Camp Battles: Tampa Bay Rays
After losing 94 games in 2016, it was no surprise that the Rays traded away Logan Forsythe and Drew Smyly for younger players who can possibly help the team in the future. On the surface, these trades would indicate a willingness to take a step back and move towards a rebuild. However, the Rays are a team with a tremendous amount of depth in the upper minors, especially starting pitching, and trading away two key players has opened the door for some young players to compete for a starting job — while Tampa Bay also welcomes a few interesting veterans who were signed to short-term deals.
Here are some notable position battles to keep an eye on. Click here for prior entries in MLBTR’s Camp Battles series.
STARTING ROTATION (TWO SPOTS)
Blake Snell
Age: 24
Throws: L
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 season
Options remaining: 2
Matt Andriese
Age: 27
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’21 season
Options remaining: 1
Jose De Leon
Age: 24
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 or ’23 season
Options remaining: 3
Erasmo Ramirez
Age: 27
Throws: R
Contract Status: 1 year, $3.13MM; projected to become a free agent after ’19 season
Options remaining: Out of options
Chase Whitley
Age: 28
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’20 season
Options remaining: 1
Jacob Faria
Age: 23
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’23 season
Options remaining: 2
Other candidates: Chih-Wei Hu, Austin Pruitt, Jaime Schultz
Despite a long list of viable candidates in the mix for a rotation spot, Snell should be able to lock up a spot with a halfway-decent spring. In 19 MLB starts in 2016, Snell was wild (5.1 BB/9) and inefficient (less than 6 innings in 15 starts), but he also struck out 98 batters in 89 innings while posting a 3.54 ERA. He has the talent to take a big step forward in 2017, but he could end up back in Triple-A if he continues to struggle with his control.
Andriese has nothing left to prove in the minors—he has a 2.83 ERA, 17 walks and 113 strikeouts over his last 95.1 Triple-A innings—but he’s also not overpowering enough to stand out from the other rotation candidates. He can separate himself with a strong spring, but there’s also a chance that he gets buried on the depth chart (or goes to the bullpen, where he spent time in each of the last two seasons) if he doesn’t.
Out of several rookies that will potentially make starts for the Rays in 2017, De Leon is the one to watch. He is one of two Rays prospects, along with Brent Honeywell, with frontline rotation potential. Honeywell only has 10 Double-A starts under his belt, though, and De Leon reached the Majors in 2016. Even though he struggled in his late-season stint with the Dodgers, he dominated in 16 Triple-A starts (2.61 ERA, 2.1 BB/9, 11.6 K/9). If he proves that he’s ready this spring, the only question is how much of a workload he can handle in 2017 and if it’s easier to manage if he begins the season in the minors.
Faria also boasts some impressive numbers in the upper minors, allowing less than seven hits per nine innings and striking out more than a batter per inning. He also might be the prospect most likely to handle the 162-game grind after he logged 151 innings in 27 starts last season.
As is the case with Andriese, Ramirez and Whitley both offer the Rays more experienced back-of-the-rotation options if none of the younger pitchers can prove that they’re up to the task. Ramirez was actually quite effective as a starter in 2015 (3.51 ERA, 151.1 IP, 135 H, 37 BB, 116 K), but only made one start in 2016 as he was utilized heavily out of the ‘pen. Whitley returned from Tommy John surgery in 2016, making four relief appearances in September before an effective four-inning start (2 ER, 6 H, 0 BB, 4 K) in the season finale.
Prediction: Snell, Andriese
FIRST BASE or SECOND BASE (*Brad Miller will occupy one of the spots)
Logan Morrison
Age: 29
Bats: L
Contract Status: 1 year, $2.5MM
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent
Nick Franklin
Age: 26
Bats: S
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’20 season
Options remaining: Out of options
Tim Beckham
Age: 27
Bats: R
Contract Status: 1 year, $885K; projected to become a free agent after ’20 season
Options remaining: Out of options
Casey Gillaspie
Age: 24
Bats: S
Contract Status:Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’23 season
Options remaining: 3
This won’t be much of a battle if Morrison, who recovered nicely from an awful start to the 2016 season by slashing .270/.355/.478 over his final 330 plate appearances, proves that he’s healthy after September wrist surgery. If he picks up where he left off, Brad Miller, who finished the season as the starting first baseman, would slide over and become the regular second baseman. With Morrison’s inability to stay healthy or be productive over a full season, though, the Rays will leave the door cracked open for another player to win this competition.
Franklin is deserving of an opportunity after finally showing some of the offensive ability (.270/.328/.443 in 191 plate appearances) that the Rays were hoping for when he was acquired from the Mariners in the three-team David Price trade back in July 2014. He also proved to be one of the more versatile players in the league, making starts at five different positions (1B, 2B, SS, LF, RF). He’ll get a shot to earn a steady role at either first or second base, but a super-utility role is most likely, allowing the Rays to continue moving him around the diamond while giving him semi-regular playing time.
After being sent to the minors in late August due to a lack of hustle and not brought back at all in September, it’s a surprise that Beckham is still on the roster, let alone in the mix for a starting job. But as long as he’s around—he was in midst of a strong 2nd half (.327/.365/.520 in 105 plate appearances) when the Rays sent him packing—the former No. 1 draft pick has too much talent to exclude from this competition. Like Franklin, though, he’s likely to remain in a utility role as long as Morrison is healthy.
Gillaspie is a long shot to make the Opening Day roster, but it’s hard to ignore how quickly he’s moved up the ladder. The 20th overall pick in the 2014 draft, he began last season in Double-A, where he slashed .270/.387/.454 in 357 plate appearances, before finishing the season with an impressive 47-game stint in Triple-A (.307/.389/.520 in 203 plate appearances). Even if he doesn’t win the starting job on Opening Day, he could force his way into the picture very quickly.
Prediction: Morrison in a 1B platoon with Rickie Weeks Jr.
CATCHER
Curt Casali
Age: 28
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 season
Options remaining: 1
Luke Maile
Age: 26
Bats: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 or ’23 season
Options remaining: 2
Michael McKenry
Age: 32
Bats: R
Contract Status: MiLB deal; $900K in he’s on the MLB roster; can opt out on 3/30 or 6/1
Options remaining: Out of options
Jesus Sucre
Age: 29
Bats: R
Contract Status: MiLB deal
Options remaining: Out of options
Until Wilson Ramos is healthy enough to catch on a regular basis—even if he can return sometime in the 1st half, he’ll likely serve as the designated hitter more often than not—the Rays are hoping to get some production out of the catcher position. While it wouldn’t be a surprise if they added another catcher before Opening Day—Derek Norris would be a logical target—they’re heading into Spring Training with an uninspiring group of options.
Casali has shown some power (18 HR, 16 2B in 369 plate appearances in 2015-16), but he also has a .202 batting average and 116 strikeouts over that span. Defensively, Casali threw out 36% of attempted base stealers in 2016 and has above average numbers as a pitch framer.
Like Casali, Maile is a good defensive catcher who will need to show a lot more offensive ability—he’s slashed .214/.234/.338 in 161 MLB plate appearances—if he’s ever going to be considered more than a backup.
McKenry and Sucre have a chance, if only because Casali and Maile aren’t likely to run away with the starting job.
Prediction: A player not currently on the Rays’ roster
Josh Hamilton Undergoes Knee Surgery
The Rangers told reporters today that Josh Hamilton will be sidelined following arthroscopic surgery to repair the cartilage in his left knee (Twitter link via Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News). Hamilton won’t be able to begin running for six weeks, and any potential return to a game setting figures to be further down the road than that. Hamilton’s ACL, which was surgically repaired last June, did not have any damage. MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan tweets that Hamilton will be out “well into the season,” but adds that there’s been no talk of him calling it a career just yet.
The 35-year-old Hamilton was in camp with the Rangers as a non-roster invitee and was hopeful of securing a roster spot as an option for Texas at first base, though this latest setback raises significantly more doubt about his ability to return to a Major League field. The previously mentioned surgery to repair Hamilton’s ACL also included a meniscus repair, and this new operation represents the fourth procedure on his left knee since returning to Texas.
Hamilton hasn’t played in the Majors since the conclusion of the 2015 campaign. His last work in the bigs resulted in a .253/.291/.441 batting line over the life of 182 plate appearances. The 2017 season is technically the final year of the five-year, $125MM contract he signed with the Angels in the 2012-13 offseason. Anaheim remains on the hook for the vast majority of that deal, as the Rangers were only picking up $2MM of his salary on an annual basis following the deal.
Orioles Notes: McFarland, Rule 5, Flaherty, Britton
The Orioles released left-hander T.J. McFarland over the weekend, but MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko writes that Baltimore is hopeful that it will be able to re-sign the southpaw to a minor league deal. The O’s wanted more flexibility with their bullpen options, according to Kubatko, which is why they acquired Vidal Nuno and Richard Bleier in separate transactions. Both lefties have minor league options remaining, whereas McFarland couldn’t be sent down without first being exposed to waivers. By my count, the O’s will be on the hook for just over $112K of the $685K salary to which McFarland had agreed, even if he’s not re-signed. (Arbitration salaries aren’t fully guaranteed.) The 27-year-old McFarland turned in a strong 2.78 ERA in 58 2/3 innings back in 2014, but he’s limped to a 5.68 earned run average in 65 big league frames since. More troubling, his walk and strikeout rates have gone in the wrong direction; last season, he punched out just seven hitters in 24 innings of work.
A couple more notes out of Baltimore as the Orioles face off with the Yankees in Grapefruit League play…
- The recent signings of Michael Bourn and Craig Gentry have created an even more difficult path for Rule 5 outfielders Aneury Tavarez and Anthony Santander to make the Orioles’ roster, writes Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun. The 24-year-old Tavarez has impressed early, and manager Buck Showalter called him a “potential leadoff guy,” noting that the team is still trying to evaluate him from a defensive standpoint. As Encina notes, Tavarez would give the Orioles some sorely needed speed on the basepaths — something the Orioles have sought for much of the winter. Last season, the former Red Sox farmhand hit .330/.374/.495 in 441 plate appearances between Double-A and Triple-A. Santander had shoulder surgery this winter and hasn’t been cleared to play the outfield just yet, though Showalter thinks he’ll get that clearance soon, per Encina.
- Ryan Flaherty is dealing with an undisclosed arm injury, Encina writes in a second piece. While it’s not believed to be serious at this time, the injury still creates the potential for further depth issues with the O’s. J.J. Hardy has already been dealing with back spasms this spring, and Flaherty can serve as a backup not only at shortstop but at all four infield spots. Baltimore did ink Paul Janish to a minors deal last week, giving them a familiar face and an additional depth option in the infield. In more positive news, Rich Dubroff writes for MLB.com that the oblique issue that has been plaguing Zach Britton looks to have subsided. Showalter said he’s not exactly sure when Britton will get into a spring game, but it should be in the early portion of March.
NL Central Notes: DeSclafani, Reds, Molina, Cubs
Anthony DeSclafani‘s first appearance of the spring will be delayed due to the fact that the Reds right-hander is experiencing some “tenderness” in his elbow, manager Bryan Price told reporters, including C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Price stressed that the team is merely being cautious and said there’s “no red alert” surrounding the team’s presumptive Opening Day starter. “At this point in time, we don’t have any great or grave concerns or any concerns that he won’t be ready for Opening Day roster,” said Price. That’s certainly encouraging, though the situation at least merits monitoring until DeSclafani is healthy enough to take the hill. The 26-year-old missed the first two months of the 2016 season with an oblique injury but was the team’s best starter upon returning. In 123 1/3 innings, DeSclafani pitched to a 3.28 ERA with 7.7 K/9, 2.2 BB/9 and a 41.9 percent ground-ball rate.
- Sticking with the Reds, Price isn’t planning on utilizing a traditional closer this season, writes MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon. The manager instead hopes to have as many as four relievers that can work in various scenarios and be available for multiple innings. Offseason acquisition Drew Storen voiced a willingness to pitch in any role and spoke to Sheldon about the evolution of bullpen management in recent seasons and added that picking up high-leverage outs in other innings can be equally satisfying. Presumably, Storen is one of those arms that Price hopes to be able to lean upon in later innings. Other candidates, from my vantage point, include Raisel Iglesias, Michael Lorenzen and Tony Cingrani
- The Cardinals and Yadier Molina face a more complicated negotiation process than the majority of extension scenarios, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports observes. Molina is a franchise icon in St. Louis, and the team hopes to have him spend the entirety of his career in a Cardinals uniform. However, he’ll also turn 35 this summer, and even an additional three years would carry Molina through the age of 38. For a catcher with his type of workload, that’s a potentially troubling commitment for the team to make, especially when it’s top position prospect is young catcher Carson Kelly. “Both sides are trying to work hard and see if we can make it happen,” agent Melvin Roman told Rosenthal. The three-year, $50MM sum suggested by Rosenthal feels quite steep for a 35-year-old catcher whose power has diminished in recent years, though. Molina also had some uncharacteristic struggles in slowing the running game last year, as he caught just 21 percent of attempted thieves. Then again, as Rosenthal suggests, Molina’s case is fairly unique, and he remained quite productive at the dish last season (.307/.360/.427).
- Also from Rosenthal’s piece, Cubs manager Joe Maddon has been impressed by a number of the team’s young prospects in camp. While few would be surprised to hear that top-regarded names like Eloy Jimenez and Ian Happ have caught Maddon’s eye, Rosenthal notes that the skipper is also impressed by minor league outfielder Mark Zagunis and infielder Chesny Young. Chicago’s deep stock of prospects will serve them well not only by offering depth pieces in the event of injury but also when addressing needs that may arise prior to the non-waiver trade deadline this summer.
NL East Notes: Nationals, Plawecki, Morgan, Coghlan
Matt Wieters‘ addition gives the Nationals at least nine Scott Boras clients on their roster — a fact that prompted Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post to explore the relationship between Boras and the Nationals. As Svrluga notes, Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon were each drafted as Boras clients, and GM Mike Rizzo stated to Svrluga that he’d always draft the best talent available regardless of representation. Lefty Gio Gonzalez, meanwhile, switched to the Boras Corporation after being extended by the Nats. Still, there’s a strong relationship between Boras and Nats owner Ted Lerner, who negotiated Rafael Soriano‘s two-year, $28MM deal directly with Boras and, according to Svrluga, was the “primary architect” on Strasburg’s $175MM extension. Svrluga notes that some in the organization consider the relationship between Boras and Lerner to be unhealthy.
As for Wieters, Svrluga suggests that Boras set out targeting something in the range of the five-year deals signed by Brian McCann and Russell Martin in recent seasons, which prompted the Nats to pursue Derek Norris rather than Wieters. As his price dipped, the Nationals slowly reentered the picture and ultimately came away with what could very well prove to be a nice bargain. Nats fans, and those interested in the Lerner/Boras dynamic, are strongly encouraged to read Svrluga’s column in its entirety.
A bit more from the NL East…
- The Mets and Kevin Plawecki had an injury scare over the weekend when the 26-year-old catcher suffered an apparent knee injury on a play at the plate involving Nationals outfielder Rafael Bautista. However, while Plawecki was down for an extended period of time and had to be helped off the field, he’s been diagnosed with a knee contusion and should be cleared to resume workouts in the next few days, per Mike Puma of the New York Post. While Plawecki is a long shot to crack the Opening Day roster due to the presence of Travis d’Arnaud and Rene Rivera on the Mets’ roster, he once again figures to be the team’s first line of defense in the event of an injury to one of the primary two backstops (and d’Arnaud does have a lengthy injury history). While Plawecki has hit just .211/.287/.285 in 409 Major League plate appearances, he’s a lifetime .279/.331/.433 hitter in parts of three Triple-A seasons and is just two years removed from ranking among the game’s top 100 prospects.
- Former starter Adam Morgan is now vying for a spot as a lefty in the Phillies‘ bullpen and seemingly has a good chance to secure such a role, writes Ryan Lawrence of PhillyVoice.com. Manager Pete Mackanin would prefer to have two left-handers in his bullpen, Lawrence writes, and there are only five southpaws in camp with the Phils: Morgan, Joely Rodriguez, Elniery Garcia (a minor league starter) and non-roster veterans Sean Burnett and Cesar Ramos. Morgan tells Lawrence that he’d happily accept whatever role the Phillies ask of him, joking that he’d serve as the backup catcher if necessary. All but two of Morgan’s 38 Major League appearances have been starts, but the Phils have an emerging young core of rotation arms plus veterans in the form of Jeremy Hellickson and Clay Buchholz.
- Chris Coghlan discussed his unique journey through professional baseball and his hopes for making the Phillies roster out of Spring Training with CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury. Coghlan, who had interest from other clubs but chose to sign with the rebuilding Phillies — drew a parallel between the present-day Phillies and the 2014 Cubs team on which he played. (The Cubs lost 89 games before surging to the postseason in 2015 and a World Series title in 2016.) “We went from not being good to being really good,” said Coghlan. “We grew together and built relationships. This team is in a transition period of trying to groom guys, but they also need older guys to bridge the gap and I thought it would be a great opportunity. … I just want to come in here, establish myself, be a great teammate, lead by example and maybe I can stick around long term and see this thing through.”
Nationals Have Interest In Angel Pagan
The Nationals are among the teams with interest in free-agent outfielder Angel Pagan, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports in his latest notes column. However, the Nationals and other interested parties are hoping to land Pagan on a minor league pact, Rosenthal notes.
That Pagan would potentially have to settle for a minors deal is somewhat of a surprise. Though age isn’t on his side, as he’ll turn 36 this July, Pagan is coming off a quite-productive season at the plate and remains a very viable option in left field — if not in center. Last season, the switch-hitter batted .277/.331/.418 with a career-high 12 home runs in 543 trips to the plate. He also provided above-average value on the bases (15-for-19 in stolen bases and, per Fangraphs, +1.9 runs overall) and was one of the game’s most difficult batters to strike out. Only 16 players whiffed at a rate lower than Pagan’s 12.2 percent in 2016.
Certainly, Pagan comes with some durability concerns. He’s been on the disabled list in each of the past four seasons and missed just under a month with a hamstring injury in 2016. However, after being limited to just 167 games between the 2013-14 seasons, he’s averaged 131 games and 547 plate appearances across the past two seasons.
The Nationals have a mostly full outfield, with Jayson Werth slated to roam left field, newly acquired Adam Eaton in center field and 2015 NL MVP Bryce Harper in right field. Pagan could serve as a solid fourth outfielder that could spell Eaton from time to time and provide somewhat of a safety net for the oft-injured Jayson Werth. Chris Heisey is the team’s primary backup, and Adam Lind could see some occasional time in left field as well. Michael Taylor, too, is on hand as a potential option in the outfield, though the promise he once showed has yet to manifest in the Majors, and he’s coming off a dreadful 2016 season.
Per Rosenthal, Pagan also drew interest from the Blue Jays and the Royals earlier this winter, but those two teams have since inked Jose Bautista and Brandon Moss to respective contracts. Bautista’s deal with the Jays, though, hardly seems like it should entirely preclude Toronto from harboring continued interest in Pagan. The Blue Jays currently look poised to deploy a platoon of Ezequiel Carrera and Melvin Upton Jr. in left field, and it’s not difficult to argue that Pagan would be an upgrade over that pairing. Speculatively speaking, the Tigers and White Sox could each offer Pagan a fairly significant role in 2017, and a number of teams could consider Pagan an improvement over their current fourth outfielder.
Quick Hits: Quintana, Astros, Yanks, Cards, Bucs, Rockies, Mets
Although left-hander Jose Quintana was the subject of trade rumors throughout the offseason, he remains with the White Sox as the 2017 campaign approaches. However, the 28-year-old is still in high demand around the majors, according to CBS Chicago’s Bruce Levine, who writes that the Astros, Yankees, Cardinals and Pirates are “dug into” the Quintana sweepstakes. With the exception of the Cardinals, Quintana has drawn frequent connections to each of those reported suitors in recent months. The Redbirds suffered a blow earlier this month when they lost standout prospect and rotation candidate Alex Reyes for the season because of a torn UCL, but they’re reportedly unlikely to make a significant splash in response. If true, that would rule out the acquisition of Quintana.
More from the majors:
- After posting career-best numbers while mostly serving as a reliever last year, southpaw Chris Rusin is in the mix to win a spot in the Rockies’ rotation this spring, writes Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. “We are thinking about this fella as a starting pitcher,” said manager Bud Black. “We know that he’s versatile enough to go back in the bullpen, if needed, and if that’s what’s best for our staff.” The 30-year-old Rusin possesses plenty of starting experience, having worked from the rotation in 49 of 77 big league appearances with the Rockies and Cubs, but things haven’t gone well. In 260 innings, Rusin has recorded a 5.19 ERA, 5.82 K/9 and 3.08 BB/9. Those numbers pale in comparison to his production as a reliever (3.20 ERA, 7.24 K/9, 2.09 BB/9 in 64 2/3 frames).
- In an early ranking of next winter’s free agent class, ESPN’s Jim Bowden (subscription required/recommended) places Rangers ace Yu Darvish No. 1 overall and Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer tops among position players. Hosmer’s polarizing, given his pedestrian production to this stage, but Bowden cites his age (27), 25-home run showing in 2016 and clubhouse presence as reasons for listing him above the rest of the league’s soon-to-be free agent hitters.
- Mets first baseman Lucas Duda insisted Sunday that his back and hip issues aren’t serious, per Christian Red of the New York Daily News. “In a couple days, I should be ready to go,” declared Duda, who feels “great.” With Duda on the shelf Sunday, the Mets had outfielder Jay Bruce take ground balls at first base. Manager Terry Collins came away encouraged. “I liked everything I saw,” Collins said of Bruce, who has picked up only three appearances at first since debuting in 2008. “He’s got the hands, he’s got the arm angle. He made some throws in our drills that you wouldn’t expect an outfielder to be able to make. But yet he does. If that’s where we have to go, I think he’ll be fine.”
AL Notes: Red Sox, Blue Jays, Athletics, Indians
A few notes from the American League:
- The cost for the Red Sox to purchase right-hander Hector Velazquez from the Mexican League last week was just $30K, reports Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald. Velazquez’s pact with the Red Sox includes escalators based on consecutive days he spends on Boston’s roster, and one general manager told Drellich it’s the first such deal he has seen. Red Sox front office members Allard Baird, Jared Banner, Marcus Cuellar and Edgar Perez were all involved in the signing, per Drellich. Velazquez is familiar with Cuellar, notes Drellich, which helped the Sox beat out other teams (including the Yankees) for his services.
- Blue Jays first base prospect Rowdy Tellez is “knocking at the door” of the big league roster, manager John Gibbons said Saturday (via Paul Hagen of MLB.com). Continued Gibbons: “You just watch him more and more. There’s something there. Something special there.” Since going in the 30th round of the 2013 draft, Tellez has raked in the minors, including at the Double-A level last season. The 21-year-old slashed .297/.387/.530 with 23 home runs and 63 walks against 92 strikeouts. Now Baseball America’s 95th-ranked prospect, Tellez is likely to start the year with Triple-A Buffalo, relays Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.
- Righty Daniel Gossett made a surprise start for the Athletics on Sunday, leading Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle to wonder if he could be in the mix for the last spot in the team’s rotation. Manager Bob Melvin isn’t ruling it out. “He impressed everybody in the organization last year, so in talking about that fifth starter, who knows?” said Melvin. Gossett, 24, checks in at No. 8 on BA’s list of A’s prospects after pitching at all three levels last year. The 2014 second-round pick spent most of his time at Double-A, where he posted a 2.49 ERA, 9.00 K/9 and 2.39 BB/9 in 94 innings.
- Non-roster invitee Ronny Rodriguez has emerged as a serious candidate to earn a role as a utility infielder with the Indians, writes Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. Rodriguez, who’s competing against Michael Martinez and Erik Gonzalez (a potential trade chip), has won the favor of manager Terry Francona. “He’s got a lot of sock in his bat,” said the skipper. “He can play other positions. He’s really interesting. I don’t think you hold it against a guy, because he maybe spent more time in the Minor Leagues. Some guys figure it out later in life. He’s got all the tools.”
Camp Battles: St. Louis Cardinals
Before they attempt to bounce back from their first non-playoff season since 2010, the Cardinals have a few positions they’ll need to figure out leading up to April. Let’s take a look in the latest edition of MLBTR’s Camp Battles series…
Third Base
Jhonny Peralta
Age: 34
Bats: R
Contract Status: One year, $10MM
Options Remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent
Jedd Gyorko
Age: 28
Bats: R
Contract Status: Three years, $28MM (club option worth $13MM – or $1MM buyout – for 2020)
Options Remaining: 2
Judging by their disparate 2016 outputs, this shouldn’t be much of a competition. Peralta slashed .260/.307/.408 in 313 plate appearances, which paled in comparison to Gyorko’s .243/.306/.495 line buoyed by a team-high 30 home runs across 438 PAs. However, the Cardinals continue to value the normally steady Peralta, who dealt with a thumb injury last season and looks like the favorite to open the year at the hot corner for the Redbirds. If a healthy Peralta grabs the job, Gyorko would serve as a fallback option all over the infield, having accrued double-digit appearances at first, second, short and third last year.
Prediction: Peralta does indeed win the battle, leaving Gyorko to begin the season in a utility role.
Starting Rotation (one spot)
Michael Wacha
Age: 25
Throws: R
Contract Status: One year, $2.775MM (first of three arbitration-eligible seasons)
Options Remaining: 2
Trevor Rosenthal
Age: 26
Throws: R
Contract Status: One year, $6.4MM (second of three arbitration-eligible seasons)
Options Remaining: 2
Luke Weaver
Age: 23
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options Remaining: 3
Star prospect Alex Reyes might have been the front-runner for this role before tearing his ulnar collateral ligament, which could be a yearslong blow to the Cardinals organization if he’s unable to regain form after Tommy John surgery. While the Cardinals hope for a smooth recovery for Reyes, they’ll choose among three intriguing candidates to fill the No. 5 spot in their rotation this year.
Wacha is easily the most experienced starter of the trio, having totaled 82 appearances from the rotation since debuting in 2013. Wacha looked like a front-end starter in the making in his first three years, during which he combined for a 3.21 ERA (3.48 FIP), 7.95 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and 44.3 percent ground-ball rate over 353 innings. Unfortunately, shoulder injuries have undermined Wacha lately, especially during a 138-inning 2016 in which he spent some time in the bullpen. Wacha posted a bloated ERA (5.09) and a career-low swinging-strike percentage (8.1, down from a lifetime 9.5), though that did come with a 3.91 FIP and normal strikeout (7.43 K/9), walk (2.93 BB/9) and grounder rates (45 percent). He also maintained his typical velocity.
Like Wacha, Rosenthal went from an eminently valuable contributor during his first few big league seasons to a player who endured a shoulder injury-plagued year to forget in 2016. While Rosenthal has worked exclusively out of the bullpen to this point, he was once a well-regarded starting prospect. The 26-year-old became a top-level setup man/closer from 2013-15, but Rosenthal surrendered the ninth-inning job to Seung-hwan Oh during the summer as he lost his control (his career 3.99 BB/9 climbed to 6.47), saw his home run-to-fly ball ratio more than double (from 6.1 percent to 12.5 percent) and posted a sky-high BABIP (.425, up from .338). However, after returning from a multiple-month absence in mid-September, the hard-throwing Rosenthal closed the season on a high note. In his final five appearances (seven innings), he yielded just one earned run and two walks while striking out eight. Regardless of whether Rosenthal starts or relieves this year, the Cardinals will obviously hope his late-2016 surge proves to be a sign of things to come.
Weaver, meanwhile, has been great in the minors since 2015, which helped lead to a nine-appearance, eight-start audition in the bigs last year. Despite notching 11.15 strikeouts per nine against 2.97 walks, Weaver had home run issues en route to a 5.70 ERA in 36 1/3 innings. All told, Weaver gave up seven long balls and induced grounders at a meager 30.7 percent clip. But Weaver’s troubles last season haven’t turned off MLB.com or Baseball America, two outlets that rank him as a top 70 prospect. FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen wrote in January that Weaver “projects as a solid, league-average starter.”
Prediction: Wacha joins Carlos Martinez, Adam Wainwright, Lance Lynn and Mike Leake in the St. Louis rotation. Rosenthal stays in the the bullpen. Weaver heads back to Triple-A Memphis.
Bullpen (one spot)
Tyler Lyons
Age: 29
Throws: L
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until the 2020-21 offseason
Options Remaining: Out of options
Miguel Socolovich
Age: 30
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until the 2022-23 offseason
Options Remaining: Out of options
John Gant
Age: 24
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until the 2022-23 offseason
Options Remaining: 2
Sam Tuivailala
Age: 24
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until the 2022-23 offseason
Options Remaining: 1
Jordan Schafer
Age: 30
Throws: L
Contract Status: Minor league contract (terms unreported)
Options Remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent
Considering he’s on the mend from a right knee injury suffered last summer, Lyons technically isn’t battling for a role right now. He could be ready in time for Opening Day, though, according to Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Lyons came up as a starter, but he worked solely from the bullpen last season and recorded a 3.38 ERA, 8.63 K/9 and 2.63 BB/9 in 40 innings. He was especially tough on left-handed hitters, who batted a paltry .152/.214/.250 against him.
Socolovich, like Lyons, is out of options on the heels of a productive 2016. His 2.00 ERA and 53.5 percent grounder rate came over a mere 18 innings, though it was the latest encouraging performance from a reliever who has held his own through 64 career frames (2.95 ERA, 3.75 FIP, 7.73 K/9, 3.38 BB/9).
Gant spent the previous two seasons with the Braves, who sent him to the Cardinals in the teams’ Jaime Garcia trade in December. The former Mets farmhand debuted in the majors last year in Atlanta, where he made 20 appearances and seven starts. Along the way, he registered fairly even numbers as a starter compared to a reliever (4.80 ERA, 8.7 K/9, 4.2 BB/9 in 30 innings from the rotation; 4.95 ERA, 9.0 K/9, 3.15 BB/9 in 20 frames out of the bullpen).
The bat-missing Tuivailala brings a fastball which averages 96 mph to the table, but he has had difficulty controlling it. Tuivailala, whose first action with the Cards came in 2014, has handed out 16 free passes in 24 2/3 major league innings and recorded a 4.6 BB/9 in 93 Triple-A frames. He seems like a strong bet to get further seasoning in Memphis to begin 2017.
Schafer, too, could have trouble cracking the 25-man. The longtime outfielder and non-roster invitee’s versatility intrigues the Cardinals, however, and his best chance to make their roster is if he shows the ability to work as a competent hybrid player.
Prediction: Either of the two out-of-options relievers will land the last spot in the Cardinals’ bullpen. If it’s a healthy Lyons, he’ll take it. Otherwise it’ll go to Solovich. Regardless, the Cardinals are loaded in the bullpen, where they figure to prominently feature Oh, Rosenthal, Kevin Siegrist, Brett Cecil, Jonathan Broxton and Matthew Bowman. They also have depth with some of the names above, not to mention on-the-mend pitchers in Zach Duke and Marco Gonzales.
Fourth Outfielder
Tommy Pham
Age: 29
Bats: R
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until the 2021-22 offseason
Options Remaining: 1
Jose Martinez
Age: 28
Bats: R
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until the 2022-23 offseason
Options Remaining: 2
Todd Cunningham
Age: 27
Bats: S
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until the 2022-23 offseason
Options Remaining: Out of options
Chad Huffman
Age: 31
Bats: R
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; annot become a free agent until the 2022-23 offseason
Options Remaining: Out of options
The odds-on favorite to end up as the Cardinals’ top outfielder behind Dexter Fowler, Stephen Piscotty and Randal Grichuk is likely Pham, who has seen action at all three positions in the grass and slashed a respectable .245/.333/.455 with 14 homers in 358 PAs since debuting in 2014. But now-Diamondback Jeremy Hazelbaker improbably turned a strong spring into a spot with the Cards a year ago, and Martinez, Cunningham and Huffman are surely hoping to follow in his footsteps.
Martinez is the only one of the three who has played with the Cardinals, having picked up 18 PAs with them in 2016, and owns a .324/.392/.483 slash in 885 Triple-A PAs. The switch-hitting Cunningham hasn’t been anywhere near that effective as a Triple-A hitter (.274/.349/.368 in 1,810 PAs), and has been in over his head in 130 plate trips with the Angels and Braves (.207/.256/.264), but he’s a stolen base threat who has accounted for eight Defensive Runs Saved and a 19.7 UZR/150 in a small defensive sample size in the bigs.
Then there’s the eldest of the bunch, Huffman, whose only 21 major league PAs came back in 2010 with the Yankees. Like Martinez, Huffman offers a quality track record of Triple-A production (.272/.364/.455 in 2,604 PAs). Of course, the fact that he’s over 30 and has barely garnered any major league action doesn’t bode well for his chances of bursting on the scene this season or any other year.
Prediction: Pham will defeat a relatively unimpressive group of combatants to remain St. Louis’ fourth outfielder to begin 2017. But it seems he’ll soon have the newly signed Jose Adolis Garcia breathing down his neck. Garcia, whom general manager John Mozeliak views as a five-tool talent, could be major league ready by the summer.
Pitcher Notes: Hellickson, Urias, Straily, May
Right-hander Jeremy Hellickson‘s November decision to accept the Phillies’ qualifying offer in lieu of testing free agency came as a surprise, but he believes it was the correct choice. “I feel like I made the right decision,” Hellickson told Ryan Lawrence of PhillyVoice.com earlier this month. “And seeing how it all went down, I definitely feel like I made the right decision.” Only three free agent starters – Rich Hill ($48MM), Ivan Nova ($26MM) and Edinson Volquez ($22MM) – ended up scoring deals worth more than Hellickson’s $17.2MM qualifying offer during the winter, and each did so via two- or three-year deals. Hellickson was actually eager to join them in a weak market before receiving advice from his agent, Scott Boras “The first few days I was set on declining it,” Hellickson said of the QO. “There really wasn’t too much stress involved. But then after hearing from Scott after the (GM Meetings), I didn’t know what I was going to do.” Ultimately, the market developed as Boras expected it to, per Hellickson, who added that he’s content in Philly and “glad” the Marlins’ attempt to acquire him last summer failed.
The latest on a few other pitchers:
- While the possibility of the Dodgers stashing Julio Urias in extended spring training to begin the year has come up, they’re now “leaning toward” having the left-hander open the season in their rotation, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. In that scenario, the 20-year-old wunderkind would make shorter starts to tamp down his workload, per Gurnick. Including postseason play, Urias tossed a career-high 127 2/3 innings between the majors and minors last year.
- Marlins righty Dan Straily enjoyed perhaps the best season of his career last year, when the then-Red totaled 191 1/3 frames of 3.76 ERA ball with 7.62 K/9 and 3.43 BB/9, and he attributes much of his 2016 success to analytics, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. One of Straily’s friends, a banking analytics specialist who “loves baseball,” helped the 28-year-old determine “which are the best pitches to throw against certain hitters.” Straily also studied one pitcher per division with similar velocity, spin rate and spin angles. “Now going into the game, there’s not a lot of guesswork,” Straily told Jackson. “I have a plan. I had a big change in terms of pitch selection more than anything else. I threw way more changeups last year. Just mixing speeds a lot more; not being predictable.”
- After working mostly as a reliever from 2015-16, including all of last season, Twins righty Trevor May is ready to leave the bullpen behind and win a starting job this spring. “I think I have a little bit of a chip, being unclear about knowing what I was going to be doing the last two years,” May, 27, told Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. “It wasn’t ideal for me or the vision I had for myself of my career. I’m going at it at 100 percent. There’s no, ‘Oh, I could fall back to the bullpen.'” May, who has logged a 5.61 ERA (3.85 FIP), 8.17 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 126 2/3 career innings as a starter, is competing against several other candidates for a rotation spot, as MLBTR’s Steve Adams detailed Friday.