Oviedo is considered a candidate for the No. 5 spot in the starting rotation as spring training opens, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports.
The towering right-hander has already drawn some praise since arriving at spring training following a somewhat uneven first taste of the big leagues late last season. Oviedo made five starts from Aug. 19 to Sept. 16, posting an 0-3 record, 5.47 ERA and 1.38 WHIP across 24.2 innings. Oviedo is arguably the longest-shot candidate of an array of contenders for the No. 5 spot that includes more accomplished hands Carlos Martinez, Daniel Ponce de Leon and Alex Reyes; the fact he'd never pitched about the Double-A level -- and struggled there -- before the 2020 minor-league season was suspended supports the notion he's more likely to begin the season at an affiliate as opposed to the big-league club.