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
We launched Pitcher List Stats on Tuesday! Our first launch was @PitcherListPLV, which posts all of our new Pitcher Cards from recent games. We’ll be granting free access to generate these cards in the near future. Check out the tutorial pinned to the Twitter account.
Expected Rotations By Team
On TV
BAL vs. HOU
BOS vs. NYY
PHI vs. CAN
ATL vs. COL
TB vs. NED
MIN vs. PUR
DOM vs. DET
LAD vs. MEX
MIL vs. CHC
SD vs. GBR
COL vs. USA
WSH vs. VEN
SF vs. SEA
Shane Baz (BAL) – 3.0 IP, 3 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 K. Ignore the runs, look at that cutter! It has an extra 2-3 inches of drop and cut at the same velo, hovering 90 mph as last year. Everything else checks out (there’s even a new sinker he thre four times inside to RHB for three strikes!) and I’m happy for now. But the velo was down from 97 mph to 95.8 mph! As it should be. Spring. Training.
Miguel Ullola (HOU) – 2.2 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 2 K. I’ll always love the 7.3 feet extension and 18″ of vert, but he’s 91/92 mph without the command he needs to make it work, nor the secondary stuff. Sigh.
Garrett Crochet (BOS) – 2.2 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 3 K. The splitter is still here and it has some volatility, as expected. Otherwise? He’s dope and makes us feel dope.
Payton Tolle (BOS) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 7 K. Oh Tolle. Who knew you would be the focus of the ire of our new player cards? (Yes, we’ve updated them and Tolle is now A- stuff from yesterday). I LOVE that he’s trying to make the cutter work and I could tell you it was a 75% strike rate and rejoice, but he threw them down the pipe. There’s still some command work to be done here. But yeah, his 7.6 feet extension four-seamer at 98 mph is hilariously dope. And maybe the new curve with its tight movement (read, not a whole lot) at 83 mph can be a helpful stabilizer to RHB, too.
Luis Gil (NYY) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 6 K. I consider Gil the apprentice of Professor Chaos. He got the slider over the plate at 64% strikes, but few whiffs, while the four-seamer was well out of the zone or inside it. No middle ground. Weird to see the heater’s 95/96 mph stick from last year, but the slider and change lose two ticks each. Can’t say I love seeing an 84/85 mph slider with 6 inches of lift, especially with a ~15″ vert four-seamer. I hope that changes.
Aaron Nola (PHI) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 4 K. I was hoping we’d see Nola go inside to RHB with his sinker, but alas, it wasn’t meant to be. Otherwise, it’s the same Nola, save for a worse cutter…?
Zebby Matthews (MIN) – 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 3 K. I’m not in love with this. He had much better command to RHB here – sliders down, heaters up – with hittable cutters that are just kinda meh. In fact, the fastballs are also meh with deadzoneish movement, and I’m not falling over for the 87/88 mph gyro slider. If he can spot the slide piece to RHB like this, it’ll work. I’m skeptical he’ll be more than a HIPSTER.
Brayan Bello (DOM) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K. I see Bello as a Toby and nothing is exciting me here to reconsider that idea. The new breaker is fine, not game-changing.
Tyler Glasnow (LAD) – 2.2 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 4 K. Blegh. I wanted the slider feel to return and it’s not there, even if it’s more cutter(ish) at a tick harder and more lift. But hey! More sinkers to RHB! That had more vert than the four-seamer! Wait what Yeah, pretty much the same vert It’s hilarious. Otherwise, it’s the same guy.
Emmet Sheehan (LAD) – 1.1 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 0 K. Huh?! You had 67% strikes on your three main pitches with a near 18% SwStr rate and you had two walks without a strikeout?! WHATEVER. He’s legit, y’all. I wish he was further along than 34 pitches and they let him go longer, but whatever. It’s the Dodgers.
Ben Casparius (LAD) – 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 1 K. They aren’t stretching him out and I hate it. Just 12 pitches and no cutter – only disgusting 97 mph heaters and a deadly 87/88 mph sweeper. TRADE HIM SO HE CAN START.
Brandon Sproat (MIL) – 3.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 4 K. Sproat may be the SP #5 with both Woody and Priester possibly missing opening day. He’s doing what you want to see – up in velocity 1-3 ticks on everything. Not that I think it’ll stick, but because he’s a young arm fighting for a position. If you didn’t see some velocity bump, I’d be worried it would be lower in-season. As for the skills, he added two inches of drop on the sinker (nice!) and I still adore his two-plane curve, now at 82/83 mph that makes it a whole lot deadlier. A 92 mph change to LHB sounds pretty awesome as well…but right. These velos are likely not what we get in season. Sigh. I’m still interested if he takes the spot over Gasser, and I’m willing to bet he does.
Logan Henderson (MIL) – 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 1 K. He’s a 93 mph fastball/changeup guy from the right-side, and that still doesn’t quite sit well with me. Then again, that heater is 17/18″ of vert that is clearly surprising to hitters as he routinely gets whiffs on the offering. I want to lean into him, but without a great #3 pitch and a fastball I worry isn’t actually that amazing, I feel like he’s getting too much helium.
Edward Cabrera (CHC) – 2.2 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 2 K. Oh no. Why is Cabrera throwing four-seamers over sinkers again? Because it was to LHB. Fair, but it’s bad. And he still threw more four-seamers than sinkers to RHB. Just throw the 93/94 mph changeup to LHB over the blegh four-seamer, that’s all I’m saying.
Jaxon Wiggins (CHC) – 2.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 BB, 2 K. He throws hard! And doesn’t know where it’s going! The changeup and curve were in the upper third and higher to LHB, while all his four-seamers were in the zone at 98 mph and 17/18″ of vert (highish arm angle, but still cool), and very much in the zone. It’s why he returned just 1/18 whiffs. Looks like a potential HIPSTER instead of my new favorite SP prospect.
Joe Musgrove (SD) – 2.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 3 K. He made it! 94 mph four-seamers is good for the first game back, and to see him throw 61 pitches showcases that he’s further along than expected…but he only lasted 2+ IP as he’s not incredibly effective. The 82 mph curve is filth McGee and he has a proper sinker with a mislabeled slider (not a cutter) at 87 mph that doesn’t have as much depth as you’d want. Give me more, while I’ll always worry about his four-seamer’s effectiveness.
Randy Vásquez (SD) – 4.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 3 K. RANDY. VÁSQUEZ. He’s 96 mph (that’s 2-3 ticks harder on everything) with a legit cutter at 89/90 mph at 20″ sweep difference from the sinker + a slick set of breakers in the 83-87 mph range. That four-seamer went 6/15 whiffs as he located them at the top of the zone to RHB and I’m sitting here, wondering if we’re all overlooking the Padres’ SP #4. But he has sub six feet extension. Very true. And yet, I’m awfully intrigued in deeper formats.
Dylan Covey (GBR) – 1.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 K. WELL LOOK WHO IT IS. Good to see ya.
Kyle Freeland (COL) – 1.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 1 K. Don’t hate me for saying this, but y’all know Freeland has one great start to begin the year when the Rockies aren’t playing at home. And guess where he pitches opening weekend? Miami. He sat a tick up on everything here (if not more) and I wouldn’t rule out another random gem to start the year.
Ryan Yarbrough (USA) – 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 2 K. Yes, Fratty Pirate, we know. It was the Rockies.
Clayton Kershaw (USA) – 0.2 IP, 2 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 0 K. As much as we all love that we get one more look at Kershaw, it’s not great seeing your former generational star failing to escape one inning against the Rockies.
Foster Griffin (WSH) – 2.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K. NO DATA AND I HATE IT.
Eduardo Rodriguez (VEN) – 1.2 IP, 2 ER, 1 H, 3 BB, 2 K. YEAH. WHAT NICK JUST YELLED ABOUT.
Robbie Ray (SF) – 2.2 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 2 K. Remember how I didn’t want Ray to go ham on heaters again? Yeah, he went ham on heaters again. 72% four-seamers as we wait for him to work on other things again. At least the slider had more movement and the changeup is up 2-3 ticks…?
Carson Seymour (SF) – 2.2 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 2 K. he has a 92 mph cutter that’s pretty cool, and he’s hurling 96-98 mph four-seamers and sinkers…which are Empty Velocity but still. The combo of 98/92 should be good enough, you’d think, but wait! There’s more! A 85/86 mph curve with nearly 10 inches of drop. Huh. This feels like it should work, especially with his high strike rates.
Keaton Winn (SF) – 1.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K. He’s at 14 pitches and clearly not a factor in the rotation anymore for the Giants.
Michael Fulmer (SF) – 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 BB, 2 K. DUDE. What. Is. HAPPENING. I sit 90/91 mph now. Oh. Right. Welp, see ya later.
Cooper Criswell (SEA) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 1 K. Hancock has been the depth piece for a bit, but why not Criswell? 41 pitches in this one and he’s featuring all the fun sink on his sinker + changeup, with a good cutter and sweeper per usual. I’d favor Criswell if I were the Mariners, personally. Can’t say he’ll be a stud for fantasy, but he could find some solid outings with his pitching to weak contact approach.
Not on TV
STL vs. NCA
DET vs. PAN
NYM vs. ISR
ATH vs. AZ
TEX vs. BRA
CUB vs. CIN
LAA vs. ITA
Matthew Liberatore (STL) – 3.1 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 5 K. Atta boy, Liberatore. Thanks for leaning harder into CH against RHB, even if you failed to earn a whiff on the slowball. Can’t say I’m loving the mix and command as it is now (down to 93 mph again), but there’s a Toby in here, especially with any growth. Now get the dang sinker inside to LHB, not away. Thanks.
Richard Fitts (STL) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 4 K. He’s still up in his velocity, but now 96/97, not 97/98 mph. And that’s fine, but what’s not fine is his sinker to RHB. I’m happy he’s trying to make it happen, but it doesn’t have the ride you want (just 13″ horizontal, yikes) and he doesn’t get it inside effectively. The breakers are still cool, though, and I have to believe the Cardinals will, uh, fit Fitts into this rotation somehow.
Jack Flaherty (DET) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 3 K. Same ole Flaherty EXCEPT he’s trying out sinkers to RHB. They aren’t good stuff-wise and he didn’t jam batters, sooooo, meh. I get why, I’m not sure I think he can pull it off effectively.
David Peterson (NYM) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 2 BB, 4 K. He was down to 90/91 instead of 92+ mph, And I’m thrilled to see him throwing more of his classic slider with more movement. Sadly, the command of everything is still an issue and I’m too scared to draft him.
Christian Scott (NYM) – 2.2 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 5 K. Whoa, he has a 90/91 mph cutter! That’s lovely, and so is his incredible command of upstairs fastballs with a flat attack-angle. There was one sweeper that actually had depth on it as opposed to the “hand of god” version with nearly 9″ of vert, and I sure hope he can find that depth more in the future. At any rate, Scott with a legit breaker + a well commanded and flat 95mph four-seamer upstairs + a splitter for LHB + a stabilizing 90 mph for strikes = a solid SP. Fantastic debut.
Jeffrey Springs (ATH) – 2.1 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 4 K. This sure looks like Springs. Good CH location to RHB with a questionable slider and four-seamer. Same fella.
Brandon Pfaadt (ARI) – 2.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K. I’m not seeing enough to say “Yo! Pfaadt is figuring it out!” which is what we need to get back into this. He did get some extra depth on the curve in the two he threw, but that’s a small sample size of…two.
Jacob deGrom (TEX) – 2.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 3 K. He’s throwing sinkers to RHB again! Look at that. It’s the right call given his four-seamer command to RHB was a little worse last year. Meanwhile, the 92 mph slider is still absurdly good. Love it.
Kumar Rocker (TEX) – 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 7 H, 0 BB, 1 K. I fail to understand why Rocker refuses to throw his cutter – just 16% overall usage. It’s. Your. Best. Pitch.
Rhett Lowder (CIN) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 3 K. It’s fine. I didn’t understand Lowder’s success in 2024 and once again, I don’t quite understand. Maybe because he faced Cuba? I DUNNO. He’ll be the SP #5 in Cincy with Greene likely out for a bit, and there could be value here. But can he really succeed with a decent 93/94 mph sinker and 85 mph gyro slider with a little extra movement? Ehhhhhhhh.
Mitch Farris (LAA) – 3.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 1 K. Awwwww. He had some extra velo in the first outing and we’re back to 91 mph now…WAIT. Savant is labeling his cutter and four-seamer AS ONE PITCH. The cutter isn’t all too great, sure, but it’s distinctly not the 16-18″ vert and 1-5″ cut pitch, which would put it around 93 mph on average. AHA! IT’S STILL THERE. He didn’t command it well, though, but the changeup is still absurd. I can see it working out, I’M JUST SAYING. Keep an eye out is all.
Adam Ottavino (ITA) – 1.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K. I AIN’T LEAVING. So cool to see him, even if it included a run.
What To Watch Today On TV
SPs to watch on TV today #SpringSPnotesGet morning updates to EVERY SP via my daily Plus Pitch Podcast AND SP Roundup article on the Pitcher List site.Shane Baz – Cutter/slider good?Garrett Crochet – New splitter!Aaron Nola – Sinkers inside to RHB?Elieser Hernández – It's Been 84 Years…
— Nick Pollack (@nickpollack.pitcherlist.com) 2026-03-04T16:16:28.261Z
