MLB Power Rankings at the Start of March
Spring training is now in full swing as Cactus and Grapefruit League action is underway. Coupled with the calendar flipping over to March, that makes this as good a time as any for an updated version of our MLB power rankings, which were last updated Feb. 16.
Since it's tough to draw significant conclusions from a handful of spring training games and there have yet to be any noteworthy injuries or trades so far this preseason, the rankings are unchanged.
Instead, we'll shed some light on each team's biggest position battles and storylines to follow moving forward this spring.
Matt Wieters, Jered Weaver and Joe Blanton have all found a new home since the last time we updated these rankings, but there are still some notable remaining free agents. That list includes 1B Pedro Alvarez, 1B Justin Morneau, IF/OF Kelly Johnson, OF Angel Pagan, SP Doug Fister, SP Colby Lewis and SP/RP Edwin Jackson.
Spring injuries and the inevitable roster crunch could also pave the way for a few spring trades, so there's still time for things to change between now and Opening Day.
As with any offseason power rankings, these are not meant to be predictions for the year ahead, but instead a look at how teams would stack up with the rosters they currently have if the season were to start today.
Note: Players listed in bold on projected rosters indicate newcomers. An (R) next to a player indicates his rookie status is intact.
30. San Diego Padres
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Spring Focus
There's ample opportunity for non-roster players and prospects alike to play their way onto the San Diego Padres roster this spring as the rebuilding continues.
Infielder Erick Aybar and outfielder Collin Cowgill are two non-roster veterans worth keeping an eye on, while a trio of Rule 5 selections—Miguel Diaz, Luis Torrens and Allen Cordoba—will get a long look as well.
However, the biggest position battle is at second base, where a healthy Cory Spangenberg will look to push surprising rookie standout Ryan Schimpf for the starting gig.
Catcher/outfielder Christian Bethancourt will make his pitching debut Wednesday as he looks to carve out a role as a two-way player, so that appearance carries plenty of intrigue as well.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| LF Travis Jankowski | RHP Jered Weaver |
| CF Manuel Margot (R) | RHP Jhoulys Chacin |
| 1B Wil Myers | LHP Clayton Richard |
| 3B Yangervis Solarte | RHP Trevor Cahill |
| RF Hunter Renfroe (R) | LHP Christian Friedrich |
| 2B Ryan Schimpf | |
| C Austin Hedges | RHP Paul Clemens |
| SS Luis Sardinas | RHP Jarred Cosart |
| RHP Miguel Diaz (R) | |
| C Luis Torrens (R) | RHP Kevin Quackenbush |
| C/OF Christian Bethancourt | LHP Ryan Buchter |
| 1B/OF Alex Dickerson | LHP Brad Hand |
| IF Erick Aybar | RHP Brandon Maurer |
| IF Cory Spangenberg |
Projected DL: RP Carter Capps (Tommy John surgery), SP Colin Rea (TJ surgery), SP Robbie Erlin (TJ surgery)
29. Minnesota Twins
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Spring Focus
The No. 5 starter spot and a handful of bullpen jobs will be up for grabs this spring as the Minnesota Twins look to improve on a 5.08 team ERA that ranked 29th in the majors.
Former top prospect Jose Berrios looks like the early favorite to round out the rotation, though he'll be pushed by Tyler Duffey, non-roster invitee Ryan Vogelsong, prospect Adalberto Mejia and reliever Trevor May, who is looking to return to starting.
A strong spring from hard-throwing reliever J.T. Chargois could earn him a bullpen spot, and it's not out of the question to think he could be closing games at some point in 2017.
It's time for highly touted youngsters like Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano and Berrios to live up to the hype if the Twins are going to take a step forward from a 103-loss season.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| 2B Brian Dozier | RHP Ervin Santana |
| SS Jorge Polanco | RHP Kyle Gibson |
| 1B Joe Mauer | LHP Hector Santiago |
| 3B Miguel Sano | RHP Phil Hughes |
| RF Max Kepler | RHP Jose Berrios |
| DH Kennys Vargas | |
| C Jason Castro | RHP Justin Haley (R) |
| LF Eddie Rosario | LHP Taylor Rogers |
| CF Byron Buxton | RHP Michael Tonkin |
| RHP Matt Belisle | |
| C John Ryan Murphy | RHP Ryan Pressly |
| IF Ehire Adrianza | RHP Trevor May |
| IF Eduardo Escobar | RHP Brandon Kintzler |
| OF Robbie Grossman |
Projected DL: RP Glen Perkins (shoulder)
28. Cincinnati Reds
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Spring Focus
The Cincinnati Reds already had one rotation spot open, and losing Homer Bailey to yet another arm surgery makes it two starting jobs up for grabs.
Tim Adleman, Robert Stephenson, Cody Reed and non-roster invitee Bronson Arroyo all have MLB experience, while prospects Amir Garrett, Rookie Davis and Sal Romano figure to get a look as well.
Meanwhile, backup catcher Tucker Barnhart looks like the only lock for a bench spot.
Arismendy Alcantara is on the 40-man roster and Rule 5 catcher Stuart Turner could be an option if the team wants to carry three backstops, while the top non-roster options include Ryan Raburn, Desmond Jennings, Tony Renda and Patrick Kivlehan.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| CF Billy Hamilton | RHP Anthony DeSclafani |
| 2B Jose Peraza | LHP Brandon Finnegan |
| 1B Joey Votto | RHP Scott Feldman |
| LF Adam Duvall | RHP Tim Adleman |
| RF Scott Schebler | RHP Robert Stephenson (R) |
| SS Zack Cozart | |
| 3B Eugenio Suarez | RHP Louis Coleman |
| C Devin Mesoraco | RHP Blake Wood |
| RHP Jumbo Diaz | |
| C Tucker Barnhart | RHP Drew Storen |
| IF/OF Arismendy Alcantara | LHP Tony Cingrani |
| IF/OF Tony Renda | RHP Michael Lorenzen |
| OF Desmond Jennings | RHP Raisel Iglesias |
| OF Ryan Raburn |
Projected DL: SP Homer Bailey (elbow surgery, bone spurs)
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27. Milwaukee Brewers
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Spring Focus
Let's assume the Milwaukee Brewers' two best starters from a year ago (Junior Guerra and Zach Davies) and their second-highest paid player (Matt Garza) are locks for the starting rotation. That leaves Jimmy Nelson, Chase Anderson, Taylor Jungmann, Tommy Milone and last year's Opening Day starter, Wily Peralta, to compete for the final two starting jobs and perhaps a couple of bullpen spots.
Milone is the only lefty in the bunch and Peralta is out of minor league options, so there's a good chance they'll be on the roster in some capacity.
The other roster battle to watch is at catcher, where Andrew Susac, Manny Pina and Jett Bandy are all in the mix. Susac is the presumed starter and Pina is out of options, but the team obviously likes Bandy after flipping longtime backup Martin Maldonado for him in the offseason.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| 2B Jonathan Villar | RHP Junior Guerra |
| CF Keon Broxton | RHP Zach Davies |
| LF Ryan Braun | RHP Matt Garza |
| 1B Eric Thames | RHP Jimmy Nelson |
| 3B Travis Shaw | RHP Chase Anderson |
| RF Domingo Santana | |
| SS Orlando Arcia | RHP Wily Peralta |
| C Andrew Susac | LHP Tommy Milone |
| RHP Jacob Barnes | |
| C Manny Pina (R) | RHP Jhan Marinez |
| 1B Jesus Aguilar | RHP Carlos Torres |
| IF Scooter Gennett | RHP Corey Knebel |
| IF/OF Hernan Perez | RHP Neftali Feliz |
| OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis |
26. Oakland Athletics
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Spring Focus
There are plenty of new faces in Oakland Athletics camp, as the team added a handful of mid-level free agents to plug some holes in the starting lineup and round out the roster.
The biggest competition will be for the final two rotation spots behind Sonny Gray, Kendall Graveman and Sean Manaea. Jharel Cotton pitched well enough in five starts down the stretch to get a long look, while Andrew Triggs, Jesse Hahn, Josh Smith, Zach Neal, Ross Detwiler and prospect Frankie Montas are in the running.
There's also a chance someone could push oft-injured Jed Lowrie to a bench role as Chad Pinder, Joey Wendle and veteran utility man Adam Rosales could all prove to be better options for the starting second base job.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| CF Rajai Davis | RHP Sonny Gray |
| C Stephen Vogt | RHP Kendall Graveman |
| DH Ryon Healy | LHP Sean Manaea |
| LF Khris Davis | RHP Jharel Cotton (R) |
| RF Matt Joyce | RHP Andrew Triggs |
| SS Marcus Semien | |
| 3B Trevor Plouffe | RHP Raul Alcantara |
| 1B Yonder Alonso | RHP Liam Hendriks |
| 2B Jed Lowrie | RHP John Axford |
| RHP Ryan Dull | |
| C Josh Phegley | RHP Santiago Casilla |
| 1B/OF Mark Canha | LHP Sean Doolittle |
| IF Adam Rosales | RHP Ryan Madson |
| OF Jake Smolinski |
Projected DL: SP Chris Bassitt (TJ surgery), SP Daniel Mengden (foot surgery)
25. Chicago White Sox
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Spring Focus
The biggest focus in Chicago White Sox camp will be on recently acquired prospects Yoan Moncada, Lucas Giolito and Michael Kopech. Fans will try to get a better idea of when they might see them suiting up with the MLB squad.
Giolito (2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K) and Kopech (1.0 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K) have already made their spring debuts and showed they still have plenty of work to do, while Moncada (0-for-6, 3 BB, 4 K) is off to a slow start at the plate as well.
As for the Opening Day roster, the starting catcher and center field jobs are far from decided, with non-roster invitee Geovany Soto and prospect Charlie Tilson the two favorites to start. Omar Narvaez, Alfredo Gonzalez, Kevan Smith and Roberto Pena are among the other catchers in camp, while Peter Bourjos or out-of-options Leury Garcia could push Tilson in center.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| SS Tim Anderson | LHP Jose Quintana |
| 2B Brett Lawrie | RHP Miguel Gonzalez |
| 1B Jose Abreu | LHP Carlos Rodon |
| 3B Todd Frazier | RHP James Shields |
| LF Melky Cabrera | LHP Derek Holland |
| RF Avisail Garcia | |
| DH Cody Asche | RHP Dylan Covey (R) |
| C Geovany Soto | RHP Michael Ynoa |
| CF Charlie Tilson (R) | RHP Jake Petricka |
| RHP Zach Putnam | |
| C Omar Narvaez (R) | LHP Dan Jennings |
| IF Yolmer Sanchez | RHP Nate Jones |
| IF/OF Tyler Saladino | RHP David Robertson |
| OF Peter Bourjos |
24. Atlanta Braves
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Spring Focus
The Atlanta Braves have added plenty of veteran leadership to what was a young roster by bringing aboard Bartolo Colon (43), R.A. Dickey (42), Brandon Phillips (35), Kurt Suzuki (33) and Jaime Garcia (30).
"I just want to be available to help the young starters here in any way I can, similar to as I was with the Mets," Colon told Kevin Kernan of the New York Post.
One of those young pitchers—Mike Foltynewicz—is the heavy favorite to be the fifth starter, while Matt Wisler, Aaron Blair, Lucas Sims and non-roster veterans Kris Medlen and John Danks will be waiting in the wings if he falters.
It bears watching whether the team still decides to go with four bench players and eight relievers after versatile utility man Sean Rodriguez suffered a shoulder injury that could sideline him for the season.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| CF Ender Inciarte | RHP Julio Teheran |
| SS Dansby Swanson (R) | RHP Bartolo Colon |
| 1B Freddie Freeman | LHP Jaime Garcia |
| LF Matt Kemp | RHP R.A. Dickey |
| RF Nick Markakis | RHP Mike Foltynewicz |
| 2B Brandon Phillips | |
| 3B Adonis Garcia | RHP Josh Collmenter |
| C Tyler Flowers | RHP Armando Rivero (R) |
| RHP Chaz Roe | |
| C Kurt Suzuki | RHP Jose Ramirez |
| 1B/OF Christian Walker (R) | LHP Ian Krol |
| IF Jace Peterson | RHP Mauricio Cabrera |
| IF/OF Chase d'Arnaud | RHP Arodys Vizcaino |
| RHP Jim Johnson |
Projected DL: IF Sean Rodriguez (shoulder surgery), RP Paco Rodriguez (TJ surgery), RP Jacob Lindgren (TJ surgery), RP Dan Winkler (fractured elbow)
23. Philadelphia Phillies
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Spring Focus
It's not a question of if, but when top prospect J.P. Crawford will supplant Freddy Galvis as the starting shortstop for the Philadelphia Phillies.
"I tried to do too much last year when I got moved up," Crawford told Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Inquirer. "I was trying way too much with the bat, and physically I was just trying to do too much. This year, I’m trying to go back to what I do best. Stick with a plan and produce offensively."
Crawford is not the only prospect expected to break through this coming season, as catcher Jorge Alfaro, outfielders Roman Quinn and Nick Williams and right-hander Jake Thompson could all move into significant roles before the season comes to a close.
With the starting lineup essentially set, Ryan Hanigan, Bryan Holaday, Pedro Florimon, Chris Coghlan and Daniel Nava are among the non-roster veterans vying to fill out the bench.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| 2B Cesar Hernandez | RHP Jeremy Hellickson |
| LF Howie Kendrick | RHP Jerad Eickhoff |
| CF Odubel Herrera | RHP Aaron Nola |
| 3B Maikel Franco | RHP Vincent Velasquez |
| RF Michael Saunders | RHP Clay Buchholz |
| 1B Tommy Joseph | |
| C Cameron Rupp | RHP Luis Garcia |
| SS Freddy Galvis | RHP Edubray Ramos |
| LHP Joely Rodriguez (R) | |
| C Ryan Hanigan | RHP Pat Neshek |
| 1B/OF Daniel Nava | RHP Hector Neris |
| IF Andres Blanco | RHP Joaquin Benoit |
| IF/OF Chris Coghlan | RHP Jeanmar Gomez |
| OF Aaron Altherr |
22. Los Angeles Angels
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Spring Focus
The Los Angeles Angels have one wide-open rotation spot with Andrew Heaney and Nick Tropeano both still recovering from Tommy John surgery and veterans Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson departing in free agency. Newcomers Jesse Chavez, Yusmeiro Petit and Bud Norris will join prospects Nate Smith and Alex Meyer in competing for that No. 5 starter job as well as the long reliever role in the bullpen.
Huston Street also has a somewhat tenuous hold on the closer's job after another injury-plagued season. If he struggles early, the Angels could quickly turn that job over to Cam Bedrosian.
It's still not clear how the team plans to utilize both Luis Valbuena and C.J. Cron with Albert Pujols expected to be the everyday DH, but both players deserve to see their name in the lineup on a regular basis.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| 3B Yunel Escobar | RHP Garrett Richards |
| RF Kole Calhoun | RHP Matt Shoemaker |
| CF Mike Trout | LHP Tyler Skaggs |
| DH Albert Pujols | RHP Ricky Nolasco |
| 1B Luis Valbuena | RHP Jesse Chavez |
| LF Cameron Maybin | |
| 2B Danny Espinosa | RHP Yusmeiro Petit |
| SS Andrelton Simmons | RHP J.C. Ramirez |
| C Martin Maldonado | RHP Austin Adams |
| LHP Jose Alvarez | |
| C Carlos Perez | RHP Andrew Bailey |
| 1B C.J. Cron | RHP Cam Bedrosian |
| IF Cliff Pennington | RHP Huston Street |
| OF Ben Revere |
Projected DL: SP Andrew Heaney (TJ surgery), SP Nick Tropeano (TJ surgery)
21. Tampa Bay Rays
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Spring Focus
How long can Matt Andriese hold off top prospects Jose De Leon and Brent Honeywell? Andriese was impressive at times in a starting role last year while also seeing significant action out of the bullpen, and the 27-year-old looks like the favorite to break camp as the No. 5 starter.
De Leon and Honeywell should both be ready to make an impact at the MLB level this coming season, though, and they represent the future for a Rays team that remains among the best in the business at developing pitching.
The latest report, courtesy of Bill Chastain of MLB.com, says Wilson Ramos is expected to be sidelined until July and won't catch again until at least August.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| CF Kevin Kiermaier | RHP Chris Archer |
| SS Matt Duffy | RHP Jake Odorizzi |
| 3B Evan Longoria | RHP Alex Cobb |
| 2B Brad Miller | LHP Blake Snell |
| DH Corey Dickerson | RHP Matt Andriese |
| LF Colby Rasmus | |
| RF Steven Souza | RHP Erasmo Ramirez |
| 1B Logan Morrison | RHP Kevin Gadea (R) |
| C Curt Casali | RHP Shawn Tolleson |
| RHP Danny Farquhar | |
| C Luke Maile | LHP Xavier Cedeno |
| 1B/OF Rickie Weeks Jr. | RHP Brad Boxberger |
| IF Tim Beckham | RHP Alex Colome |
| IF/OF Nick Franklin |
Projected DL: C Wilson Ramos (knee surgery), SP Nathan Eovaldi (TJ surgery)
20. Arizona Diamondbacks
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Spring Focus
It looked like Patrick Corbin would be a cornerstone piece for the Arizona Diamondbacks when he went 14-8 with a 3.41 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 178 strikeouts in 208.1 innings as a 23-year-old in 2013. He missed the entire 2014 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, though, and he hasn't been the same since returning.
He'll now need to beat out the likes of Archie Bradley, Braden Shipley, Zack Godley and non-roster invitees Jorge De La Rosa and Brian Matusz just to break camp with a spot in the rotation.
The team has also assembled an interesting collection of catching options with Chris Iannetta, Jeff Mathis, Chris Herrmann, Josh Thole, Hank Conger and Oscar Hernandez all in MLB camp. It bears watching how the Diamondbacks divide up their playing time.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| CF A.J. Pollock | RHP Zack Greinke |
| SS Chris Owings | LHP Robbie Ray |
| 1B Paul Goldschmidt | RHP Taijuan Walker |
| RF David Peralta | RHP Shelby Miller |
| LF Yasmany Tomas | LHP Patrick Corbin |
| 3B Jake Lamb | |
| 2B Brandon Drury | RHP Tyler Jones (R) |
| C Chris Iannetta | RHP Kevin Jepsen |
| RHP Tom Wilhelmsen | |
| C Jeff Mathis | LHP Andrew Chafin |
| C/OF Chris Herrmann | RHP Randall Delgado |
| IF Nick Ahmed | RHP Jake Barrett |
| IF/OF Daniel Descalso | RHP Fernando Rodney |
| OF Gregor Blanco |
19. Baltimore Orioles
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Spring Focus
The Baltimore Orioles will need to decide on a No. 5 starter to open the season if Chris Tillman is not ready to go after receiving a platelet-rich-plasma injection in his throwing shoulder in December. With two off days in the first week of the season, they could just opt to carry an extra reliever and go with a four-man rotation, but it's still something they need to sort out.
And while the O's have a history of holding onto Rule 5 picks, they'll have a hard time keeping both Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez this season. It appears they're competing with Michael Bourn, Dariel Alvarez, Craig Gentry and Logan Schafer for the final bench spot.
With Seth Smith and Hyun Soo Kim both requiring platoon partners against left-handed pitching, whoever wins that fifth outfielder job will be more than just a warm body on the bench.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| CF Adam Jones | RHP Kevin Gausman |
| RF Seth Smith | RHP Dylan Bundy |
| 3B Manny Machado | RHP Ubaldo Jimenez |
| 1B Chris Davis | LHP Wade Miley |
| DH Mark Trumbo | RHP Mike Wright |
| 2B Jonathan Schoop | |
| C Welington Castillo | LHP Vidal Nuno |
| SS J.J. Hardy | RHP Oliver Drake |
| LF Hyun Soo Kim | RHP Logan Ondrusek |
| RHP Mychal Givens | |
| C Caleb Joseph | RHP Darren O'Day |
| IF/OF Ryan Flaherty | RHP Brad Brach |
| OF Joey Rickard | LHP Zach Britton |
| OF Anthony Santander (R) |
Projected DL: Chris Tillman (PRP injection in shoulder)
18. Kansas City Royals
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Spring Focus
The additions of Jason Hammel and Travis Wood to round out the starting rotation mean the Kansas City Royals will have Mike Minor, Chris Young and rookie Matt Strahm—who are all capable of starting—working out of the bullpen this coming season.
Assuming those two are in fact locked into the final rotation spots, the biggest position battle will come at second base.
Ideally, former top prospect Raul A. Mondesi would take the job and run with it, but he'll need to earn it with Whit Merrifield, Christian Colon and Cheslor Cuthbert also in the mix.
"I’m looking for a guy to produce," manager Ned Yost told the Kansas City Star's Rustin Dodd of the four-man competition. "I’m looking for a guy that can catch ground balls, turn double plays, get hits. So that’s what we’re looking for."
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| SS Alcides Escobar | LHP Danny Duffy |
| 3B Mike Moustakas | RHP Ian Kennedy |
| CF Lorenzo Cain | LHP Jason Vargas |
| 1B Eric Hosmer | RHP Jason Hammel |
| C Salvador Perez | LHP Travis Wood |
| LF Alex Gordon | |
| RF Jorge Soler | LHP Mike Minor |
| DH Brandon Moss | RHP Chris Young |
| 2B Raul Mondesi | LHP Scott Alexander |
| RHP Peter Moylan | |
| C Drew Butera | LHP Matt Strahm (R) |
| IF Christian Colon | RHP Joakim Soria |
| IF Cheslor Cuthbert | RHP Kelvin Herrera |
| OF Paulo Orlando |
Projected DL: RP Brian Flynn (fractured rib)
17. Pittsburgh Pirates
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Spring Focus
No starting rotation has a wider range between floor and ceiling than that of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
If Gerrit Cole returns to ace form, Ivan Nova is the pitcher we saw for two months in Pittsburgh last year and young right-handers Jameson Taillon and Tyler Glasnow begin to approach their front-line potential, it's a staff that could be as good as any in baseball.
Those are some considerable ifs to contend with, though.
Chad Kuhl, Drew Hutchison and Steven Brault are also competing for a spot in the rotation this spring and there's a good chance Glasnow will be starting the year in the minors as he continues to work on his command.
The good news is, the position-player side of things and the bullpen both appear to be set.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| 2B Josh Harrison | RHP Gerrit Cole |
| 1B Josh Bell (R) | RHP Ivan Nova |
| RF Andrew McCutchen | RHP Jameson Taillon |
| CF Starling Marte | RHP Chad Kuhl |
| LF Gregory Polanco | RHP Drew Hutchison |
| 3B Jung Ho Kang | |
| C Francisco Cervelli | LHP Wade LeBlanc |
| SS Jordy Mercer | RHP Juan Nicasio |
| LHP Antonio Bastardo | |
| C Chris Stewart | RHP Jared Hughes |
| 1B John Jaso | LHP Felipe Rivero |
| 1B/3B David Freese | RHP Daniel Hudson |
| IF Alen Hanson (R) | LHP Tony Watson |
| IF/OF Adam Frazier |
16. Miami Marlins
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Spring Focus
The Miami Marlins roster is essentially set, but they still have work to do sorting out roles for the five new pitchers projected to break camp with a spot on the staff.
Jeff Locke and David Phelps are both capable of starting, but appear to be ticketed for the bullpen, barring an injury.
A.J. Ramos will close once again, so determining how to stack strikeout-machine Kyle Barraclough and newcomers Junichi Tazawa and Brad Ziegler ahead of him is also on the to-do list.
The biggest roster decision will be whether to keep live-armed Jose Urena, who is out of options and has a 5.76 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in 145.1 career innings. He has the fastball-slider combination to thrive in a relief role if everything comes together.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| 2B Dee Gordon | LHP Wei-Yin Chen |
| 3B Martin Prado | RHP Edinson Volquez |
| CF Christian Yelich | LHP Adam Conley |
| RF Giancarlo Stanton | RHP Dan Straily |
| LF Marcell Ozuna | RHP Tom Koehler |
| 1B Justin Bour | |
| C J.T. Realmuto | LHP Jeff Locke |
| SS Adeiny Hechavarria | RHP David Phelps |
| RHP Jose Urena | |
| C A.J. Ellis | RHP Dustin McGowan |
| IF Miguel Rojas | RHP Junichi Tazawa |
| IF/OF Derek Dietrich | RHP Brad Ziegler |
| OF Ichiro Suzuki | RHP Kyle Barraclough |
| RHP A.J. Ramos |
15. Colorado Rockies
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Spring Focus
The Colorado Rockies suddenly have enough pitching depth that they're expected to break camp with an eight-man bullpen and to have a hotly-contested battle for the No. 5 starter job.
Top prospects Jeff Hoffman (No. 36 on Baseball America) and German Marquez (No. 53 on Baseball America) appear to be the leading candidates to fill the back of the rotation, while Shane Carle is also an option on the 40-man roster.
Meanwhile, the offseason additions of Mike Dunn and Greg Holland give the team a bullpen loaded with experienced arms that should have no trouble improving on last year's MLB-worst 5.13 ERA.
Pitching has always been the key for the Rockies and this looks like the best collection of arms they've had in years.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| CF Charlie Blackmon | RHP Jon Gray |
| 2B DJ LeMahieu | RHP Chad Bettis |
| 3B Nolan Arenado | LHP Tyler Anderson |
| RF Carlos Gonzalez | RHP Tyler Chatwood |
| 1B Ian Desmond | RHP Jeff Hoffman (R) |
| LF David Dahl | |
| SS Trevor Story | RHP Jordan Lyles |
| C Tony Wolters | LHP Chris Rusin |
| RHP Chad Qualls | |
| C Tom Murphy (R) | LHP Mike Dunn |
| 1B/3B Mark Reynolds | RHP Jason Motte |
| IF/OF Alexi Amarista | LHP Jake McGee |
| OF Gerardo Parra | RHP Greg Holland |
| RHP Adam Ottavino |
Projected DL: RP Jairo Diaz (TJ surgery)
14. Detroit Tigers
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Spring Focus
It was a quiet offseason for the Detroit Tigers as they look to make one more push for a playoff spot with their current crop of talent.
Jordan Zimmermann ($18 million) and Anibal Sanchez ($16.8 million) will both likely begin the season with a spot in the rotation, thanks to their hefty price tags.
Left-hander Matt Boyd (6-5, 4.53 ERA, 1.30 WHIP) might be a better option than both of them if last season is any indication, though, and he'll be waiting in the wings as the next man up in the rotation.
The one undecided spot in the lineup is center field, as Tyler Collins, Mikie Mahtook, JaCoby Jones and non-roster invitee Alex Presley are all options.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| 2B Ian Kinsler | RHP Justin Verlander |
| RF J.D. Martinez | RHP Michael Fulmer |
| 1B Miguel Cabrera | RHP Jordan Zimmermann |
| DH Victor Martinez | RHP Anibal Sanchez |
| LF Justin Upton | LHP Daniel Norris |
| 3B Nick Castellanos | |
| C James McCann | RHP Mike Pelfrey |
| CF Tyler Collins | LHP Daniel Stumpf (R) |
| SS Jose Iglesias | RHP Mark Lowe |
| RHP Bruce Rondon | |
| C Alex Avila | LHP Justin Wilson |
| IF/OF Andrew Romine | RHP Alex Wilson |
| OF Mikie Mahtook | RHP Francisco Rodriguez |
| OF Steven Moya |
13. New York Yankees
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Spring Focus
Aaron Judge is off to a nice start this spring as he looks to prove he's ready to take over the everyday right field job for the New York Yankees.
The 24-year-old is 3-for-9 with a triple and a home run in his first four spring games and more importantly, he's only struck out once after fanning 42 times in 95 plate appearances last season.
The other big roster battle is for the final two spots in the starting rotation.
Luis Severino, Bryan Mitchell, Luis Cessa, Chad Green and Jordan Montgomery, as well as non-roster invitee Jon Niese and reliever Adam Warren are all potential options.
Severino could be a real X-factor for the pitching staff, as he was viewed as a future ace not all that long ago and still has the electric stuff to deliver on those lofty expectations.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| LF Brett Gardner | RHP Masahiro Tanaka |
| CF Jacoby Ellsbury | LHP CC Sabathia |
| C Gary Sanchez | RHP Michael Pineda |
| DH Matt Holliday | RHP Luis Severino |
| 1B Greg Bird | RHP Bryan Mitchell |
| 2B Starlin Castro | |
| SS Didi Gregorius | LHP Jon Niese |
| 3B Chase Headley | RHP Luis Cessa |
| RF Aaron Judge (R) | RHP Adam Warren |
| LHP Tommy Layne | |
| C Austin Romine | RHP Tyler Clippard |
| 1B Chris Carter | RHP Dellin Betances |
| IF Ronald Torreyes | LHP Aroldis Chapman |
| OF Aaron Hicks |
Projected DL: 1B/OF Tyler Austin (fractured foot)
12. Seattle Mariners
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Spring Focus
The Seattle Mariners might be wearing those "Hello, my name is ___" stickers in the clubhouse until Opening Day with so many new faces walking around.
At last tally, there were 27 newcomers in big league camp, including 10 players projected for a spot on the Opening Day roster.
Despite all that turnover, there are few roster spots up for grabs, as one bullpen arm and one bench bat may be all the team needs to decide on between now and the start of the season.
Chris Heston and Ariel Miranda are the early favorites to fill the long-relief role, while Guillermo Heredia and Ben Gamel are the top candidates for the fourth outfielder job.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| RF Jarrod Dyson | RHP Felix Hernandez |
| SS Jean Segura | RHP Hisashi Iwakuma |
| 2B Robinson Cano | LHP James Paxton |
| DH Nelson Cruz | RHP Yovani Gallardo |
| 3B Kyle Seager | LHP Drew Smyly |
| C Mike Zunino | |
| 1B Dan Vogelbach (R) | RHP Chris Heston |
| LF Mitch Haniger (R) | RHP Dan Altavilla (R) |
| CF Leonys Martin | RHP Evan Scribner |
| RHP Casey Fien | |
| C Carlos Ruiz | LHP Marc Rzepczynski |
| IF/OF Shawn O'Malley | RHP Nick Vincent |
| IF/OF Danny Valencia | RHP Edwin Diaz |
| OF Guillermo Heredia (R) |
Projected DL: RP Steve Cishek (hip surgery)
11. New York Mets
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Spring Focus
A hot start to the spring from Michael Conforto (5-for-10, 2 HR, 3 RBI) has only further complicated the New York Mets' outfield situation.
"He has worked very hard," manager Terry Collins told Mike Puma of the New York Post. "His swing is as good as I’ve seen, and I’ve seen a lot of them. He is bound and determined to make this team."
Failing to find a taker for Jay Bruce or Curtis Granderson on the trade market leaves the team with five outfielders capable of filling an everyday role, and that's without mentioning prospect Brandon Nimmo. who has nothing left to prove in the minors.
Meanwhile, David Wright is already shelved with a shoulder impingement and expected to miss the start of the season, leaving Jose Reys, Wilmer Flores and T.J. Rivera to battle for the available playing time at third base.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| 3B Jose Reyes | RHP Noah Syndergaard |
| CF Curtis Granderson | RHP Jacob deGrom |
| LF Yoenis Cespedes | RHP Matt Harvey |
| RF Jay Bruce | LHP Steven Matz |
| 2B Neil Walker | RHP Zack Wheeler |
| SS Asdrubal Cabrera | |
| 1B Lucas Duda | RHP Erik Goeddel |
| C Travis d'Arnaud | LHP Josh Edgin |
| RHP Fernando Salas | |
| C Rene Rivera | LHP Jerry Blevins |
| IF Wilmer Flores | RHP Hansel Robles |
| IF/OF T.J. Rivera (R) | RHP Addison Reed |
| OF Michael Conforto | RHP Jeurys Familia |
| OF Juan Lagares |
Projected DL: 3B David Wright (shoulder impingement)
10. Texas Rangers
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Spring Focus
It sounds like Jurickson Profar will be playing left field for Team Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic and that could be where he settles in with the Texas Rangers this coming season as well.
Then again, manager Jeff Bannister seems to like having a super utility guy at his disposal.
"More than anything else, he has the ability to play multiple positions," Bannister told Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News. "We saw that last year. A team that is going to really compete in the regular season, they need a player like this."
Dillon Gee and A.J. Griffin will duke it out to be the No. 5 starter, though the winner may simply be keeping that spot warm for Tyson Ross once he's fully recovered from thoracic outlet surgery.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| CF Carlos Gomez | LHP Cole Hamels |
| DH Shin-Soo Choo | RHP Yu Darvish |
| 3B Adrian Beltre | RHP Andrew Cashner |
| 1B Mike Napoli | LHP Martin Perez |
| 2B Rougned Odor | RHP A.J. Griffin |
| C Jonathan Lucroy | |
| LF Nomar Mazara | RHP Dillon Gee |
| SS Elvis Andrus | LHP Alex Claudio |
| LF Jurickson Profar | RHP Keone Kela |
| RHP Tony Barnette | |
| C Robinson Chirinos | RHP Matt Bush |
| 1B James Loney | RHP Jeremy Jeffress |
| IF/OF Ryan Rua | RHP Sam Dyson |
| OF Delino DeShields Jr. |
Projected DL: SP Tyson Ross (thoracic outlet surgery), RP Jake Diekman (ulcerative colitis surgery)
9. St. Louis Cardinals
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Spring Focus
The St. Louis Cardinals filled the two glaring holes on their roster with the additions of Dexter Fowler and Brett Cecil, but that doesn't mean there aren't still some compelling position battles to track in camp.
With Kolten Wong expected to play every day at second base and Aledmys Diaz now entrenched at shortstop, Jedd Gyorko and Jhonny Peralta are left to fight for playing time at third base.
A slimmed-down Matt Adams could further complicate things if he plays his way back into the first base job, as that would mean Matt Carpenter moves back to third base and things get even more crowded along the infield.
The loss of Alex Reyes to Tommy John surgery brought some clarity to the starting rotation and the bullpen appears to be more or less set, though determining how to best utilize Trevor Rosenthal is still on the spring to-do list.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| CF Dexter Fowler | RHP Carlos Martinez |
| SS Aledmys Diaz | RHP Adam Wainwright |
| 1B Matt Carpenter | RHP Lance Lynn |
| RF Stephen Piscotty | RHP Mike Leake |
| LF Randal Grichuk | RHP Michael Wacha |
| C Yadier Molina | |
| 3B Jedd Gyorko | RHP Matt Bowman |
| 2B Kolten Wong | RHP Miguel Socolovich |
| RHP Jonathan Broxton | |
| C Eric Fryer | LHP Brett Cecil |
| 1B Matt Adams | RHP Trevor Rosenthal |
| IF Greg Garcia | LHP Kevin Siegrist |
| IF Jhonny Peralta | RHP Seung Hwan Oh |
| OF Tommy Pham |
Projected DL: SP Alex Reyes (TJ surgery), SP Marco Gonzales (TJ surgery), RP Zach Duke (TJ surgery), RP Tyler Lyons (knee surgery)
8. San Francisco Giants
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Spring Focus
The San Francisco Giants have a precarious combination of out-of-options players on the fringe of the roster and intriguing non-roster invitees looking to push their way into the picture.
Conor Gillaspie, Jarrett Parker and Gorkys Hernandez are all out of options among position players, while the same can be said for Cory Gearrin, George Kontos and Hunter Strickland on the pitching side of things.
Assuming all of those players make the roster, that leaves one bench spot and zero bullpen slots for the following collection of non-roster invitees: Michael Morse, Kyle Blanks, Gordon Beckham, Aaron Hill, Jimmy Rollins, Justin Ruggiano, David Hernandez, Jose Dominguez, Matt Reynolds, Bryan Morris and Neil Ramirez.
It's a situation that should sort itself out based on spring performance, but it's intriguing nonetheless.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| CF Denard Span | LHP Madison Bumgarner |
| 2B Joe Panik | RHP Johnny Cueto |
| C Buster Posey | RHP Jeff Samardzija |
| RF Hunter Pence | LHP Matt Moore |
| 1B Brandon Belt | RHP Matt Cain |
| SS Brandon Crawford | |
| 3B Eduardo Nunez | RHP Cory Gearrin |
| LF Jarrett Parker | RHP George Kontos |
| LHP Steven Okert (R) | |
| C Nick Hundley | RHP Hunter Strickland |
| 1B/3B Conor Gillaspie | LHP Will Smith |
| IF Jae-gyun Hwang (R) | RHP Derek Law |
| OF Gorkys Hernandez | RHP Mark Melancon |
| OF Mac Williamson |
7. Toronto Blue Jays
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Spring Focus
The Toronto Blue Jays did a nice job filling out the relief corps late with the additions of J.P. Howell and Joe Smith, but there are probably still two spots to be determined this spring.
Aaron Loup, Mike Bolsinger, Ryan Tepera, Bo Schultz and Rule 5 pick Glenn Sparkman, as well as non-roster invitees Mat Latos, Lucas Harrell, Gavin Floyd, Brett Oberholtzer and T.J. House are all options.
Deciding on how the playing time will be distributed in left field is also a priority.
Ezequiel Carrera and Melvin Upton Jr. don't have the splits to be used as a straight platoon, so Steve Pearce could see time there as well. Don't count out former top prospect Dalton Pompey either, as he's still just 24 years old with intriguing upside.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| 2B Devon Travis | RHP Aaron Sanchez |
| 3B Josh Donaldson | LHP J.A. Happ |
| RF Jose Bautista | RHP Marco Estrada |
| DH Kendrys Morales | RHP Marcus Stroman |
| SS Troy Tulowitzki | LHP Francisco Liriano |
| 1B Justin Smoak | |
| C Russell Martin | RHP Mike Bolsinger |
| CF Kevin Pillar | LHP Aaron Loup |
| LF Ezequiel Carrera | RHP Joe Smith |
| LHP J.P. Howell | |
| C Jarrod Saltalamacchia | RHP Joe Biagini |
| IF/OF Darwin Barney | RHP Jason Grilli |
| IF/OF Steve Pearce | RHP Roberto Osuna |
| OF Melvin Upton Jr. |
6. Los Angeles Dodgers
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Spring Focus
The Los Angeles Dodgers have a big decision to make regarding prized left-hander Julio Urias.
There have been some rumblings that the Dodgers may leave him at extended spring training when camp breaks in an effort to limit his innings, while keeping his early season starts to a strict limit is also an option.
"It's a decision they're going to make and I respect whatever decision they make, but who doesn't want to be in the big leagues?" Urias told Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. "Personally, I would rather watch my innings and be on the big league club, but if that's not the decision, that's something I have to respect. And I'm grateful they are looking after me and taking care of me."
Also on the docket will be determining if Andrew Toles can handle the everyday left field job and how to best utilize Andre Ethier, Franklin Gutierrez and Scott Van Slyke, if he is seeing regular at-bats.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| 2B Logan Forsythe | LHP Clayton Kershaw |
| SS Corey Seager | LHP Rich Hill |
| 3B Justin Turner | RHP Kenta Maeda |
| 1B Adrian Gonzalez | LHP Scott Kazmir |
| C Yasmani Grandal | LHP Julio Urias |
| CF Joc Pederson | |
| RF Yasiel Puig | RHP Brandon McCarthy |
| LF Andrew Toles | LHP Alex Wood |
| LHP Luis Avilan | |
| C/IF Austin Barnes (R) | RHP Sergio Romo |
| IF Chase Utley | LHP Grant Dayton |
| IF/OF Kike Hernandez | RHP Pedro Baez |
| OF Andre Ethier | RHP Kenley Jansen |
| OF Franklin Gutierrez |
Projected DL: SP Hyun-Jin Ryu (elbow surgery), RP Yimi Garcia (TJ surgery)
5. Houston Astros
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Spring Focus
The focus all offseason for the Houston Astros has been the starting rotation and its perceived lack of an ace, and that will continue to be the biggest storyline this spring.
Dallas Keuchel and Lance McCullers are both capable of providing front-line production if they're 100 percent, and young arms like Joe Musgrove, Francis Martes and David Paulino could be ready to make a legitimate impact in 2017 as well.
The wild card is Chris Devenski, who was brilliant in a multi-inning swingman role as a rookie and will be stretched out as a starter this spring.
Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, Alex Bregman, Carlos Beltran and Nori Aoki are all playing in the World Baseball Classic, so there will be some extra at-bats available that could open the door for an unexpected roster option to emerge.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| CF George Springer | LHP Dallas Keuchel |
| 2B Jose Altuve | RHP Lance McCullers |
| SS Carlos Correa | RHP Collin McHugh |
| DH Carlos Beltran | RHP Mike Fiers |
| C Brian McCann | RHP Charlie Morton |
| 3B Alex Bregman | |
| RF Josh Reddick | RHP Chris Devenski |
| 1B Yulieski Gurriel (R) | RHP Brad Peacock |
| LF Nori Aoki | RHP Michael Feliz |
| LHP Tony Sipp | |
| C Evan Gattis | RHP Luke Gregerson |
| IF/OF Marwin Gonzalez | RHP Will Harris |
| OF Teoscar Hernandez (R) | RHP Ken Giles |
| OF Jake Marisnick |
4. Washington Nationals
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Spring Focus
Relief pitcher performance is one of the toughest things to gauge in spring training.
The adrenaline is not exactly pumping in a meaningless preseason game, relievers are often facing lesser competition late in games and the focus is typically on refining a secondary offer as opposed to a normal mix of pitches.
That being said, the closer derby out of Washington Nationals camp will still be one of the biggest stories of the spring.
Shawn Kelley is the heavy favorite to beat out Blake Treinen, with hard-throwing prospect Koda Glover as the dark horse and perhaps an option later in the season if the winner falters.
Waiting out the free-agent market paid dividends for the Nationals as the late additions of Matt Wieters and Joe Blanton came well below their expected costs.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| SS Trea Turner | RHP Max Scherzer |
| CF Adam Eaton | RHP Stephen Strasburg |
| 2B Daniel Murphy | RHP Tanner Roark |
| RF Bryce Harper | LHP Gio Gonzalez |
| 3B Anthony Rendon | RHP Joe Ross |
| LF Jayson Werth | |
| C Matt Wieters | LHP Enny Romero |
| 1B Ryan Zimmerman | RHP Koda Glover (R) |
| LHP Oliver Perez | |
| C Derek Norris | RHP Blake Treinen |
| 1B Adam Lind | LHP Sammy Solis |
| 1B/OF Clint Robinson | RHP Joe Blanton |
| IF Stephen Drew | RHP Shawn Kelley |
| OF Chris Heisey |
3. Boston Red Sox
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Spring Focus
Despite their standing as one of the favorites to win it all heading into the 2017 season, the Boston Red Sox have two significant three-player position battles to determine before Opening Day.
Sandy Leon, Blake Swihart and Christian Vazquez are battling for the two catcher jobs. Leon will get the first crack at starting after a breakout season, but he looks like a prime regression candidate and the defense of Vazquez or the upside of Swihart will push him to the bench if he struggles early.
The other competition comes at the back of the rotation, where Drew Pomeranz, Steven Wright and Eduardo Rodriguez are vying for the final two spots on the staff.
Pomeranz and Wright were both All-Stars last season, but it's Rodriguez who has the highest ceiling of that group.
Depth is never a bad thing and the Red Sox certainly have it, particularly in those two areas.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| 2B Dustin Pedroia | LHP Chris Sale |
| LF Andrew Benintendi (R) | LHP David Price |
| SS Xander Bogaerts | RHP Rick Porcello |
| RF Mookie Betts | LHP Drew Pomeranz |
| DH Hanley Ramirez | RHP Steven Wright |
| CF Jackie Bradley Jr. | |
| 3B Pablo Sandoval | RHP Heath Hembree |
| 1B Mitch Moreland | LHP Fernando Abad |
| C Sandy Leon | RHP Matt Barnes |
| LHP Robbie Ross Jr. | |
| C Christian Vazquez | RHP Joe Kelly |
| IF Josh Rutledge | RHP Tyler Thornburg |
| IF/OF Brock Holt | RHP Craig Kimbrel |
| OF Chris Young |
Projected DL: Carson Smith (TJ surgery)
2. Cleveland Indians
29 of 30
Spring Focus
It's not a position battle per se, but the health of Michael Brantley will be the No. 1 focus in Cleveland Indians camp.
After playing in just 11 games last season while battling a bum shoulder, Brantley is being brought along slowly this spring.
If he suffers a setback or is not ready to go for Opening Day, that could clear the way for someone like top prospect Bradley Zimmer or non-roster invitee Austin Jackson to win a spot.
The other big decision will be whether to keep Rule 5 pick Hoby Milner, who is trying to win the final bullpen spot over Kyle Crockett, Shawn Armstrong, Carlos Frias and a handful of others.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| DH Carlos Santana | RHP Corey Kluber |
| 2B Jason Kipnis | RHP Carlos Carrasco |
| SS Francisco Lindor | RHP Danny Salazar |
| 1B Edwin Encarnacion | RHP Trevor Bauer |
| LF Michael Brantley | RHP Josh Tomlin |
| 3B Jose Ramirez | |
| RF Lonnie Chisenhall | RHP Hoby Milner (R) |
| C Yan Gomes | RHP Zach McAllister |
| CF Tyler Naquin | RHP Dan Otero |
| LHP Boone Logan | |
| C Roberto Perez | RHP Bryan Shaw |
| IF Michael Martinez | LHP Andrew Miller |
| OF Abraham Almonte | RHP Cody Allen |
| OF Brandon Guyer |
1. Chicago Cubs
30 of 30
Spring Focus
A scoreless inning of work in his spring debut was a nice first step toward winning the No. 5 starter job for Brett Anderson.
The Chicago Cubs gave the oft-injured lefty a one-year, incentive-laden deal and if he can hold down a rotation spot, it would allow Mike Montgomery to once again be utilized as a reliever.
The biggest roster decision will be the two-man race for the final bench spot between Matt Szczur and Tommy La Stella.
It's unlikely either would clear waivers, so unless an injury opens the door for both to win a roster spot or the Cubs back off on the idea of carrying eight relievers, there's a good chance one of those guys is playing elsewhere in 2017.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Feb. 28)
| LF Kyle Schwarber | LHP Jon Lester |
| 3B Kris Bryant | RHP Jake Arrieta |
| 1B Anthony Rizzo | RHP Kyle Hendricks |
| 2B Ben Zobrist | RHP John Lackey |
| SS Addison Russell | LHP Brett Anderson |
| RF Jason Heyward | |
| C Willson Contreras | LHP Brian Duensing |
| CF Jon Jay | RHP Justin Grimm |
| LHP Mike Montgomery | |
| C Miguel Montero | RHP Carl Edwards Jr. |
| IF Javier Baez | RHP Pedro Strop |
| OF Albert Almora Jr. | RHP Koji Uehara |
| OF Matt Szczur | RHP Hector Rondon |
| RHP Wade Davis |
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted. Contract information via Spotrac unless otherwise noted.
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.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
