Los Angeles Dodgers: Players Turning Heads Early at Spring Training

As all (or most) people reading this are well aware, spring training began last week—and the Los Angeles Dodgers have already tied twice. And while seven games is neither enough to be a validation of existing ideas or to justify an opinion reversal, it is worth taking a look at some of the top performers thus far.

Nearly all of the players on this list will be hitters, for the simple reason that there are a grand total of zero pitchers who have thrown five innings. The hitters, though, have each had a few at-bats, and there have been some noteworthy performances that are worth pointing out. Each player presented here has a chance to have a real role with the team, so not everyone with an impressive OPS will be listed.

Erik Bedard, LHP

Ben Margot/Associated Press

In four innings, Bedard has allowed just one run. He’s also struck out two and walked one in those two outings. While he will begin the season in Triple-A and wait for a potential call-up, his spring performance is worth paying attention to because he will play an important role for the team.

The last couple of years, injuries have knocked Hyun-jin Ryu, Zack Greinke, Josh Beckett and others out of the rotation. Those DL stints forced then-GM Ned Colletti to acquire such luminaries as Roberto Hernandez and Kevin Correia to make meaningful starts in September. This year, though, Bedard should already be in the organization when the injury bug inevitably strikes.

Alex Guerrero, UTIL

Morry Gash/Associated Press

Guerrero has gotten off to a good start thus far, as he is leading the team in OPS through his nine at-bats. He has six hits (including a home run), which is positive because he was signed for his offensive capabilities.

The interesting aspect of this spring is his contract. As I have mentioned in several previous pieces, Guerrero must be on the Opening Day roster or he will be released. If he hits well, he may make the decision easy. However, the primary issue is roster flexibility. He cannot play shortstop or he would have done so in Triple-A last year, and Justin Turner can do many of the same things Guerrero can—plus play short if necessary. Additionally, the outfield is already overloaded, so finding a roster spot for the Cuban import will be difficult.

Joc Pederson, CF

John Locher/Associated Press

Pederson is hitting .455 in 11 at-bats, and the good and the bad have both shown up: He has five hits (including two doubles), but he has struck out three times. If he hits well enough, he should make the roster—but it would be nice to see enough contact and lessen the concerns.

The lefty remains the best center fielder on the 40-man roster, but the Dodgers have right-handed options to potentially platoon with him in Chris Heisey and Scott Van Slyke. This takes some of the pressure off of him, but I expect the Dodgers will want him to face lefties if at all possible so he doesn’t get pigeonholed early and never even get a chance to develop.

Corey Seager, SS

John Locher/Associated Press

The belle of the ball has been incredible thus far. He is leading the team in walks and has a couple of doubles to boot. There have been some questions about his approach because he has been able to simply hit everything (the Baseball Prospectus scouting report mentions that he is “still learning to temper over-aggression”), so the walks have been good to see.

Whether or not Seager makes his debut in 2015 will likely depend on roster circumstances outside of his control. Everyone expects him to hit this year, but if Juan Uribe and Jimmy Rollins stay healthy, then there is no place for him to get everyday playing time. That would mean he likely wouldn’t be in Los Angeles until September. If one of the two gets hurt around the All-Star break, though, Seager could be a possible replacement.

Scott Schebler, OF

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

Like Pederson and Seager, Schebler has racked up a few doubles in the first week of spring training. He hasn’t done much else—no steals, no walks and a couple of strikeouts—but his value as a bench bat is worth remembering.

A lot of things would have to happen for Schebler to get a chance in the majors this year. With six outfielders already expected to break camp with the big club (Pederson, Yasiel Puig, Andre Ethier, Carl Crawford, Chris Heisey and Scott Van Slyke), three injuries would be required to get Schebler on the roster. However, his overall minor league track record (.921 OPS in Double-A at 23) is a sign that he could be an important piece in the future.

Note: All spring training statistics are courtesy of Dodgers.com and are accurate through March 9.