MLB Spring Training: Early trends and players to watch as Konnor Griffin impresses

With Opening Day now just weeks away, the early days of MLB Spring Training have started to reveal some interesting trends.

Across the Grapefruit League in Florida and the Cactus League in Arizona, teams are using these exhibition games to prepare for the regular season, evaluating players for roster spots and roles.

Spring results don’t necessarily translate into regular season success, but underlying indicators such as strikeout rate, pitch velocity and exit velocity often provide valuable information on which players are heading in the right direction.

Two weeks into camp, a mix of established stars and emerging prospects are already producing numbers worth keeping an eye on.

Aaron Judge (New York Yankees)

Aaron Judge wasted little time making an impact this spring.

The Yankees captain launched two home runs and drove in four runs in a dominant 20-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers in the opening game of preseason.

It was an early reminder of why he earned the nickname “All Rise”, and his power was fully on show with a two-run, 420-foot home run to centre field.

His next few games were quieter at the plate as he managed just one hit across four appearances, but his plate discipline has still been sharp – he has only been struck out twice and had numerous walks.

Judge continues to rank amongst MLB leaders in average exit velocity, with multiple balls exceeding 100mph this spring.

After a dominant 2025 campaign that included 53 home runs, a .331 batting average and a 1.145 OPS, New York’s priority this spring will be keeping the star slugger healthy.

Even in a small sample of spring games, Judge’s contact quality suggests his power remains firmly intact.

Matt McLain (Cincinnati Reds)

Matt McLain has emerged as one of the biggest offensive standouts of the Cactus League so far.

The Reds infielder is now further removed from the shoulder injury that wiped out his entire 2024 season.

Early signs suggest he may be returning to the form that excited Cincinnati fans when he was picked 25th overall in 2018.

Through the opening weeks of spring play, McLain has already produced multiple runs, hitting 8 for 14 whilst posting a 1.933 OPS, leading spring training so far.

It’s early, but he is showing much more authority when driving the ball compared to his rough 2025 campaign in which he hit a .220/.300/.343 slash line.

His approach at the plate has also improved – McLain’s strikeout rate has dropped whilst his walk percentage has increased, strong indicators of better pitch recognition.

If form continues into regular season games, McLain’s combination of power and on-base ability could make him one of Cincinnati’s most important hitters this season.

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Kevin McGonigle (Detroit Tigers)

Whilst many spring storylines focus on established major leaguers, Tigers prospect Kevin McGonigle has generated a lot of attention in Detroit’s camp.

The 2023 first-round pick is cementing his name as one of the best young hitters in baseball thanks to his elite plate discipline and contact ability.

It has been a standout Spring Training for the 21-year-old, with six hits and two walks in 17 plate appearances – producing a .400 average, .471 OBP and 1.138 OPS.

He posted strong walk rates and low strikeout totals throughout his time in the minors, making him one of the team’s most intriguing young batters.

As we turn to the regular season, it will be on many people’s minds as to whether the consensus MLB No.2 overall prospect will make the Tigers opening day roster.

Josh Kasevich (Toronto Blue Jays)

Josh Kasevich has become one of the more productive hitters in the Blue Jays camp during the opening weeks of Spring Training.

Through his first seven Grapefruit League games, the infielder has gone 6 for 13 (.462) with a home run, four runs and two walks, showcasing the contact ability that defined his 2024 season before the unfortunate injury he faced across 2025.

His power has also been seen in flashes – one of Kasevich’s biggest moments came with a 416ft home run that left the bat at 103mph, hinting at developing extra base potential.

Already regarded as a high-level defensive shortstop, Kasevich’s reliability with the glove adds further value as he looks to re-establish himself in Toronto’s infield picture after an injury-disrupted 2025 season.

The Blue Jays have a crowded infield which makes an opening day roster pick very unlikely, but a long season brings roster movement, and Kasevich has done everything he can to make himself impossible to overlook when an opportunity arises.

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Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Los Angeles Dodgers)

We haven’t seen much of Yoshinobu Yamamoto so far this Spring Training, with him only pitching 4.2 innings, but the World Series MVP is still one of the key players to watch coming into the 2026 season.

Yamamoto showed the world his quality across the seven-game World Series against Toronto Blue Jays.

The Japanese national pitched one of the greatest games you will ever see in the World Series, throwing for a complete nine innings.

Across that game he allowed just one run and four hits, evening the World Series that his team then went on to win.

Across the contest, he took on 17 2/3 innings over a week, going 3-0 with a 1.02 ERA, etching his name in World Series history.

Looking ahead to the remaining games of Spring Training and into the regular season, Yamamoto will be expected to build on his legendary World Series performance.

For a Dodgers rotation expected to contend for a third consecutive championship, Yamamoto will be a vital part of the group.

Konnor Griffin (Pittsburgh Pirates)

The 19-year-old shortstop is widely regarded as the No.1 prospect in baseball, and already he has produced some of the most eye-catching power displays of the spring.

Griffin has hit three home runs with six RBIs, posting a 1.124 OPS so far.

One of those homers left the bat at 107.8mph, highlighting the raw power that scouts believe will make him one of MLB’s best in future seasons.

MLB Superstar and Pittsburgh team-mate, Paul Skenes said: “He’s super professional, super mature in how he goes about his business. It’s gonna be fun. I’m excited to see his development.”

It’s unknown whether he will be in the Pirates’ opening-day roster, but there is still a lot to be excited about for the NL Rookie of the Year favourite.

What next

Opening Day is March 26th.

By then, some of these names may have faded off the face of a long preseason – that’s how spring training can be.

But McLain’s batting looks different this year, Griffin is 19 and already hitting the ball harder than most established major leaguers and Judge, as always, just looks like trouble for opposing pitchers.

Three weeks to go.

There’s still time for trends and form to change, but right now, there’s a lot to look forward to.

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