Spring Training Position Battles - Hitters

Ronald Acuna, the top prospect in all of baseball, will be arriving in Atlanta a few weeks late.

We are six days away from the draft and 10 days from Opening Day. Here's a look at how some of the offensive positional battles are going in the National League.

Atlanta left field: To start the season, it looks like a platoon of Preston Tucker and Lane Adams, with Tucker having had the hot spring. Of course, they're just holding the position down for a couple weeks before Ronald Acuna is called up after the Braves play the service time game. Tucker is 14-for-37 with six extra-base hits this spring... of course, Acuna is 19-for-37 with four homers.

Milwaukee first base/outfield: The Brewers might have the deepest offense in the league, so who will play? Christian Yelich (LF) and Lorenzo Cain (CF) are playing every day if healthy, leaving RF and 1B to Domingo Santana, Eric Thames and Ryan Braun. Plus there's a Keon Broxton and a Jesus Aguilar who might not even have spots on the roster. Braun and Yelich can't really play right field, which means Santana will likely be the main guy there, with Braun the main option at first base if he can figure out how to play it. So Thames seems to be the odd man out here unless there's a trade before opening day. For a team in need of pitching, you'd think they'd be looking to trade from their strengths, but what do I know?

Milwaukee second base: Jonathan Villar and Eric Sogard will share time to start the season, and continue to do so unless one seizes the job.

Vin Scully would call Jose Martinez a "daddy longlegs."

St. Louis corner infield: Matt Carpenter (1B) and Jedd Gyorko (3B) are penciled in as the starters. But with Jose Martinez continuing to rake this spring, the Cardinals will find ways to get him in the lineup. He may see some time in right field (spelling Dexter Fowler) and at first base, where Carpenter could move to third and Gyorko to second (spelling Kolten Wong). While Martinez isn't listed as a starter, St. Louis will get his bat in the lineup often.

Chicago outfield: Well, it's Joe Maddon, so who knows? For now, Kyle Schwaber-Albert Almora-Jason Heyward is the likely outfield, but Ian Happ is crushing the ball this spring and will play plenty. The Cubs especially like him in the leadoff spot, and who else will bat there? So expect to see lots of all four of these guys, plus a little Happ in the infield.

Arizona outfield: Yasmany Tomas is the odd fat man out here, with David Peralta and Stephen Souza claiming the corner OF spots to start the year. Jarrod Dyson will also get playing time when AJ Pollock gets hurt. Not if. When.

Arizona middle infield: Nick Ahmed and his Swiss cheese bat will start at shortstop, and Ketel Marte will play second, leaving Chris Owings as a super utility guy.

Los Angeles left field: The list of guys competing here is epic: Matt Kemp, Joc Pederson, Andrew Toles, Kike Hernandez, Trayce Thompson and Alex Verdugo. Chris Taylor (CF) and Yasiel Puig (RF) are playing every day. Kemp is in good shape and hitting well this spring, and seems to be the guy to get most of the ABs in left, with Hernandez and Toles seeming to be the most likely to also see time to start the season. Both are crushing the ball this spring.

Miami third base: With Martin Prado starting the year on the DL, solid prospect Brian Anderson will start the year as the starter. His glove is ahead of his bat at this point, but he hit for good power in double-A last year.

Miami outfield: To start the year, Derek Dietrich (LF), Lewis Brinson (CF) and Cameron Maybin (RF) seems to be the starting trio. Dietrich has played just four games in the OF in his career, but can hit better than most of the trash Miami has to choose from. Brinson is Miami's top prospect and having a great spring.

A healthy Mets outfielder? This can't last long.

New York center field: Brandon Nimmo is hitting and pushing supposed incumbent Juan Lagares. It looks like Nimmo will supplant Lagares as the starter, with Lagares rumored to be on the trading block. Michael Conforto will be in the mix when he returns from an injury, which is supposed to be in May. Since it's the Mets, we'll assume there will be setbacks.

San Diego left field: Jose Pirela appears to be the starter here over Hunter Renfroe. Pirela can also play second base, but the Padres like Carlos Asuaje there, leaving Renfroe likely as a bench bat. Franchy Cordero is also in the mix in left field and crushing the ball this spring, but is battling a groin injury (aren't we all) and may not be ready to start the year.

Philadelphia outfield: Philly signed Carlos Santana to play first, moving Rhys Hoskins to left field. With Odubel Herrera in center field, that leaves Nick Williams and Aaron Altherr to share time in right. Williams is likely to get the bulk of the time, but he can also play elsewhere in the outfield if anyone struggles (lookin' at you, Odubel). Altherr is the odd man out for now, but they want to get him at-bats.

Pittsburgh third base: Colin Moran is the likely starter over David Freese. He's developing into a masher but still learning third base... so, he's Pedro Alvarez 2.0, or something.

Cincinnati outfield: The Reds are planning a four-man "rotation" in the outfield, with Adam Duvall, Billy Hamilton, Scott Schebler and Phillip Ervin getting lots of at-bats and hot prospect Jesse Winker also seeing some time. Schebler is expected to play some center field to make this rotation work. Duvall seems unlikely to sit much, so I'm guessing what we're actually talking about here is a three-man rotation between center field and right field.

Colorado first base/left field: With the re-signing of Carlos Gonzalez, there's one fewer spot for the many guys battling for playing time in these two spots. As of now, it sounds likely that Ian Desmond will start the year at first base and Gerardo Parra will be the main left fielder, with Ryan McMahon and David Dahl starting the year at Triple-A. Raimel Tapia will start as the main backup outfielder. Expect to see Dahl and McMahon fairly soon if they stay healthy.