Blue Jays Spring Training: 4 Key Roster Battles

Mar 1, 2015; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays manager

(5) watches practice during spring training workouts at

Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

With Spring Training games officially kicking off in a few hours, Jays Journal took a look at 4 key spots on the roster that are up for grabs. Over the course of March, we’ll be keeping a keen eye on the following battles and will update you on who’s in the lead, any surprising challengers and make note of any particular Spring Training performances that could help bring more clarity to the final Opening Day roster.

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Before getting into each pre-season roster spot battle in depth, it’s important to remember that Spring Training performances are not always indicative of subsequent performance in the regular season. Veterans and established major leaguers view Spring Training as more of a tune-up for the long season ahead, while players on the fringe of the roster and young prospects are out to prove to their organizations that they’re worth a shot in the big leagues. The combination of the two can often lead to overvaluing a player’s performance in Spring Training and we should be careful not to expect a standout performance in Dunedin to carry over into the Rogers Centre.

That said, Spring Training does give us the opportunity to objectively compare players over a reasonable amount of time. At the of March, many of the key roster questions that fans would have had in the off season will be answered in part by Spring Training performances along with preferences for team balance and chemistry that are dictated by John Gibbons and the front office.

So, let’s jump into the 4 key battles that Jays fans should keep an eye on during Spring Training.

Next: The Fourth Outfielder