Spring Training Standouts: Week 2 Review

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 – average (Hits per AB) and slugging percentage (Bases per AB) – 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.

Starting with week 2, wOBA and wRC+ will be tracked as a differential from week to week, as the more at-bats are evaluated for a hitter, the more accurate wOBA and wRC+ become.  There will also be a new section of the article dedicated to risers/fallers, tracking the players who change the most as Spring Training goes on.

Data contained in this article is from spring training games played 3/2 – 3/8.

 

The Studs

 

Projected early draft picks who have already shown in-season form for their teams.

 

Elly De La Cruz (SS), CIN

 

Week 1

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
5	12	14	6	1	2	0	3	5	5	3	1	17	0.5	1.4	0.780	378

Week 2

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
3	7	9	4	3	1	0	0	2	2	3	2	5	0.571	0.714	-0.074	-45

Slightly more routine numbers for Elly in Week 2, but the two stolen bases are encouraging, and he still has the second highest base total (22) for hitters in spring training.

 

Freddie Freeman (1B), LAD

 

Week 1

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
2	6	6	2	1	0	0	1	1	1	0	0	5	0.333	0.833	0.486	193

Week 2

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
4	11	11	4	1	1	0	2	2	3	3	0	11	0.364	1.0	+0.042	+26

Considering Freddie started spring training with an ankle injury, he’s showing good power with four out of six hits all being extra-base hits and making a hit in every game played this spring.  More than likely, he’s just trying to make sure he stays loose without reinjuring himself, so these numbers are solid, given the Dodgers start their season in about a week in Tokyo.

 

Corbin Carroll (OF), ARI

 

After briefly taking some time off to deal with back tightness, he returned to action fully on Saturday and had an effective two singles in three at-bats.  Provided he has no further setbacks, he looks to remain a steady stud to invest in early in your drafts.

 

The Grinders

 

Returning players that aren’t top fantasy picks but are in their teams’ plans to have a role going into Opening Day.

 

Matt Chapman (3B), SF

 

Week 1

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
3	7	9	2	1	0	0	1	1	2	4	0	5	0.286	0.714	0.488	194

Week 2

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
4	8	11	6	3	0	0	3	6	6	1	1	15	0.750	1.875	+0.271	+172

If you want a prime example of “ramping up” in spring training, look no further – massive stat increases across the board, with more than double the amount of power. It would be crazy to expect Week 3 numbers as impressive as these, but considering Chapman is considered a low-end Top-12 third baseman in drafts, this hints at a lot of potential upside.

 

Trevor Story (SS), BOS

 

Week 1

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
4	12	12	4	2	2	0	0	1	2	4	0	6	0.333	0.500	0.366	117

Week 2

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
3	9	10	6	3	1	0	2	5	3	1	0	13	0.667	1.444	+0.226	+143

Finishing a close second to Chapman as the most improved Week 2 player, Story doubled in most metrics, adding another double in his three at-bats on Sunday.  The “Story” with him has always been his polarizing effort, showing solid contact and power one day and aimless strikeouts the next, making him a player to continue to watch as spring training continues.  Boston is still a favorable offense overall, and a healthy 2025 season could offer plenty of opportunities – a consistent display of patience at the plate this spring could be key.

 

Alec Bohm (3B), PHI

 

Week 1

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
3	8	9	1	1	0	0	0	1	0	2	0	1	0.125	0.125	0.184	3

Week 2

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
4	13	13	5	1	1	0	3	4	3	2	0	15	0.385	1.154	+0.257	+161

Bohm’s 2024 could best be described as a roller coaster ride; his lefty mashing power was elusive at times, he peaked close to the All-Star Break, giving him an invite as an alternate, then his stats steadily regressed for the rest of the season.  In the off-season, rumors had him involved with many teams in potential trade talks, only for him to return to Philly on a one-year deal.  This could be a good motivating factor for 2025 – after a quiet Week 1, Week 2 showed a significant boost to his power with three home runs.

 

Ty France (1B), MIN

 

Week 1

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
4	7	9	5	2	2	0	1	2	2	0	1	10	0.714	1.429	0.873	437

Week 2

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
4	13	13	6	3	2	0	1	4	6	3	0	11	0.462	0.846	-0.192	-120

After having almost perfect Week 1 numbers, it’s hard not to regress to the mean a bit the following week, but France’s numbers are still great.  The key for France is that he looks like a solid all-around performer, racking up runs and RBI to go along with hits.

 

Rhys Hoskins (1B), MIL

 

Week 1

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
4	8	12	4	1	0	0	3	6	3	2	0	13	0.500	1.625	0.821	404

Week 2

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
2	5	6	1	0	0	0	1	1	1	1	0	4	0.200	0.800	-0.131	-81

Hoskins probably deserved to make the cut in the Week 1 article, but his stats were heavily impacted by his home run numbers (and 3/4 hits coming in one game).  Week 2 showed a slight regression, but the Brewers having a game rained out this week and the low at-bat numbers could be factors outside of his control.  Even so, he added yet another home run this week, making him a player to continue to monitor in the coming weeks.

 

Pete Crow-Armstrong (OF), CHC

 

Week 1

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
5	14	15	7	3	3	0	1	4	4	4	1	13	0.500	0.929	0.572	247

Week 2

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
3	9	9	5	2	1	0	2	4	6	3	1	12	0.556	1.333	+0.073	+47

Given the shortened week for Dodgers/Cubs players going into the Tokyo series, Week 2 might be the best look into what to expect from these players going into Opening Day.  Crow-Armstrong has always been interesting for his speed and stolen base upside, but he’s also showing off impressive power this spring.  His 25 total bases leads all hitters in spring training.  The only main concern would be his strikeout numbers.

 

Miguel Amaya (C), CHC

 

Week 1

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
4	12	13	6	3	2	0	1	2	2	1	0	11	0.500	0.917	0.621	278

Week 2

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
3	9	9	5	4	0	0	1	1	1	3	0	8	0.556	0.889	-0.003	-1

Catcher tends to be a tough position on draft day outside of the top tier options, but Amaya is making the case for a low-round steady performer.  Originally, there were concerns he would lose playing time to Carson Kelly, but his improved hitting this spring has quieted those rumors for now.  Another article highlighting Amaya’s sleeper potential this season can be found here.

 

Mike Trout (OF), LAA

 

Week 1

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
4	5	11	1	0	0	0	1	2	2	2	0	4	0.200	0.800	0.586	256

Week 2

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
2	6	6	3	1	1	0	1	1	1	3	0	7	0.500	1.167	+0.033	+21

Is he back?  Trout’s raw baseball talent isn’t in question, it’s just a matter of how much the IL bug spreads from spending too much time around Anthony Rendon.  These numbers suggest he may be trying to keep expectations in check while also hinting at more.  He also has six walks this spring, which has boosted his wRC+ rating even if the hitting isn’t overly impressive.  Recency bias may cause him to slip excessively in your drafts, but early signs indicate he’s worth taking a chance on this year.

 

Miguel Andujar (OF), ATH

 

Week 1

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
4	10	11	4	3	0	0	1	3	2	1	0	7	0.400	0.700	0.499	201

Week 2

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
4	12	15	7	4	2	0	1	3	3	0	0	12	0.583	1.0	+0.107	+68

Andujar has been a low-key performer this spring training as all the attention on the Athletics goes to Lawrence Butler and Brent Rooker.  He will likely hit below both of them in the lineup, and with steady hit numbers like these, that should mean good things for him over the course of the season.  His spring training performance last year was impressive as well until last-minute surgery forced him to miss the first two months of the season, which may be driving him to start strong in 2025.

 

The Wildcards

 

Players are 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.

 

Cam Smith (3B), HOU

 

Week 1

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
4	6	9	3	1	0	0	2	4	3	1	0	9	0.500	1.5	0.791	385

Week 2

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
3	7	9	5	4	0	1	0	1	4	1	0	7	0.714	1.0	-0.028	-16

If this series accomplishes nothing else, it’s to get the Cam Smith train out of the station.  The question remains where he can play – on Saturday, he made a solid diving catch while playing a temporary shift at shortstop, and the coaching staff has said the right field job is up for grabs for him if he can make the change.  Jose Altuve has been a strong advocate for him to make the team for Opening Day and has been experimenting with a shift to the outfield, which could open other possibilities- such as Isaac Paredes moving to second base, freeing up third base for Smith.  Overall, it’s one of the more fun stories out of spring training this year, and Smith making the Opening Day roster would be a great achievement.

 

Curtis Mead (2B/3B), TB

 

Week 1

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
5	12	13	10	8	1	0	1	3	2	1	1	14	0.833	1.167	0.875	438

Week 2

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
3	9	11	5	5	0	0	0	1	0	2	0	5	0.556	0.556	-0.154	-96

Another roster bubble battle in spring training involves Curtis Mead.  After the best Week 1 start you could hope for as a bubble player, Week 2 saw regression for Mead, with only singles to show for his at-bats.  The second and third base positions still appear firmly secure for Lowe and Caminero, with the latter returning on Sunday with a single.  Adding to the infield mess, Jonathan Aranda seems to have worked himself onto the starting roster as the primary backup to Yandy Díaz and a regular option at DH.  This seems to leave Mead as the odd man out now, even if he outperforms Eloy Jiménez.

 

David Bote (1B/2B/3B), LAD

 

Week 1

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
7	17	18	8	5	2	0	1	5	6	4	0	13	0.471	0.765	0.549	233

Week 2

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
4	8	9	4	2	1	0	1	1	3	1	0	8	0.500	1.0	+0.027	+17

Making the Dodgers star-studded roster is a tough achievement, but David Bote has been making a case with his 21 total bases and 12 hits thus far.  He hasn’t been featured on a roster since the 2021 season with the Cubs, but he has been known to be useful as a utility player, serving primarily in infielder roles in recent years, and with experience in the outfield earlier in his career.  The Dodgers may simply opt to keep him around for depth/platoon options, and keeping him around for the opening series with the Cubs in Tokyo may be on the table just for the revenge factor against his former team (he had two hits in the early Dodgers-Cubs Spring Training opener).  A decision on Bote should come in the next few days before they leave for Tokyo.

 

Alexander Vargas (2B/3B/SS?), NYY

 

Week 1

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
6	6	7	4	2	0	0	2	3	4	1	0	10	0.667	1.667	0.938	477

Week 2

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
4	4	4	3	1	2	0	0	0	1	1	0	5	0.750	1.250	-0.037	-20

Vargas is another pet obsession of this series – he’s still averaging only one at-bat per game and the Yankees is a tough organization to break through the established player bias, but when he’s at the plate, he makes things happen.  A 23-year-old Cuban prospect, he was part of the signing class of 2018 but hasn’t made it farther than Double-A in his last five years of development.  It seems highly likely that even if he starts the season in Triple-A, it will take a notable injury for him to get a chance at the major league level.  However, if you have deep rosters in your leagues, Vargas is one of those stash-and-hold options that has a lot of potential.

 

Ji Hwan Bae (OF/DH), PIT

 

Week 1

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
4	6	7	3	2	1	0	0	1	0	1	0	4	0.500	0.667	0.551	234

Week 2

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
3	7	7	5	4	0	0	1	3	1	1	2	8	0.714	1.143	+0.123	+79

Bae spent much of 2024 injured or bouncing back and forth between Triple-A and the Pirates, but he’s always been considered an asset due to his speed when healthy.  This season, he’s projected to start as a depth option for the outfield but could make a push for more playing time if he continues to improve week-to-week.  Bae has two minor league options remaining going into Opening Day, which may also be a factor.

 

Kyle Manzardo (1B), CLE

 

Week 1

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
5	11	12	3	1	1	0	1	2	2	3	0	7	0.273	0.636	0.411	145

Week 2

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
4	11	12	6	4	1	0	1	2	3	3	0	10	0.545	0.909	+0.110	+69

Manzardo has had a solid Week 2, riding a four-game streak with at least one hit.  38-year-old Carlos Santana is considered his primary obstacle at first base this season, and he has yet to hit anything more than three singles this spring.  The most likely scenario is a part-time platoon with Santana facing lefties and Manzardo getting opportunities vs righties, but Manzardo will need to take more advantages of his chances to gain trust over a veteran like Santana (even if it appears that Santana’s best years may be behind him).

 

Vinny Capra (2B/3B/SS), MIL

 

Week 1

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
6	14	14	5	2	0	0	3	3	7	6	1	14	0.357	1.0	0.559	239

Week 2

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
3	6	8	2	0	1	0	1	1	1	0	1	6	0.333	1.0	-0.003	-2

Capra had a steady Week 2 with only two hits, but both being extra-base hits kept his stat line mostly unchanged from Week 1.  For now, his status appears unchanged with the team, so odds are he sticks around as a depth/defensive asset unless another player really makes a push to make him expendable.

 

Greg Allen (OF), CHC

 

Week 1

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
5	10	12	4	2	0	1	1	5	2	2	1	9	0.400	0.900	0.575	249

Week 2

G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
3	6	6	5	4	1	0	0	1	4	0	0	6	0.833	1.0	+0.077	+49

It’s been a weird week for Allen – he built on a strong Week 1 with five hits over 6 at-bats this week, but hasn’t appeared in a game since Thursday.  The Cubs have two remaining games before heading to Tokyo, so they either already have a plan for Allen (and have been evaluating other players), or he’s already outside of the roster bubble.  The outfield is set with Suzuki (LF), Crow-Armstrong (CF), and Tucker (RF,) and they’ve been using Happ as DH, so Allen may find himself as a pinch hitter/pinch runner at best.

 

Week 2 Risers/Fallers

 

Top 10 wOBA/wRC+ Risers in Week 2 (> 5 AB):

 

Player	Team	G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
Matthew Batten	ATL	3	5	5	4	3	1	0	0	0	2	0	0	5	0.800	1.0	+0.500	+301
Daniel Schneemann	CLE	2	5	6	4	1	0	1	2	3	3	1	0	12	0.800	2.4	+0.418	+263
Anthony Santander	TOR	5	11	15	3	1	1	0	1	4	4	2	0	7	0.273	0.636	+0.394	+234
Will Smith	LAD	4	8	11	2	0	1	0	1	1	1	2	0	6	0.250	0.750	+0.391	+232
Jeremy Peña	HOU	3	8	8	5	3	1	0	1	1	2	1	0	9	0.625	1.125	+0.345	+217
Nick Maton	CHW	4	5	6	3	1	0	0	2	4	3	1	0	9	0.600	1.8	+0.337	+211
Joey Bart	PIT	3	8	9	5	3	0	0	2	2	5	2	0	11	0.625	1.375	+0.328	+207
Fernando Tatis Jr	SD	4	7	9	2	2	0	0	0	2	0	1	0	2	0.286	0.286	+0.299	+174
Addison Barger	TOR	5	11	12	5	3	1	0	1	3	2	2	1	9	0.455	0.818	+0.286	+179
Nick Sogard	BOS	6	13	15	8	5	1	0	2	7	5	2	0	15	0.615	1.154	+0.284	+179
Will Brennan	CLE	3	7	8	5	4	1	0	0	1	1	1	0	6	0.714	0.857	+0.282	+177

 

Top 10 wOBR/wRC+ Fallers in Week 2 (> 5 AB):

 

Player	Team	G	AB	PA	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SO	SB	TB	AVG	SLG	wOBA	wRC+
Connor Wong	BOS	3	7	9	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	3	0	0	0.000	0.000	-0.685	-433
Levi Jordan	CIN	3	5	6	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	0.200	0.400	-0.443	-279
George Springer	TOR	4	10	13	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	3	0	0	0.000	0.000	-0.412	-261
Kerry Carpenter	DET	4	11	12	1	1	0	0	0	1	2	5	0	1	0.091	0.091	-0.379	-240
Danny Jansen	TB	3	9	9	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	0.111	0.111	-0.358	-226
Jordan Westburg	BAL	2	6	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0.000	0.000	-0.346	-221
Manny Machado	SD	3	8	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0.000	0.000	-0.315	-200
Alexander Canario	NYM	4	11	12	1	0	1	0	0	1	0	4	0	2	0.091	0.182	-0.310	-197
Austin Wells *	NYY	4	12	13	4	3	0	0	1	2	2	5	0	7	0.333	0.583	-0.306	-193
Tyler Fitzgerald	SF	4	11	11	2	2	0	0	0	1	0	5	0	2	0.182	0.182	-0.305	-194

*If you’re wondering how a week like this could still be a Top 10 decline, Austin Wells had a small sample size in Week 1 (1 2B, 1 HR in 4 ABs with no Ks)