Spring Training Opening Day Dynasty Baseball Rundown

Damn it feels good to be doing the Rundowns again! It’s only Spring and it’s only one day, but I’m buzzing that there is officially new games and data to analyze … and more accurately at this time of year … to overanalyze. As usual, I’m doing Dynasty Baseball Rundowns all Spring, with most of them coming on the Patreon, and a few coming on the Brick Wall like this one (usually on Monday’s, but I’ll make an exception for Spring Training Opening Day). There is sooooooooo much off-season content already up on the Patreon, and there is much more coming, in particular one of my favorite articles to write every year, Predicting the Top 50 2027 Prospects Rankings which doubles as a Bold Predictions article. But first, here is the Spring Training Opening Day Dynasty Baseball Rundown:

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Jordan Lawlar – ARI, 3B, 23.9 – DNP. Ah, it’s like we never left. Right back to the Diamondbacks not even giving Lawlar consistent playing time in Spring Training. They effing hate him hah.

Munetaka Murakami – CHW, 3B/1B, 26.2 – Murakami must have been so sick about hearing that he can’t hit velocity over and over again his off-season, so he shut everyone up real fast when he ripped a 95.2 MPH Porter Hodge fastball for a 105.5 MPH double. Sure it should have been caught, but he still hit it a long way and it didn’t look like much trouble to catch up to the heat. He then tacked on a 108.3 MPH single. We knew he crushes the ball, and now he’s showing it. He finished the day 2 for 4, and yes, he did strikeout once. It’s just spring, and it’s just one game, but I actually think it’s a great sign he immediately came out and ripped it up. We’ve seen so many times guys with risky hit tools come in and it’s just an 0-fer strikeout fest right out of the gate, even in spring. You damn well know you were worried he would be a Bottom of the Rundown guy (don’t worry, we have some old friends back on the Bottom of the Rundown). I’m as encouraged as I can be for one spring training game.

Sam Antonacci – CHW, 2B/3B, 23.2 – The first spring prospect hype train has left the station with Antonacci leaving the ballpark at 109.5 MPH. He did it in style with both the stop and stare, and the angry bat flip to punctuate the moment. He did it off a Jameson Taillon 92.5 MPH that was right down the middle, but the thing we need to see for the full on breakout is more power, and he just gave it to us. The plate skills, base running and defense are all there already. If one spring training homer can have your value on the rise, then Antonacci’s value has already ticked up.

William Bergolla Jr. – CHW, SS, 21.5 – 2 for 2 with 2 doubles at 103.1 MPH and 100.7 MPH. If he’s going to keep hitting the ball that hard, watch out, because the guy literally doesn’t swing and miss. Like ever. He put up a 4.7% K% and 6% whiff% in 125 games at Double-A as a 20 year old. That is absurd. If he keeps ripping the ball this hard with his elite contact, plus speed and up the middle D, good things are going to happen. He was one of my favorite international targets in his FYPD year, I’ve continued to rank him solidly on prospect lists, and if the power really is coming in his age 21 year old season, I think he might secretly be the true hype train we should be following in Chicago.

Braden Montgomery – CHW, OF, 23.0 – Let’s go with our 4th White Sox in a row on the Rundown, because Chicago fans can use some hope, and the first spring game put on display a ton of their exciting young talent. Montgomery got in on the action with a 103 MPH stand up triple. He walloped the ball and I’m also impressed with how easily he turned that into a triple. He’s an electric player who will very likely make a fantasy impact when he gets the call at some point in 2026.

Zebby Matthews – MIN, RHP, 25.11 – We already know Zebby’s profile with dominate all non MLB talent, so it’s no surprise he crushed the Golden Gophers, going 2 IP with 2 hits, 0 ER, and a 3/0 K/BB. But the better news is that the increased velocity from 2025 is still there with a 96.4 MPH fastball. It’s a clearly a meaningless outing, but he now is set in a rotation spot with the Pablo Lopez injury, the stuff is back, and he remains an excellent breakout candidate. He ranked 336th on the 2026 Top 1,000 Dynasty Baseball Rankings (Patreon).

Trey Gibson – BAL, RHP, 23.10 – Everyone seems to be so impressed with Gibson’s first spring outing, but I can’t say it got me going like everyone else. He pitched well for sure, going 3 IP with 2 hits, 0 ER, and a 3/0 K/BB, but it was against the Yanks like 9th stringers. The sinker sat 92 MPH and it put up a 93.5 MPH EV against with a 13% whiff%. The secondaries missed bats and he ended up with a 28% whiff%. I like Gibson. I think he can end up a solid mid rotation starter, but he’s just not one of my favorite guys in that SP bucket I love shopping in.

Elmer Rodriguez – NYY, RHP, 22.8 – 3 IP, 3 hits, 0 ER, 1/0 K/BB vs. almost Baltimore’s real lineup. The fire stuff that had him rocketing up prospect lists was there with a 95.7 MPH 4-seamer and 95.1 MPH sinker. He threw 6 pitches over 10% of the time. He didn’t miss a ton of bats with a 22% whiff%, but Baltimore couldn’t barrel him up with a 84.6 MPH EV against. When everyone is healthy, the Yanks have a deep rotation, so I don’t know when he’s going to get his shot, but unlike Gibson, Rodriguez is definitely one of the pitchers I love going after this off-season

Cole Carrigg – COL, OF, 23.11 – Carrigg just coolly laced a 104.4 MPH triple the opposite way. Talk about looking the part at 6’2”, 200 pounds with power and speed. And maybe just as interesting, he got the start at SS. He’s played SS in his career before, and it certainly seems like the new regime has plans to keep him as versatile as possible. He can catch too! Carrigg might end up a super fun, super utility player if the Rockies are actually becoming a smarter team, which is the hope now.

Cameron Cauley – TEX, OF/SS/2B, 23.2 – Cameron Cauley, who I just named a Target in my Position by Position Target Week Series (Patreon), made a good first impression in 2026, going 1 for 2 with a 102.8 MPH double. The more he shows off the electricity, the more he is going to be on the front offices mind when that team needs replacements/reinforcements, or when the offense needs a shot in the arm. He’s versatile, he’s explosive, and he’s got fantasy friendly upside. He’s one of the more underrated prospects out there.

Michael Arroyo – SEA, 2B/OF, 21.5 – The little man with a big heart stepped up to the plate in his first spring at bat, bat waggling and all, and then ripped a dinger going the opposite way at 102.4 MPH, traveling 406 feet. He then tacked on a 103.3 MPH double. He’s small but mighty. Dude can hit it hard. Hard enough for the power to truly play to it’s fullest in Seattle’s ballpark? I don’t know, which is why I’m hoping for a trade at some point, but even in Seattle, I don’t want to count him out. They also had him out there at 2B, and while we heard he is going to be transitioned to the OF, I guess 2B is not completely crossed off the list yet.

Walker Jenkins – MIN, OF, 21.1 – Walker Jenkins hard hit watch … 1 for 1 with a 102.6 MPH double. Sure it was off a college pitcher, but the more hard hit, the better.

Zac Veen – COL, OF, 24.3 – 0 for 2 with a K. 50 more pounds, same old results …

Coby Mayo – BAL, 1B, 24.4 – 0 for 2 … oh, we are so back …

By Michael Halpern (@MichaelCHalpern)
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@DynastyHalp)
Blue Sky: Dynasty Halp (@ImaginaryBrickWall)

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