From Dylan Cease to Nick Burdi: Ranking the 5 Hottest Pitching Performances of MLB Spring Training 2024

The veteran players are equipping themselves in Spring Training with the necessary skillsets to strengthen their form, while on the other hand, rookie athletes are using it as a stepping stone to raise their hype for the regular season. The ongoing spring training is no exception, as oftentimes, players are raising the bar with exceptional performances in the 2024 Spring Training.

Talking about the current spring training, five names continue to grab the attention of the MLB community for justified reasons. Their performance not only gives reason to invest hope in them but also indicates a thundering performance in the coming season. Thus, without further ado, let’s unveil the curtain to rank the five stars that are glowing and brin in the Spring Training.

Dylan Cease

This Spring Training, becoming one of the best right-hand pitchers of the White Sox, Dylan Cease brought forth his 2022 form, where he went 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA over 32 starts with 227 strikeouts in 184 innings to finish second in the AL Cy Young Award voting. His spring training performance let him enter the list of projected opening day pitchers, as the team’s general manager, Chris Getz, commented, “This is the best we’ve seen his command as a White Sox pitcher thus far and he claims he is not even locked in yet,” highlighting his preparation for the upcoming season.

Nick Burdi

Again, another right-hand pitcher of one of the most hype-making teams, the New York Yankees, Nick Burdi, is grabbing attention in the current Spring Training. Burdi is undoubtedly loaded with possibilities and skillsets, as the team’s manager, Aaron Boone, remarked, “Burdi has ridiculously great stuff. The only question is, Can he put it all together and stay healthy?” reminding the Yankees fans about his 98- to 100-mph fastball.

Though, from the statement of the team’s manager, his capabilities become evident, the looming danger of his injury issues is also palpable. Now, if he can maintain his spring training form in the regular season as well without succumbing to injuries, then contenders can become sure about facing a tough challenge.

Justin Slaten

The Mets initially acquired Slaten in the Rule 5 draft; however, he was traded to the Red Sox. The previous year saw him posting a 2.87 ERA in 39 relief appearances with 86 strikeouts in 59 ⅔ innings. Keeping similarities with his previous year’s form, he pitched four scoreless innings with four strikeouts in this spring training. The significance of the spring training is unmatched for Slaten, as he needs to make an active roster in Rule 5 to avoid getting traded back to the Mets, and he is showing his on-field prowess significantly.

Eury Perez

Perez is merely 20 years old, and at such young age, he holds the possibility of winning the Cy Young Award or something similar to that in the coming years. This Spring Training, he continues to mesmerize his authorities with his wipeout slider and solid changeup. Moreover, he added another feather to his hat by adding a curveball with pitcher coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. Thus, while talking about him, the team’s manager, Skip Schumaker, expressed his amazement, stating, “Pérez is 20. His first time out, he didn’t throw a pitch under 98 mph and learned a curveball to go along with the slider/changeup.”

AJ Smith-Sawver

Being one of the team’s best pitcher prospects, Smith Shawver claimed the faith of his team to reach the majors in the previous years, where he made five starts and one relief appearance. Thanks to his posting of a 2.76 ERA and over 15 starts in the minors with 79 strikeouts in 62 innings, he was rewarded with the promotion. This spring training also observes Sawver in impressive form, making him an option for the rotation if any injury cases occur.

Now, ahead of the regular season, as the athletes are keeping their best foot forward, their impacts become evident in their regular season performance. However, some odd circumstances also encountered heaven-and-earth differences between spring training and the regular season.

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The importance of the spring training stats in the regular season

Spring Training barely holds any significance for the veteran players. On the one hand, it ensures a glimpse of the upcoming season; on the other, there are several circumstances that turn around the Spring Training performances.

In a recent discussion presented by MLB.com, there have been a large number of incidents where the regular season saw the athletes doing tremendously well following a fateful spring training. For example, the Japanese ace Shohei Ohtani’s performance in the 2018 spring training, where he couldn’t bag any homers, but the regular season saw him claiming 22 home runs.

Thus, not necessarily spring training stats predict the best possibilities all the time; however, most of the time, it ensures even more prominent improvements in the regular season.

Read More: Spring Training: Origin, History, and Everything You Need to Know About Baseball’s Preseason