Spring Training has arrived and as I’ve been writing daily notes for myself to recap all spring training starting pitchers for the Plus Pitch Podcast, I realized I should publish them on the site for quick access.
I’ll be livestreaming every weekday morning 10am-12pm ET at Twitch.tv/pitcherlist, as I watch all of the starts with y’all and answer all your fantasy baseball questions.
Major SP News To Know
The Padres will likely be without Joe Musgrove to begin the year, stating that he needs to “get over that hump”. I’d hold off from drafting Musgrove, personally.
We were jazzed about Bryce Miller throwing a bullpen to quell our concerns for his oblique injury, yet he cut the bullpen short due to discomfort in the area. It sure doesn’t seem like he can be trusted to skip a trip to the IL.
Blake Snell tossed a bullpen and the hope is to return before the end of April. An important update for those hoping it would be a short IL stint to begin the year. I’m grouping him with Wheeler, Cole, Rodón, etc.
Quinn Priester has been diagnosed with a nerve issue “in the TOS Family”. It’s possible he can pitch through it, but why risk it?
Brewers fans can cheer up a little: Logan Henderson had a “good bullpen” and could possibly pitch in a spring game this weekend.
The haze around the Blue Jays’ rotation may clear with the news of José Berríos enduring elbow inflammation. He will continue throwing, though it could make demote him into a piggy-back role with either Scherzer or Yesavage early in the year.
If you were wondering where Adam Mazur went, he’ll be getting elbow surgery and will miss the entire season. As a member of the 40-man, this opens a spot, which could be used for prospect Robby Snelling, granting a faster path to the majors. Snelling could be in that rotation before the end of April and would be an auto-add.
Gunnar Hoglund has a back issue, which explains why we haven’t seen him pitch at all this spring. You can continue forgetting about him.
You can put your worries about Zac Gallen’s early volume to rest – he’s been tagged as the Opening Day starter for the Diamondbacks. Great news.
The Athletics are likely going with Luis Morales and Jacob Lopez for the final two spots of the rotation, removing Jack Perkins and J.T. Ginn from the conversation.
Zack Wheeler is nearing his first live BP session and has a chance to throw in a spring game before the end of camp. I’m still in disbelief of the Phillies’ optimism for Wheeler’s “April” timeline, and that could be dispelled by proper spring data.
Speaking of injured aces hopefully getting a spring start, Gerrit Cole is pushing to make a start before camp ends. It sure makes it seem that Cole will be back before the end of May at this rate.
Merrill Kelly will make his first spring start on Friday after missing time with a back injury. If all goes well, he could be the SP #4/#5 to start the year with the club and not miss a beat.
Expected Rotations By Team
On TV
TBR vs. ATL
PIT vs. BAL
CAN vs. CUB
DOM vs. VEN
ITA vs. MEX
TOR vs. NYY
Spencer Strider (ATL) – 4.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 5 K. 94.9 mph. But he could be a good pitcher without the velocity! Maybe. Or maybe he doesn’t really know how to be anything else but a power pitcher, now with a slider at 82/83 mph. I’m out.
Martín Pérez (ATL) – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 6 K. Here’s the real SP #5 for Atlanta, right? It can’t be Elder. Not when you have Pérez spotting sinkers and changeups this well.
Kyle Bradish (BAL) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K. Yep, that’s Bradish. Great to see more sinkers than four-seamers to RHB, and he still has stupid-good breaking-ball movement. Strap in, y’all. He’s already at 73 pitches, too!
Chris Bassitt (BAL) – 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 3 K. To be honest, I’m surprised Bassitt is lower on his velo. 91.3 mph is pretty much last year’s mark and he’s notorious for his slow build-up into the season. What is truly shocking, though, is 55% sinkers and just four other pitches. I understand he has volume, but I highly question the quality.
Cal Quantrill (CAN) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 5 K. He tossed for Team Canada and leaned so dang hard into…A CUTTER?! 88 mph and 37% overall usage (45% to RHB, 31% to LHB!) with good enough movement to get me excited that he’s actually found something. Sure, its command needs work and the four-seamer is 94 mph with two inches less vert (15″ = yikes for Paddack), but now there’s some light at the end of the tunnel. Interesting.
Sandy Alcantara (DOM) – 3.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 3 K. Sandy got hit around and I have no idea why he threw just four changeups across the outing. He went a near even split of four-seamers, sinkers, and cutters, with the latter being a filthy 87 mph offering that had a large variety of movement, probably blending with the slider from 85-91 mph and different movements. He’s getting a ton of horizontal ride on those 97 mph heaters, though, and I really wish I could get more behind the overall approach. He’ll be fine, right?
Aaron Nola (ITA) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 5 K. He did it for AMERICA. And by it I mean going 7/21 whiffs with his famous curveball while featuring his four-seamer upstairs effectively and even some effective cutters for called strikes. Really wish he leaned more into his 17″ ride of his sinker inside to RHB, but then again, I invented CSW literally to explain how Nola’s high called strike rate shouldn’t be overlooked. And look at that! 50% CSW on sinkers. I’ll hang up now.
Javier Assad (MEX) – 4.1 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 5 K. Hey Assad, this is what happens when you don’t have Wrigley on a good day with your incredible defense behind you. 40% hard contact isn’t too ridiculous, but leaving a sweeper over the middle of the plate so JON BERTI can hit a HR isn’t impressin’ me much.
Cam Schlittler (NYY) – 3.2 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 6 K. Yep, the cutter is still 94/95 mph and oh boy is this fun. 18″ of vert is also more than last season, while we had more sliders here, used against LHB and 3/6 strikes. The sinker has good separation from the four-seamer now, too, up from 13″ of ride to 14-15″. Just get those inside instead of over the plate to RHB and get a little better feel for the breakers and you’re an absolute beast.
Carlos Lagrange (NYY) – 4.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 BB, 3 K. Hahahahaha. 101.5 mph four-seamers with 18″ of vert + 91 mph sliders and 93 mph changeups. He’s ridiculous. Strikes are always going to be the question and he earned them easily here, albeit without the precision of a pitcher, but who cares. I don’t think many actually think he should be in the pen at this point, but don’t be upset when Elmer Rodríguez-Cruz gets the first crack – he has more experience as an innings-eater, even if the ceiling is so much lower. The second LaGrange gets a chance to start, you snag him.
Nick Martinez (TBR) – 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 3 BB, 5 K. It’s interesting to see Martinez’s plot look like a little Quaker meeting in the top right quadrant of his pitch movement plot, while his curve sits all the way down below, knocking on the door and hoping the coffee hasn’t run out yet. He told me the Rays are looking to up the changeup usage, but he really didn’t have the feel for it here, and instead went cutter + sinker heavy. Can’t say I’m in love with what we’re getting, nor is there a significant change in his arsenal outside of the supposed changeup focus. But hey, he’s a starter at 66 pitches. There’s value in opportunity, right?
Ian Seymour (TBR) – 2.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 4 K. I’ll never quite understand why the Rays apparently dislike Seymour. He’s a textbook #SWATCH with solid command that masks his 92/93 mph velocity. But alas, he’s their SP #6 at best. Womp womp.
Eric Lauer (TOR) – 3.1 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 3 K. Unless the Jays suddenly don’t want to start Berríos or Yesavage, there’s little chance we see Lauer in the rotation for a bit. Let’s move on.
Eduardo Rodriguez (VEN) – 2.2 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 5 K. His changeup was down as everything else stayed up, including the cutter, making this a little bit of the “Cannibal McSanchez”. Across 53 pitches, he was up to 93.5 mph (we’ll take that over 92 mph!) with plenty more ride on his sinker. I’m kinda curious about Erod in my deeper leagues, given the great infield defense and Chase Field being one of the easiest outfields to defend.
Antonio Senzatela (VEN) – 1.0 IP, 3 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K. SENZ-A. I wish you the best, seriously.
Not on TV
ATH vs. ARI
KCR vs. CHC
LAA vs. CWS
MIL vs. CIN
COL vs. SEA
DET vs. MIN
HOU vs. MIA
SFG vs. KCR
STL vs. WSH
Ryne Nelson (ARI) – 3.1 IP, 3 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 4 K. It’s Nelson. The cutter = the slider and he couldn’t command it. Welp, I still love the heater. Weird to see him down from near seven feet of extension to just 6.5 feet here. Probably just a weird one.
Luis Morales (ATH) – 4.2 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 3 K. It’s looking like Morales is in the rotation for the Athletics and he was spouting 97 mph with 17″ of vert, a new sinker without excellent movement but some different from that heater, and sweepers that ran wild at -17/18″ inches of movement. The end result? A whole lot of balls thrown out of the zone and a volatile fella who is going to deal with a terrible home park. No thanks.
Colin Rea (CHC) – 4.0 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 1 K. He’s the backup for the Cubs, especially with Wicks out with injury and Assad looking meh. His slider exchanged some movement for nearly two extra ticks to 87+ mph at roughly gyro movement, and we’ll take that to the bank. I still hate his sinker and four-seamer, though. and I doubt he’ll get as fortunate as he did last year, even with an improved slide piece.
Anthony Kay (CWS) – 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 4 K. Uhhhhh, I think Kay is the best starter on the White Sox. He’s a southpaw with 95/96 mph four-seamers at 15″ vert and sub 5″ cut + a kick-change he spotted beautifully to RHB, a cutter that jammed RHB at 91 mph, and a sinker he lands inside to LHB. Yes, the sweeper needs to be better, yes, there was some annoying command here and there, but this is a SWATCH with velocity and a lovely cutter. Uhhhhhh, how did I not catch this sooner? Is he a 12-teamer play? Probably not, but I’m very in for my 15-teamers. If he’s missing the opening weekend series, that means he’ll head to Miami and that could be a lovely stream. Wow. I’m even tempted to keep him on my radar in 12-teamers.
Andrew Abbott (CIN) – 3.2 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 5 K. I think Abbott was figuring out his curveball here as he threw just 16% changeups to RHB, but the vert gains are still here from last season, now up to a lovely 17″. I think too many are writing off last year’s success, ignoring the four-seamer and breaking ball gains. Where’s the sweeper? Oh. Huh. I think it got tucked in with the curve, with some around 16/17″ of sweep and others around 10″. He’s in a good place.
Chase Dollander (COL) – 3.1 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, 1 BB, 1 K. Sigh. Scratch another day the Rockies failed to trade Dollander.
Drew Anderson (DET) – 2.2 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K. Anderson throws 96 mph with a massive split-change with 17″ of separation from the heater at 89 mph + a hub curveball that will get a ton of called strikes and few swings. I worry his heater is a bit of Empty Velocity and he needs a cutter/slider bridge breaker for the curveball when the changeup can’t find strikes. But consider me surprised that Anderson can throw this hard and feature a whiffable changeup. Interesting.
Tatsuya Imai (HOU) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 4 K. He sat 96/97 mph with only a few splitters on a day when he really tried to get his slider working. It’s…not a great pitch at 87 mph, known as a “reverse slider” for how much it struggles to go armside. It doesn’t. Yeah, +6″ iHB is so strange to see. Anyway, I love his ability to get strikes, a splitter for whiffs, good velocity he doesn’t need to go max effort with, and a great situation. I do wish there was a better, more reliable breaker, though. Or maybe that slider is weird enough to work.
Spencer Arrighetti (HOU) – 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 6 K. The Pasta Pirate is BACK! 7.4 feet of extension with two-plane break on the four-seamer is interesting, despite the low vert, especially when it comes with a flat attack angle. Throw in a sweeping cutter, sweeper (no way!), and curve, and, right there you have yourself a whiffs stew. There’s still some heavy control questions in here, but he’s up to 57 pitches and the Astros are going to have to figure out what they are doing with this rotation. I personally feel as though Arrighetti deserves a spot if he pushes 65 pitches next time out with 93/94 mph velocity for another outing.
Mitch Spence (KCR) – 2.0 IP, 5 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 0 K. He’s back to 92 mph cutters! And they have far worse break with over four inches more lift. Womp womp. I’ll never stop dreaming for you, Spence.
Bailey Falter (KCR) – 3.0 IP, 4 ER, 9 H, 0 BB, 0 K. He’s doing everything he can to mess around with a different slider, but it’s just not there. Can you trade him to Rays already?
Alek Manoah (LAA) – 4.0 IP, 4 ER, 8 H, 2 BB, 4 K. Whoa. 40% changeups to LHB and 81 total pitches. Dude is going for it. Sadly, it’s 91/92 mph velocity and it’s clearly not overpowering with 1/26 whiffs on the changeup and 2/26 on the four-seamer. Throw in the Angels defense and I’m so very out.
Max Meyer (MIA) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 6 K. That slider is still absolutely sick, with some gyro and some with extra movement at 89 mph, but how’s the rest? Well, the sinker jumped to 18″ of ride and two ticks to 96 mph, though that velocity was there at this time last year before the season stripped it away. Take this with a grain of salt given the low 48 pitch count and the sole filth being the sli—wait. No. No way. A -6″ vert and -11″ sweeper–That’s bad for a slider, Nick–at 88.2 mph?! WHAT DID YOU SAY?! You heard me. It’s not the slider, it’s the sweeper, with the most extreme one coming in at 89 mph (-9 vert/-13″ sweep. 89 MPH). WOW. No wonder it returned 63% strikes, but he has to throw that far more. You’ve unlocked something, Meyer, stop throwing a poor four-seamer at 95 mph, dangit. I’m so sad there’s no video of this pitch.
Janson Junk (MIA) – 2.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 2 K. He’s at 30 pitches. No reason why he’d be starting at this point.
Bradley Blalock (MIA) – 2.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K. He’s a new arm since Coors, with a harder slider/cutter and even less movement on them, but more vert. Welp, he’s like Junk – limited to 27 pitches. Let’s move on.
Robert Gasser (MIL) – 2.2 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 4 K. It’s Sproat vs. Gasser if Henderson is okay to go in the rotation, and I’m seeing a young arm who needs a little more polish before I’m willing to jump in. It’s #SWATCHWATCH2026 and that slow ball isn’t earning whiffs, despite finding the zone a fair amount of the time. He needs to have better overall command as the stuff isn’t overtly impressive.
Taj Bradley (MIN) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 7 K. Oh dang! A dope outing from Taj at 97 mph! How was the sinker? You mean the pitch that had three inches more horizontal at the same velocity and vert and was hurled into the dirt all three times he threw it? Soooo–IT’S BAD, STEVE, ALRIGHT?! Jeeeez, no need to call my name out with such venom. A lot of weak contact against a solid Tigers lineup, and there was a few pitches in there I loved, but I can’t buy into this. He really doesn’t know where it’s going. It’s the same Taj. He’ll get a rotation spot after this, and I’ll still refuse to roster him. Too much anxiety.
Tyler Mahle (SFG) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 3 BB, 1 K. Oh cool, the week when I start talking up Mahle, he drops to 91/92 mph in just 47 pitches (a tick down from his last start), and he features terrible fastball command. I sure hope nothing is wrong and I’m probably overreacting if we haven’t heard anything. Fun to see him get a lot more sweep on the slider, so hey! Maybe it was just an off day.
Luis Castillo (SEA) – 3.1 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 3 K. Props to Castillo for focusing on the slider and nailing it at the bottom of the zone to both LHB and RHB. It’s also an 84 mph gyro slider, which is still so meh and he’s sitting 94/95 mph. I’m not interested in Castillo and I’m still worried he’s on the edge of the cliff.
Dustin May (STL) – 3.2 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 K. Yeaaaaah, another massive sleeper. Again?! Yes, again, because May sat two ticks up with two more inches of vert on his four-seamer, nearly four inches more fade on his change, and hurled 93/94 mph cutters on the inner third to LHB with little issue. This is the best I’ve seen May in a long time. And now he’s in a fantastic situation with a long leash and a great home park? Sneaky, sneaky.
Cade Cavalli (WSH) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 BB, 2 K. The opening day starter for the Nationals still has a super dope curveball, but now he’s added a “sweeper”, which is really the same curveball but possibly at a slightly lower arm angle to have a little less drop and a little more sweep. I’m all for that as Cavalli has Empty Velocity and poor in-zone command, which makes a breaking ball focus the way to go. The pair combined for 50% overall usage, splitting between LHB (curves) and RHB (sweepers) and maybe that makes him capable of breaking the Huascar Rule. I dunno, I just still worry about the fastballs returned 1/17 whiffs and 50% hard contact.
Who To Monitor Today
SPs on the mound today #SpringSPnotesGet morning updates to EVERY SP via my daily Plus Pitch Podcast AND SP Roundup article on the Pitcher List site.Sean Manaea – 93+ mph? More than FB/SW?Michael McGreevy – Got a rotation spot?Connelly Early – DON'T. TEMPT. ME. FRODO.
— Nick Pollack (@nickpollack.pitcherlist.com) 2026-03-12T16:24:57.771Z
