The Dynasty Digest: March 19, 2024

Welcome to the Dynasty Digest! Baseball is back, and so are we, with our daily reports of everything you need to know from the previous days’ action for you to win your dynasty leagues.

Spring Training is always an interesting time, as box score stats don’t necessarily matter, but I am looking for other things of note. Has a pitcher seen an increase in velo or do they have a new pitch that compliments the arsenal well? Has a hitter simplified their approach, or did they post a new max exit velocity? The little things are much more important than box score stats for Spring Training, and we are going to talk about them. Unfortunately, nearly all of the Arizona games got rained out, but we still have plenty to talk about.

Today’s report will be a big shorter as I had an overnight traveling day to Florida for Spring Training.

Spring Training Standouts From March 18

Oneil Cruz, SS, PIT

Cruz collected three hits, including two home runs on Monday, while driving in six. He is now up to seven home runs with an impressive .355/.444/1.032 slash line. The home runs left the bat with exit velocities of 106.4 and 111.1 mph, and Cruz had an additional single with an exit velocity of 111 mph. Cruz has more home runs this Spring Training hit over 110 mph than the Cleveland Guardians as a team did last season.

A real outcome for Cruz could be a 40 home run/20 stolen base season in 2024.

Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, PIT

We continue to write about Hayes, and for good reason. He collected three more hits on Monday, all singles, but his impressive spring continues. Hayes has struck out just once all spring but it also comes with just one walk. He continues to hit hte ball hard as well collecting three hard-hit balls and two over 105 mph.

The downside is that Hayes continues to hit the ball into the ground. His highest launch angle on Monday came in at six degrees, and two of his batted balls were negative. Combined, Hayes' four batted balls had a negative launch angle. He will need to lift the ball to get the most out of his profile, but the contact and hard-hit balls have certainly been there this spring.

Carlos Rodon, LHP, NYY

Rodon bounced back in a strong way on Monday, tossing 5.2 no-hit innings before Joe Torre went to the mound to remove Rodon from the game. He struck out five and walk just one while throwing strikes at a 70 percent clip.

The fastball velocity remained a tick down, but Rodon was getting more horizontal movement on it, allowing it to get seven whiffs. He finished the day with a 26 percent whiff rate and a 29 percent CSW, but the outing was a strong step in the right direction after having a rough spring to this point.

Richie Palacios, OF, TB

Palacios continues to push his way onto the Rays’ roster and maybe even into regular playing time. While his two hits were just singles on Monday, it pushed his average up to .300 this spring. Having hits in his last eight games, Palacios also has three home runs this spring, and his strikeout rate is at a respectable 22 percent.

It is always hard to find playing time in Tampa Bay, but when the Rays make a trade for someone, I usually pay attention. Palacios just might be a sneaky deep-league target.

J.P. Crawford, SS, SEA

Many seemed to have written off Crawford’s strong 2023 season as flukey, given his ADP in fantasy drafts, but if spring is any indication, Crawford will be another good value. Two more hits on Monday, including a double, pushed his slash to .333/.412/.533, and he has struck out in less than six percent of plate appearances this spring.

Last year, Crawford hit a career-high 19 home runs and posted a .266/.380/.438 slash line in 638 plate appearances.

Chase DeLauter, OF, CLE

While DeLauter probably does not make the roster out of Spring Training, he has done everything in his power to do so and certainly deserves it. He blasted his third home run in just 25 plate appearances and is slashing an impressive .476/.560/.952. As expected, DeLauter has shown impressive plate skills and contact, much like we have seen throughout his MiLB career, walking more than he has struck out.

I would be surprised if he is on the Opening Day Roster, but I would not be surprised to see him up in May.

Drew Thorpe, RHP, CHW

Thorpe’s first start with the White Sox could not have gone much worse as he allowed eight earned runs on ten hits in just 2.2 innings pitched. Three of those hits came via the long ball, and Thorpe managed to strike out just two hitters.

I have already seen the: “I told you so” type of thoughts on Thorpe that his arsenal won’t work against MLB hitting. At the end of the day, if you want to fade Thorpe, that is fine. But one start should not change your opinion of him at all.

Last season he posted the best numbers of any pitcher in the Minor Leagues in 2023, splitting time between High-A and Double-A. Posting a 2.52 ERA across both levels, Thorpe was better in Double-A, having a 1.48 ERA across the five starts and 30 innings he pitched. 

Brayan Rocchio, SS, CLE

We have talked about the Guardians’ shortstop battle several times and about how no one really seemed to want to win the starting job. That has changed over the last week, as Brayan Rocchio has really turned it on.

On Monday, Rocchio hit his first spring home run and added a double, giving him back-to-back days with multiple hits. It has now been four straight games with hits as well, and while the overall line does not look great, Rocchio has stepped up his game. It still remains to be seen whether Rocchio or Gabriel Arias come away with the starting job.

Kyle Harrison, LHP, SF

Harrison continues to look great this spring. He was dominant again on Monday, striking out five across five innings of one-run ball. He allowed just one walk but did cough up six hits in the process. Harrison’s control has looked better this spring. He posted a 16.3 percent walk rate in Triple-A last season before coming up to the Majors and having a respectable number.

Even with the signing of Blake Snell, Harrison is still locked in with a starting spot in the Giants' rotation and should feel a little less pressure with guys like Logan Webb and Snell ahead of him.

Gavin Stone, RHP, LAD

Stone was brilliant in his outing against Team Korea on Monday as he tossed 3.1 not-hit innings with just one walk and eight strikeouts. Velocity will be a big sticking point with his fastball and it was up 1.5 mph sitting 95.5 with more ride than we have seen in past outings.

His other offerings were also up 1.5 to 2 mph and he was certainly missing bats, wracking up a 68 percent whiff rate. Eleven of the whiffs came via his changeup which is by far his best pitch, but seeing the fastball miss bats was encouraging.

Stone added ten called strikes, giving him a 55 percent CSW. The outing should give him plenty of confidence, building on what has already been a great spring. I don’t think Stone is going to be an ace or even a SP2 type, but there is a solid pitcher here in this profile.