Today I wanted to highlight five players I’ll be monitoring in spring training, with a focus on guys who aren’t currently being selected in most drafts. These are players that I don’t plan on drafting, but that I’m interested in this spring, for one reason or another. Mainly, I wanted to highlight guys who have very little stock now but could become hot names with the right spring showing. Enjoy, and let me know in the comments what you think and which guys you have on your own lists!

Matt Mervis, 1B, Chicago Cubs

Why: Because I want him to make the team

For those who don’t know, Matt Mervis made major waves last season after hitting .309 with 36 (!!) home runs across the 3 highest levels of the minors. His previous highs in HRs were 9 the season before, and 6 in 2019 at Duke. Mervis was one of those talented-but-unfortunate players in the 2020 MLB draft who didn’t make the 5-round cutoff, but rather signed after the draft as a UDFA. Therefore most of the general public doesn’t know how much the Cubs valued him. Would they have taken him round 6, or round 36? We’ll never know, and the “maximum” $20,000 allotment that he signed for isn’t much of an indicator at all.

Mervis finished last season with a .984 OPS and 78 extra-base hits. It’s important to add that in addition to his power numbers, his OBP of .379 was encouraging, and his 18.5 K percentage wasn’t awful either.  He showed more than just a HR-or-bust approach to his game. He was fairly patient, got his share of non-XBHs, and drew some walks as well. A fairly complete approach that will need to round itself out a bit at the next level. And for the record, while I do think he has a couple of things to clean up with his swing; he has a nice fluid motion, he generates great bat speed, and he tracks the ball very well.

It’s also VERY important to highlight the fact that Mervis was a pitcher for much of his time at Duke! The hitting is/was largely untapped. It’s feasible to think that perhaps he was always this talented as a hitter, he just never got the chance to show it until recently. Mervis is still fairly under-the-radar, though he did recently crack the Baseball Prospectus top-100 list at #88. His NFBC ADP sits at 292 right now but in most drafts, he’s likely to go untouched.

So what’s stopping the excitement? Right now the Cubs have a couple of experienced options at first base. Namely Eric Hosmer and Trey Mancini. Mancini figures to fit in as a DH and OF, with Hosmer the likely starter at 1B. IF Mervis were to have an everyday job, his power bat at Wrigley field would make him a very exciting lottery-ticket type. A great stash with high upside, or a fun waiver pickup worth a chance. However, he’ll need to make the team first (not a guarantee), and then beat out Hosmer for everyday reps (very doable but also not a guarantee). Regardless, Matt Mervis is very much worth your attention and certainly a name to follow this spring. If he holds his own, he’ll break camp with the Cubs.

Logan O’Hoppe, C, LA Angels

Why: To see if he can run away with the starting catcher job

You should already have Logan O’Hoppe on your watch lists. But if he’s indeed the Angels’ opening day catcher (which is looking good), then he needs to be front and center on your radar. O’Hoppe, a major beneficiary of the 2020 alternate-site reps, turned some heads with a nice 2021 showing both offensively and defensively. But this year in AA he became a top prospect in baseball with his .283/.416/.544 slash line, .961 OPS, 26 home runs, and nearly 1:1 K/BB ratio. All with continued defensive success. He was traded by Philly and now finds himself battling Max Stassi for a starting role, rather than JT Realmuto.

I actually saw O’Hoppe play a few games in-person in 2022, and he left a strong impression right away. His approach, swing, and even presence in the box all felt major-league. He makes very hard contact when he connects and his fast hands lead a very smooth swing, allowing him to mash pitches inside and in the upper third of the zone. O’Hoppe is now a consensus top-100 prospect, but it doesn’t really matter because his time is quickly approaching. After getting to skip AAA last year, O’Hoppe debuted for 5 games in 2022 and is well in the running for the opening day catcher job in Anaheim.

O’Hoppe significantly improved his approach in 2022, leading to his offensive outburst. He hit for power, collecting 26 home runs along the way, all while maintaining an elite level of plate discipline. Being able to put the two together is what led to his rise and eventual promotion. In said promotion, O’Hoppe put together a .286/.375/.286 slash line through 16 plate appearances. Obviously, not much to go off of there. The important thing though is that he finds himself in a very winnable 1-v-1 battle for the opening day starting spot.

So what can we expect if he does win the job? It’s difficult to say. But one of the top catching prospects in baseball, who’s red-hot and has some major league seasoning, playing in a strong offense… that’s intriguing. If O’Hoppe does win the starting job, I love his draft value for deeper leagues and especially 2-catcher leagues. In shallower leagues, I love the idea of taking him with your last pick if you aren’t confident in your starting catcher. He’d even be great trade bait if both he and your starting catcher panned out. O’Hoppe can be drafted basically for free right now. But his upside constitutes some of the best value in the draft. Again though, we have to see if he can win that starting job. This is subtly a very large storyline in spring training.

Ryne Nelson, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks

Why: To see if he can lock up a rotation spot

Ryne Nelson did a bit of everything at the University of Oregon. He was a reliever, a closer, and even a middle infielder for a little while. But he was drafted in the 2nd round, obviously, to be a starter. Through 271 minor league innings he produced a 4.28 ERA, weighed down by his 5.43 ERA in AAA ball, which was his only unimpressive stop throughout the minors. Nelson had looked great otherwise though, and his 317 strikeouts to 97 walks were a great sign. He impressed enough to crack the top 100 in the Baseball America prospect rankings and was a consensus top-10 prospect in a pretty talented Diamondbacks system.

Despite the less-than-impressive AAA numbers, Nelson earned a late-season call in 2022. There, he pitched very well in 3 difficult matchups; against the Padres, Dodgers, and Padres again. In his 18.1 Major League innings, Nelson racked up a tremendous stat line with a 1.47 ERA, .82 WHIP, and a 16-6 K-BB ratio. He ended the year being owned in about 8 percent of leagues, and most of this ownership is likely in deep leagues and dynasties. Though, he had value as a short-term streamer option in some more shallow fantasy formats.

Nelson has a 4-pitch mix of fastball, curveball, slider, and changeup. But it’s the 4-seamer that really stands out. Nelson’s fastball averaged about 95mph in his three major league starts, and any scouting report will tell you exactly what you want to hear: it’s explosive and has a lot of carry. While the spin rate isn’t anything special; his over-the-top throwing motion, tremendous whipping action, great extension, and high active spin makes the fastball jump out of his hand. A 4-seamer possessing all of these traits, at 95mph, is a dangerous offering. As far as results go; his 9.7 percent SwStr rate, 27.3 percent CSW, and .217 wOBA were all above average and were very encouraging signs for a rookie. Especially on such high usage. The pitch not only missed bats fairly well, but it generated weak outcomes when it was touched.

The curveball is his most trusted secondary and boasts nice vertical movement to pair with the fastball. But the slider he’s been working on is very intriguing. The pitch has a tremendous multi-planar movement profile and looked great for a work-in-progress. I’ll be closely watching his spring training action to see if either of these two secondaries can be trusted as a go-to #2 pitch. If he can find confidence in one or both of these pitches, he’ll have a lot more to work with. My money is on the slider. His changeup is also something we’re going to need to see more of in order to round out his arsenal. One more thing to watch.

Nelson was mostly awesome in his three starts last season and has the pedigree/talent to make waves if he gets a chance. With Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelley, and Madison Bumgarner locked into the rotation, two spots are up for grabs. Nelson, Zach Davies, Tommy Henry, and the player I’ll talk about below will be battling for those spots. Don’t sleep on Nelson. Because in the case that he does get a starting spot, he’s got more than enough ability to work with. There’s some real upside here. If Nelson can earn a starting rotation spot out of camp, I think he’s very worthy of a late-round flier.

Drey Jameson, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks

Why: Because if Ryne Nelson doesn’t get a rotation spot, I hope Jameson does

Drey Jameson and Ryne Nelson are an important pair to highlight in tandem. It’s basically a lock that one of them gets a starting rotation spot. But there’s also a real chance that they’re pitted against each other for one spot. I’m much more familiar with Nelson and a much bigger fan of his stuff, but Jameson has a ton of talent as well. Both are similarly regarded, and many people are actually bigger fans of Jameson. Both are top-10 prospects in the Diamondbacks system, and Jameson is a former 1st-round pick who also had a taste of the majors last year. So what makes Drey Jameson an upside pitcher worthy of a rotation spot?

Jameson actually struggled quite a bit throughout his time in the minors, with a collective 5.29 ERA and 1.4 WHIP. His up-and-down performance was highlighted by some positives though. First, he continued to strike batters out effectively with 277 strikeouts in his last 240 innings. Second, as time went on in the minors he ironed out his command with all four of his pitches (4S, slider, curve, changeup), and showed that all four will play at the next level. Third, he added a highly effective sinker with a great movement profile as his 5th pitch.

Jameson’s best trait is his explosive arm. While he isn’t necessarily a high-spin rate guy, his fastball averages 96 mph and has some solid rise, making it a strong offering. Certainly a fastball that should play well in the upper third of the zone. In 4 MLB starts last season, Jameson put together a 1.48 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts through 24.1 innings. His 4-seamer, sinker, and slider all played at a very high level. The 4-seamer in particular had a solid .289 wOBA and 10.2 percent SwStr rate. He was awesome in these 4 starts, and anyone who streamed him got their money’s worth.

To be quite honest -again- I’m not as high on Jameson as I am on Nelson. But I definitely can see why so many people are excited. The 4-seamer and overall well-rounded arsenal give him the potential to make an instant impact. One or both of these young arms will earn a rotation spot and pitch in front of a great defense, with the opportunity to get as many innings as their arm will allow. I know that run support and wins may be an issue, but Jameson and Nelson are both extremely talented. For me, Jameson is in a similar boat to Nelson. If he can earn a starting rotation spot, he’s worthy of a late-round flier. And if a draft pick isn’t feasible, I’d consider picking him up after his first start of the year, which will come on the road against either the Dodgers or the Padres.

Mike Soroka, SP, Atlanta Braves

Why: To see if he can head into the season fully healthy

Mike Soroka, 25, has not pitched in the MLB since 2020. After a dominant breakout campaign in 2019, Soroka dealt with a myriad of Achilles issues that are still having lingering effects. He got some minor league action in 2022 but is already set back this spring with a hamstring issue. While he was expected to battle Ian Anderson for the Braves’ 5th rotation spot this spring, his setback will make it difficult to open as a member of the starting rotation. So why is Soroka still worth our attention this spring? Because even if/when he’s left out of the rotation to start the season, he’ll be back. So long as he’s healthy. He’s been too good not to start games, so he will once he’s ready.

For those who may not remember, Soroka absolutely cruised through the minors with a 3.00 ERA and 1.08 WHIP through a 395-inning sample size. Then a consensus top prospect, he debuted in 2018 and got his first full season in 2019. In his 174.2 major-league innings, he had an incredible 2.68 ERA, 53 percent groundball rate, and 5.8 percent walk rate. Soroka was a machine and thrived by living in and (just) around the strike zone with elite command. He was able to pound the lower third/corners of the strike zone to force groundouts, all while getting chases on stuff outside the zone. That’s a recipe for success.

While his slider and sinker both have elite movement profiles, none of his pitches are exceedingly fast. He relies far more on movement and command than he does velocity, which bodes well for his ramp-up. While an Achilles tear is no joke, the fact that it wasn’t an arm injury should mean that he’ll be full-go once he’s healthy. But again, health remains the question. It would be very simple if Soroka had an injury designation, but he doesn’t, so he can’t be easily stashed. This is why we need to pay close attention to his spring showing.

How you handle Soroka depends entirely on your league size and format. I don’t believe that he’ll start the season with a rotation spot. But I do believe that if he’s fully healthy by opening day, he’ll have a rotation spot within 1-2 months. No disrespect toward Ian Anderson, but Soroka is simply too good when he plays. While it’s hard to talk strategy with Soroka at the moment, let this be a reminder. DO NOT forget about him. Once he’s 100 percent, his playing-time status needs to be a top focus in all leagues where he’s still available.

Lastly

We’re rolling out quite a bit of new fantasy baseball content as draft season approaches. I’ll have the rest of my value locks series out shortly. But in the meantime, check out my last piece looking at value in the form of Jose Abreu. Make sure to check out the rest of our fantasy sports and fantasy baseball content here. And feel free to give me a Twitter follow as well!