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With camps open and the first exhibition games just a few days away, it's a good time to spotlight players with big opportunities to win jobs and impress their organizations over the next six weeks.  Catcher Kyle Teel (above) was the best of the prospects the Red Sox sent to the White Sox for Garrett Crochet.  When I saw him last June with AA Portland, he was tearing the cover off the ball -- leading to his promotion to AAA Worcester in July.  Now the New Jersey native and U of Virginia product gets the chance to start for the team that wants a clean start after a disastrous 121-loss season in 2024.

(Below:) Roman Anthony, Teel's Portland teammate a year ago, was labeled untouchable during the trade season.  Now, rated the #1 prospect across baseball, the power-hitting outfielder could make his Fenway sometime this summer. 

Mike Brosseau spent all of 2024 in the minors, belting five previous years of big league experience to Syracuse after taking over for Ji Man Choi as the veteran middle of the order bat.  When the Mets chose not to add him to their 40 man roster, he moved onto the Padres, where he'll try and fill a spot on their bench.

Taylor Trammell is in Astros camp, trying to win a job for the club that traded away Kyle Tucker in one of the winter's biggest trades.  The Reds 1st round pick in 2016 never lived up to expectations and saw his most recent big league action with the Yankees -- who parked him with their Scranton farm club most of 2024.

Yoan Moncada is looking for a fresh start with the Angels -- where after signing a one-year free agent deal, he's become the leading candidate to replace perpetually injured Anthony Rendon at 3rd base.  A Cuban expat wasn't exactly the picture of health last season -- he played just 12 games for the White Sox in his walk year.

After seeing his first substantial big league action last summer, Spencer Horwitz was traded twice over the winter.  Hoping to establish himself as the Pirates new 1st baseman, his plans are probably on hold until May after undergoing surgery on his right wrist.



 

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