Every spring, teams have strong performances by players with low expectations of making the team. Sometimes, there are younger players proving they are ready earlier than anticipated. Sometimes, it's older players coming off injuries trying to prove they have what it takes. Sometimes, it's guys who seem to have fallen through the cracks, but who take advantage of an open competition or injuries ahead of them. Below are 30 such players, one for each team, who have an opportunity to surprise you this spring and grab a role on the big league club in April.
Angels: LHP Ian Krol. Krol was very good with the Braves in 2016, and then terrible last season. But he's still a lefty whose fastball sits around 93-94 mph, and a good run this spring could land him a job in the bullpen.
Astros: 1B/DH A.J. Reed. The Astros don't really have a need for much right now, and Reed didn't impress during his opportunity back in 2016, but he still has a good bat that could help Houston. Both Evan Gattis and Yulieski Gurriel are right-handed and if Reed can translate a few of his 34 minor league homers from last season to the bigs, he could earn MLB at-bats.
Athletics: OF Anthony Garcia. A poor 2016 season and a glut of progressing outfielders in the Cardinals' system made Garcia the victim of a numbers game. After a solid 2017 season in Double- and Triple-A, the minor league free agent has landed somewhere he might get the opportunity to show off a balanced game and his patience and power at the plate.
Blue Jays: UT Aledmys Diaz. Diaz is a year removed from an All-Star season, but lost his job in St. Louis last year and struggled to hit in the minors. He doesn't have a clear path to playing time with Yangervis Solarte ahead of him in a utility role, but if he can get his bat back, he'll earn more and more time somewhere on the diamond.
Braves: OF Ronald Acuna. He's the No. 1 prospect in baseball. He has absolutely dominated the minors, and the only thing that might keep him from starting the season with Atlanta is some Kris Bryant-style service time manipulation.
Brewers: LHP Wade Miley. Miley was an innings-eater in 2015 and 2016, but struggled with the Orioles last season, seeing his walk rate nearly double. If the Brewers and Miley can fix what went wrong last season, the 31-year-old lefty could prove to be a bargain on a team that needs pitching with Jimmy Nelson's absence early in the year.
Cardinals: OF Jose Adolis Garcia. Garcia signed out of Cuba a year ago, and had a solid first season despite a competitive layoff. The Cardinals have an opening on their bench for an outfielder and while Harrison Bader is the early leader, if the team decides Bader needs everyday plate appearances in the minors, Garcia could seize an opportunity with the big league club.
Cubs: RHP Dillon Maples. The Cubs don't have a lot of roster openings with enviable depth on the position-player side, a strong rotation and a (mostly) full pen. Maples received a brief call-up after striking out 37 percent of minor league batters last season and faced 27 batters, striking out 11 and walking six. That ratio won't be successful, but if he can cut down on the walks a bit, his upper-90s fastball and high-80s cutter can miss a lot of bats.
Diamondbacks: RHP Kris Medlen. Medlen spent last season as a starter in the Braves' minor league system giving up too many homers to be successful. This spring, he will get a shot in the D-backs' bullpen, and if his stuff plays up a little in the pen and the homers drop, he could prove to be a valuable reliever.
Dodgers: OF Matt Kemp. With a $20 million-plus salary, Kemp will likely make more money this season than the rest of this list combined. When the Dodgers first traded for Kemp in order to get under the competitive balance tax this year, it was assumed he would be released or traded, but he's still with the Dodgers as camp opens and he still has an average bat that might contribute for the NL West favorites.
Giants: CF Steven Duggar. The Giants signed Austin Jackson as a potential starting center fielder, but given their relatively small investment in the veteran, it is safe to say they are leaving room for Duggar to also win the job. The 24-year-old lefty has hit at every level he has played, showing great patience with double-digit walk rates. If he has a good spring, the center field job -- or at least the lefty half of a platoon -- is waiting for him.
Indians: OF Melvin Upton Jr. He's on the wrong side of 30 and was injured almost all of last year, but he isn't too far removed from a couple competent seasons in 2015 and 2016. If he's healthy, he can be a productive platoon bat in the outfield, starting against left-handed pitchers.
Mariners: RHP Hisashi Iwakuma. This might be asking for too much for the righty who managed just six starts last season and will turn 37 years old in April. He will be behind schedule this spring as he recovers from shoulder surgery, but if he can get up to speed, the Mariners could use him at the back end of their rotation.
Marlins: RHP Sandy Alcantara. It's possible that Alcantara -- who came over in the Marcell Ozuna trade -- might benefit from a little more time in the minors to work on his command. It's also possible that his high-90s fastball and the Marlins' lack of better options mean he'll get to work out his kinks in the majors.
Mets: 1B Dominic Smith. After the signing of Adrian Gonzalez and an early quadriceps injury, Smith's odds of being the Mets' Opening Day first baseman are not great. He also didn't impress in his debut last season, but he had little trouble advancing a level every year in the minors. He's got considerably more upside than the aging Gonzalez, and a big spring could still get him a role on the Mets.
Nationals: LHP Tim Collins. He's listed at 5-foot-7 and once fit into a single leg of Jonathan Broxton's pants. Collins spent the past few years undergoing back-to-back Tommy John surgeries after the first one didn't take. He was understandably rusty last season in Washington's system, but maybe the 28-year-old lefty can shake off some of that rust this spring and make it back into a big league bullpen.
Orioles: OF Colby Rasmus. Rasmus stepped away from the game in the middle of last season, but did manage nine homers in just 129 plate appearances before going on the restricted list. Another year removed from hip surgery and only 31 years old, Rasmus could have a lot to offer to an Orioles club that needs a lot to go right this season to contend.
Padres: OF Franchy Cordero. The Padres' outfield situation got a bit more complicated with Wil Myers taking up a spot after Eric Hosmer signed. Cordero is behind Jose Pirela and Hunter Renfroe, but the 23-year-old is younger and more exciting with his nice power-speed combo. If he can make just a bit more contact, he has the potential to jump ahead of one or both of those players for more playing time.
Phillies: RHP Drew Hutchison. In the Blue Jays-Pirates Francisco Liriano trade, it was hoped that Bucs pitching coach Ray Searage might work some magic on Hutchison. That never materialized, but the righty had a solid season starting in the minors, and perhaps in Philadelphia -- maybe in the bullpen -- Hutchison can find a role.
Pirates: OF Bryce Brentz. His path to playing time got a bit more difficult for the 29-year-old career minor leaguer as the Pirates traded for Corey Dickerson. Brentz made it to Triple-A back in 2012 and has had a couple short stints in the majors, but hasn't been able to catch on. After 31 Triple-A homers last year, his right-handed power could be a good fit on a team with two lefty corner outfielders.
Rangers: Bartolo Colon. Texas added a bunch of potential rotation arms over the winter in the form of Doug Fister, Mike Minor and Matt Moore, but none of them are quite like Bartolo Colon because nobody is quite like Bartolo Colon. The 44-year-old wasn't very good last season, but he's going to give firing fastballs one more shot.
Rays: LHP Johnny Venters. The formerly rubber-armed reliever hasn't pitched in the majors since 2012 due to three Tommy John surgeries. He appeared in 24 games across four minor league levels for the Rays last year, striking out 31 percent of batters. His comeback would be truly amazing.
Reds: INF Nick Senzel. Senzel is one of the best prospects in baseball. He also plays third base, which is currently manned by Eugenio Suarez. To increase his chances of playing for the Reds, Senzel is trying shortstop this spring. His bat is ready for the majors, and playing the middle infield -- either at second or shortstop -- might get him to the majors faster.
Red Sox: 1B Michael Chavis. The 22-year-old isn't likely to break camp with the big club, but after hitting 31 homers in the minors last year, Mitch Moreland and Hanley Ramirez don't provide much in the way of a roadblock to playing time. A big spring and an injury (or perhaps Ramirez's inability to play first well), and the best Red Sox hitting prospect could make the majors.
Rockies: OF David Dahl. Dahl missed nearly all of last season with rib and resulting back injuries, but he showed promise in a solid half-season in his 2016 debut. If healthy, there's little reason to think he couldn't win a starting job in the Rockies' outfield.
Royals: OF Michael Saunders. After a solid 2016 season with the Blue Jays, Saunders was dreadful last year, mostly spent with the Phillies. The Royals aren't bursting at the seams with talented outfielders, so if Saunders can make a good impression, he'll have the opportunity to bounce back.
Tigers: RHP Gerson Moreno. As the Tigers continue their move down in the standings, there isn't a ton to get excited about in Detroit. Pitchers who throw 100 mph are exciting, however, and that's what Moreno does. If he can show a little bit of control, he's a reliever worth watching.
Twins: RHP Anibal Sanchez. With Ervin Santana out for the beginning of the season, even after trading for Jake Odorizzi the Twins' rotation is thin with no clear fifth starter. Sanchez hasn't been good for several years, possessing an enormously high home-run rate, but his strikeout and walk rates are both adequate so a change of scenery and a little bit better luck with the long ball could make him a decent option for the Twins.
White Sox: CF Charlie Tilson. In 2016, a trade from the Cardinals earned Tilson a promotion to the majors, where he promptly tore his hamstring. He missed last season with injuries, too, but the speedy center fielder doesn't have anybody blocking him and if he can prove his health, he might win the job.
Yankees: 3B Miguel Andujar. The trade for Brandon Drury likely slowed down Andujar's path to a starting job in the majors, but Drury is eventually ticketed for a utility role. The Yankees' third-base prospect could make that transition faster than expected if he proves he's ready for the majors over the next month after putting up Adrian Beltre-like stat lines in the minors.