Early Winners and Losers of MLB's Biggest Spring Position Battles

Spring training is in full tilt, and there are plenty of compelling MLB position battles to keep your eyes on over the next few weeks.

Many roster spots were locked down before baseball's exhibition period began, but more than one organization entered March needing to fill important positions. While we still have over three weeks remaining in spring training, the landscape of each of those position battles is beginning to take shape.

Who will win the shortstop jobs in Pittsburgh and Seattle? Which player has the edge at second base in Chicago and Los Angeles? And with Mike Minor's injury in Atlanta, which two hurlers seem destined to crack the Braves' rotation out of camp?

These questions will be answered over the next few weeks, but we will try to clarify which players have a leg up at this point in the upcoming slides.

Here we go!

Los Angeles Dodgers Catcher

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Both potential backstops for the Los Angeles Dodgers have started out hot this spring. 

Yasmani Grandal is slashing .364/.364/.636 in 11 preseason at-bats while flashing the power that prompted the Dodgers to deal for him in the first place. Grandal homered earlier this spring, mashing an offering over the left field fence for an opposite-field dinger seen in the clip above.

Meanwhile, A.J. Ellis has enjoyed a solid first few weeks as well. Ellis is hitting .333 in nine at-bats with a homer of his own. 

The Prediction 

Despite Ellis' improved production this spring, he's still coming off a season where he hit .191 and posted a wRC+ of 72. His relationship with Clayton Kershaw should at least net him a start every fifth day, but Grandal's upside should give him the edge. 

Chicago White Sox 2nd Baseman

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While the Chicago White Sox have plenty of options to plug in at second base, the club entered spring training with an open competition. 

So far, two youngsters are making the biggest push to be included on the roster. Micah Johnson is 7-for-14 this spring, with a double, triple and home run on his resume. His main competitor for the job is Carlos Sanchez, who has started off with a .273 average. 

Veteran infielder Gordon Beckham is 1-for-13 on the spring, while super-utility man Emilio Bonifacio is 0-for-9. 

The Prediction

I have believed for a while now that Johnson would provide the White Sox with the most upside, and he's done nothing this spring to alter that perception. Beckham and Bonifacio are solid bench pieces who can spell him if he struggles, but Johnson should be able to beat out Sanchez for the spot. 

Atlanta Braves' 4th and 5th Starters

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With Mike Minor slated to begin the season on the disabled list, the Atlanta Braves will need to find two capable starters over the next few weeks to fill out their rotation. 

And while prospect Mike Foltynewicz has the highest ceiling of the potential candidates, it has been the veterans who have impressed in the first few weeks. 

Eric Stults has allowed only one run in five innings pitched, while Wandy Rodriguez has done the same in his four innings of work. Chien-Ming Wang has arguably been the most impressive Braves hurler, fanning four hitters without allowing a run in five innings. 

Foltynewicz has only thrown 1.2 innings so far, but he walked two hitters in that stretch. 

The Prediction

If Foltynewicz finishes the spring in a strong fashion, the Braves will likely give him an opportunity in the big leagues to start the campaign. But with three veterans showing signs of life, he'll have to earn his spot. I still think he and Stults should round out the Atlanta rotation come Opening Day. 

Pittsburgh Pirates Shortstop

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The Pittsburgh Pirates signed Jung-ho Kang this offseason, and he made an instantaneous impact in his very first game. The Korean import homered in his first taste of American baseball, as seen in the clip above. 

But other than that flash of power, Kang has been relatively quiet. His only other hit in 11 at-bats was a double. Jordy Mercer, however, has been unable to capitalize on Kang's slow start. 

The incumbent Pittsburgh shortstop is 1-for-11 on the season, although he does have two RBI. 

The Prediction 

While Mercer isn't tearing the cover off the ball in his first few at-bats, he's a more than capable shortstop. He went deep a dozen times last season and posted a 2.0 WAR in 149 games for the Pirates. 

Kang is the shiny new toy, but he's going to have to unseat the dependable Mercer. Despite struggling early, Mercer will remain the favorite until Kang puts together a consistent stretch at the dish. 

Los Angeles Dodgers Outfield

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Trade talks continue to swirl regarding Andre Ethier, but the veteran outfielder has not let them affect his play this spring. Ethier is 4-for-11 with two RBI in five preseason games. 

But with Yasiel Puig and Carl Crawford seemingly locks to begin the season as part of the starting outfield, Ethier's main competition comes in the form of highly touted rookie Joc Pederson. Unfortunatley for Ethier, Pederson hasn't looked overwhelmed in the slightest thus far. The 22-year-old is 5-for-14 with two doubles and two RBI so far.

The Dodgers indicated they were ready to hand the keys to the car over to Pederson with the offseason trade of Matt Kemp, and swings like the one seen in the clip above only justify that decision.

The Prediction

Pederson will have to really struggle the rest of the way for the Dodgers to send him back to the minors. Neither Puig, Crawford nor Ethier gives L.A. a legitimate center fielder, so it's Pederson's job to lose. With Ethier still on the outside looking in, a productive spring could increase his trade value for an outfield-needy team. 

Seattle Mariners Shortstop

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Brad Miller has probably been the most impressive player who's competing for a starting job this spring. He's 6-for-9 with two doubles, two homers and three RBI in the preseason, including the mammoth bomb seen in the video above. 

Meanwhile Chris Taylor hasn't been too shabby himself, driving in four runs in 14 at-bats thus far. Taylor has also doubled, tripled and homered while not striking out once. 

The Prediction

This battle is far from being won, as both shortstop candidates have started the spring off smoking out of the gates. Neither Miller nor Taylor did much to separate himself last season, so you can bet this competition will go down to the final days of camp. Miller has the edge for now, but it's really dead even. 

Los Angeles Angels 2nd Baseman

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The Los Angeles Angels cast a wide net in hopes of finding a solution at second base, but so far the favorite to win the job hasn't looked the part. 

Josh Rutledge is 2-for-13 on the spring with five strikeouts. The 25-year-old has played in over 200 career games with the Colorado Rockies, but he's not doing himself any favors by stumbling out of the blocks. 

Taylor Featherston and Johnny Giavotella are both 3-for-8 on the season, with the former recording three extra-base hits during his playing time. Another player to watch is utility man Grant Green, who has also started his spring off with productive at-bats. 

The Prediction 

While both relatively unknown commodities continue to outplay Rutledge, the Angels second base job will remain anyone's to win. Green is likely a long shot, as he's better suited for a reserve role. That leaves Featherston and Giavotella to continue to prove their worth in the coming weeks.

With the pop he has showcased in his preseason at-bats, Giavotella seems to be headed for an Opening Day start with the Halos. 

Advanced stats courtesy of FanGraphs.