Spring Training Recap: February 26, 2025

Baseball is in full swing, Spring Training at least! Every day, we will feature the Spring Training recap, breaking down everything you need to know that happened on the field. Unfortunately, rain banged most of the Florida games yesterday, so we will be talking Arizona Spring Training games today!

Spring Training brings a lot of noise, but what is legit and what isn’t? This article should help you out everyday with what the important takeaways are.

February 25 Spring Training Recap

Cam Smith, 3B, Houston Astros

Smith may have just been drafted last summer, but he is already making his presence known in MLB Spring Training. Blasting two home runs on Tuesday, Smith has now reached base in all of his plate appearances this spring. Being the helium prospect that we heard took a massive leap this offseason seems to be true. He looks the part.

If any player “broke out” and improved their stock during the 2024 college season, few did it better than Cam Smith. Smith went from having a questionable hit tool with low contact rates and a pretty high chase to completely reinventing his swing.

The draft-eligible sophomore blasted 16 home runs and added 22 doubles across 66 games with a strong .387/.488/.654 slash line. Smith cut his strikeout rate in half, dropping it from 28.7 percent to 14.9. The walk rate jumped from nine percent up to 13.7 percent.

This was all fueled by improved contact and better swing decisions. Smith saw his overall contact rate jump from a pretty poor (by college standards) 70 percent up to nearly 83 percent. The chase rate also plummeted, going from over 33 percent in 2023 down to just 21 percent this season. The in-zone contact rate was also an impressive 89 percent.

Smith put up one of the most impressive debuts of any 2024 draftee as well. He made contact on 77 percent of pitches overall and 84 percent in-zone. He rarely chases and he put up an impressive 106 mph 90th percentile exit velocity with wood.

Quinn Mathews, LHP, St. Louis Cardinals

Mathews twirled two scoreless innings in his spring debut for the Cardinals, walking one and striking out three. He did allow two hits, but also generated six whiffs over his two innings of work.

The fastball sat 94 mph, which is right around where he was in 2024, and it showed its usual strong traits, having 19 inches of IVB from a 5’8” release height. The slider sat in the mid-80s, and his 81-82 mph changeup devastated hitters with 13 inches of fading action.

From a performance standpoint in 2024, Mathews struck out 202 batters across four levels in 143 innings pitched, lapping the field on his way to the MiLB strikeout crown. The combination of the ability to go deep into games, plus the strikeout stuff, has Mathews on the cusp of pitching in the Cardinals’ rotation.

Max Scherzer, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays

Scherzer looked like his vintage self in his two innings of work as he struck out four batters and generated eight whiffs. He allowed just one hit and run a piece.

His velocities on each pitch were in good spots, considering it is February, and his fastball velocity was even up, which is a huge positive, especially given Scherzer’s age. He generated three whiffs on the fastball, two on his slider, two on the changeup, and one on his curveball.

If Scherzer can stay healthy all season, he should return good value for fantasy managers.

Victor Scott II, OF, St. Louis Cardinals

Scott is looking to grasp an everyday role with the Cardinals and is certainly off to a good start this spring. He tripled and homered on Tuesday, and his hardest-hit ball was a lineout with an xBA of .680. Scott ended the day with batted balls of 105.9, 99.2, and 98.9 mph.

While the outfield situation is still crowded in St. Louis, Scott stands a solid chance to make this team and have an impact, especially with his legs.

Spencer Schwellenbach, RHP, Atlanta Braves

Schwellenbach started off the spring exactly how everyone hoped it would. He tossed two scoreless innings with two strikeouts, and the arsenal was dominant.

His cutter was the most notable, as it showed increased velocity and a strong movement profile. Schwellenbach showed all six pitches and he showed more life on his four-seam fastball than we saw last season.

The ingredients are there. Schwellenbach has the stuff to ascend to be one of the game’s top pitchers.

Jared Jones, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates

I have written a lot about Jared Jones this offseason due to the fact he was seemingly undervalued after being all the hype last spring. In his spring debut, Jones struck out three batters over two scoreless innings with one hit and walk a piece.

Jones debuted his new sinker, which showed good running life, and is a nice compliment to his high-riding four-seam fastball. It also sat between 94-95 mph compared to his 97 mph four-seam.

The strike-throwing is good, and Jones has the pure stuff to significantly outperform his ADP. Expect plenty of innings and good results for Jones in 2025.

Evan Reifert, RHP, Washington Nationals

One of the best relievers in the minors, Reifert was selected fifth overall in the 2024 Rule V draft by the Washington Nationals. Coming off a 41-inning season in Double-A with the Rays, Reifert posted a 1.96 ERA with a 40 percent strikeout rate. Injuries have been the story of Reifert’s pro career, but when healthy, there might not be a better reliever in the minors.

After allowing a run in his first spring outing, Reifert returned to the mound on Tuesday and struck out the side, generating seven whiffs on seven swings.

The slider is the best pitch in the arsenal for Reifert, sitting 84-85 mph with strong traits. It is a pitch that Reifert leads with and relies heavily on, inducing swing and miss at a high rate. Six of his whiffs came on the slider on Tuesday.

Reifert’s fastball sits around 95 mph while having a heavy arm-side run. He throws from a tough slot for hitters to pick up, especially on his slider. Even with just his fastball and slider, Reifert could be a solid reliever for a long time. He could also factor into saves eventually if he works his way up that ladder in the Nationals bullpen.

Ben Casparius, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers

Casparius was a major standout to me in the 2023 Arizona Fall League and continued his progress during the 2024 regular season, working his way to the majors from Double-A. In 88.2 minor league innings, he posted a 3.35 ERA with 106 strikeouts to 46 walks and continually improved as the year progressed. In three MLB games during the regular season, Casparius pitched 8.1 innings, allowing just two runs with 12 strikeouts. He even earned a start in the World Series(as an opener).

Casparius looked sharp on Tuesday, seeing his fastball average three inches more of IVB and sit 97 mph and top at 99 after sitting 95-96 last season. His slider also was up 2.5 mph and naturally showed a bit more carry. Casparius’ cutter added five inches of IVB which is also largely related to throwing it 95 and 96 mph on the two he threw.

How does Casparius fit into the Dodgers puzzle? It could be tough to find a spot. But one thing is for sure, he does not lack the stuff.

Jonathan India, 2B/3B/OF, Kansas City Royals

India has seen time at several different spots in the field, including left field and more recently third base, where he started on Tuesday. India collected two more hits and smoked a single at 109.4 mph. Why is that notable? Well, India does not hit the ball all that hard. He topped at 110.8 mph last year so see a 109.4 this early is an encouraging sign.

If India winds up getting second, third, and outfield eligibility for fantasy purposes, you really have to like his outlook in 2025.

Kumar Rocker, RHP, Texas Rangers

Rocker got rocked on Tuesday, allowing four earned runs across an inning of work. The good news, Spring Training stats don’t matter and Rocker was clearly working on some new things.

What you should take away here is Rocker was experimenting with a new curveball, which showed increased velocity and a completely different shape. The cutter seemed to be a new offering, but it is also possible it was just his slider with a little more carry.

If Rocker combines his elite fastball and slider combo with a new curveball, he could be deadly.

Travis Bazzana, 2B, Cleveland Guardians

Bazzana smoked his first Cactus League home run, launching it 107.6 mph off the bat, and it traveled 443 feet. Yes, the ball travels significantly further in Arizona, but a near 108 from Bazzana in spring is a huge positive.

The pro debut in 2024 left a little to be desired as Bazzana hit just .238 with three home runs in 27 games, but he posted a .369 OBP and had seven doubles. The underlying data was good, and Bazzana made contact on 80 percent of swings with good exit velocities.

I think Bazzana is likely to have a huge year and see time in the Majors by season’s end.

Cooper Pratt, SS, Milwaukee Brewers

Pratt went from sixth-round draft pick in 2023 to all the buzz last season, and for good reason. Pratt has a big, athletic frame at 6’4”/195 lb with a mighty swing. He is a good athlete and moves well for his size, posting solid run times while also showing a good feel for contact. Entering the season as a 19-year-old, many thought Pratt would get to big home run power, but he hit just eight home runs while putting a focus on contact and put together an impressive season between Single-A and High-A.

The power is presently below average, and the 90th percentile exit velocity near 100 mph leaves a lot to be desired. The approach is more contact-oriented, and Pratt sprays the ball to all fields very well. With some bat speed training and a concerted effort to pull more balls in the air, which we did see upon his High-A promotion, Pratt could get to more power.

This is why it was good to see Pratt smoke a 106.5 mph double and have four batted balls north of 92 mph. Pratt could be in for a huge breakout season this year and soar up prospect rankings if he adds power.

Davis Martin, RHP, Chicago White Sox

After adding a kick-changeup down the stretch last season and getting good results, it looks like Martin has another pitch in the arsenal. He debuted a new sinker on Tuesday, which showed 15 inches of horizontal movement and more depth than his four-seam.

The sinker played well during his changeup, though it lacked velocity separation as the changeup sat 87-90 mph and the sinker sat 91-93 mph. The arsenal is the biggest thing of note here. If Martin finds consistency with pitches, he could be in for a big year. He is pretty much a shoo-in for a rotation spot in Chicago as things stand.

Kris Bryant, OF/DH, Colorado Rockies

Bryan mashed a 111.8 mph home run that traveled an impressive 462 feet. Yes, the distance doesn’t matter in Arizona, but here is what does matter. The 111.8 mph exit velocity was his hardest-hit ball of any Spring Training or Regular Season game since 2017. That was the last time he cleared 111.5 mph until Tuesday’s home run.

Can Bryant stay healthy? It would be nice to see after injuries have derailed his career.

Cristopher Sánchez, LHP, Philadelphia Phillies

There was no statcast data for Sánchez’s start on Tuesday, but he was dominant, striking out three batters over two scoreless innings. He generated seven whiffs and allowed just one hit, while not walking a batter.

The notable takeaway here is Sánchez’s fastball was sitting 97-98 mph. Sure, it was just two innings of work, but he averaged 94.5 mph last year, so the jump is notable even if it tails off as he builds up innings.

The other arsenal note is Sánchez’s rumored new pitch is not a cutter, but rather a new-look slider that gets more horizontal movement. He seems primed to take another step forward in 2025, which would likely be in the strikeout department.

Brett Baty, 3B, New York Mets

Baty always seems to pull people in before ultimately breaking their hearts. Let’s hope things are different this spring. Mashing his first home run of the spring and adding a single, Baty now has five hits in his first eight trips to the plate.

Making some slight adjustments to his stance, Baty hopes to lift the ball more, as ground balls have plagued him for his career despite the solid exit velocity data. Can he earn a role with the Mets? Or does a trade find him every day playing time? Keep an eye on Baty this spring.