PROJECTED REGULARS
1B Ji-Man Choi — Expected to be strong side in platoon with Yandy Diaz;
Choi is better defender.
2B Brandon Lowe — Among the most valuable position players last two years;
big power comes with a lot of swing-and-misses.
SS Wander Franco — First player born in 2000s to get to MLB; had 1.020 OPS hitting right-handed last year.
3B Yandy Diaz — Best off at first base; job could go to switch-hitters Vidal Brujan and Taylor Walls.
LF Randy Arozarena — 2021 AL Rookie of the Year; free swinger; expect at least 20/20 production.
CF Kevin Kiermaier — Elite gloveman winding down career; still takes good hacks against lefties.
RF Manuel Margot — Plus defender; 16 Outs Above Average last year, per Statcast; doesn’t help much with bat.
C Mike Zunino — All-or-nothing hacker; connected for 33 home runs last year; top-tier pitch-framer.
DH Austin Meadows — Altered his textbook swing from left side; sells out for power these days; batting average keeps dropping.
ROTATION
LH Shane McClanahan — Slider best pitch for lefty with triple-digit heat; Tyler Glasnow might be back by July.
RH Shane Baz — Shows three above-average to plus pitches, including mid-90s four-seamer.
RH Corey Kluber — Two-time Cy Young award winner; injuries have taken toll; relies heavily on off-speed stuff.
LH Ryan Yarbrough — Soft-tosser succeeds with superb command; yielded only 28 percent hard contact rate last year.
RH Drew Rasmussen — Throws gas; has developed plus slider; hard-throwing Luis Patino also a factor.
KEY RELIEVERS
RH Andrew Kittredge (closer) — Sinker/slider master with superb command; 53.5 percent ground-ball rate last year.
RH Pete Fairbanks — Attacks with high-90s heat, plus slider; shoulder issues
a concern.
RH JT Chargois — Slider specialist and hard sinker; iffy command.
