While we still have some time before meaningful baseball games are played, there’s no denying that the sport is back in full swing with Major League Baseball teams having already played multiple Spring Training contests.
As is the case with every Spring Training, certain players are making their name heard with superb performances in hopes of being added to their respective Major League rosters in the next few weeks. Here’s a quick look at some of the players who’ve turned heads on the diamond in the early games of the new year. Note that all statistics are current through the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 27.
Elier Hernández – Outfielder, Texas Rangers
Hernández is currently tied for the Major League lead in hits with five in seven at-bats, resulting in a .714 batting average. He’s smacked a double and legged out a triple while also driving in two runs. He’s also added a walk and two runs scored. While it doesn’t qualify for the Major League leaderboards given the small sample size, Hernández’s 1.893 on-base plus slugging would rank second only behind the Yankees’ Spencer Jones. Hernandez is trying to make his way back onto the Rangers’ roster after not spending any of last year with the Major League club; his last big-league action was just 14 games back in 2022. Now, Hernández is hoping to stay in the Majors after spending most of the last five seasons stuck in Triple-A.
Spencer Jones – Outfielder, New York Yankees
Listed at 6-foot-6 inches and 235 pounds, many have called Jones the left-handed version of the Yankees’ own superstar Aaron Judge. Drafted with the 25th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft out of Vanderbilt, Jones is New York’s No. 1 prospect according to MLB.com’s prospect rankings. His five hits and .714 batting average are both tied for the Major League lead and his 1.921 OPS is the best in the big leagues. He turned heads the other day after smacking a 470-foot home run in a game against the Detroit Tigers. Performing well in Double-A, it’s possible that Jones’ performance in the spring leads to a promotion to Triple-A, assuming New York is content with their current outfield of Judge and the newly acquired Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo.
Sam Long – Pitcher, Kansas City Royals
Long has pitched through three innings in the early going of the spring, tied for most among all pitchers. He’s yet to allow a run or give up a hit, striking out five batters along the way. With just one walk allowed, he also commands a 0.33 WHIP. His first action of the spring came against the Rangers on Feb. 23, where he walked one batter and struck out two in one inning. He came back out on the Feb. 27 against the San Diego Padres, navigating through two innings and striking out three batters. He’s thrown 23 pitches in those two games, 19 of which have been strikes. The 28-year-old has pitched in parts of three seasons in the Majors and is looking to establish himself as a reliable bullpen piece in Kansas City after signing a minor league contract with the team this offseason.
Walter Pennington – Pitcher, Kansas City Royals
Another Royals pitcher, Pennington has commanded the strike zone this spring. The pitcher has worked through two innings and has struck out all of the batters he’s faced, leading the Majors in strikeouts with six. In fact, Pennington’s spring resume already consists of two immaculate innings (striking out all three batters with the minimum of nine pitches thrown). That makes him a perfect 18-for-18 on pitches thrown for strikes. The first immaculate inning came on the Feb. 23 against the Rangers, returning to do the same on Feb. 26 against the Chicago Cubs. The 25-year-old has played three years in Kansas City’s minor league system and is looking to crack the Major League roster for the first time in his career.
Brian Serven – Catcher, Toronto Blue Jays
In just four spring training at-bats, Serven has been extremely productive, driving in eight runs to pace the Majors. That is three more than the next-closest batter and came in just the two games that he’s played. Serven has ripped three extra-base hits in those four at-bats, including two doubles and a round-tripper. On Feb. 24, he cleared the bases with a sharp double to center field against the Philadelphia Phillies. He returned on Feb. 26 against the Pittsburgh Pirates to crank a three-run bomb and then a two-run double, giving him five RBIs in the contest. With Danny Jansen and Alejandro Kirk already manning the catcher position, it’s difficult to imagine Serven making Toronto’s roster, though other teams lacking catcher depth could see this hot streak as an opportunity to acquire an offensive-minded backstop.