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The 2014 Chicago Cubs broke camp in Mesa, Ariz. this week with several unanswered questions in regard to their final 25-man roster. There are several position battles which will involve players who are on the cusp of making the major league squad. 

Which players currently on the roster bubble are going to have a tough time making the team?

Let’s take a few moments to examine the players that project to be locks to make the team. 

Starting Pitchers: (Spots 1-4)

The first four roster spots will be allocated to the rotation. Samardzija, Wood and Jackson are no-brainers. Hammel should land one of the last two spots. He signed an one-year, $6 million plus-incentives deal late in January. 

Relievers: (Spots 5-9)

One of the bright spots in an overall dismal year for the 2013 Cubs was the bullpen. Both Strop and Parker showed a tremendous amount of promise and will play significant roles this season. The newly acquired Wright will team with Russell to tackle lefties. The closer duties will be handled at the onset of the season by the eight-year veteran Veras.

Position Players (Spots 10-14)

Three-fourths of the Cubs infield will be set on Opening Day with Rizzo, Barney and Castro. The backstop will be manned once again by Castillo, who had a breakout year in 2013. Schierholtz is the only outfielder who seems to have a secure spot, as the outfield situation is not as clear in center and left.

Remaining Spots: (15-25)

There are 11 roster spots left to be determined. 

Pitchers (4): Fifth Starter, Middle Relief 1, Middle Relief 2, Long Reliever

Position Players (7): Starting third base, starting center fielder, starting left fielder, backup corner-infielder, backup middle-infielder, fourth outfielder, fifth outfielder

Another position player slot could be added if Cubs manager Rick Renteria decides to go with one less reliever. 

With that said, here are a couple of potential roster spot battles to watch as the spring progresses. These players may have a tough time making the 25-man roster cut.

Starting Third Base: The Cubs seem to be willing to go with a platoon at third base involving incumbents Luis Valbuena and Donnie Murphy.

Bubble Player to Watch: Mike Olt 

One of the big questions heading into spring training is whether or not Olt is ready to make an impact on the major league level. Acquired part of the Garza trade from the Rangers last season, Olt hit .201/15/42 in Double-A and Triple-A in 2013. 

Olt shared his thoughts on the upcoming season with Patrick Mooney of CSNChicago. 

“I don’t really have anything I feel like I have to prove,” Olt said. “I know that I put in a lot of hard work and I think last year was good for me in dealing with a lot of adversity. It’s going to make me a better player and I’m going to (learn) from it.”

What are the odds of Olt making the cut?

It really depends on whether or not his vision problems have fully recovered from the concussion he suffered last offseason in the Dominican Republic winter league. Even if he has fully recovered from the concussion, he will face an uphill battle to make the squad. It seems the Cubs are set on deploying a Valbuena/Murphy third base platoon. Olt will have to have a very strong camp in order to make the team.

Fifth Starter: The fifth starter slot before camp seemed to belong to Jason Hammel. However, with the shoulder setback recently suffered by Jake Arrieta, it seems Hammel is now projected to be the fourth starter. This now opens the doors for several pitchers if Arrieta is not able to make it back by Opening Day. 

Bubble Player to Watch: Carlos Villanueva 

If Arrieta is unable to make it back by Opening Day, expect Chris Rusin and the newly acquired James McDonald to battle for the fifth and long reliever spots on the roster. This leaves Villanueva on the bubble for making the final cut. The eight-year veteran has been exceedingly average, 40-43 record, throughout his career. He started 15 games for the Cubs in 2013, going 7-8 with a 4.06 ERA.

What are the odds of Villanueva making the cut?

It’s going to be tough for Villanueva for make the team with both Rusin and McDonald ahead of him on the depth chart.

If Arrieta does come back sooner as expected and returns before Opening Day, it will be even more difficult for him to make the squad. The odds are against Villanueva unless he has a stellar spring.

Fourth and Fifth Outfielders: The only player who seems to have a spot secured in the outfield is right fielder Nate Schierholtz. The front runners for the other two starting spots are Justin Ruggiano and Junior Lake. Ruggiano, who was acquired via a trade with the Miami Marlins this past offseason, projects to play center field. Lake had a strong second half of the season with the Cubs .284/6/16 and is expected to get an opportunity to start in left.

Bubble Players to Watch: Josh Vitters and Brett Jackson

There could be only two backup outfield spots available. One of those roles going to backup center fielder Ryan Sweeney. The last outfield spot could very well come down to a group of outfielders which include Vitters and Brett Jackson.

What are the odds of Vitters and Jackson making the team?

The odds are not that good. Vitters and Jackson have had their chances in the past and have been unable to capitalize. Jackson and Vitters were both brought up to the majors in August 2012 and failed to impress. Both players struggled with big league pitching and have showed a lack of plate discipline on both minor and major league levels. Unless they can show the ability to hit consistently on the major league level, they will not get another chance at Wrigley.

Stats courtesy of baseball-reference.com

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Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Despite missing out on the postseason last October, the New York Yankees enter spring training as the biggest story in Major League Baseball.

Yes, the Red Sox won the World Series, the Dodgers carry a $200 million payroll and the Nationals are poised to win big in 2014. But, while compelling, none of their spring training venues can come close to matching the kind of drama and media attention that will surface in Tampa, Fla. at Steinbrenner Field.

Over a four-month span, the Yankees lost Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, Robinson Cano and Alex Rodriguez, and added Carlos Beltran, Brian McCann, Jacoby Ellsbury and Masahiro Tanaka. As if that wasn’t enough of a whirlwind, Derek Jeter announced that 2014 would be his final season.

For most teams, the first day of spring training is boring. For the New York Yankees, it’s must-see television.

Here’s a recap of the first day of Yankees spring training.

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The New York Yankees roster consists of a flurry of stars and a vast collection of bubble players who will need to fight during spring training to crack the final 25-man squad.

With depth in the middle infield, manager Joe Girardi will have to make some tough decisions throughout the spring. Each middle infielder offers similar versatility and skills at the plate, though it might come down to who performs best as camp closes and the regular season begins.

Relief pitching is the area where the most surprising cuts will come. With the retirement of Mariano Rivera and the departure of Boone Logan via free agency, several spots out of the bullpen are up for grabs.

The likes of David Robertson, Matt Thornton, Shawn Kelley and Preston Claiborne will have roles in some capacity. Robertson will be the closer, but the remaining spots have yet to be filled. They’ll likely come from in-house candidates.

There will be some very competitive position battles in Tampa in the coming weeks. You’re not going to want to miss them. Here are the odds for each Yankees player on the bubble of making the roster.

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The Texas Rangers boast one of the better farm systems in all of baseball.

Now it isn’t what it was a year or two ago, but is still ranked No. 13 overall by ESPN’s Keith Law (subscription required). The main reason for the drop is the collective age of talent. Many of the prospects still are a few years away from being ready for the big leagues.

But there still is a great deal of talent throughout the organization. Two of the players on this list also are in Law’s Top 100 Prospects list (subscription required).

Here are the top 10 Rangers prospects heading into spring training. 

Who do you think belongs on the list?

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted/linked.

Here is the link to Baseball America’s Best Tools page that will be used throughout the slideshow.

You can follow Trey on Twitter @treydwarren

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Spring training has barely begun, and already, a trade involving a trio of prospects has taken place.

On Thursday, a swap occurred between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Washington Nationals, per Bill Ladson of MLB.com, in which the most recognizable name is catcher Jose Lobaton, a backup catcher whose name, let’s face it, isn’t all that recognizable in the first place.

The other three pieces are all prospects with some intriguing upside. Joining Lobaton in D.C. are young outfielder Drew Vettleson and lefty Felipe Rivero, while right-hander Nathan Karns (pictured), a 26-year-old who made three starts for the Nats last year, is heading to St. Petersburg.

This transaction occurred on the eve of spring training, so imagine what others might happen once the exhibition games actually get going. Over the next handful of weeks, prospects in big league camp will have a chance to show what they can do which might make them better known and more attractive to teams looking to acquire young, cheap talent for the future.

On the other side, any team that’s going to consider giving up a prospect this close to the start of the 2014 season would not only expect to be a contender this year but also view the youngster as a commodity currently blocked by a big leaguer. Having an area of need or two would also help necessitate such a move.

Admittedly, though, it’s hard to fathom a team willing to surrender anything more than a second- or third-tier prospect at this point, unless an unforeseen and catastrophic injury befalls a key member of the 25-man roster or a too-good-to-pass-up proposal comes to light at the last minute.

Still, here’s a handful of intriguing prospects who will be in big league camps this month and next, giving them an opportunity to open some eyes and turn themselves into potential trade chips before the real games begin.

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Spring training has arrived, as players around the league are making their way to sunny Arizona or Florida to gear up for the 2014 MLB season.

Teams will now go to work evaluating their talent and determining who will make up their 25-man roster when Opening Day rolls around.

For some teams, there’s a big decision to be made, be it a battle between two everyday guys at the same position or a number of guys for the No. 5 starter job. For others, it’s just a matter of rounding out the bench or picking the final bullpen arm.

With that in mind, here is a look at 10 of the biggest position battles going on around spring training as well as my early predictions for who will win each of them.

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For teams like the Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Rays, deciding which starter will take the mound on Opening Day 2014 is nothing but a formality. 

However, for most MLB clubs around the league, the process of selecting an Opening Day starter can be far more complex. Some teams simply have a ridiculous abundance of options, while other teams are noticeably lacking in viable candidates. 

So, here’s a look at the projected Opening Day starting pitchers for all 30 MLB teams in 2014. 

Note: All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com. 

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As pitchers and catchers report for duty, baseball fans can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Before long, the 2014 Major League Baseball season will begin.

After a long, cold winter, baseball is back. 

For most of us, the wait was endless. If you latched onto the hot-stove season, disappointment likely followed.

Sure, Masahiro Tanaka arrived, Alex Rodriguez departed and Prince Fielder and Doug Fister were involved in blockbuster trades. But for die-hard fans, headline-grabbing moves and legacy-altering suspensions can’t rival actual baseball. For those ready for the game, it’s time to look ahead at how the season could unfold.

With some rosters undecided, free agents still available and trade candidates loitering around many teams, predicting how the regular season will play out is no easy task.

Luckily, we’re up for the challenge here at Bleacher Report. Over the next six weeks, these predictions are subject to change. For now, the following is a look at how the 2014 Major League Baseball standings should play out.

Statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference and FanGraphs, unless otherwise noted. All contract figures courtesy of Cot’s Baseball Contracts. Arbitration numbers and projections courtesy of MLB Trade Rumors. Roster projections courtesy of MLB Depth Charts.

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Oscar Taveras was widely regarded as the top offensive prospect in baseball headed into the 2013 season and was expected to make an immediate impact upon reaching the major leagues with the St. Louis Cardinals.

But Taveras’ highly anticipated campaign didn’t unfold as expected, as he suffered an ankle injury that limited him to only 46 games at Triple-A and ultimately required season-ending surgery.

However, according to a recent report from MLB.com, the 21-year-old outfielder’s ankle feels “100 percent” in advanced of spring training.

Though Taveras isn’t a lock to make the Cardinals’ Opening Day roster, he’s still expected to compete for a job as the team’s everyday right fielder in spring training. Even if he doesn’t break camp in the major leagues, Taveras is poised for a breakout Rookie-of-the-Year-caliber season in 2014.

Background

After a strong showing between a pair of rookie levels in 2010, Taveras was moved up to Low-A Quad Cities the following year for his full-season debut. The then-19-year-old jumped on the prospect radar by tearing the cover off the ball at the more advanced level, batting .386/.444/.584 with 40 extra-base hits (eight home runs) in 347 plate appearances.

As a result of his overwhelming success, Taveras was promoted directly from Low- to Double-A for the 2012 season, where he destroyed Texas League pitching to the tune of a .321/.380/.572 batting line with 67 extra-base hits (23 home runs), 94 RBI and a 56-42 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 531 plate appearances.

It also marked the third consecutive season in which the left-handed hitter posted a .300-plus batting average and .500-plus slugging percentage.

Moved up to Triple-A Memphis for the 2013 season—a season in which he was expected to make an impact in the major leagues—the 21-year-old suffered a high ankle sprain in late May that continued to bother him throughout the season and led to two separate stints on the disabled list.

There was a glimmer of hope in mid-August when reports had Taveras nearing a rehab assignment, fueling the belief that the outfielder could still receive a September call-up. Unfortunately, it was announced a few days later that he needed season-ending surgery.

The surgery went well, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, though Taveras was restricted to a walking boot for the following eight weeks.

Overall, Taveras batted .306/.341/.462 with 17 extra-base hits last season, but was limited to only 186 plate appearances with Memphis.

Scouting Report

Taveras features an explosive, yet well-balanced, left-handed swing that enables him to keep the bat head in the zone for an extended period of time. As a result, he seemingly always achieves a favorable point of contact, while his extension through the ball allows him to generate backspin carry to all fields and amass a significant number of extra-base hits.

Though Taveras has plenty of strength and raw power, his in-game power is more so a product of him being a pure hitter.

However, it’s Taveras’ unparalleled hand-eye coordination and bat-to-ball ability that separates him from other highly regarded young hitters. Additionally, the 21-year-old’s ability to drive the ball the other way is already more advanced than a lot of big league hitters and only stands to improve with additional experience against top-notch pitching.

Over the last two seasons, he has drawn an increasing number of comparisons to Vladimir Guerrero due to his aggressive, free-swinging approach, as well as his knack for consistently centering pitches throughout (and even outside) the strike zone.

Taveras simply hits everything: fastballs, breaking balls, off-speed pitches, same-side pitching, pitcher’s pitches—you name it and he can barrel it, effortlessly. And while his approach may be challenged more at the major league level, Taveras should always make enough contact to negate any strikeout-related concerns.

Though he has considerable experience in center field, Taveras’ defensive profile is better suited for a corner outfielder position—likely right field given the presence of Matt Holliday in left. Meanwhile, the Cardinals’ offseason acquisition of Peter Bourjos eliminated any temptation for the team to deploy Taveras in center field during future seasons.

2014: What to Expect

The question isn’t if Oscar Taveras will make an impact in the major leagues next season; rather, it’s a question of when.

As previously mentioned, the Cardinals are likely to open the 2014 season with Holliday in left field and Bourjos in center. Meanwhile, the need to have both Allen Craig and Matt Adams’ respective right- and left-handed bats in the lineup means Craig is likely to get the nod in right field next season.

So, where does that leave Taveras?

Well, Taveras will get the chance to compete for a job this spring, presumably in right field, though the team may offer him playing time at both corner spots to ensure he receives consistent (and much-needed) at-bats.

However, based upon the strength of the Cardinals’ probable outfield configuration of Holliday-Bourjos-Craig, not to mention the fact that Taveras had only 186 plate appearances in 2013, the 21-year-old is likely to open the year at Triple-A.

But that could change in a hurry this spring if Adams or Craig were to suffer an injury, or if Adams struggles at the plate and forces the organization to use Craig almost exclusively at first base to open the year. Regardless of what transpires with his future teammates, Taveras will have to do his part by tearing the cover off the ball during spring training in order to secure a spot on the Opening Day roster.

That being said, the Cardinals aren’t known for rushing its offensive prospects to the major leagues. This is especially applicable for Taveras, who is expected to rake upon reaching the major leagues whenever that ultimately occurs.

The two main statistical projection models (per FanGraphs), Oliver and ZIPS, both suggest that Taveras will enjoy sustained success in the majors next season. (Note: The Oliver projection model works under the assumption that a player spends then entire season in the major leagues.)

As one can see, both models believe that Taveras will post an OPS in the .779 to .789 range to go along with a .300-plus BABIP (batting average on balls in play) and solid strikeout and walk rates.

If Taveras doesn’t open the season in the major leagues, then he’s unlikely to be promoted until May, at the earliest, unless there’s an injury to one of the team’s aforementioned outfielders. If that is the case, then the ZIPS projections provide an accurate idea of what to expect from Taveras next season.

However, based on the 21-year-old’s offensive prowess and track record against advanced competition, he’s more likely to surpass those statistical expectations than disappoint next year. And so long as Taveras spends a good chunk of the 2014 season in the major leagues, it’s hard to envision him not make a strong bid for Rookie of the Year honors in the National League.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Fresh off their first playoff appearance since 2007, the Cleveland Indians are now just days away from the start of spring training.

The Indians made some big changes to the roster this offseason, but the biggest moves came in the form of the free-agency departures of Scott Kazmir, Joe Smith and Ubaldo Jimenez. The team attempted to address these moves through a flurry of minor league signings while also adding closer John Axford and outfielder David Murphy to the big league roster.

The moves bring some optimism to Cleveland, as does the crop of young prospects who are making the trip to camp.

Multiple position battles have taken shape this offseason. The battles for the fifth rotational spot, as well as the one for third base, should provide some interesting storylines as we progress through spring training.

Over the course of this article, we’ll take you step-by-step through spring training, giving you a full breakdown of what to expect as the team makes its way toward the start of the 2014 season.

So let’s get started!

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs.com unless otherwise noted.

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