MLB Spring Training 2018: Highlighting Most Impressive Pitchers and Hitters

Spring training stats don't mean much in the grand scheme of things.

Still, that doesn't stop baseball fans from poring over them in anticipation of Opening Day after a long, cold offseason.

So we will do the same.

With the 2018 season set to get underway March 29, let's take a quick look at some of the most impressive performances at the plate and on the mound this spring.

The goal was to highlight players with something to prove who could use their strong preseasons as a springboard for the year ahead.

Hitters

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2B Jason Kipnis, Cleveland Indians
Stats: 18-for-38, 2 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 12 RBI, 10 R

It's been a decidedly different spring for Jason Kipnis, who was battling a shoulder injury at this time last year and never seemed to get to 100 percent on his way to posting an 81 OPS+ and just 0.4 WAR.

Still in his prime, at 31 and one year removed from a 4.2 WAR season wherein he had a 109 OPS+ with 41 doubles, 23 home runs and 82 RBI, he looks like a leading candidate for AL Comeback Player of the Year honors.

3B Matt Davidson, Chicago White Sox
Stats: 19-for-56, 3 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 18 RBI, 8 R

The good: Matt Davidson hit 26 home runs last season.

The bad: Pretty much everything else. His .220/.260/.452 batting line included a brutal 165-19 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and coupled with his poor defense, he was a minus-0.9 WAR player.

So while the above stats are impressive, the most telling number might be his eight walks in 64 plate appearances. It's a small sample size, but he's clearly working on making the necessary adjustments.

Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images

1B Dan Vogelbach, Seattle Mariners
Stats: 18-for-45, 6 2B, 5 HR, 11 RBI, 8 R

Heading into spring training last year, Dan Vogelbach appeared to be ticketed for at least a share of the starting first base job in Seattle.

Instead, he hit just .228 with 19 strikeouts in 64 plate appearances and was optioned to Triple-A, where he spent all but 16 games of the season.

With offseason-addition Ryon Healy recovering from surgery to remove a bone spur from his right hand, it looks like Vogelbach will get the Opening Day start thanks to his strong spring.

C/1B Blake Swihart, Boston Red Sox
Stats: 14-for-52, 7 2B, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 7 R

Blake Swihart is out of minor league options, so this was a make-or-break spring for him with the Boston Red Sox.

The former top prospect has not developed into the franchise catcher he was expected to be, but he's still just 25, and he's made his case for a spot on the Opening Day roster.

Pitchers

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LHP Blake Snell, Tampa Bay Rays
Stats: 11.2 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 19 K, 1.54 ERA, .146 BAA

With Alex Cobb departing in free agency and Jake Odorizzi's trade to the Minnesota Twins, the Rays are counting on Blake Snell taking a step forward this season.

The left-hander has shown flashes at the MLB level, going 5-7 with a 4.04 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 119 strikeouts in 129.1 innings last season.

However, he's struggled to pitch deep into games, and his 4.1 BB/9 rate has been part of the problem. With improved command, he has the stuff to emerge as a legitimate No. 2 starter behind ace Chris Archer.

LHP Marco Gonzales, Seattle Mariners
Stats: 16.1 IP, 10 H, 2 ER, 6 BB, 13 K, 1.10 ERA, .185 BAA

It was surprising, to say the least, that the Mariners didn't make a notable starting pitching addition this offseason, especially considering the wheeler-dealer mentality of general manager Jerry Dipoto.

Among other things, that was a show of faith in Marco Gonzales' ability to hold down a spot in the rotation despite his 6.08 ERA in 40 big league innings last season.

The Mariners gave up power-hitting prospect Tyler O'Neill to acquire the former first-round pick from the St. Louis Cardinals last summer, and he would provide a huge boon to their playoff chances if he can emerge as a reliable option every fifth day.

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RHP Fernando Romero, Minnesota Twins
Stats: 8.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 0.00 ERA, .000 BAA

Fernando Romero has already been optioned to Double-A, so he won't be part of the Twins' Opening Day roster.

However, his spotless spring performance has provided plenty of reason for optimism that he will be ready to make an impact in the big leagues at some point in 2018.

The No. 68 prospect in baseball, according to MLB.com, Romero went 11-9 with a 3.53 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 125 innings in a full season at Double-A last year. The 23-year-old could join Jose Berrios atop the Twins' rotation in short order.

RHP Noah Syndergaard, New York Mets
Stats: 20.0 IP, 15 H, 3 ER, 6 BB, 23 K, 1.35 ERA, .205 BAA

A partially torn lat muscle ended Noah Syndergaard's season after just seven starts in 2017, so a strong showing this spring provided some reassurance he's ready to return to his pre-injury form.

That includes a brilliant 2016, when he went 14-9 with a 2.60 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 218 strikeouts in 183.2 innings to finish eighth in NL Cy Young voting.

Regular season stats courtesy of Baseball Reference. Spring stats via MLB.com.