So, we’re three weeks into spring training and guess what? The Athletics and Rockies are rocking the Cactus League way better than the big names like the Dodgers. Meanwhile, over in the Grapefruit League, the Blue Jays are at the top despite finishing last last year. It’s a wild ride because teams like the Mets and Phillies, who are supposed to be contenders, are hanging out near the bottom of the rankings. And don’t forget Trayce Thompson from the Red Sox, who is smashing home runs like crazy, leading the majors with six already!
Spring training stats can be a bit of a joke sometimes, but every now and then, they give us hints about who might shine in the regular season. We asked some MLB experts to find the juiciest numbers from this spring and what they might mean for the games ahead.
Jorge Castillo: 9⅔. That’s the number of scoreless innings Clay Holmes has thrown over three games this spring. He’s not messing around! In his latest outing, he struck out eight guys and only walked three in 67 pitches. It’s his first time starting since 2018 and he’s throwing those sinkers like a pro. This is a big deal for the Mets, especially with some key pitchers out at the start of the season.
Bradford Doolittle: 110.7 mph. That’s the average exit velocity of Kris Bryant’s first two extra-base hits. Is it legit? Not sure! But it’s promising since he’s had a tough time in Colorado. He clocked one homer at 111.8 mph, which is a good sign that he might be back to smashing balls like the old days.
Alden Gonzalez: 1.444. That’s the OPS number for Corbin Carroll this spring. He’s come a long way from not hitting any homers in his 47 previous Cactus League games. In just six games this year, he nailed three homers! The Diamondbacks are banking on him bouncing back strong this season, and if he can keep it up, they could make some noise.
Kiley McDaniel: 518 rpm. That’s the spin rate on Roki Sasaki’s splitters in his first outing. His pitch was doing some crazy stuff—some of them acted like knuckleballs! He really had hitters confused, missing swings left and right. This kind of performance has scouts buzzing about his potential.
Buster Olney: 9-to-1. That’s the mind-blowing ratio of walks to strikeouts for Alex Call this spring. Nine walks and just one strikeout in his first 27 plate appearances! He’s showing off a serious maturity at the plate that we don’t usually see at this stage. Looks like he’s figured something out, and it’s really paying off.
Jeff Passan: .696. That’s the batting average of Curtis Mead, who started off the spring 10-for-12! He’s hitting like a champ and turning heads. If he keeps it up, the Rays will have no choice but to give him real playing time.
Jesse Rogers: .309. That’s what the Cubs are hitting, which is way ahead of most other teams. Why the hot start? They got an earlier start to the season and some fierce competition for spots is pushing everyone to perform. Young stars like Gage Workman are stepping up big time!
David Schoenfield: 94.5 mph. That’s the speed of Max Scherzer’s fastball in a recent game. He’s looking like his old self again after some injury struggles last season, and if he keeps throwing like this, the Blue Jays might have pulled off a major steal with their offseason deal.
