Over the past several weeks, we've written about some of the notable spring training job battles across baseball, with Ryan Boyer covering the American League and Erik Siegrist handling the National League. Many of those battles have been decided, so it's time to provide an update with the biggest winners and losers.
American League Job Battle Winners
McGonigle Cracks Opening Day Roster
At the beginning of spring training, the Tigers left open the possibility that Kevin McGonigle could earn a spot on their Opening Day roster. By the end of camp, the top prospect had left little doubt that he was ready.
The Tigers officially informed McGonigle on Tuesday that he had cracked the Opening Day roster following a stellar Grapefruit League showing. The 21-year-old slashed .250/.411/.477 across 56 plate appearances this spring, adding two home runs as well as a pair of stolen bases. He had more walks (11) than strikeouts (nine).
McGonigle is widely viewed as having one of if not the best hit tool of any prospect, and he has power and speed, as well. Injuries limited him to 88 games across three levels in the minors last season, but he slashed .305/.408/.583 with 19 home runs and 10 stolen bases in those contests. If there were any doubts with the youngster, they were related to his defense, but he answered those questions emphatically, with manager A.J. Hinch saying McGonigle was "really impressive with the details of his first step, his pre-pitch, completing plays."
Most of McGonigle's
Over the past several weeks, we've written about some of the notable spring training job battles across baseball, with Ryan Boyer covering the American League and Erik Siegrist handling the National League. Many of those battles have been decided, so it's time to provide an update with the biggest winners and losers.
American League Job Battle Winners
McGonigle Cracks Opening Day Roster
At the beginning of spring training, the Tigers left open the possibility that Kevin McGonigle could earn a spot on their Opening Day roster. By the end of camp, the top prospect had left little doubt that he was ready.
The Tigers officially informed McGonigle on Tuesday that he had cracked the Opening Day roster following a stellar Grapefruit League showing. The 21-year-old slashed .250/.411/.477 across 56 plate appearances this spring, adding two home runs as well as a pair of stolen bases. He had more walks (11) than strikeouts (nine).
McGonigle is widely viewed as having one of if not the best hit tool of any prospect, and he has power and speed, as well. Injuries limited him to 88 games across three levels in the minors last season, but he slashed .305/.408/.583 with 19 home runs and 10 stolen bases in those contests. If there were any doubts with the youngster, they were related to his defense, but he answered those questions emphatically, with manager A.J. Hinch saying McGonigle was "really impressive with the details of his first step, his pre-pitch, completing plays."
Most of McGonigle's playing time is expected to come at shortstop, which will push Javier Baez into the outfield more often. The rookie will also see action at second base and third base, creating a path to triple eligibility in fantasy leagues. It's difficult to project any 21-year-old to hit the ground running at the major-league level, so McGonigle is sure to deal with some ups and downs. That said, it's a skill set that's built for immediate success.
Early Wins Rotation Spot Over Oviedo
The Red Sox stocked up on rotation depth this offseason, which had seemingly pointed toward top prospects Payton Tolle and Connelly Early beginning the season in the minors. Early had other plans.
Boston announced Tuesday that Early had won the final spot in the rotation and will make his season debut Sunday in Cincinnati. The declaration was made after the southpaw collected a 1.59 ERA and 16:5 K:BB over 17 innings during Grapefruit League action.
Of course, Early's stellar run at the end of last season played a part in the Red Sox' decision as well. The left-hander made four regular-season starts in September for Boston, putting up a 2.33 ERA and 29:4 K:BB across 19.1 frames. That was good enough to earn him a start in the Wild Card Series against the Yankees, and he sported a 6:1 K:BB in 3.2 innings, though he was charged with four runs (three earned) due to a rough final inning and some shaky defense behind him. Between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester in 2025, Early put up a 2.60 ERA and 132:40 K:BB over 100.1 innings.
Tolle will begin the year at Worcester, while Johan Oviedo will start the season in the big-league bullpen. Oviedo pitched well in his first four starts this spring, but in his final outing he was touched up for six runs over 3.1 frames while sporting diminished velocity. Oviedo had been considered the heavy favorite to capture the No. 5 spot in the rotation, so that last start might have pushed Boston in Early's direction. The plan is for Early to receive at least two starts (he's lined up to face the Padres at home during the first full week of the season) before the club reassesses its rotation.
Mayer Named Boston's Second Baseman
The Red Sox also had a position-player battle to sort out, and they again went with a talented youngster.
Manager Alex Cora said multiple times this spring that Marcelo Mayer would not be handed a starting job. Perhaps Cora just wanted to make sure Mayer was healthy after his season ended last August due to wrist surgery, or maybe he just wanted to keep a fire lit under the 23-year-old. Either way, the second-base competition ended in Mayer's favor, with Cora noting over the weekend that Mayer would be covering the keystone for Boston on Opening Day.
Mayer's first go-round at the big-league level didn't go as swimmingly as Early's. He sported a .228/.272/.402 batting line with four homers in 44 contests and struck out at a 30.1 percent clip. Mayer also hit only .194/.341/.278 this spring, though an 8:8 BB:K offered some encouragement. Additionally, the infielder's 51.7 percent hard-hit rate and 9.2 percent barrel rate during his time with the big club last season pointed to more promise than the bottom-line results.
Mayer's biggest presumed competitor for the second-base job was Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who will operate in his familiar utility infielder role. However, seemingly the biggest decision the Red Sox really had to make with Mayer was simply whether he would play second base or third base. The club chose the former, with offseason trade acquisition Caleb Durbin set to handle the latter.
Mayer has had durability issues throughout his pro career and at present looks more like a well-rounded, high-floor guy than an upside option. It makes him something less than a must-own in redraft formats, but stashing him on your bench isn't the worst idea.
Abel Leap-Frogs Matthews for Slot in Minnesota Rotation
When I first wrote up AL Central job battles last month, my initial read on the Twins' rotation was that Zebby Matthews was close to a lock and Mick Abel and Taj Bradley would duke it out for the final spot. Mea culpa.
Matthews was optioned to Triple-A St. Paul last week after an underwhelming Grapefruit League showing that saw him post a 5.73 ERA and 9:4 K:BB over 11 innings. It's too soon to give up on Matthews, who boasts a career 24.7 percent strikeout rate and 6.6 percent walk rate in 25 starts at the major-league level. However, in hindsight I probably placed too much faith in the job status of a guy with a career 5.92 ERA.
Abel simply wouldn't be denied a job with how he performed this spring, as he finished with a 2.00 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 23:3 K:BB over 18 innings covering five starts. The 4.5 percent walk rate was particularly encouraging, as Abel has a career walk rate of 12.7 percent in the minors and a 9.2 percent rate in his 39 major-league innings in 2025. Bradley will also open the season in the Twins' rotation after collecting a 4.67 ERA and 23:7 K:BB over 17.1 frames during Grapefruit League action.
My hunch is that all three of these guys will wind up making lots of starts for Minnesota this season. Bailey Ober seems like a ticking time bomb, if the bomb hasn't gone off already, and Joe Ryan is a good bet to be traded at some point.
Messick Beats out Allen for Rotation Spot
Parker Messick came into Guardians camp without a locked-in spot in the rotation, his 2.72 ERA and 38:6 K:BB over 39.2 innings last season be damned. Last week, though, Cleveland ended the speculation by announcing that the southpaw would indeed head north as a member of the starting five.
Messick offered a mixed bag during spring training, collecting a 3.60 ERA and 1.13 WHIP but with just 11 strikeouts and four home runs allowed across 15 innings of work. However, those stats are much more appetizing when compared to Logan Allen's 18.00 ERA and 9:8 K:BB covering 10 frames. Allen was optioned to Triple-A Columbus last week.
The ERA indicators mostly believed in what Messick did last season, as he registered a 3.06 xERA, 2.98 FIP and 3.43 SIERA. The 2026 projection systems are less enthusiastic, with only ZiPS giving him a sub-4.00 ERA (and it's 3.98). Messick fits the crafty lefty mold more than being a big stuff guy, and he benefitted greatly from an 86.2 percent LOB rate in 2025. It's also difficult to buy him posting a sub-30 percent hard-hit rate again in 2026. I would not rule out the Guardians continuing to squeeze the most out of Messick's ability, but don't overinvest here.
National League Job Battle Winners
The Benge Era Begins in Queens
When the Mets failed to land Kyle Tucker in free agency this winter, Plan B for right field was to give top prospect Carson Benge a long look in camp. The 23-year-old didn't disappoint, slashing .366/.435/.439 over 46 Grapefruit League plate appearances, and while he did receive a stiff challenge from Mike Tauchman, the veteran broke down at the end of spring training with a knee injury, clearing the path for Benge to be in the Opening Day starting lineup.
The 19th overall pick in the 2024 First-Year Player Draft, Benge had been a two-way player in college, but unlike fellow Mets prospect Nolan McLean, he was viewed as a better hitting prospect than a pitcher. Benge proved that evaluation correct in his first full season as a pro, tearing through three levels of the minors in 2025, and despite a late fade at Triple-A he compiled a .282/.389/.467 line with 14 home runs and 24 steals in 116 games.
Benge could struggle against same-handed pitching out of the gate, but his work ethic and maturity supplement a set of tools that has no apparent weak spots, including a big-time arm in right field as a relic of his pitching days. He could contribute in all five roto categories as a rookie, and that applies whether you play in a league that uses batting average or one that has switched to OBP.
Nunez Adds Speed At Keystone For Nats
The Nationals cleaned house on their organization after last season, and the impact is already beginning to show on the field. New manager Blake Butera and new president of baseball operations Paul Toboni are willing to try new things, and that apparently includes shifting the defensively challenged Luis Garcia from second base to first base, opening the door for Nasim Nunez to get significant playing time at the keystone.
Nunez, a Rule 5 pick out of the Marlins' system back in 2023, is a 25-year-old switch hitter who doesn't offer much in the way of power, but he has speed to burn. He posted a 98th percentile sprint speed in 2025, and he's gone 17-for-20 on steal attempts over 90 career big-league games. Spring training was more of the same, as Nunez went 7-for-7 on the basepaths in Grapefruit League action this year, and perhaps most encouragingly he came through with a 12:12 BB:K in 51 plate appearances. Strong plate discipline was one of the things that caught Washington's eye when they plucked him from Miami; over 125 games at Double-A in 2023, he produced an 87:107 BB:K while swiping 52 bags in 59 attempts.
Garcia will still get occasional action at second base, but the Nats seem willing to find out what Nunez can do with consistent playing time, something he has yet to see in his career. With our colleague Jason Collette noting that Butera let his team run this spring just as much as it did in 2025 under Dave Martinez, when the Nationals wound up finishing 10th in the majors in stolen bases, Nunez could wind up as the NL equivalent of two-time AL steals champ Jose Caballero, moving the needle in a vital category at a bargain price.
Phillies Spruce Up Rotation With Painter
Prospect hounds have been waiting a long time for this day. Three years after bursting onto the scene as a precocious 19-year-old with filthy stuff, Andrew Painter is finally in line to make his big-league debut after claiming a spot in the Phillies' Opening Day rotation. Now 22 years old, the right-hander is still trying to regain his elite arsenal after Tommy John surgery in July 2023, but he may be turning the corner.
Over 11.2 innings this spring, Painter delivered a 2.31 ERA and 0.77 WHIP, but his 8:2 K:BB was far from dominant. In his most recent Grapefruit League start March 18, however, he blanked most of Atlanta's starting nine over four innings while touching 96.9 mph with his four-seam fastball and holding his velocity in the 95-96 mph range in his final inning, getting whiffs on four of his 11 sliders and also deploying a sweeper, curveball and changeup. Prior to his elbow injury, Painter had shown the potential to be a workhorse, and while the Phillies won't push him too hard in 2026, he threw 118 innings last season while struggling to regain his control and command.
Zach Wheeler is 35 and will begin the season on the IL due to shoulder trouble, while 32-year-old Aaron Nola is coming off the worst season of his career. Getting Painter back on track and ready to step in at the team's next ace could be the most important development for Philadelphia this season, regardless of how they do in the standings.
Arizona Brings Back Familiar Face For Ninth in Sewald
Coming into spring training, the back end of the Diamondbacks' bullpen was a mess. Justin Martinez, who emerged as a dominant high-leverage option in 2024, dealt with multiple arm issues in 2025 before undergoing Tommy John surgery, and he may not pitch in the majors this year. A.J. Puk, who broke out as well in 2024, also broke down in 2025 and won't be back on a mound until after the All-Star break. That left Arizona with no clear option for the ninth inning other than guys like Kevin Ginkel, who has squandered multiple prior opportunities to close, and junkballing setup man Ryan Thompson.
The solution may have come in the form of a reunion. Signed to a one-year deal in February for barely above league minimum, Paul Sewald returned to a club that he racked up 29 saves for in 2023-24 before trying his luck in free agency and faltering badly between the Guardians and Tigers in 2025, thanks in large part to diminished fastball velocity. The 35-year-old right-hander went to Driveline over the winter to find his lost heat, and he's been able to get his four-seamer back into the 92 mph range after seeing it fall to 90.5 mph last year.
With that little bit of extra separation between his fastball and his sweeper, as well as the lack of competition, Sewald heads into Opening Day as the presumptive closer for the Diamondbacks, although manager Torey Lovullo has so far declined to make that official. Confirmation may not come until the team has its first late lead to protect, but Sewald could end up being one of the better bargain save sources in the league this season.
Sproat Could Be Next Brewer Breakout
Acquired from the Mets as part of the haul for Freddy Peralta, Sproat caught fire at Triple-A Syracuse last summer as he reeled off a 2.44 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 70:21 K:BB over 59 innings before making his big-league debut in September. While his 4.79 ERA over four MLB starts doesn't look impressive, the right-hander didn't allow a homer and produced quality starts in his first two big-league outings.
Featuring a five-pitch arsenal that includes a 95.7 mph sinker/sweeper combo that New York had him leaning on against right-handed hitters while flashing a 96.7 mph four-seamer along with a curve and changeup against lefties, Sproat has the tools to be an innings-eater in the middle of a rotation, but his upside could be much higher. He was showing more velocity this spring, and further tweaks to his pitch mix under the guidance of an organization that knows a thing or two about unlocking a pitcher's potential might lead to more strikeouts and a more dominant profile overall.
Sproat beat out other promising young arms like Logan Henderson and Robert Gasser for a spot in Milwaukee's Opening Day rotation, and while his track record is short, the 2023 second-round pick could be poised to take a big step forward in 2026.
