MLB Spring Training Notebook - Injuries, Risers, and Fallers (3/9/20)

Steve Janik breaks down MLB's most recent spring training news, notes, risers, injuries and position battles for 2020 fantasy baseball drafts, as of 3/9/20.

Welcome to the Spring Training Notebook for March 9, 2020, where we'll dive into a few of the bigger stories around Major League Baseball's Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues.

As we head through the thick of Spring Training 2020, players are starting to separate themselves in the eyes of their organizations with hopes of making the big league club for Opening Day later this month. It's important to monitor every team's situation as it's possible for a player's performance to slide under the radar, whether it's good or bad.

Every couple of days, I'll be back to break down some of the league's stories, news, and notes. I'll cover everything from risers to position battles to the latest injury news that could affect how you draft your fantasy roster. Think of this as a one-stop shop for 2020 spring training information with a fantasy twist.

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Spring Training Risers

• Oakland Athletics pitcher Jesus Luzardo struck out eight over 3 1/3 innings on Saturday. It was an impressive showing for the 22-year-old rookie who has his spot safe on the A's rotation to start the year. He's been a riser through the early part of fantasy draft season, but if he can churn out appearances similar to Saturday in the regular season, his 23rd-round ADP could be one of the steals of 2020.
• St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong has been hitting the cover off the ball this spring with four homers and eight runs batted in. The 26-year-old is coming off a career year where he smacked 30 home runs and scored 97 runs but is somehow still just the 24th-ranked shortstop in our rankings. It's a deep position for fantasy this year, but DeJong seems to be locked in early and if his play carries into the season, he could provide league-winning late-round value.
• Pittsburgh Pirates catcher John Ryan Murphy is making a strong case for the Opening Day roster this spring. His three homers lead all backstops, but they're also his only three hits in 16 at-bats. Even if the 28-year-old lands on the roster, it will be as the backup to Jacob Stallings but Murphy could play his way into regular playing time if he continues to drive the ball. Either way, this is a minimal impact player for fantasy purposes but it's interesting to watch a player fight his way onto a roster and potentially earn some more playing time.

Cause For Concern

• Kansas City Royals outfielder Jorge Soler has two hits this spring, two home runs, in 24 at-bats. He's also had his ticket punched 13 times, which isn't out of the ordinary for Soler who has a career 28 K%. However, after having a huge breakout in 2019 with 48 home runs and 117 runs batted in, it would be nice to see some consistency from the 28-year-old. Ranked 26th in the RotoBaller rankings, Soler will be a popular mid-round outfield pick, but don't be surprised if a slow start hampers his profile.
• Cleveland Indians outfielder Domingo Santana is just 4-for-23 with three runs batted in and 10 strikeouts this spring. The 27-year-old signed with Cleveland this offseason and lines up to be the starting left fielder this season but he's not off to a hot start. He's on his third team in three years and had a solid 2019 season, but he's going largely undrafted in mixed leagues and unless he picks it up in the final three weeks of camp, that won't and shouldn't change.
• New York Mets first baseman Peter Alonso has big expectations after an incredible rookie season where he hit 53 home runs and drove in 120 runs. However, this spring he's 6-for-31 with one double and no home runs, and just two RBI. It's the smallest of sample sizes and it's definitely nothing to be concerned about, but it very well could make you question whether he can even get near the production he had as a rookie. He's the third-ranked first baseman by RotoBaller's accord and a third-round price tag means he needs similar production to make your investment worthwhile.

Guys On The Shelf

• New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez (back) sat out of batting practice on Saturday but it doesn't seem to be anything serious and the team doesn't expect him to miss any time. For someone who hasn't played in more than 122 games in any one of his four major league seasons, it's something to keep at the top of your brain. Regardless, he's a top fantasy option at the catcher position and this shouldn't deter you from thinking differently.
• Baltimore Orioles first baseman/outfielder Trey Mancini (illness) is going to miss some time due to a non-baseball related surgery. The team was hush-hush about details, respecting Mancini's privacy which only muddies the water surrounding this surgery. Hopefully, it's nothing too serious for the 27-year-old, but you should certainly consider this at least a minor red flag. He hit 35 homers and drove in 97 runs a season ago and is still somehow just a 10th-round pick with multi-position eligibility. This could change things.
• New York Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton (calf) ran on a treadmill for the first time since aggravating the injury earlier this spring. He's still expected to miss Opening Day, which will put yet another hole in the Yankees lineup to begin the season but the team expects him to be ready for April.
• Los Angeles Angels pitcher Griffin Canning (elbow) officially will be shut down for about a month. He's going to get a shot in his elbow to hopefully help heal the soreness in his right elbow, but there's no telling if it will be the answer. He was a popular sleeper this draft season but this news will likely leave him undrafted in most mixed leagues, and with Tommy John potentially still on the table, it's best to stay away until more is known.
• Oakland Athletics pitcher A.J. Puk (shoulder) doesn't have any structural damage in his throwing arm and could possibly begin throwing in a few weeks, but manager Bob Melvin confirms there is no set timetable for the 24-year-old to begin throwing again. A popular young prospect who many fantasy owners were clamoring over late in drafts, it sounds like he'll just wind up being a very popular waiver pick after the season begins.

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