We’re roughly 10 days into the early 2025 season, which means we have a decent amount of at bat data to start evaluating performance in spring training so far.
Spring training can be a tough period to analyze – pitchers are trying new pitches, batters are working on swing timings, position battles are being decided, players may be coming off injury…all these factors can contribute to making the question ‘Which of these players can I trust going into the season?’ tough to answer.
This weekly series will attempt to break these player performances down week-to-week, focusing on both established players that already look to be in good form approaching Opening Day as well as sleepers or stash-and-hold players that are dynasty league options or late draft round fliers to have on your radar.
Relevant Stats for This Series
Although the sample sizes are still relatively small, and the parks in spring training tend to favor hitting, there is still merit to using stats like wOBA and wRC+ to evaluate hitters during this period. In case you are unfamiliar with these terms, they are defined as follows:
wOBA (Weighted On Base Average): Combines all the different aspects of hitting into one metric, weighting each of them in proportion to their actual run value. While batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage fall short in accuracy and scope, wOBA measures and captures offensive value more accurately and comprehensively.
wRC+ (Weighted Runs Created Plus): The most comprehensive rate statistic used to measure hitting performance because it takes into account the varying weights of each offensive action (like wOBA) and then adjusts them for the park and league context in which they took place.
There are two more basic ratios – hits per at-bat (HpAB) and bases per at-bat (BpAB) – which can provide a raw evaluation of how much players are taking advantage of their limited opportunities and can be calculated easily even with limited stats available during this period. Full in-season Statcast data does a far better job of building hitter profiles, but given that Statcast data is not available for all parks and games in spring training, these are adequate stand-ins for evaluating players taking advantage of the at-bats they have been given.
As this is the first entry in this series, many notable players may not be mentioned as their at-bats to date may be small.
Data contained in this article is from spring training games played 2/20 – 3/1.
The Studs
Projected early draft picks who have already shown in-season form for their teams.
Elly De La Cruz (SS), CIN
| G | AB | PA | H | 1B | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | SO | SB | TB | HpAB | BpAB | wOBA | wRC+ |
| 5 | 12 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 0.780 | 378 |
Elly De La Cruz hit the ground running in 2024 as well, leading his team in ISO, wOBA, and wRC+ for the first month of the season. His 17 total bases lead all hitters currently in spring training, and his wRC+ is currently third for all hitters with 10 or more at-bats so far.
Corbin Carroll (OF), ARI
| G | AB | PA | H | 1B | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | SO | SB | TB | HpAB | BpAB | wOBA | wRC+ |
| 4 | 10 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 0.851 | 423 |
Corbin Carroll had a very slow start last year, plagued by a sub-100 wRC+ and 0.053 ISO for the 1st month of the season. He had some injury problems throughout the year and was even moved around in the lineup for a while in order to get him back on track. Last spring training, he finished with 24 total bases in 53 at-bats, which he’s already projected to destroy in the first week. Breaking: Carroll left Sunday’s game early with back tightness. Why can’t we have nice things?!
The Grinders
Returning players that aren’t top fantasy picks but are in their teams’ plans to have a role going into Opening Day.
Ty France (1B), MIN
| G | AB | PA | H | 1B | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | SO | SB | TB | HpAB | BpAB | wOBA | wRC+ |
| 4 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 0.873 | 437 |
Manager Rocco Baldelli is on record saying, “He’s going to play a lot…The kind of hitter that he is, this isn’t a platoon situation.” He’s on a relatively cheap one-year deal, and Jose Miranda is still around, but coming out with that statement early in spring training should mean the job is his to lose. With his solid wOBA and wRC+ stats, his job looks secure as of now. Maybe all he needed was to get out of T-Mobile Park?
Kyle Higashioka (C), TEX
| G | AB | PA | H | 1B | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | SO | SB | TB | HpAB | BpAB | wOBA | wRC+ |
| 4 | 8 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 0.692 | 323 |
Higashioka is projected to be in a pretty even split with Jonah Heim at catcher for Texas, but so far, he’s looking like he might build on last season’s metrics. He was in a similar split last year in San Diego but was the better hitter at the position in terms of ISO and barrel rate for the season while Heim – and the majority of the team – faded in the second half. Both home runs and 6 out of 7 of his spring training RBI were all earned in Friday’s game, which could mean he may need more at bats before his true 2025 self emerges.
Jorge Soler (DH/OF?), LAA
| G | AB | PA | H | 1B | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | SO | SB | TB | HpAB | BpAB | wOBA | wRC+ |
| 5 | 10 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 0.719 | 339 |
It’s nice to see Soler back in a hitter-friendly park after spending most of the season in San Francisco. His ISO, SLG, and wRC+ numbers all went up after moving to ATL. The Angels are still hard to expect much from in 2025, but a healthy Mike Trout will help.
Lawrence Butler (OF), ATH
| G | AB | PA | H | 1B | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | SO | SB | TB | HpAB | BpAB | wOBA | wRC+ |
| 4 | 12 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 0.745 | 356 |
Butler was one of the fun hitters to follow in 2024, and it looks like he should retain the leadoff hitting position in 2025. The park factor in Sacramento will be interesting in light of his 22 home runs from last season, and he’s rumored to already be surging up draft boards.
Michael Busch (1B), CHC
| G | AB | PA | H | 1B | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | SO | SB | TB | HpAB | BpAB | wOBA | wRC+ |
| 6 | 18 | 19 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.604 | 267 |
Those of you familiar with Busch’s story in 2024 will remember he tied a Cubs record for a five-game home run stretch where all home runs were hit off five different pitches (slider, 4-seamer, sweeper, changeup, and finally a cutter) and when down two strikes. The Cubs are currently dominating the Cactus League in spring training (their first loss came on Sunday), which suggests good things for their offense this season, and Busch could be a big part of that success.
Brett Baty (2B/3B/SS?), NYM
| G | AB | PA | H | 1B | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | SO | SB | TB | HpAB | BpAB | wOBA | wRC+ |
| 5 | 13 | 14 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 0.692 | 322 |
Baty is still loosely an on-the-bubble player going into opening day, as most infield spots are locked in with Alonso at first base and Vientos at third. Luisangel Acuña is currently day-to-day after getting hit in the arm on Saturday, but he’s believed to be fine long-term; the more likely route to a safe roster spot is the recent loss of Nick Madrigal, who fractured his shoulder in a recent game and will miss the 2025 season. Baty is setting himself up to be a versatile utility man, and given the high expectations for the Mets offense this year, the opportunities will be there for him if he can keep up this level of performance and make him a tough cut decision for opening day. Watch for updates on Baty’s situation in future articles of this series.
Jerar Encarnación (DH), SF
| G | AB | PA | H | 1B | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | SO | SB | TB | HpAB | BpAB | wOBA | wRC+ |
| 5 | 15 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.511 | 208 |
Encarnación’s bat has been a steady performer throughout spring training thus far, with at least one hit in every game he’s played (adding another two hits in three at-bats with three total bases and five RBI on Sunday). Unfortunately, he’s only being considered as a DH option for the Giants at the moment, even though he has experience at first base and outfield. Another player to watch in future articles.
Victor Scott II (OF), STL
| G | AB | PA | H | 1B | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | SO | SB | TB | HpAB | BpAB | wOBA | wRC+ |
| 4 | 9 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 0.714 | 336 |
Scott’s main reason for appearing here are those three stolen bases (out of four attempts) so far in spring training. He’s also been used as a leadoff hitter when in the lineup, so they seem to like his bat. The discussion is around his playing position – he’s currently in a competition in center field but isn’t considered the lead option defensively. The Cardinals seem committed to him long-term, but he will need to continue to produce to stay in the lineup. So far, he has at least one hit in every game and has two multi-run games in his limited at-bats which is hard to ignore when STL has struggled offensively in recent years.
The Wildcards
Players either on the roster bubble or outside current team plans for inclusion on Opening Day, but are making a solid case for more at-bats or consideration. Watch for updates on these players from week to week in this space.
Curtis Mead (2B/3B), TB
| G | AB | PA | H | 1B | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | SO | SB | TB | HpAB | BpAB | wOBA | wRC+ |
| 5 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 0.875 | 438 |
It’s hard to believe the leader in hits, wOBA, and wRC+ for spring training (10+ ABs) is a roster bubble candidate, yet here we are. Mead is rumored to be battling Eloy Jiménez for a bench spot, as Brandon Lowe is locked in at second base, and Junior Caminero is making a strong case for their main third base option (he hit two home runs in Sunday’s game). At this point, it’s hard to believe that if he keeps up these hitting numbers, he would be kept out of the regular lineup, but it’s a situation to watch.
Alexander Vargas (2B/3B/SS?), NYY
| G | AB | PA | H | 1B | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | SO | SB | TB | HpAB | BpAB | wOBA | wRC+ |
| 6 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 0.938 | 477 |
Vargas is one of those players that pops, possibly due to his smaller sample size, but he does seem to be making the most of his chances. The main problem is that he’s only averaging one at-bat per game when he’s actually in the lineup. Odds are that he doesn’t have much of a chance of making the Opening Day roster, but with DJ LeMahieu already nursing another injury, that may be the way he gets a real shot – definitely a strong option for deep/dynasty leagues and one to continue to watch for updates.
Cam Smith (3B), HOU
| G | AB | PA | H | 1B | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | SO | SB | TB | HpAB | BpAB | wOBA | wRC+ |
| 4 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 0.791 | 385 |
Smith is one of the players who came over in the deal for Kyle Tucker, but he’s not in the Astros’ immediate plans for 2025. Both of his home runs came in the game on February 25, and hopefully, he gets more looks in the coming weeks. He’s also being encouraged to try playing outfield since the Astros acquired Isaac Paredes to be the everyday third baseman with the departure of Alex Bregman.
Matt Gorski (OF/1B?), PIT
| G | AB | PA | H | 1B | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | SO | SB | TB | HpAB | BpAB | wOBA | wRC+ |
| 5 | 10 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 0.660 | 302 |
Gorski is the spring training RBI leader thus far, given all of his hits have been of the extra base hit variety. He’s mainly been getting looks at first base while recent acquisition Spencer Horwitz has been recovering from wrist surgery. The Pirates are evaluating a number of options at first base, and the outfield spots are all taken, leaving him as a backup option at best for now. However, as long as part-timer Tommy Pham is one of the options in the outfield, the odds are good that there will be a vacancy opening up soon.
Sebastian Walcott (OF), TEX
| G | AB | PA | H | 1B | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | SO | SB | TB | HpAB | BpAB | wOBA | wRC+ |
| 6 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 0.831 | 410 |
Walcott – who is the top prospect for Texas at age 18 – is destined to start 2025 in Double-A, but he’ll be one to keep an eye on and is definitely a top priority for deep/dynasty leagues.
Ildemaro Vargas (2B/3B/SS), ARI
| G | AB | PA | H | 1B | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | SO | SB | TB | HpAB | BpAB | wOBA | wRC+ |
| 5 | 13 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 0.651 | 297 |
Vargas finds himself back with the Dbacks for a third time, after most recently being used as a utility man in Washington. As with many of these wildcard options, he finds himself in a crowded infield that is mostly locked in with starters, but shortstop could be an open competition. As a switch-hitter, he also has some platoon possibilities, but this is a situation that could be in flux until Opening Day.
Vinny Capra (2B/3B/SS), MIL
| G | AB | PA | H | 1B | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | SO | SB | TB | HpAB | BpAB | wOBA | wRC+ |
| 6 | 14 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 14 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.559 | 239 |
Milwaukee is a team whose lineup could best be described as fluid – they seem to love collecting these utility infielders and aren’t afraid to try different combinations of them. Capra holds two advantages over his fellow utility players, however: one, he’s out of minor league options, so the other depth players will more than likely be sent down instead of him; two, his strength is his defensive fielding, which is the style of play Milwaukee favors. He’s never been known for his power, so the three home runs so far are an intriguing upside for him – definitely one to watch over the next few weeks.
Tirso Ornelas (OF), SD
| G | AB | PA | H | 1B | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | SO | SB | TB | HpAB | BpAB | wOBA | wRC+ |
| 7 | 15 | 18 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.619 | 277 |
The Padres have been open-minded to new blood in the outfield in recent years, and Ornelas appears to be the latest intriguing option in left field . The position is a bit of a mess with other recent veteran acquisitions like Connor Joe and Jason Heyward, but Mike Shildt considers Ornelas a “homegrown product” deserving of more opportunities this spring. If he keeps up this production at the plate and fares well in left field, could he turn out to be the next Jackson Merrill?
Greg Allen (OF), CHC
| G | AB | PA | H | 1B | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | SO | SB | TB | HpAB | BpAB | wOBA | wRC+ |
| 5 | 10 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 0.575 | 249 |
Allen is probably only a depth option in a crowded Cubs outfield, but he may have the inside track at being the first backup. He can play all the outfield positions, has speed for stolen base upside, and he added another two hits on three at-bats in Sunday’s game. He was originally expected to start 2025 in Triple-A, but given the Cubs’ early series in Tokyo, they may feel like they need to stick with the hot bat.
Robert Hassell III (OF), WSH
| G | AB | PA | H | 1B | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | SO | SB | TB | HpAB | BpAB | wOBA | wRC+ |
| 7 | 20 | 21 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 15 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.531 | 221 |
Hassell has cooled off a bit from his first five games this spring, but the Nats are certainly taking a long look at him with 20 at-bats already. He was part of the Soto deal in 2022 and was once considered a top prospect, so this may be the season where they really want to get a real return on their investment. Another solid option for deep/dynasty leagues, but his situation is one to monitor through Opening Day.