Minor League notebook: Three players who are opening eyes in early spring
There is a crowd that will tell you that spring training games really don’t matter at all. That guys are telling reporters to just ignore stats and performances from games due to working on things and tweaking existing stuff. That they might just be testing a new pitch or new swing adjustment and to just throw out certain at-bats or innings they appear in.
While that is common knowledge that spring is the time for pitchers to test things out and hitters to get rhythm back, there is an argument about how it really does matter for a majority of players.
Let’s show you an example from Red Sox camp.
Chase Shugart received an NRI from Boston after putting up a 8.22 ERA in Worcester and statistically being one of the worst pitchers on the team last season. His K/9 was the lowest of his career at 7.63 and he gave up 11 home runs in 40 games out of the bullpen. After that roller coaster of a season, the Red Sox still gave him a big league invite to camp.
Think spring training games and results don’t matter to him?
Of course they do, and there are many others out there fighting for their jobs this spring. While it is easy to overreact about spring training performances every year, I wanted to look at a few guys who are coming as advertised with their bats this spring.
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James Wood
It’s hard to miss James Wood when you tune into any Washington Nationals game if he is in the lineup.
Wood measures in at SIX feet six inches and came into spring listed at 234 pounds. It’s easy to see shades of Aaron Judge when the 21-year-old is patrolling and center and right field.
After being selected by the San Diego Padres in the 2022 draft and then being traded to the Nationals in the Juan Soto deal, Wood had a strong first season in Washington’s system between High-A and Double-A.
This spring, the left-handed hitter is 8-16 with 3 HRs and 5 RBIs. It’s hard to not see this stat line and be excited to see him up in the big leagues sooner than later. For a guy with a career .915 OPS in his minor league career, it might just work out for him.
Wyatt Langford
The rich just keep getting richer, huh?
The Texas Rangers are reigning World Series Champions and saw big performances from a few young guys on the team like Josh Jung and Evan Carter.
Well, if you aren’t familiar with Wyatt Langford, you will be sooner than later.
Langford was the 4th overall pick by the Rangers in the 2023 MLB Draft and soared his way through the minor leagues. The Florida product responded so well to professional pitching; the Rangers moved him past every level as he finished the 2023 season in Triple-A. Not bad for getting drafted just a few months earlier.
The 22-year-old is off to a hot start this spring going 6-17 with 3 HRs and 7 RBIs. In 32 games between left and center field in 2023, he hadn’t committed an error in his professional career.
With a glove that looks ready and a bat that put up a ridiculous 1.157 OPS so far, he looks more than ready to help the Rangers defend their title.
Spencer Jones
The Yankees farm system took a major hit with the team acquiring Juan Soto from the Nationals. With Jasson Dominguez the clear-cut top prospect in the system, Spencer Jones now slots as the clear cut number two.
Jones presents a very similar stature as James Wood but has a very speedy game. After stealing 43 bags last season between High-A and Double-A, Jones is proving that his speed could find himself batting leadoff at Yankees Stadium in the near future.
The former first round pick is 5-11 so far this spring with 1 home run and 4 RBIs. While the Vanderbilt product hasn’t absolutely torn the cover off the ball like the previous two on the list, Jones represents a starting caliber outfielder that will eventually join Dominguez in the mix in the next couple of years.
