2025 MLB Spring Training undecided position battles

Across the league, this season's Opening Day rosters are taking shape. But for every club, there's still at least one big league job left to be won.

Here's a look at how those positional battles are unfolding less than three weeks from Opening Day.

AL EAST

Blue Jays: Outfield reserves
So much of this depends on the health of Daulton Varsho, who still feels like a 50/50 shot for Opening Day. Joey Loperfido will likely crack the roster, but Davis Schneider��s role is still up in the air while No. 5 prospect Alan Roden, who has backed up the hype he built coming into camp, is trying to force the issue. If the Blue Jays are going to chase more offense, this feels like a good spot to do it, so the final two-plus weeks of camp will matter. -- Keegan Matheson

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Orioles: Final rotation and bullpen spots
With right-handers Grayson Rodriguez (triceps/back of elbow) and Andrew Kittredge (left knee surgery) starting the season on the injured list, two spots have opened on the O��s pitching staff -- one in the rotation and another in the bullpen. Either righty Albert Su��rez or lefty Cade Povich will be the final starter. But if Povich makes the rotation, then Su��rez should be moved to the ��pen. Right-hander Bryan Baker is also building a strong case for a relief role. It wouldn��t be surprising if Su��rez, Povich and Baker all end up on the 26-man roster, but they��ll need to hold off the competition over the next two weeks. -- Jake Rill

Rays: Rotation
The Rays entered camp with a good problem -- too many qualified starting pitchers to fit into a five-man rotation -- and it has yet to resolve itself. That��s a welcome development for Tampa Bay, which has often had its incredible depth tested by pitching injuries over the past few years, but one the club will have to address at some point before the season begins. The Rays are not expected to use a six-man rotation, and they��ve only solidified Opening Day starter Shane McClanahan to this point. So they still have to determine how to fit five pitchers -- Drew Rasmussen, Ryan Pepiot, Taj Bradley, Shane Baz and Zack Littell -- into the remaining four spots, then figure out what to do with the odd man out. -- Adam Berry

Red Sox: Second base
Alex Bregman is slated to play second, if the Red Sox decide to keep Rafael Devers at third base. If manager Alex Cora decides to switch Bregman to the hot corner and make Devers the team��s designated hitter, the battle for the second base job will be between top prospect Kristian Campbell (No. 7 overall according to MLB Pipeline), Vaughn Grissom (injury plagued year in 2024 after being traded for Chris Sale) and David Hamilton, who played his share of games at the position last year but broke his finger in late August and missed the final month. ��We are going to have our best defensive and offensive lineup for the first game of the season,�� manager Alex Cora said. -- Bill Ladson

Yankees: Third base
DJ LeMahieu��s bid to secure an Opening Day start lasted only two at-bats, as the veteran sustained a left calf strain that sent him to the injured list. The versatile Oswaldo Cabrera is now the current favorite, barring an outside acquisition. Cabrera is being challenged by Oswald Peraza, who hopes to restore his prospect luster after being slowed by injuries over the last two seasons. Jorbit Vivas and Pablo Reyes have also been mentioned. GM Brian Cashman suggested the club might use a third base rotation if one player doesn��t grab the job. -- Bryan Hoch

AL CENTRAL

Guardians: Second base
Second base is one of the biggest storylines in Guardians camp after Andr��s Gim��nez was traded to the Blue Jays in December. Cleveland has a handful of options in camp to man the position on Opening Day on March 27, including Gabriel Arias, Tyler Freeman, Daniel Schneemann, Juan Brito (Cleveland��s No. 10 prospect who is looking to make his MLB debut) and Angel Martinez. The Guardians value versatility, and Arias, Freeman, Schneemann and Martinez each can play all over the diamond. No matter who��s the Opening Day starter, it stands to reason that every player listed here will see time at second for Cleveland the season. -- Tim Stebbins

Royals: The bench
Manager Matt Quatraro prefers to use all 13 position players he has on the roster, mixing up the bottom of the lineup based on the best matchups that night and using pinch-hitters if the situation calls for it. So bench players matter for this team, and they could go a ton of different ways based on their options this spring. Freddy Fermin is locked in as the backup catcher. Dairon Blanco, as long as he��s able to get back on the field after dealing with Achilles soreness, should get another spot as the Royals�� main pinch-runner. The three other spots are up for competition among Nick Pratto, Nelson Velazquez, Joey Wiemer, Drew Waters, Nick Loftin, Cavan Biggio, Harold Castro and others. The Royals have to decide on who best complements the everyday players who will break camp, and whether they want to emphasize power, speed or versatility. -- Anne Rogers

Tigers: Third base
With Alex Bregman in Boston and Matt Vierling expected to open the season on the injured list, rookie Jace Jung has the inside track on a bulk role at the hot corner, platooning with lefty killer Andy Ib��?ez. But Jung hasn��t done much at the plate in Grapefruit League play, leaving the door open for Zach McKinstry to potentially snag starts like he did down the stretch last season. The Tigers could also sniff around outside the organization to clubs with deep infield ranks and blocked young players for potential trade options. -- Jason Beck

Twins: Second base
It��s worth noting that there may not be an outright winner in this competition. The Twins like to mix and match, and they will likely do at least some of that in season. But how the innings and ABs get divvied up between Brooks Lee, Willi Castro, and Edouard Julien is still very much to be determined. -- Matthew Leach

White Sox: Shortstop
Competition has been the theme during Will Venable��s first Spring Training as manager, and when factoring in recent injuries, more than one roster spot remains undecided. Colson Montgomery, MLB's No. 39 prospect overall, per MLB Pipeline, had a viable shot at shortstop at camp��s outset and still might be the choice, but he has been out of game action for 10 days going into Sunday due to back issues. Fellow rookie Chase Meidroth has played three games at shortstop during Cactus League, with seven for Jacob Amaya, who provides the best option with the glove. Veteran Josh Rojas also has the defensive versatility to move there. -- Scott Merkin

AL WEST

Angels: Fifth starter
Right-hander Jack Kochanowicz, lefty Reid Detmers and right-hander Chase Silseth are the top candidates for the final spot in the rotation for the Angels. Kochanowicz is coming off a solid rookie season, while Detmers and Silseth have both had success in the Majors in the past but struggled last season. All three have Minor League options and there��s also a chance Silseth could move to the bullpen if he doesn��t win the job as a starter. -- Rhett Bollinger

Astros: Second base
With Jose Altuve headed to left field, the Astros have an opening at second. Mauricio Dub��n will likely start there on Opening Day, but his strength is versatility. The Astros brought in three non-roster veterans to battle for playing time -- Luis Guillorme, Zack Short and Brendan Rodgers. Rodgers won the Gold Glove at second in the NL in ��22 with Colorado and has the best offensive pedigree, but Guillorme and Short can play third and shortstop, too. -- Brian McTaggart

Athletics: Fifth starter
Joey Estes and Mitch Spence both remain firmly in the mix for the final spot in a rotation that features Luis Severino, JP Sears, Jeffrey Springs and Osvaldo Bido as likely locks. It is conceivable that Estes and Spence both end up making the team out of camp, with one taking the fifth rotation spot while the other fills a multi-inning reliever role in the bullpen. J.T. Ginn (ATH No. 14 prospect), who ended last season in the A��s rotation, also has an outside shot. -- Martin Gallegos

Mariners: Second base
It's not necessarily a "battle" but more like a reshuffling of their infield personnel. Among Dylan Moore, Ryan Bliss and Leo Rivas, Bliss might be in the pole position given that he's had a great camp and that the Mariners have hinted that they may prefer Moore in more of a super utility role that he's thrived in. Rivas was set back with a minor ankle injury but has returned. He also switch-hits, which could boost his roster value. -- Daniel Kramer

Rangers: Center Field
With Adolis Garc��a holding down right field and Wyatt Langford in left, Evan Carter and Leody Taveras have been battling for the starting center field spot all spring. Taveras has been the starter at the position for the last three seasons, but has struggled to hit with any type of consistency during that time. Carter broke onto the scene in 2023, starting alongside Taveras in left field during the World Series run, but was sidelined for much of ��24 with a nagging back injury. Both are natural center fielders, but they are also capable of playing all three outfield positions if necessary as the fourth outfielder. -- Kennedi Landry

NL EAST

Braves: Bullpen
At least five pitchers are fighting for the last few bullpen spots. Left-hander Angel Perdomo is out of options, but he��ll have to show some of his pre-Tommy John strikeout stuff to secure a spot. Non-roster invitees Buck Farmer and Hector Neris would bring valuable experience to the relief corps. Enyel De Los Santos is another NRI who is making a strong bid. Jake Diekman could also gain a 40-man spot and begin the year with Atlanta. But the Braves already have a pair of lefty relievers in Dylan Lee and Aaron Bummer. -- Mark Bowman

Marlins: Bullpen
Possible platoons and who might be the position player left out could get convoluted, so let's look at the relievers instead. Barring injuries, Calvin Faucher, Jesus Tinoco, Anthony Bender, Declan Cronin, Lake Bachar and Anthony Veneziano appear to be locks. That leaves two open spots. Would Miami pick a non-roster lefty like Josh Simpson or John Rooney? If so, George Soriano, Ronny Henriquez and Connor Gillispie might be vying for the final job. -- Christina De Nicola

Mets: Starting rotation
Injuries to Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas have opened up an opportunity for other starters, as Paul Blackburn, Griffin Canning and Tylor Megill are competing for the final two spots in the rotation to start the season. Whoever wins those spots will continue to compete for a job, as Manaea is due back by late-April, at which time one of the fill-in arms could find themselves on the outside looking in. If things are close, Megill has shown the ability to pitch out of the bullpen - and can also be optioned to the Minors. -- Mark Feinsand

Nationals: Starting rotation
There are seven pitchers vying for the Nationals starting rotation. Southpaw MacKenzie Gore and right-handers Jake Irvin, Michael Soroka and Trevor Williams are expected to earn a spot. Left-handers DJ Herz, Shinnosuke Ogasawara and Mitchell Parker will contend to round out the group. Each of them have Minor League options, which could factor into the final Opening Day decision. -- Jessica Camerato

Phillies: Backup catcher
Garrett Stubbs has been J.T. Realmuto��s backup the past three seasons. He is a diligent worker, and extremely popular in the clubhouse because of the energy he brings to the team over the grind of a six-month season. But Stubbs is trying to beat out Rafael Marchan for the job. In another season, Stubbs could be perceived as the favorite. But Marchan is out of options, while Stubbs has one remaining. Baseball operations departments typically covet organizational depth, but Phillies manager Rob Thomson said if one catcher clearly outplays the other it won��t matter. -- Todd Zolecki

NL CENTRAL

Brewers: Shortstop
The Brewers still haven��t said whether they��ll start Brice Turang or Joey Ortiz at shortstop, though there have been some hints it will be Ortiz. Whatever they decide will have implications for either second base, where Turang won the NL Gold Glove Award last season, or for third, where Ortiz started most of the year. If third base is vacated, it opens a spot for left-handed hitter Oliver Dunn plus some combination of right-handed hitters like the versatile and relatively experienced Andruw Monasterio, out-of-options Vinny Capra and rookie Caleb Durbin. Scouts say they haven��t been particularly impressed by Durbin��s small sample of play at third and see him fitting better at second. -- Adam McCalvy

Cardinals: High-leverage, eighth-inning reliever
All-Star closer Ryan Helsley authored the greatest season by a reliever in Cardinals history in 2024 largely because of the depth in the bullpen. Helsley recorded a club-record 49 saves largely because of the eighth-inning work from Andrew Kittredge, who had an NL-best 37 holds last season. With Kittredge having signed with the Orioles, the Cardinals are in search of a reliever who can deftly handle those ��bridge�� innings to get the ball and the lead to Helsley. JoJo Romero is coming off a career year, but he wore down late last season. Matthew Liberatore, who found his niche as a short-burst reliever, is hungry for more high-leverage work, but he must be better against right-handers. Former Rule 5 product Ryan Fernandez, one of the feel-good stories out of the bullpen in 2024, could be the dark-horse candidate to emerge as the replacement for Kittredge. His slider was one of baseball��s most effective pitches last season and he��s added a nasty changeup for 2025. -- John Denton

Cubs: Third base
All signs point to Matt Shaw �C Pipeline��s top Cubs prospect and No. 19 on the Top 100 -- getting the nod for third base, but Chicago has to determine if the rookie is ready for that role in time for the Tokyo Series (March 18-19). Following a bout with an oblique issue early in camp, Shaw made his Cactus League debut on March 2. With second baseman Nico Hoerner (right forearm) missing the Japan trip, veteran utility man Jon Berti (also a backup at third) looks like the top candidate for second right now. Behind Shaw, the Cubs have utility man Vidal Bruj��n and Gage Workman (Rule 5 pick) as alternatives at third. -- Jordan Bastian

Pirates: The second catcher
Joey Bart is going to be part of the Pirates�� catching equation this year, but his Opening Day partner is still up for grabs. Henry Davis has been drilling the ball to all fields this spring, a very welcome change after becoming too pull-heavy in 2024, and Endy Rodr��guez has been catching up after missing last year. The Pirates want to keep both at catcher, so there��s not a lot of positional flexibility in the decision-making process, and they both have appeal. -- Alex Stumpf

Reds: Final rotation spot
No. 2 prospect Rhett Lowder (right elbow) is out since he hasn��t gotten into games but three different starters still remain as candidates in Graham Ashcraft, Andrew Abbott and Carson Spiers. Abbott has yet to pitch because of a slower progression after a 2024 left shoulder strain but he has faced hitters in live BP. If he can get into games and stretch out to five innings, Cincinnati will have to decide if that��s enough or go with one of the other two contenders. -- Mark Sheldon

NL WEST

D-backs: Closer
It��s always been manager Torey Lovullo��s preference to have a set closer and he figures to have one again this year instead of trying to play the matchups nightly. Who that closer will be remains a question. Lefty A.J. Puk along with right-handers Justin Martinez and Kevin Ginkel are in the mix for the role and it��s a battle that will likely come down to the final days of camp. -- Steve Gilbert

Dodgers: Second base and center field
Once one of these positions is resolved, the other will fall into place. The only certainty is that Tommy Edman will see a lot of playing time at one of the two, depending on which one of Hyeseong Kim, James Outman or Andy Pages makes the active roster. Pages has the better recent Major League track record, which could give him the edge. -- Sonja Chen

Giants: Fifth starter
Left-hander Kyle Harrison was viewed as the favorite to round out the Giants�� rotation coming into camp, but he gave up five runs over 1 2/3 innings in his last start against the D-backs and still seems to be struggling with diminished velocity. Landen Roupp appears to be pulling ahead in the competition after striking out 11 over 8 1/3 scoreless innings in his first three Cactus League outings, though two other young right-handers -- Hayden Birdsong and Keaton Winn -- still remain in the race as well. -- Maria Guardado

Padres: No. 5 starter
Four-fifths of the Padres�� rotation is set -- Dylan Cease, Michael King, Yu Darvish and Nick Pivetta. The last spot? Probably won��t be decided until the team breaks camp in late March. Matt Waldron, who has significantly increased his knuckleball usage this spring, is among the contenders. Randy V��squez, Kyle Hart and Stephen Kolek are also in the mix, with Kolek impressing this spring after making the transition from the bullpen to a starting role. -- AJ Cassavell

Rockies: Outfield -- starting corners and reserves
The penciled in starters are Nolan Jones in left and Jordan Beck in a share with Kris Bryant in right, but Jones and Beck are off to slow starts. Beck needs to be a regular, or else get a volume of at-bats at Triple-A Albuquerque. Jones is out of Minor League options. Sam Hilliard also is off to a slow offensive start, but his ability to play center field should keep him safe. Having strong camps and in the mix are Sean Bouchard, non-roster veteran Nick Martini and Rockies No. 8 prospect Zac Veen, who has missed the last two years with injuries at Double-A Hartford but opening enough eyes to get a longer look in camp. -- Thomas Harding