox aren't shy about rushing prospects up the ladder. Tim Anderson, Eloy Jiménez, and Luis Robert each played fewer than 60 games in Triple-A before getting called up. With the pressure on Chicago to get to the postseason, could they move Colas even faster?
The frontrunner: It has to be Sheets given how little Colas played in Triple-A last year. I do think Colas has a legitimate chance to win the job though, and if he does force the White Sox to consider putting him on the Opening Day roster, don't be surprised if they lock him up to a pre-MLB debut extension the way they did Jiménez and Robert. In the early days of the Cactus League season, Sheets is the favorite to be in right field when the regular season begins, but Colas is a serious threat.
6. Philadelphia Phillies: No. 5 starter
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Manager Rob Thomson specifically mentioned Nelson, Plassmeyer, and Sánchez as No. 5 starter candidates earlier this spring, but really, this is a battle between Falter and Painter. Falter made 16 starts last season, plus another in the NLCS. Painter is one of the best pitching prospects in the sport and he has a non-zero chance to be the first teenager to pitch in the big leagues since Julio Urías in 2016. (Painter turns 20 in April 10, so time is short if he's going to make his MLB debut as a teenager.)
"He has tremendous abilities, unique abilities," president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told MLB.com about Painter. "He has pitches other than a fastball that he's had for a while that he can throw for strikes and still command. He has a curveball, slider, changeup, he's working on a cutter. It's something that's unique about him. Then he does the little things well. For somebody that's 6-foot-7, he holds runners well. He's quick to the plate. He doesn't seem to be at all intimidated by anything that takes place. He's very much at ease."
The Phillies went to the World Series last season and are very much in it to win it this year. Dombrowski has been at this a long time and he typically doesn't mess around. He will put the best team on the field regardless of age, prospect status, service time, whatever. Whenever the Phillies believe Painter gives them the best chance to win, he'll be in the rotation, even if that's on Opening Day. There is no room to let up in a division as competitive and top heavy as the NL East.
The frontrunner: Falter. I think Falter starts the season as the No. 5 starter and Painter replaces him a few weeks into the season and slots in as their No. 3 starter behind Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola in October. Painter has made only five starts in Double-A and none in Triple-A, and the Phillies will have to monitor his workload some. That's easier to do in the minors. We'll see Painter at some point in 2023, I'm sure of it, but Opening Day might be a little too soon.
7. Milwaukee Brewers: Second and third bases
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The rare multi-position battle. The Brewers have six viable candidates for second and third bases, but there's not enough room on the roster for all these guys, so one or two (or more?) will wind up in Triple-A. Turang is one of the organization's top prospects and he had a good season in Triple-A last year. Seems like he's done all he needs to do there and must now be challenged at the MLB level to continue his development. He's also the lone lefty hitter in this group (Toro is a switch-hitter).
"I'm confident that Brice is going to be in the big leagues at some point this year," Brewers manager Craig Counsell told MLB.com. "When? We've got competition in this camp, so that'll dictate some of it, for sure. But he's put himself in a really good place. He's improving. He's spent significant time at the highest level in the Minor Leagues, getting better at that level. So, there's no question he's in the conversation."
Urías, who is still only 25, has played well enough the last two years to get the third base job full-time, though his defense did not rate well last year. Anderson and Brosseau have experience at several different positions, Miller as well, so there's a path to get all these guys in the lineup together. It's not necessarily a "he's at second, he's at third, and the rest of you are on the bench today" situation. That said, there is some combination that is the "correct" answer here.
The frontrunner: I think Urías at third and Turang at second is the best alignment, with some combination of the other guys on the bench as utility players. Will the Brewers carry Turang on the Opening Day roster? Service time is always a consideration even though it shouldn't be. The best players should be on the field, period, and the kid has close to 800 plate appearances at the Triple-A level the last two years. It feels like Turang will be the most-of-the-time second baseman in 2023. The question is whether the Brew Crew will let him be the guy right out of the gate on Opening Day.
8. Boston Red Sox: Leadoff hitter
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Between free agent departures, Trevor Story's elbow surgery, and Bobby Dalbec playing his way out of the lineup, six players who were in last year's Opening Day lineup will not be in this year's Opening Day lineup for the Red Sox. They've had a ton of turnover in the last few months and that may lead them to a new leadoff hitter in 2023. Yoshida was expected to fill that role, and he may ultimately do so, but manager Alex Cora said they want to ease his transition to MLB and may use a different leadoff hitter initially.
"(Verdugo) was a leadoff hitter here in '20. He did a good job. I'm not saying he'll be the leadoff hitter but he might be. You never know. Kiké has done it before. Arroyo has done it certain times. I don't think we're gonna go like, 'This is the guy for 162 games.' We'll mix and match," Cora told MassLive.com. "Somebody will lead off more than others. I don't want to say the opposition is going to dictate what we do, but if there's a righty there that a bunch of lefties crush, why not put all them together? By the time they bring the lefty in the third or fourth inning, we got a lot of runs. I think we'll play it on a daily basis but I would love to have structure, especially with those two guys (Yoshida and Rafael Devers). I want to make sure we split them up."
Yoshida was a middle-of-the-order hitter throughout his seven seasons with the Orix Buffaloes in Japan, though he has leadoff hitter skills in his contact and on-base ability, as well as limited power. He would seem to be the best candidate for the job based on that, though it makes sense not to throw him out there in an unfamiliar lineup spot out of the gate. In that case, Hernández and Verdugo are the best candidates to hit atop the order. Arroyo would be too cute by half.
The frontrunner: Hernández has started 161 games at leadoff in his two years with the Red Sox, far more than anyone else on the roster, though I think Verdugo will be the guy initially. His on-base skills are better than Hernández's, and with Cora wanting to split up his left-handed hitters, it sets Boston up to bat Verdugo first (lefty), Hernández second (righty), Devers third (lefty), Justin Turner fourth (righty), and Yoshida fifth (lefty). Once Yoshida settles in, the Red Sox can adjust. Until then, Verdugo at leadoff works.
9. Minnesota Twins: Closer
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Duran, he of the 102 mph fastball and upper-90s "splinker," was Minnesota's best reliever last season. There's really no arguing that. And once upon a time, being the team's best reliever meant you were the closer. That isn't really the case these days. Some teams will use their best reliever as a Moment of Truth guy, and pitch him in the game's highest leverage situation regardless of inning. Duran appeared in 57 games last year. Look when he entered those games:
- 5th inning: 2 times
- 6th inning: 2 times
- 7th inning: 11 times
- 8th inning: 23 times
- 9th inning: 17 times
- 10th inning: 2 times
There were a few instances in which Duran came in to pitch the seventh or eighth inning, got through the other team's middle of the order with a small lead, then someone else blew it in the ninth. That's the risk with this strategy. The Twins brought in López at the deadline to take on some of the late inning workload, though that didn't really work out. He struggled a bit after the trade. Give the Twins a truth serum and I think they'd tell you they want a dedicated closer this year after last year's revolving door.
The frontrunner: López, mostly because manager Rocco Baldelli has already come out and said Duran will continue to be the Moment of Truth guy. "He's going to pitch late in the game. He's going to pitch in the most important spot in the game a lot of nights. He's going to pitch in the eighth inning, he could come in the seventh inning one day, but he's going to finish a lot of games. We need him facing the best hitters in the most important spots," Baldelli told the Rochester Post Bulletin last month.
10. Chicago Cubs: Third base
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The Cubs signed nine free agents to major league contracts this offseason and are a much deeper team than they were last year, when Wisdom started 103 games at third and three others started at least 15 games at the hot corner. There's plenty of versatility with this group, particularly with Mastrobuoni, McKinstry, and Morel. Madrigal is a natural second baseman who is now working out at third because the Dansby Swanson signing pushed Nico Hoerner to second.
"I've been impressed," Cubs manager David Ross told 670 The Score about Madrigal's work at third base. "He's moving really well. Feels like a totally different player than we saw last year where he looked like he was guarded at times and it was hard work to run (because of back and groin injuries) ... He's moving well. The arm strength is there."
The Cubs have the opportunity to platoon players beyond the usual right-left arrangement. For example, as NorthSideBound.com's Greg Zumach noted, Ríos performs well against pitches at the top of the zone while Wisdom performs well against pitches down in the zone. The Cubs could platoon them based on their swing planes. Some teams do this now (the Rays, most notably) and Chicago has a chance to jump into the mix. Mastrobuoni and McKinstry fit best in a utility role, and it's possible one or two of these guys wind up in Triple-A.
The frontrunner: Morel and Wisdom make the most sense as the incumbents. The question for Madrigal is offense more than defense, and the others are best used as part-time players. Morel's had some throwing issues at this base, which could force the Cubs to look elsewhere. Given where they are (on the upswing and coming out of the rebuild) and how young Morel is, there's no reason to make that change yet.
Other notable position battles: Marlins left field; Phillies closer; Padres right field (until Fernando Tatis Jr. returns); Pirates second base; Rangers closer; Rays first and third base; Reds shortstop; Royals center field; Twins closer
