By Aniruddh Nambudiri

Photo by Wally Gobetz, retrieved from Openverse.org

Spring Training is basically fake baseball. Think about it, it means nothing. The stars do not want to play it, especially when they sometimes run an actually prestigious tournament during Spring Training. It means nothing. It is all entirely unless… unless you are still fighting for a place in MLB.

I always really like seeing non-roster invitees and minor league contracts to spring training. The closest thing I can compare it to is trials in soccer or football. Someone who is struggling to stay in the majors or is still in the minors looking for their first big-league level job or experience. I also think it's the opportunity to see players we would not expect in jerseys we would not expect. Who can forget Felix Hernandez, my hero, a Seattle Mariners legend, a one club man for his entire career, pitching for the Orioles. It's a cursed image.

Anyway, I believe each team invites someone interesting to spring training each year and this is me writing about each team's most interesting invitee. This is also not counting players with no major league experience. This is a list for us to talk about players fighting for roster spots in the majors after having major experience and even success in it. This also includes people on minor league deals in the organization invited to spring training.

Arizona Diamondbacks – Garrett Hampson

The Diamondbacks invited Ildemaro Vargas and Garrett Hampson to compete for the backup infielder role and honestly, I am rooting for Hampson. Garrett Hampson is a really fun player who was a decent major leaguer as recent at 2023. Unlike people at his age, Hampson has not fully aged out of his tools yet. He can still play practically every infield and outfield position except first and catcher at a decent rate, alongside still being one of the fastest players in the bigs. He also had a massive playoff series, going 3 for 3 against the Yankees in the ALDS. He has been attempting to hit the ball harder and cut his strikeout rates and I really hope this translates to him getting a more proper look going into the 2025 season.

Atlanta Braves – Chasen Shreeve

As much as I would like to write about Curt Casali, I have to talk about Chasen Shreeve returning to the first team in his major league career. I keep forgetting he is not retired. I guess its because its been a while since he was a star reliever in the bigs. Who can forget before No Run DMC, it was just chasing the DM. Also Justin Wilson and Adam Warren were there.

Shreeve is a funky lefty so there will always be at least half a market for someone like him, I just hope that he gets some of the energy that Braves give old relievers winding down their careers and we can get a last season of truly awesome Chasen Shreeve. Preferably with Curt Casali at catcher or Wisconsin-based GRB Academy graduate Drake Baldwin.

Baltimore Orioles – Albert Suarez

This could be me going kind of crazy on what I think prospect Justin Armbruester could do but the objective correct answer is Albert Suarez. After having the best year of his big league career, Albert Suarez is being forced to fight for a major league roster spot. I find this really sad. Yes, Albert Suarez is 34 but he just had a 3.70 ERA in 133 innings of work. He was one of the premiere starters for most of the season on a team that won 91 games. After years of fighting for a major league spot, he is forced to fight again. It is quite likely he wins the spot but in a system as deep with starting pitching prospects as the Orioles, you never know. Is the Statcast date kind of unimpressive? Potentially. Sometimes teams just need people who can start games and give them above average production. Suarez did just that and he will be fighting for a spot this spring training.

Boston Red Sox – Austin Adams

This was a hard choice over former Rookie of The Year winner Michael Fulmer. (UPDATE: Adam Ottavino has also just been invited to spring training and he is also quite interesting to me because I love his delivery and pitches a lot, hope he does well) I just like that sentence so much. It says that even players who might not breakout to become full superstars have a chance to win awards in this sport.

Adams, however, is interesting to me for very similar reasons to Albert Suarez. When anyone talks about Austin Adams, they are bound to talk about the two major things he did with the Padres. He was first one of the main pieces in the trade that brought Andres Munoz and Ty France to Seattle, a rare trade win for the Mariners in this era. It is also how Adams managed to pitch 52.2 innings in 2021 and lead the league in Hit by Pitches with 24. That is eight more than second place that season, Joe Musgrove. He did have his best stretch in the majors last year. 41 innings of above average reliever innings can be quite valuable in a market like today and with how many arms there are in the Red Sox pitching staff, who knows if Adams has a chance. Maybe a good spring training puts him in good graces with the organization and if anyone goes down, Adams can step in.

Chicago Cubs – Nicky Lopez

I think people forget just how good Nicky Lopez was in 2021. 4.4 bWAR in one season as a shortstop is hard and for a while, the duo of him and Bobby Witt Jr. felt like the Royals infield problem had been solved for the next ten years. Unfortunately, that did not happen for them. Lopez's great defense persisted but his slightly above average hitting became worse. He was brought in by the White Sox to replace their former franchise piece in Tim Anderson and became the face for the worst team in modern baseball history. He does not deserve that. He is an entertaining player that is a great defender with a bit of speed. He actually has a good square up rate, only problem is that he does not have the power for that to mean anything. Going into spring training, the Cubs hope that they can unlock that player Nicky Lopez was in Kansas City to have great depth in the infield going into what looks like a good battle for the top of the NL Central.

Chicago White Sox – Brandon Drury

Who would have thought that the Chicago White Sox, the worst team in modern history, would have one of the most interesting crops of non-roster players to look at. Dan Altavilla and his constant attempts to climb back to the majors ending 2024 to have to try again in 2025 was interesting. Nick Maton looking to capture back his reputation as highly touted prospect. Corey Julks attempting to do the same and be a face of a new White Sox team after being a major piece of the 2024 team. Bobby Dalbec going from top Red Sox prospect to signing a minor league deal with the White Sox after so many quality corner infielders took his spot in Boston. Then there are the two major ones that I had to choose from.

The Brewer fans give me a lot of sway on Omar Narvaez. Narvaez went from being an offense first catcher to getting a taste of the Brewers catching lab and becoming a two-way monster. He then managed to become a defense first catcher and go full circle. He had a 9 OPS+ last year and is now looking for his last catching years in the big leagues and potentially use that to transfer into a coaching role that he would be incredible in. If I am being honest though? Brandon Drury has to be the answer to this.

Poor Brandon Drury. From 2021 to 2023, Drury was one of the best hiting second basemen in baseball. He had a 118 OPS+ in those years. He had a violent swing and not much defense which is so awesome for him. It looked sustainable as well. He was making improvements. He was hitting the ball harder, getting barrels more often and he was becoming a batter defender. He then fell off the horse hard.

An offense first player becoming a 35 OPS+ bat is wild. A drop off in OPS between seasons of .336. That is so hard to understand to me. The underlying data shows that this is exactly how it should have gone as well. His high strikeout rates caught up with him and now he fights for second base on a team like the White Sox. He won the silver slugger 3 years ago and now he fights for a major league roster spot. That is why he is interesting to me. 

Cincinnati Reds – Wade Miley

Josh Staumont is honestly just a sad case of what happens when talented pitchers with high velo have to undergo thoracic outlet syndrome so I do not want to focus on it. I hope he does well because he is a talented pitcher and I hope he gets to reach the heights of 2020 and 2021 again.

Then there is Wade Miley. Good old reliable Wade Miley. Wade Miley needing Tommy John surgery makes no sense to me honestly. I always thought nothing could really break the man. He is consistently above average and has a lot of good in him. I also think he has a good chance of making the major league roster for one main reason. When Wade Miley is healthy, he is the ultimate inning eater. This Reds team is not expected to be world beaters, which means they are in the market for someone to eat a significant number of innings for the team on a budget. This is so they can develop their young pitching staff and actually get through the whole 162. Miley has been perfect for the Brewers in that role on multiple occasions and had an incredible year in 2021 for the Reds. Cincinnati will be looking to tap into even a small amount of that season through this minor league contract and invite to spring training.

Cleveland Guardians – Kolby Allard

The Guardians are the first truly boring non roster invitees. Allard definitely has an interesting story of trying to realize the potential he had in the minors as a highly ranked prospect but other than that, there is not much in the invitees. Allard has sadly been more valuable as a trade piece for teams more than anything. He was able to net the Braves Chris Martin and the Rangers Jake Odorizzi in one-for-one trades with just his capital as a prospect even though he has not figured it out at the majors. He has shown above average walk rates and will always be valuable as a lefty arm but lets see if this is the spring training where he finally meets the first round draft pick expectations that he has attached to him from when the Braves drafted him all those years ago.

Colorado Rockies – Austin Nola

Now look Jefry Yan has not played a single major league game and he also probably will not make the majors due to him not even being able to cut it in Japan, but man imagine if he does. He would cause an actual riot on some random podcast if he does is his strikeout dance even once.

The Rockies do have some fun invites. Obviously, pitchers are reluctant to sign with them, even though Diego Castillo would definitely be an interesting pickup for the team. He would definitely bolster their bullpen. Castillo, however, does not throw a high break 4 seam or a curveball, the only two pitches that really work in Coors. Sliders have worked in the past with people like Kyle Freeland, but we don't know about them fully.

Hitter wise, we have similar stories to many above like Nick Martini, Keston Hiura and Owen Miller. Three former high prospects who have shown potential on the major league level and in Martini's case, succeeded in foreign leagues. Nola is different to the others for one reason.

Nola was a good player from 2019 to 2022. Four years of being a solid catcher with above average hitting and defense. That is kind of why he was immediately ditched in 2023. He did not have the one standout tool to keep him in the majors as a catcher. His ability to play first also gives him a bit of an edge on the other invitees. If he makes it, he will be a bridge catcher between Romo and Ronaiker Palma who has also been invited. An interesting candidate looking into 2025.

Detroit Tigers – Akil Baddoo

I guess I always felt this man was better than he was. I remember the hype he had in my first season as a baseball fan in 2021 going to 2022. He had come up and taken a really bad Detroit team by storm. He was fun, he could hit, he was flashy, he had it all. He then just did not hit. Between seasons, he went from a .766 OPS to a .558. What happened is he lost his generational BABIP luck and suddenly was a subpar player. It happens man. He is an entertaining player and going into spring training, there will be quite a few people rooting for him to make it. He might as well make it honestly. Detroit would not have to clean his locker or replace a jersey. They can just continue with the ole' reliable Baddoo in left field day. He adds depth and a bit of a cool factor. What more do you need?

Tigers have also invited Jahmai Jones and Tomas Nido. Nido, in particular, is interesting as he could be a great backup catcher for the squad with so many young arms having their first true major league experience this year. I would not be surprised if he does win out a roster spot in spring training.

Houston Astros – Rafael Montero

Real confusing this one. For multiple reasons. Rafael Montero's visa issues have been in the news recently but fortunately, the man is in America. Unfortunately, he is a sneaky contender for the worst contract in baseball right now.

Imagine telling an Astros fan just after the world series win that Rafael Montero would no longer be on their 40 man roster in three years for nothing other than performance reasons. The man went from showing promise in Texas and Seattle to becoming one of the most feared setup men in the league on the Astros. Somehow, Seattle still managed to get a decent return for him in 2021 but Montero in 2022 was an actual beast. The Astros then gave him $11.5 Million dollars. That is a lot of money for a reliever, and the man has sadly not lived up to the contract. He has been a member of an Astros bullpen that went from solid to shaky in just one season. He was a major part of that. Montero almost certainly will make it on the 40 and even the 26-man roster post-spring training, but it is just interesting to ponder the prospect of the Astros having to pay someone in their minor league system nearly 12 million dollars.

Kansas City Royals – Cavan Biggio

Only one answer here. Biggio was really good to start his career. 5 bWAR between 2019 and 2020 is insane to think about. Biggio was that good for two seasons as the Jay's utility man and then, like many cases on this list, he just stopped hitting. His value is definitely there in his ability to play multiple positions, but the plus bat that was there in the first half of his career is sadly no more. He bounced around high ranked teams in the Dodgers and Braves. He also has one of my favorite entires in baseball reference which is when he was traded for ‘unknown compensation'. In a world this populated with media reporting even minor league call-ups and starts, we do not know what Cavan Biggio was traded for. Unlike many, I do not think Biggio still has a shot in the league because of who his father is. He has been a plus bat in the past and can play multiple infield positions at a decent rate. For a team with stars at the two middle infield positions, having someone like Biggio to utility for them would be a massive add.

Los Angeles Angels – Tim Anderson

Look, the Angels invited a lot of interesting people but this wasn't even close. Dakota Hudson had the unfortunate task of pitching for the Rockies which instantly meant his stock dropped. He looks like pretty much a lock to join a very talented Angels bullpen. JD Davis has been a plus power bat in the majors before. Carter Kieboom is a former top-20 major league prospect and if someone can tap into him, who knows? Yolmer Sanchez is a gold glove winning second baseman and would be quite valuable in a team that is employing some talented middle infielders that could use some mentoring. As I said though, this was not even close.

Tim Anderson makes me sad. He truly does. Getting into the sport in 2021, this man seemed like the coolest player ever. I can point to that Field of Dreams walk off as the turning point where I realized that I need to consume this sport on the daily basis. Anderson was an all star in 2022, batting title winner, one of the young faces of the league. He is very much of the Javier Baez school of refusing to walk but who cares when he hits that well right? Then 2023 happened. Oh boy, did 2023 happen.

He somehow avoided the Mathis of an OPS+ under 60 in a healthy sample size but he was so close. It was so hard to watch. It was not a BABIP problem either. He was not unlucky. He had just lost the ability to hit and his okay defense regressed. He moved to the Marlins, a move I thought would help him. It worked out even less. He is now practically only known as the guy who got knocked out by Jose Ramirez. That is really sad to me. It is sad to see a superstar you invest in and think is awesome get reduced to nothing. Going into spring training, Anderson looks to rebuild his career on the Angels. There is a spot on the team for him and he is apparently trying the outfield. With Trout moving to right, does Anderson have a spot on a team employing Jorge Soler, a man who practically demands the DH spot? I do not know. The Angels are building a team headlined by players who were great in 2019 and honestly? You need Tim Anderson to tell that story.

Los Angeles Dodgers – Giovanny Gallegos

So how did the Dodgers manage this? Through all the free agency exploits of the Dodgers, managing to sneak a bullpen arm like Gallegos on a minor league deal and spring training invite is scary. Is he going to make the team? I mean its not likely considering they have like 20 different pitchers they could put in the bullpen right now. However, Gallegos and his performance here could lead to some great trade value or even a whole new location from free agency for him. Gallegos was one of the best relievers in baseball between 2019 and 2022. He has fallen on some hard times in recent years but there is definitely still a good reliever in the man. Maybe not the star closer or setup man that he once was, but in middle relief he would absolutely be in good service of a lot of teams. Projections have him right in this role and as the Dodgers try and figure out how to warm up 8 different potential starting pitchers, Gallegos as a bridge man would absolutely work for them in Spring.

Miami Marlins – Albert Almora Jr.

Robby Snelling did not make the majors? I am sorry for this tangent but my research for this article was the first time I found out the man did not make the majors. He is definitely interesting to me in some way, more so because I for sure remember this man striking out major league hitters and having to fight in the Marlins organization. Guess I was wrong.

Well either way the Marlins continued their tradition of basically looking in the scrap pile for even their invitees which means Albert Almora Jr. is the most notable invite of theirs. He was a great player obviously and was a rising star on the 2016 Cubs, but he has not really been good at the major league level for a while. Could he make the team? Maybe. It is also the Marlins which does not mean much. Each roster spot is worth the same though.

Milwaukee Brewers – Jorge Alfaro

Man the hype for Jorge Alfaro was massive. Not many can say they were the centerpiece for two massive trades. Alfaro can. He could say that as a prospect. Cole Hamels to Texas does not happen without him and neither does JT Realmuto to Philadelphia. Alfaro also became the lovable clutch hitter for the Padres in 2022 and that was kind of awesome. Alfaro is a likable player and person, but he just sadly has not figured it out defensively and offensively. Being a historically bad blocker does not help him even though he is fine in other places. With Gary Sanchez leaving for the Orioles in quite the underrated off season move, Alfaro is fighting for a backup catcher spot behind maybe the best catcher in baseball in William Contreras. This is his attempt to continue is his long odyssey as a hired gun at backup catcher for so many different teams in the National League.

Minnesota Twins – Huascar Ynoa

I guess? Twins again decide to have quite a boring spring training. Mike Ford is cool as well I guess. Not much I can say here. Ynoa was a good piece for the 2021 Braves and was expected to be quite a big deal going into 2022, joining Ian Anderson and Kyle Wright. Man that's something you are sad to see fell apart aren't you? There is a good pitcher in Ynoa and he will definitely get significant innings in the spring to see if he can still make the majors.

New York Mets – Adbert Alzolay

Now this one was really hard to pick between. Two really interesting players over everyone else on the list. Joey Meneses and Adbert Alzolay. Two players who have had massive high spots in the majors. Meneses coming up, laying waste to the baseball and seemingly being able to keep it up with good under the hood data. Alzolay doing the same but with pitching, even though it took him some time to figure it out. Both having awful 2024s that land them here. There is a good chance both make it out of spring training and onto the Mets roster or at least on the 40 man and getting a spot on their AAA affiliate. Alzolay would add talent to the bullpen and I believe his 2024 was a lot more of reliever shakiness than a signifier of where he is as a pitcher. Meneses might be able to figure it out with a Mets hitting department that got the best out of Jesse Winker, a very similar to Meneses. I chose Alzolay here, mainly because I Think he has the higher upside out of the two, but absolutely keep your eyes out for both during the course of spring training.

New York Yankees – Carlos Carrasco

Lots of great contenders here. I nearly went Tyler Matzek as before injury, the man was one of the best relievers on a great team before missing a lot of time and then seemingly losing it. His story of recovering from the Yips is also incredible and one of the more underrated in today's time. There is also 2020 Mets MVP Dominic Smith. One of the weirdest and craziest seasons in recent memory and the exact reason (alongside Dinelson Lamet) as to why 2020 sounds like a fake year. He fights again and could honestly satisfy the desperate need the Yankees have for first base defense.

I did end up going with Cookie after everything. This is really weird. Cookie Carrasco in a Yankees jersey? Stop the count. That is a Guardian and nothing but a Guardian. Maybe a Met but definitely not a Yankee. He just seems to have aged out of his incredible skill sadly. He has had two years where it seems like father time got the best of him and he even had the great reunion with the Guardians where he pitched 100 innings at quite a rough rate. Surely you call it a career then, but Cookie fights again. Carrasco looks to crack a rotation looking for maybe a bit more firepower and looks like a great veteran presence in a lineup filled with them. Who knows what happens through the spring? Maybe we do see that old Carrasco one more time in the Pinstripes.

A's – Dylan Floro

He was good in Washington and then just could not figure it out in Arizona after the trade but this is rough. The A's invited absolutely no one of note except a prospect named Max Muncy. That is kind of funny at least. The A's continue to do waiting moves before the move to Vegas and this is one of them. Floro probably cracks the bullpen of the team as one of their top line arms but sadly they just invited no one like they always do.

Philadelphia Phillies – Koyo Aoyagi

The Japanese majors are also a Major professional league, so this absolutely counts. Aoyagi is very interesting to me. He has been great in the past but honestly, he has not had a great season since 2022. His value is in his ability as a relief pitcher who can absolutely devour innings. His delivery is also quite funky with the side arm for a major league audience that largely lacks a lot of great sidearm pitching out of the bullpen. He provides a different look and major experience facing major league talent and a lot of talent just under that level too. I will say though, look out for the slider/sweeper he throws. It is one of the nastiest pitches in recent NPB for me and would absolutely play at the major league level. His velocity is not outstanding but again, he is a sidearm pitcher. He can get away with that. His role as a potential swingman who can potentially take on some high leverage innings would absolutely be valuable and is one of my major watches this spring.

Pittsburgh Pirates – Carson Fulmer

Okay why do the Pirates have one of the most competitive pitching matchups with non-roster invitees out of any team? It makes no sense to me. Ryan Borucki, Tanney Rainey, Carson Fulmer, Hunter Stratton, Yerry Rodriguez, Burch Smith and Ryder Ryan. All of them have had major league experience, some on the Pirates last year. All of them could make it as a back of the bullpen, potentially setup man role on this team. It was a hard decision, especially considering they also managed to grab DJ Stewart for their team too. I ultimately got it down to Borucki and Fulmer and after a lot of thought, Carson Fulmer having his best full year as a major league pitcher last year won it out for me. Borucki's potential as a lefty and the quality innings at the start of the last season nearly did it, but 30-year-old Carson Fulmer pitching volume innings on the Angels and the role of mentoring a young pitching staff does something for me. It also does something for me if he can stay healthy to take innings from young arms like Paul Skenes and Jared Jones. They could be potentially quality innings as well after his best year in the majors on the Angels last year. I guess that potential swayed me and Fulmer as a mentor would help out quite a young Pirates rotation.

San Diego Padres – Yuli Gurriel

Interesting does not always have to be good. Look I would love to talk about Martin Maldonado's return to Major League Baseball or Niko Goodrum laying waste to MLB The Show 24. I would even like a JB Wendelken discussion with a side of Gavin Sheets and Mike Brosseau. However, this one is seriously one of the dumbest moves of the entire off season.

What are they thinking? Yu Darvish, the star and veteran of this rotation, one of the most underrated players in the league for how he has been a beacon of consistency and innovation with his pitching. The man you have signed to a six-year deal through till 2028. You are paying him 108 million dollars. He is your actual ace and leader, and you have chosen to bring in a man who racially mocked your star IN THE WORLD SERIES OF ALL PLACES. There are flares rising and then there's Yuli Gurriel slanting his eyes and calling Yu Darvish a slur after homering off him in the 2017 World Series. What are the Padres even playing at? The man is 41 and has not had a good major league season since his batting title win in 2021, and they handed him an invite for an off season where Darvish is chasing actual greatness. He has 3257 strikeouts in his major professional career and is chasing one of the most lowkey hall of fame cases of all time. I do not care if he said he does not care and wants to move on. What if it did go wrong? What if you signed the man who racially abused him and Darvish did not like it? It makes no sense to me and no added content will ever make it make sense for me.

San Francisco Giants – Jake Lamb

A hard choice again between him and Lou Trivino. I am surprised the Yankees did not try and invest in him as a pitcher post Tommy John, but he will absolutely work as a major league reliever under a manager like Bob Melvin. Max Stassi is also fun because it would continue the tradition of Giants backup catchers being, honestly, really good at their job. I have ended up on Jake Lamb because I honestly really like the fitness. A lefty bat like Lamb in Oracle is quite the prospect and Lamb has been a solid major league hitter in the past. Above average in 2022, he has taken a step back in both 2023 and the minors in 2024. There is still some power potential in him according to the Giants. Making him a solid backup behind names like Matt Chapman would definitely help considering the long term investment in him and Lamb does provide the Giants with someone who could potentially lessen the load at third, as a solid not terrible defender at the position.

Seattle Mariners – Neftali Feliz

Now what is happening here? One of my favorite headlines of the offseason because the jokes just write itself honestly. An offseason where the Mariners needed hitting desperately so they do not ruin one of the best starting rotations ever assembled, and instead they handed out minor league deals to Rowdy Tellez and Neftali Feliz. Feliz has not pitched in the majors since 2021 where he pitched four innings and gave up four runs. His last season with an above average ERA+ was 2016, on the Pirates. Now yes, he has pitched really well in the Mexican league. He is also, and I cannot believe this has not come up yet, 37 YEARS OLD. I mean I love it. I think it is hilarious in some sick and twisted way that Jerry Dipoto saw the Mariners lineup and the free agency class, blew a raspberry towards the general public and pushed the massive “SIGN NEFTALI FELIZ” button in his office that I think every major league GM has. I am a Mariners fan if you could not tell and I saw this when it happened and just laughed. Dipoto saw his rotation have a collective ERA of 3.38 and a team OPS slightly above league average and his marquee move of the entire offseason was signing Jorge Polanco AGAIN. Mariners rant over.

St Louis Cardinals – Nick Anderson

I guess? It's the only major non-prospect they did not invite to spring training. He's fine, I guess.

Tampa Bay Rays – Eloy Jimenez

You just know that there is a parallel universe where this man hit 500 home runs in a White Sox jersey and had his number retired. There is that world, sadly this is not it.

Eloy Jimenez was an awesome prospect and even showed flashes of being an awesome player. I just sadly think he has been injured too many times and they have finally caught up to him. Moving him from the outfield to DH did not work and sadly he became one of the poster children of the failure of the White Sox dynasty, right next to fellow non-roster invitee Tim Anderson. That is sad. You never get to see 80 grade power and Eloy absolutely showed he could demolish baseballs when he came up. One of the many centerpieces of the Jose Quintana trade that looked like such a win for the White Sox for a bit, before it all went so wrong. Eloy might make the Rays roster, whether he stays on it as a player or on the IL, we do not know. There is hope that the minor league stint in Baltimore might have helped him and we will see in Spring if it did.

Texas Rangers – Jesse Chavez

You see sadly Jesse Chavez is not pitching on the Braves which means he will not be doing well and will instead be waiting for his, like what, 59^th move to the Braves?

I am only half kidding, Chavez was only a Brave in his career thrice but he is actually coming off the best stretch of his major league career, at the age of 40 no less. Pitching quality innings and being a great mentor have been the things keeping him in the bigs, along with a slightly funky delivery. He has been in Texas before and honestly, he looks like quite good lock to make the final roster for the team. The team has struggled with injuries in their rotation even in the year they won the World Series and I like the idea of Chavez in middle relief or mop up to help more young guys get reps so that they can come in and replace the aging parts of Texas' rotation. Chavez will get you innings of pretty solid production, and the Rangers will hope his spring will be a good sign for things to come if he gets a spot in their bullpen.

Toronto Blue Jays – Myles Straw

Kevin Kiermaier is an exceptional player. The next generation will find his baseball reference page and then look in awe at it. They will wonder why he did not play any longer. They will think about the world of a 50 bWAR Kevin Kiermaier and if there is a hall of fame case for him.

Myles Straw is if everyone hated Kevin Kiermaier, especially the fans of the team he played for. I mean Kiermaier was the better hitter and even the better fielder, but basically the Blue Jays saw their defensively minded outfielder and replaced him with basically the diet version on non-roster. I am being quite mean to Straw but honestly, his defense is not even incredible anymore. The tool that has kept him on Major League rosters is sadly one he has aged out of. I would love for the league to have more Myles Straw's to compliment the Kyle Schwarber's of the world, but one needs to be a Myles Straw to play. Myles Straw is sadly no longer the Myles Straw he used to be but I hope he can recapture it in Spring Training with Kiermaier joining the Blue Jays staff.

Washington Nationals – Colin Poche

We end quite anticlimatically on Colin Poche, a good young player who has sadly been bit a lot by the injury bug due to his stuff. He definitely has a spot on the Nationals: a rebuilding team that could use developing arms. This spring is going to be an opportunity for him to prove he can pitch in volume and quality, because let us not forget that this man does indeed have a track record of quality. 156 innings of 121 ERA+ will absolutely help a Nationals team desperate for arms. Maybe he can be a good replacement for Dylan Floro and help a team filed with young talent getting their first full season of major league time.