6 under-the-radar X-factors to watch as spring training unfolds

Last month, Yahoo Sports’ Jake Mintz highlighted 5 gamers getting into make-or-break seasons in 2026. With spring training games now underway, let’s check out six more groups — three American League and three National League — with gamers who may very well be sneaky X-factors this season.

Keep these gamers in your radar as Opening Day approaches.

SS Colson Montgomery, Chicago White Sox

The profile:

Montgomery, 24, is probably the most promising up-and-comer on a White Sox roster all of the sudden stocked with younger expertise. But it wasn’t all that way back that his standing as a future fixture of Chicago’s infield was doubtful. Montgomery surged into the higher echelon of top-100 prospect lists with a loud performance in 2023 however then faltered with a poor displaying in Triple-A in 2024 (80 wRC+). That left his prospect inventory in a diminished state getting into last season, and a again injury during spring training restricted his alternatives to reestablish his worth in camp. His return to Triple-A to start 2025 wasn’t a lot better (82 wRC+), however as soon as Montgomery received the call-up in July, he heated up in a rush and went on to end fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting.

Montgomery’s headlining trait has always been his big, left-handed energy. That skill was loudly on show last 12 months, as Montgomery slugged .529 and swatted 21 homers in just 71 games, including a very scorching stretch during which he homered eight occasions across 12 games. And while seeing his energy play at the highest level was definitely a optimistic signal for the White Sox, even more encouraging for Montgomery’s long-term prospects was how he seemed as a defender.

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 230 kilos, he has lengthy confronted questions about whether or not a participant his dimension can maintain up at shortstop, with many evaluators projecting a transfer to the scorching nook sooner relatively than later. Montgomery received some publicity at third base in the higher minors and early in his major-league tenure, however by the final two months of last season, he had entrenched himself as Chicago’s every-day shortstop. And among 33 shortstops who logged not less than 500 innings at the place in 2025, he ranked eighth in each Defensive Runs Saved and Outs Above Average — a outstanding show of glovework that speaks to Montgomery’s athleticism and aptitude for enchancment. If he can replicate that high level of protection over a full season, it’ll dramatically elevate each the flooring and ceiling for him as a participant.

What they’re saying:

“We saw him early in camp last year, and then he had the back thing, and then we didn’t see him ‘til he came up. And I think that he really exceeded expectations defensively. He’s just such a good athlete, and it really came out. And I thought he got comfortable really quickly out there. He’s a big-league shortstop that is really good and performed well, and [I’m] looking forward to seeing what this year looks like, too.” — White Sox manager Will Venable

“I really feel like protection is, it is an effort factor, too, and more of a mindset factor. So in my head, it is like something hit in my basic route, I’m gonna go after it. I felt like I always had that sort of intuition. But I just assume the more I went up in the ranges, that your intent has to go greater, because they hit the ball so much more durable, and so they’re so much sooner. I just assume it is adjusting and adapting to the game.” — Montgomery

RHP Luis Morales, A’s

The profile:

It’s no secret that the A’s have assembled considered one of the most thrilling lineups in baseball, a deep and proficient unit that ought to score a boatload of runs in 2026. But if the team is to be more than just a run-scoring machine and turn out to be a respectable menace to attain the playoffs for the first time since 2020, their run-prevention efforts will want to be improved significantly. Top-10 marks for the A’s in a number of offensive classes last season have been offset by ending bottom-five by most measures on the mound, and as issues stand, projection programs trace that an identical destiny may very well be in retailer in 2026.

One key determine who may assist change this outlook for the better is 23-year-old right-hander Luis Morales. While the A’s have an intriguing wave of pitching prospects looming in the minors who may debut over the next 18 months, Morales is clearly the arm most probably to influence the major-league team from the get-go in 2026.

A local of Cuba, Morales signed with the A’s for $3 million three years in the past and instantly started flashing his high-octane arsenal in the low minors. Concerns about his strike-throwing lingered as he climbed, however he fended off doubts about his ability to stick as a starter and joined the big-league rotation in August. His seven scoreless innings against Detroit in his fourth profession start was considered one of the best outings by any A’s pitcher in 2025, which speaks each to Morales’ speedy assimilation and to how little beginning pitching success the franchise skilled last season.

Only a handful of starters league-wide throw more durable than Morales, whose four-seamer averaged 97.3 mph as a rookie, however the continued honing of his command and development of his secondary pitches (sweeper, changeup) will decide just how good he will be. Whatever occurs next, there’s little question Morales is considered one of the most important pitchers on the A’s roster.

What they’re saying:

“Nothing bothers Luis. Came up, made his debut last year. From where he came from, Cuba, being in Mexico for a year and then to work his way through the system. … This kid is ready for the big time, and his stuff is there, too. As close as you can get to sort of penciling yourself into the rotation through a handful of big league starts — he’s pretty close to doing that. …

“These guys want 15 to 20 begins under their belt. We’ve seen it with [J.T.] Ginn and [Jack] Perkins, and so they just want the experience of getting out of conditions, working command. Luis’s command shouldn’t be fairly the place he wants it to be, however man, the stuff is there.” — basic supervisor David Forst

Most of the gamers on this checklist are MLB newcomers, however Joc Pederson stands out as a hitter trying to bounce again on a team attempting to do the same. (Mallory Bielecki/Yahoo Sports)

DH Joc Pederson, Texas Rangers

The profile:

When Joc Pederson signed with the Rangers as a free agent in December 2024, it appeared like an ideal match. A confirmed lefty slugger coming off an impressive season at the plate becoming a member of a franchise trying to flush the odd offensive funk that adopted its 2023 World Series run. A well-traveled hitter with ample postseason experience reinforcing a roster crammed with completed veterans keen to get again to October.

Instead, Texas’ unusual struggles at the plate have been exacerbated additional amid another disappointing season, with Pederson contributing to the woes with a brutal chilly spell early in 2025. He endured a stunning 0-for-41 stretch that spanned more than three weeks in April, placing his slash line in a gap that he never climbed all the method out of. He then suffered a right-hand fracture that put him on the shelf for 2 months, including injury to what was already a depressing first 12 months in Arlington. After his return, Pederson was a lot more competent over the final two months (.757 OPS), however by then it was far too little and much too late for each participant and team.

Now Pederson is getting into the second 12 months of his two-year, $37 million deal as considered one of a number of Rangers hitters trying to flip the web page on a tough 2025. Even if he’s restricted to DH duties largely against right-handed pitching, Pederson is an important character in Texas’ efforts to get again on observe.

What they’re saying:

“He came in mentally ready to roll day one in spring, like he’s got something to prove. And when you come in hungry, that’s the goal. It’s not the best shape of your life, physically all the time. It’s, where are they at mentally? Where’s their belief? Where’s their conviction? What was the motivation in the offseason? And I think the great news for a new manager is that a lot of these guys are motivated and ready to roll. …

“He’s a sensible baseball participant, and just because he is DH’d so much currently, I feel it should not take away to what sort of athlete that Joc is. And he’s a man that can lead a clubhouse. He’s a man that can lead a hitting division. He’s actually good on the ideas and tells and figuring out stuff on what pitchers are doing. He’s actually good at serving to the younger guys, whether or not that’s scouting or whether or not that’s taking them to dinner and impacting them that method. He’s such a very good teammate, the care issue is there. He’s received, he is aware of what successful appears to be like like. I’m hoping that he’s a part of a successful team this 12 months as nicely.” — supervisor Skip Schumaker

RHP Landen Roupp, San Francisco Giants

The profile:

The San Francisco Giants have steadily amassed a relatively deep secure of homegrown arms. Landen Roupp, Keaton Winn, Hayden Birdsong, Carson Whisenhunt and Trevor McDonald have been all drafted and developed in San Francisco’s system and have debuted in latest seasons, and now Blade Tidwell has joined the combine after arriving from the Mets by way of commerce last summer season. The Giants are in the strategy of sorting by way of the roles for all of these arms in 2026.

That said, Roupp appears to be like to have the inside observe on the fifth and final spot in a rotation that at the moment has 4 spots settled in employees ace Logan Webb, veteran lefty Robbie Ray and offseason free-agent additions Adrian Houser and Tyler Mahle. After spending most of his rookie season as a reliever in 2024, Roupp made the fourth-most begins (22) of any Giants pitcher in 2025. He actually discovered his groove midsummer, posting a 2.27 ERA across 14 begins from May 5 to July 22. But two stints on the injured checklist due to proper elbow inflammation and a left knee injury restricted his effectiveness and availability over the final two months, souring the end to an in any other case encouraging season.

Now again healthy, Roupp has seemed sharp early in Cactus League play, together with his velocity up a tick on all of his pitches. He assaults with an fascinating combine, as a uncommon beginning pitcher who leans on a conventional curveball as considered one of his major weapons, and it’s no shock, contemplating its elite spin charge. Competition stays fierce among the Giants’ cohort of homegrown arms, however Roupp initiatives as a pivotal a part of San Francisco’s pitching plans no matter whether or not he hangs on to his rotation spot or transitions again right into a reduction position.

What they’re saying:

(*6*)He always spun it rather well, and it always received actually good outcomes. It could be more of that old-school, like 12-to-6 sort that we do not see as a lot, however it’s labored for him. I feel as the season went on, I feel he began to get a really feel for when to use it and when not to use it, to make certain it did not lose effectiveness. And he ended up having a pleasant 12 months and a 12 months that we expect he can actually build off of.” — basic supervisor Zack Minasian

C/DH Moises Ballesteros, Chicago Cubs

The profile:

The most glaring change made to the Chicago Cubs’ offense over the offseason was the signing of All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman in the wake of Kyle Tucker’s departure in free agency. That swap of lineup headliners will be fascinating to follow, but there are a few other fresh faces to monitor among the Cubs’ position-player group, most notably 22-year-old Moises Ballesteros.

Ballesteros memorably cracked his first career home run in September, directly to Anthony Rizzo, who was sitting in the Wrigley Field bleachers after celebrating retiring with the Cubs. But the lefty-swinging backstop projects to be more than just an answer to that Rizzo-related trivia question. He’s still rookie-eligible entering 2026, and his sterling track record of mashing in the minors (.289/.371/.457 across 1,937 MiLB plate appearances) has him comfortably slotted in the 50-60 range on most top-100 prospect lists.

By trading another top-100 prospect in Owen Caissie and shifting Seiya Suzuki back to the outfield to replace Tucker, the Cubs should have plenty of at-bats available at DH for Ballesteros. How that impacts his long-term development as a catcher, his natural position, remains to be seen. But if the Cubs believe Ballesteros’ bat can help them win right now — and the current roster construction indicates they do — they’re going to find a way for him to be in the lineup.

What they’re saying:

“We view him as a catcher. We clearly have two catchers on our roster proper now. We need Balle to continue to develop as a catcher, however he also has a fantastic bat. So we’re gonna be attempting to win this 12 months, as all years. But we’re gonna attempt to determine out methods to develop him behind the dish, and if that’s at the big-league level, that’d be superior. …

“Great hand-eye, the bat to ball, the ability to hit multiple pitches … hitter-ish is the word that you hear a lot from coaches that are around him. And I think the way that he approached his first few at-bats in the major leagues, he just did not seem intimidated. He was ready to face plus stuff and had some big hits for us. That’s something that’s pretty exciting for just how young he is. Should be a guy that’s in the big leagues for a long time.” — basic supervisor Carter Hawkins

RHP David Morgan and RHP Bradgley Rodriguez, San Diego Padres

The profile:

The San Diego Padres supercharged their already stacked bullpen last summer season with the acquisition of fireballer Mason Miller at the commerce deadline. That unit has since declined considerably with longtime nearer Robert Suarez departing in free company, however the Padres still project to have considered one of the best reduction corps in baseball. That has so much to do with Miller’s outsized presence, as nicely as the large seasons turned in by the likes of Adrian Morejon, Jeremiah Estrada and Jason Adam, all of whom return in 2026. But look down the depth chart, and also you’ll discover that San Diego has even more influence relievers prepared to contribute.

The most intriguing duo from that next wave are 26-year-old David Morgan and 22-year-old Bradgley Rodriguez. Rodriguez zoomed by way of the minors thanks to his hellacious heater that touches triple-digits, and he debuted briefly in May before making a handful more major-league outings in September. With minimal experience in the higher ranges, he would possibly want some more sharpening before being unleashed in a daily position in San Diego’s bullpen, however his stuff speaks for itself.

Morgan, meanwhile, racked up 41 appearances with a 2.66 ERA as a rookie last season, marking the latest chapter in his astonishing development story. He was primarily an infielder in junior school and at the NAIA level, however San Diego signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2022 with hopes that his standout arm strength may translate to a full-time future on the mound. Boy, have been the Padres proper. It took some time for Morgan to absolutely take to his new focus, however he received better as he climbed each level. His effectiveness as a rookie despite a relative lack of reps on the mound was spectacular, and the Padres are confident he’s just scratching the floor of his potential.

What they’re saying:

“Really excited about those two. … They bring electric stuff to the table. And they also bring an attitude, like a not-scared attitude, which is always great to see in a young player, that he’s fearless and puts his best foot out there whenever he can. So are we looking for those guys to take the next step? We’re hopeful of that. I know that the progression of every pitcher is not always straight up the mountain. So we’re prepared for that, but we’re going to take care of them, too, with the workload and all that. They make our bullpen really good. We’ve got great back-end guys. [Morgan and Rodriguez] potentially being able to fill-in when those guys need a breather? That makes us feel really good.” — manager Craig Stammen

“I noticed [Morgan] proper after we signed him in Arizona, and it was like, this man’s received expertise, however not tremendous polished. That’s actually a praise to him and our development team. Those guys did a fantastic job taking [that velocity] however now getting that to the place it is command, it is management, it is secondary pitches … And then the development when he received to the big-league level, because at the big-league level, the four-seamer received hit slightly bit, and abruptly, now he comes up with a two-seamer. He’s throwing a slider and a curveball. I feel those are issues that are actually thrilling. When you see any person that has the aptitude to add those pitches, I feel a part of it’s development and a big a part of it is on him, that he is just a very good athlete.” — basic supervisor AJ Preller

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6 under-the-radar X-factors to watch as spring training unfolds