We’re nearly halfway through March, and as spring begins with warmer weather, MLB has been in Spring Training, its preseason initiative, for the past few weeks. Hailed as the best preseason in sports, Spring Training is held at complexes in Florida and Arizona, where teams play each other in exhibition games. Fans in the area can see some of their favorite players, along with up-and-coming stars and journeymen hoping to make a spot on the Opening Day roster.
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Familiar Faces in New Places
One of the most exciting things about Spring Training is seeing the league’s best players who were moved in the offseason play some innings with their new squads.
Juan Soto, New York Mets
Mets fans have enjoyed watching newly acquired superstar Juan Soto this spring. In 23 plate appearances thus far, Soto is batting .381 and slugging .905 with three home runs. Although it’s just an exhibition, fans should be excited to watch Soto crush the ball like that for the next 15 years in Queens. He will complement MVP runner-up Francisco Lindor nicely as the Mets look to win it all after a surprise NLCS appearance last year.
Cody Bellinger, New York Yankees
In 27 plate appearances for the Yankees, Cody Bellinger has put together an OPS of 1.365, batting .500 in the process. Although the sample size is small, and once again it is just an exhibition, it is an encouraging sign for Bellinger regardless as he looks to perform at the MVP level he had played at with the Dodgers at the beginning of his career. The Yankees fell short in the World Series last year, and while losing Juan Soto to their crosstown rival hurts, the additions of Bellinger along with Max Fried, Devin Williams, and more made for a worthy offseason in the Bronx.
Corbin Burnes, Arizona Diamondbacks
New Diamondbacks ace Corbin Burnes has shined this spring, allowing just one run in 9.1 innings pitched. Burnes this season leads an Arizona staff that will be detrimental to their team’s performance this season. With a lineup that can do some real damage led by Ketel Marte, it’s up to their pitching to help them win this year.
Kyle Tucker, Chicago Cubs
Tucker hasn’t exactly moved the needle yet this spring, as he is 1-for-23 in 30 plate appearances, but this is one of those times where the “It’s just Spring Training” excuse can be pulled. There is absolutely nothing for Cubs fans to worry about, as Tucker is one of the most established sluggers in the game. He may have played in just 78 games last year, with a fractured shin that kept him out for three months, but even so, he managed a .993 OPS and 23 home runs in the short span. The 28-year-old’s offensive presence should be enough to help the Cubs make some noise as NL Central contenders this season.
Players to Watch
Roki Sasaki, Los Angeles Dodgers
All eyes were on the Dodgers this past Tuesday as Roki Sasaki made his major league debut as a starting pitcher. He allowed just one hit in four shutout innings in a dominant first look. Sasaki, who is just 23 and was the most sought-after international free agent on the market this offseason, pitched to a 2.35 ERA for Chiba Lotte in Japan this past season. In his four-year career in Japan, Sasaki was 30-15 with a 2.02 ERA. The question is, will he be able to transfer his success in Japan to MLB?
Jackson Jobe, Detroit Tigers
MLB’s number-five prospect and number-two pitching prospect Jackson Jobe has gotten off to a solid start this spring, allowing three earned runs in 8.2 innings. What’s important to note is that he has added two new pitches to his repertoire, a curveball and a two-seamer. The Tigers prospect made his MLB debut in relief last season and appeared in the postseason as well. Pitching to a 2.36 ERA across three minor league levels in 2024, he looks to continue the dominance of his fastball and slider in the majors in 2025.
Jac Caglianone, Kansas City Royals
Caglianone, MLB.com’s number-22 prospect, has turned heads this spring, showing a lot of promise with his bat. Highlighted by a home run with an exit velocity of 115.4 MPH, the 22-year-old has burst onto the scene batting .500 so far this spring with a 1.874 OPS.
Drafted sixth overall from the University of Florida by the Royals in 2024, Caglianone was originally a two-way player, but the Royals asked him to focus on hitting and it has paid off thus far. In his 2024 collegiate season with Florida, he hit .419 with a 1.419 OPS, mashing 35 home runs in just 66 games. His 35 home runs lead the University of Florida all-time with the most home runs in a single season, with second place being his own 33-homer campaign the year before.
Tokyo Series
As a part of MLB’s World Tour campaign, the regular season will begin with the Tokyo Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs in Toyko, Japan on March 18th and 19th. The two-game series will showcase the Japanese players of each team.
Representing the Dodgers are pitchers Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, each slated to start one of the two games in this series. Starting pitcher Roki Sasaki is also from Japan, but he is not slated to start in this series. Representing the Cubs are starting pitcher Shota Imanaga, set to pitch Game 1, and outfielder Seiya Suzuki.
As well as the series between the two teams to open the regular season, the Dodgers and the Cubs will first participate in exhibition games against Japanese baseball teams. On March 15th, the Cubs will face the Hanshin Tigers and the Dodgers will play the Yomiuri Giants. On March 16th, the teams will swap, with the Cubs facing the Yomiuri Giants and the Dodgers facing the Hanshin Tigers.
With the Tokyo Series, MLB hopes to grow the game of baseball internationally, especially with a new wave of Japanese players constantly entering the league through the international free-agent pool.
