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Remember Jason Kipnis?
Though only 30, he's a few years removed from being an offensive standout, which makes him a forgotten man in Fantasy.
And toward the end of last year, he was a forgotten man in Cleveland. Coming back from a hamstring injury to find Jose Ramirez in his second base spot, he was forced to try his hand at the outfield on a part-time basis, and the Indians were so pleased with Ramirez at second base that it seemed a foregone conclusion Kipnis would be moved in the offseason.
But he wasn't, which means Ramirez is back at third. And with two home runs Tuesday, Kipnis reminded us that he still exists and still has a job.
As deep as the middle tier is at second, pushing him to the back puts him at risk of going undrafted in standard mixed leagues, but it doesn't change the fact that he offers uncommon potential for a late-round pick.
Soler power
Kipnis was cool, but Jorge Soler had the more notable two-homer game Tuesday, including a blast that measured 488 feet.
You may remember that when Soler was climbing the minor-league ladder, his numbers rivaled those of Kris Bryant's, and he looked like he'd be just as big a part of the Cubs' future. And seeing as he's only 26, that potential still exists.
You have to admire the steps he took to tap into it this offseason, both losing 20 pounds and reworking his swing to get the bat through the zone quicker by positioning his hands closer to his body. It's one of those little adjustments that sometimes make a world of difference. Back in 2014, J.D. Martinez was in a similar spot, and well, look at him today.
If Soler keeps it up, you can expect him to begin appearing on sleeper lists.
More like doorMatz
Steven Matz, purportedly healthy again after fighting through a nerve issue last season, looked pretty sickly in his spring debut Tuesday against the Astros, allowing five earned runs on three hits with two walks and one strikeout in one inning. He was expectedly undeterred.
"It's frustrating, but it's February. This is the best I've felt in spring training in a long time, just physically," he said. "It's really just about, I'm healthy. I've got to build off how I felt out there."
Should how should we feel?
Well, he isn't guaranteed a spot, first of all. Zack Wheeler offers a mountain of potential, too, and looked adequate in his first outing. Plus, it still isn't clear how much health was to blame for Matz's sudden inability to miss bats last year, his swinging strike rate dropping to 12.6 percent and his strikeouts per nine dropping to 6.5.
I don't know about you, but I'm not ready to make a big investment.
Hit it far, Andujar
When the Yankees acquired Brandon Drury from the Diamondbacks last week, the assumption was he'd be their starting third baseman. But Miguel Andujar is their third baseman in waiting, and after he hit .315 with 16 home runs and an .850 OPS between two stops last year, the wait may not be long. With two home runs already this spring, it may be non-existent.
"He's already opened our eyes -- not with this camp, but what he's done and where he's at in his career," GM Brian Cashman told MLB.com.
His ascension may not even be in question if not for defensive concerns, but he has apparently quieted those in camp.
"I came in expecting a lot, frankly, and I'm excited with what I've seen," manager Aaron Boone said. "I've seen what I feel like is progress on the defensive side."
Of course, Andujar winning the third base job might mean Drury blocking Gleyber Torres, a superior prospect, at second base. Or maybe Drury just goes to a super utility role, which is probably his long-term future with the Yankees anyway.
Bradley fares badly
The assumption in Fantasy Baseball circles is that Archie Bradley will inherit the closer role vacated by Fernando Rodney in Arizona. But I have my doubts, and his spring debut Tuesday at the Giants didn't do anything to ease them. He allowed four runs on two hits with three walks and one strikeout in his 1 1/3 innings of work.
But let's not overreact here. After all, Bradley is trying to incorporate a changeup that he threw all of one time last year, according to MLB.com.
"I'm trying to mix that back in," he said. "I'm always trying to improve, and I think it's always a pitch that, regardless of what role you're in, can be very effective in the big leagues."
But why bother with the changeup if his fastball-curveball combo worked so well in short relief? Maybe because, as I fear for Bradley's closing prospects, the Diamondbacks are hoping to reintroduce him to the starting rotation at some point.
I'm just saying.
Concussed out
One concern that hasn't been raised enough this spring is whether or not Brandon Belt will ever be the same again. The guy missed the final two months of last season with a concussion, which is a long stretch of time for an injury that has its own 7-day DL.
But see, Belt has a history of these things. It was the third time in four years that he missed time with a concussion. Justin Morneau was never the same after missing an extended stretch with concussion symptoms. Shoot, Corey Koskie never played again.
So for me, it's a relief to see Belt go 3 for 3 with a double in his third appearance of the spring Tuesday. It doesn't definitively end the concerns, but for a guy who averaged as many Head-to-Head points per game as Justin Smoak last year even though he hit an uncharacteristically low .241, it's a good sign.