Six Under-The-Radar Names to Watch in Spring Training

Baseball is finally back as MLB Spring Training is underway. After a jam-packed offseason, all 30 organizations will officially leave the 2024 season in the rearview and look towards the 2025 campaign in front of them.

Spring Training gives us a chance to check in on the usual top names, see some new faces in new places for the first time and catch glimpses of the top young talent who will be ushering in the league’s next generation.

However, it also provides the opportunity to see some lesser known names, that could very well become unsung heroes for teams as they look to fill out the remaining spots on their rosters ahead of Opening Day.

I want to present you with some of those lesser-known or under-appreciated names that haven’t really had their time in major league limelight, if at all yet.

Here are six “under-the-radar” names to keep an eye on during Spring Training.

Tirso Ornelas – OF (San Diego Padres)

Amidst all the financial rumblings in San Diego, Ornelas is prime candidate to not only break camp with the Padres in 2024, but carve out a pretty regular role in 2024.

According to FanGraphs RosterResource, the soon-to-be 25-year-old outfielder is already projected in a platoon DH role.

This comes off the back of a solid 2024 campaign in Triple-A El Paso where he slashed .297/.367/.497 with 23 HR, 89 RBI and a 113 wRC+. He also found himself with some respectable plate discipline metrics with a nearly 10% walk-rate (9.7%) and a strikeout rate well under 20% (16.1%).

Not only did he put himself on the map for a bench or platoon role in 2025, Ornelas could very well be an option to replace the departed Jurickson Profar in left field on a more regular basis.

While the recently inked veteran Jason Heyward could be that option as well, it’s not out of the question to think a strong Spring Training from Ornelas could be cause for manager Bob Melvin to shift expectations.

After all, Heyward didn’t do much last season to follow up his bounce-back year in 2023, posting just a .211/.288/.412 slash line with 94 wRC+.

Forrest Whitley – RP (Houston Astros)

Once a prized starting pitching prospect in the Astros system, Whitley has certainly had a tremendous fall from grace.

However, in 2024 the 27-year-old found a career revitalization after switching into a full-time relief role.

In Triple-A Sugar Land the lengthy right-hander threw to the tune of a 1.89 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, .200 BAA and 12.15 K/9 in 33.1 innings across 32 outings.

This resulted in his long-awaited major league debut where he looked hit-or-miss in his 3.1 inning cameo but at the end of the day didn’t surrender an earned run and posted a K/9 rate of 13.50.

In 2024, Houston prided themselves on having one of the most strikeout-oriented bullpens, averaging the fifth-highest K/9 mark in the major leagues at 9.66.

Whitley fits right into this mold and with no remaining minor league options left, he’ll likely factor into the Astros bullpen plans with a strong spring.

And if he can find a way to rein in his walk rates, with his seven pitch arsenal, tall build and prior prospect pedigree, he could be a potential sleeper candidate to carve out a bigger role in the ‘pen as the season progresses.

Drew Waters – CF (Kansas City Royals)

There’s no denying that Royals outfield was a point of weakness for them in 2024 after posting a combined 0.8 fWAR (28th in MLB), a 79 wRC+ (T-28th), a .222 AVG (T-25th) and a .648 OPS (27th).

After reporting to Arizona with no outfield upgrades either the Royals project to sport the same outfield group as last season, where Dairon Blanco was the high man with a 94 wRC+.

While it looks bad on the surface, the Royals might have an internal option that could answer some questions out in center field, in Drew Waters.

Now Waters isn’t a complete stranger at the MLB level, having made 465 plate appearances over the past three seasons, but in 2024 he mustered just 19 plate appearances with Kansas City.

However, in the time he wasn’t in the big leagues, he was putting together a noteworthy campaign in Triple-A Omaha. In 457 plate appearances, Waters posted a .290/.379/.494 slash line with 13 HR, 61 RBI and a 127 wRC+.

Not only do those numbers look more promising than the 81 wRC+ season current center field option Kyle Isbel posted at the major league level in 2024, Waters has the backing of the most recent ZiPS projection model.

Nathan Lukes – OF (Toronto Blue Jays)

Lukes is a name that before last season may very well have been a “Quad-A” type player, with wRC+ totals above 130 in Triple-A Buffalo, to pair with just a 66 wRC+ in the majors in 2023.

After his big-league stint late in 2024 though, Lukes may very well have found something, hitting .303 with an .818 OPS and a 132 wRC+.

The Blue Jays’ outfield was a problem last season with a lackluster 85 wRC+ (T-25th in MLB), and could use all the help it can get.

That being said though, the addition of Anthony Santander to join Daulton Varsho and George Springer, as well as the presence of Joey Loperfido, Addison Barger and Davis Schneider puts the Toronto in a bit of a bind when it comes to finding enough outfield at-bats to go around.

However, despite a promising update on Varsho’s recovery from shoulder surgery, there’s still potential that he misses Opening Day with injury. It’s also reasonable to think that the Blue Jays may opt to seek everyday at-bats in Buffalo for developing names like Loperfido and Barger.

This would certainly free up some early season at-bats for Lukes. If he can carry his late season momentum into Spring Training, there’s a real shot that he’s at the very least a quality big-league left-handed bench bat, which he’d likely prefer over yet another Triple-A stint.

Michel Otañez – RP (The Athletics)

When finding the primary set-up option for Mason Miller in 2024, the A’s turned to a diamond in the rough in Lucas Erceg.

Now that Erceg is out of the picture though, after being dealt to the Royals at the trade deadline last summer, there will be a new hunt for Miller’s wingman in 2025.

While recently signed veteran José Leclerc is the presumed front runner for this role entering Spring Training, there’s another name who could throw his hat in the ring who’s looking to further prove himself in majors.

Enter Michel Otañez.

In his rookie season in 2024, Otañez posted a respectable 3.44 ERA, 2.73 FIP and .211 BAA in 34.0 innings of work.

What is most notable about Otañez’s game though is his ability to induce strikeouts, as hitters were caught whiffing at a near 40.0% clip (39.9%) off him and his 14.56 K/9 ranked third in the major leagues amongst relievers with at least 20 innings pitched.

This was a better mark than Miller (14.40) and trailed only Devin Williams (15.78) and Michael Soroka (15.00).

A huge proponent of this success has been his devastating four-seam/slider combo. His four seamer saw opponents hit just .182 and slug .250 off of it while whiffing 39.2% of the time. His slider saw even better results with a .151 BAA, a .170 SLG and a 52.2% whiff rate.

The big thing to watch this spring though will be whether or not he can rein in the walks, as last season he posted 5.29 BB/9 inflating his WHIP to 1.38.

There’s no denying he’s got the stuff and the results to back up his case for a primary set-up role, so if Otañez can find some command, he could be a very effective back-end option for the Athletics in 2025.

Tim Tawa – UTIL (Arizona Diamondbacks)

The Diamondbacks are a team that’s only a year removed from winning the National League Pennant and may very well have no weaknesses heading into 2025.

However, even after re-signing Randal Grichuk this winter to help bolster the depth, there are a few notable bench gaps that could due with some improving.

With Geraldo Perdomo being more of an average hitter at best, Jordan Lawlar potentially needing more at-bats in the upper-minors after missing much of last season with injury and Blaze Alexander underwhelming in his rookie campaign, there’s definitely room for some more immediate middle-infield production to pair with Ketel Marte.

Then in center field, Alek Thomas is coming off of his third consecutive season under a 75 wRC+.

This is where Tawa comes into the mix, as utility option who played at every position but catcher in some capacity in the upper-minors in 2024.

While his defensive versatility is definitely a plus on the bench, his real value comes with the bat. In 613 combined plate appearances between Double and Triple-A, he belted 31 HR and drove in 90, while slashing .279/.349/.519 with a 133 wRC+.

At nearly 26 years of age, Tawa has little to nothing left to prove at the upper-minor level, making him a prime option to help bolster some of those offensive holes mentioned earlier and buy some developmental time for Lawlar.

With 124.2 innings logged in center, he can handle his own there and provide a better offensive alternative Thomas.

The thing to watch in Spring Training will be how many reps he gets at shortstop, given it was his least occupied position in 2024 and currently the position the D-Backs need the most immediate offensive attention.