Spring training provides opportunities for players both young and old to make their mark and change their future outlook. Some young players are trying to do enough to make the team. Veterans who have bounced around and might not have a contract are doing the same. Meanwhile, former stars and once-heralded prospects might be working their way back from injury to take a spot that's far from guaranteed. The players below are all fighting this spring for a place on the roster, or in the rotation or starting lineup, but their performance this spring is worth a look as it will decide their fate once spring is over and the season begins.
National League
Arizona Diamondbacks: RHP Jon Duplantier
With Mike Leake expected to return before Opening Day, and Luke Weaver already also coming back from injury, there will be opportunities for a young starter like Duplantier in camp. After injuries in 2018 and a tough 2019 bouncing between levels and roles, the big right-hander will try to get back the stuff that made him a good prospect a few seasons past.
Atlanta Braves: 1B Yonder Alonso
A role as a lefty-hitting first baseman is already taken up in Atlanta with Freddie Freeman, and that makes Alonso a curious camp invitee. Alonso was good as recently as 2017, average in 2018, and was bad with the White Sox before a brief stint with the Rockies. The new rules allowing a 26th roster spot could benefit a player like Alonso as a late-inning pinch hitter particularly if LOOGYs are used in fewer numbers with the new rules. He'll have to actually hit in spring, though.
Chicago Cubs: INF Nico Hoerner
The veteran comeback to watch on the Cubs comes from Jason Kipnis, but the player to watch is the one who could make Kipnis' performance irrelevant. Hoerner got a taste of the majors last year after just a half-season in Double-A, and a good spring might get the versatile righty in the starting nine on Opening Day.
Cincinnati Reds: RHP Nate Jones
The former White Sox reliever has already had one comeback season, putting together an excellent 2016 campaign after missing most of the previous two seasons. In the three seasons since, Jones has amassed just over 50 mediocre innings. There's not much reason to think Jones is going to make it to the season healthy, but he's worth keeping an eye on.
Colorado Rockies: RHP Ubaldo Jimenez
Rockies fans might remember Jimenez from a three-season run from 2008 to 2010 where he was one of the best pitchers in baseball. It has been a decade since Jimenez was at his peak, and he hasn't pitched in the majors since 2017, but Colorado is giving the 36-year-old another shot to prove he's not quite finished.
Los Angeles Dodgers: RHP Jimmy Nelson
It has been a few years since Nelson had his breakout in Milwaukee, but in 2017, he was one of the better pitchers in baseball before injuries kept him out of 2018 and most of last year. His 6.95 ERA in 22 innings was pretty ugly, but he closed the season strong. He will have a lot of competition on the Dodgers for a place on the staff, but he's still a pitcher worth watching to see if he still has it.
Miami Marlins: CF Lewis Brinson
Brinson isn't really a long shot to make the roster, but his production at the major league level over the past two seasons has been disastrous. Putting up nearly three wins below replacement level due to a hitting line that looks good only for a pitcher (.189/.238/.294). Brinson played decently well in Triple-A last season, but he needs to start producing or he's going to be surpassed by other, younger Marlins outfielders.
Milwaukee Brewers: 1B Logan Morrison
In 2017, Morrison hit 38 homers. In 2018, he signed late with the Twins, struggled, was hurt and his hip problems forced a delay to his 2019 season where he mashed in Triple-A, but never got much time in the majors. If Morrison is healthy, he still might have a bunch of power that could play well in Milwaukee, but there's an admittedly tough path to playing time with all of the Brewers' other first base options like Ryan Braun, Justin Smoak and Ryon Healy.
New York Mets: OF Yoenis Cespedes
Any other pick for the Mets would be a "boar." In 2015, Cespedes played in 159 games and his yearly total has dropped in every year since: 132, 81, 38, and zero last season. Even as his health has declined, he has still been able to hit when he has taken the field. Whether his health will permit that to happen in 2020 might depend on his getting through the spring.
Philadelphia Phillies: 3B Alec Bohm
The third overall pick from 2018 tore up three different minor league levels last season ending up at Double-A for most of the year. The real question on Bohm is whether he can stick defensively at third base. Rhys Hoskins is blocking Bohm at first, but at third he's up against Scott Kingery, who can move around the diamond. If Bohm can play third at an adequate level, he might be ready for the majors.
Pittsburgh Pirates: RHP Chad Kuhl
In 2017, Kuhl was a league-average starter after a promising 2016 debut, but a poor 2018 that ended with Tommy John surgery kept Kuhl off a mound all of last season. Kuhl comes to camp with full clearance to throw and potentially compete for a spot in the rotation.
San Diego Padres: RHP Garrett Richards
The Padres guaranteed Richards $15.5 million last offseason knowing he wouldn't be able to contribute in 2019. He made only three unmemorable September appearances and hasn't pitched 80 innings in a season since 2015. This spring, he will get a shot at returning to the rotation and helping the Padres compete for a playoff spot after a lengthy drought.
San Francisco Giants: CF Billy Hamilton
The Giants probably won't be good in 2020, but one of the fastest players in the sport would make them a bit more interesting. Steven Duggar is currently slated to start in center field, but he hit like Hamilton last year without the stellar defense and baserunning. The Giants could do worse than letting Hamilton run all over the big outfield in San Francisco.
St. Louis Cardinals: OF Dylan Carlson
The entire Cardinals outfield is worth monitoring this spring given the large number of candidates coming to camp with uncertain futures, but the player with the most promise is the 21-year-old, switch-hitting Carlson. He'd have to absolutely crush the competition in spring to force his way on the Opening Day roster, but he just might cash in on those long odds.
Washington Nationals: RHP Wil Crowe
There's not much intrigue with the defending World Series champions, but the fifth starter spot might provide some competition between Joe Ross, Austin Voth and Erick Fedde. One pitcher who could get himself in the conversation is Crowe. He pitched well repeating Double-A last season but struggled on promotion to Triple-A. He has a solid fastball and changeup, and a solid spring could get him in the rotation sooner rather than later.
American League
Baltimore Orioles: SS Richie Martin
A year ago, Martin was the no-brainer Rule 5 pick for the Orioles after a very good 2018 season in the A's organization. Up with the big league club all year, Martin's .260 on-base percentage meant he rode the bench for half the season. He's likely to start the season in the minors, but a positive spring could end with the 25-year-old shortstop getting a role in Baltimore.
Boston Red Sox: RHP Tanner Houck
With the Mookie Betts/David Price trade thinning out an already short rotation, there are opportunities available for pitchers who can start games. The big righty was the team's first-round pick in 2017, and though his future might be as a multi-inning relief pitcher, the sinker-throwing Houck could pitch his way into Boston's rotation this year.
Chicago White Sox: RHP Tayron Guerrero
Last seen with the Marlins, Guerrero can throw 100 mph. Unfortunately, he hasn't yet been able to translate that into success in the majors with way too many walks and not enough strikeouts. Maybe the White Sox saw something in Guerrero that makes them believe they can turn that velocity into outs. The White Sox were active filling holes in the offseason, but there's always a spot in the bullpen for a pitcher with a good spring.
Cleveland Indians: OF Bradley Zimmer
Cleveland has spent a second straight offseason failing to fix holes in the outfield. They have a lot of options, but few good ones. Zimmer was a top prospect before the 2017 season, but struggled in his rookie season. Injuries have prevented him from playing much the past two years, but if he's healthy in spring, he could play his way back on the team.
Detroit Tigers: RHP Matt Manning
The Tigers won't contend this season, but they have some exciting young players in the minors who should be part of the next winning Detroit club. While he was not the No. 1 overall pick like Casey Mize, Manning might have surpassed Mize as a pitching prospect. The 6-foot-6 righty should be ready for the majors at some point this season, but his spring should be monitored to see just how big of a jump Manning is ready for.
Houston Astros: RHP Jared Hughes
In 2017 and 2018, Hughes was a ground ball-inducing dynamo with the Brewers and Reds, giving up only eight homers in 138⅓ innings with a 64% ground ball rate. In 2019, he gave up 13 homers and was below replacement level for the Phillies and Reds. If he can get that sinker working again and keep the ball in the park, he might be an effective reliever for Houston.
Kansas City Royals: Stephen Woods
In the Rule 5 draft, the Royals picked a pitcher who has yet to pitch above A-ball but needs him to stick in the big leagues all year to keep him. Woods has a fun curveball, but he'll need more than that for Kansas City to roster him all season. He might end up back with the Rays before spring is out.
Los Angeles Angels: OF Jo Adell
The question on Adell isn't if he'll be called up, but when. The outfield has an opening for Adell as soon as he's ready with journeyman Brian Goodwin currently projected for the starting lineup. One of the top five prospects in all of baseball, Adell struggled a little on promotion to Triple-A last year, but if he proves those struggles are behind him in spring, the Angels might decide that they need him right away.
Minnesota Twins: RHP Jhoulys Chacin
Chacin went from top playoff starter in Milwaukee at the end of 2018 to the waiver wire last season. He'll look to regain what made him successful in Milwaukee this spring for the Twins, and with Rich Hill and Michael Pineda unable to start the season with the club, there is an opening for a fifth starter.
New York Yankees: 3B Miguel Andujar
After a promising 2018 season, Andujar played in only 12 games in 2019 because of shoulder surgery and saw his replacements excel in his absence. This year, Andujar is going to have to be a little more versatile in trying to get playing time at third base, first base and the outfield as well as designated hitter. If he can't find a way to break into the lineup, the once-top prospect might find himself dealt to another organization.
Oakland Athletics: INF Jorge Mateo
Mateo looks like the odd man out in the battle for time at second base with fellow youngster Franklin Barreto beating him to the majors. The club also added Tony Kemp and has Sheldon Neuse as well, but Mateo is out of options and needs to make the club, pass through waivers or end up with another organization. After a disastrous 2018 season, Mateo hit better in 2019 while repeating Triple-A. The toolsy 24-year-old needs to take another step up to earn playing time in the majors.
Seattle Mariners: RHP Taijuan Walker
After one good season followed by a total of 14 innings across the next two seasons in Arizona, Walker is headed back to Seattle where he made his debut just after his 21st birthday in 2013. Walker had only one appearance last season and it wasn't enough to make the Diamondbacks offer him arbitration, but with Seattle rebuilding, he should get every opportunity to show that his injuries are behind him.
Tampa Bay Rays: RHP Brent Honeywell Jr.
Honeywell struck out five batters in five shutout innings in his Triple-A finale in September 2017 and he hasn't pitched in a game since. He missed 2018 after Tommy John surgery and then fractured a bone in rehab a year ago that caused him to miss 2019 as well. He was one of the best prospects in the game two years ago, and his stuff returning would be great news for a Rays' team looking to get back to the playoffs and potentially challenge the Yankees for the division.
Bird never seemed to find his spot with the Yankees after posting great numbers in his 2015 debut. He was often injured, and even when he did make his way into the lineup, he hit at a below-average rate. He'll get a new opportunity to show he has something left on a Rangers team that could use a little more talent in the lineup.
Toronto Blue Jays: INF Joe Panik
The former Giant was an average player as recently as 2017 and played pretty well for the Mets down the stretch last season. He always has made a ton of contact with a 9% career strikeout rate, and his below-average power from the left side was made even worse by playing his home games in San Francisco. He's still only 29 years old and might have enough to offer Toronto to make the team.