Prospect Preview: March 8

Spring training games might not mean anything as far as the regular season is concerned, but it is a great time for watching prospects. That’s especially true in the early going. Lineups in the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues are littered with players who rank among our Top 30 prospect lists for each team. To help keep you updated, we’ll run down each game’s lineup every morning and highlight the prospects in each team’s starting nine in the Prospect Preview.

We’ll update the Cactus League and night Grapefruit League games as the lineups are announced.

Today’s game of the day is Washington vs. Houston, which you can watch live on MLB.tv. In total, the game features four of the teams’ combined top 10 prospects. That number includes Nats shortstop Trea Turner (who has a shot to win the starting job outright out of spring training) and Astros slugger A.J. Reed, the runner-up to Blake Snell for this year’s Minor League Player of the Year. Also featured are Washington infielder Wilmer Difo, who got a cup of coffee in the big leagues last year and Colin Moran, a first-round pick of the Marlins who was sent to Houston in the Jarred Cosart/Jake Marisnick deal, which also netted the Astros RHP Francis Martes.

GRAPEFRUIT LEAGUE
Boston vs. Baltimore — 1:05 p.m. Eastern
On TV? MLB Network, MLB.tv

PROSPECTS TO WATCH
Boston
SS — Deven Marrero (No. 8; batting eighth at SS)
Baltimore
OF — Hyun Soo Kim (batting fourth in left field)
1B — Christian Walker (No. 14, batting fifth at 1B)
OF — Joey Rickard (Rule 5 Pick; batting ninth in LF)

New York Mets vs. Atlanta — 1:05 p.m.
On TV? No.

PROSPECTS TO WATCH
New York
None
Atlanta
OF — Mallex Smith (No. 10; batting ninth in LF)

New York Yankees vs. Miami — 1:05 p.m.
On TV? No.

PROSPECTS TO WATCH
New York
C — Gary Sanchez (No. 2; batting fifth at C)
2B — Rob Refsnyder (No. 7; batting seventh at 3B)
OF — Slade Heathcott (No. 18; batting ninth in CF)
Miami
None

Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia — 1:05 p.m.
On TV? MLB.tv

PROSPECTS TO WATCH
Pittsburgh
C — Elias Diaz (No. 10; batting eighth at C)
Philadelphia
OF — Tyler Goeddel (Rule 5 pick; batting sixth in RF)
OF — Nick Williams (No. 2; batting seventh in LF)

St. Louis vs. Minnesota (SS) — 1:05 p.m.
On TV? No.

PROSPECTS TO WATCH
St. Louis
SS — Greg Garcia (No. 20; leading off at 2B)
3B — Jacob Wilson (No. 23; batting sixth at 3B)
SS — Aledmys Diaz (No. 12; batting ninth at SS)
Minnesota
None

Tampa Bay vs. Detroit — 1:05 p.m.
On TV? MLB.tv

PROSPECTS TO WATCH
Tampa Bay
OF — Mikie Mahtook (No. 6; leading off in CF)
OF — Taylor Motter (No. 21; batting seventh in RF)
SS — Daniel Robertson (No 10; batting ninth at SS)
Detroit
OF — Wynton Bernard (No. 24; batting ninth in CF)

Washington vs. Houston — 1:05 p.m.
On TV? MLB.tv

PROSPECTS TO WATCH
Washington
SS — Trea Turner (No. 2; batting second at SS)
2B — Wilmer Difo (No. 6; batting sixth at 2B)
Houston
1B — A.J. Reed (No. 1; batting sixth at DH)
3B — Colin Moran (No. 9; batting eighth at 3B)

Minnesota (SS) vs. Toronto — 1:05 p.m.
On TV? No.

PROSPECTS TO WATCH
Minnesota
1B — Byung Ho Park (No. 7; batting fifth at 1B)
OF — Adam Brett Walker (No. 17; batting seventh at DH)
Toronto
None

CACTUS LEAGUE

Colorado vs. Kansas City — 3:05 p.m.
On TV? No.

PROSPECTS TO WATCH
Colorado
SS — Trevor Story (No. 8; batting second at SS)
C — Tom Murphy (No. 7; batting fourth at C)
Kansas City
SS — Raul A. Mondesi (No. 1; batting leadoff at 2B)
OF — Brett Eibner (No. 17; batting sixth in RF)
3B — Hunter Dozier (No. 30; batting eighth at 3B)

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs — 3:05 p.m.
On TV? No.

PROSPECTS TO WATCH
Los Angeles
OF – Trayce Thompson (Trade Acquisition; batting seventh in CF)
2B — Micah Johnson (Trade Acquisition; batting ninth at 2B)
Chicago
None

Milwaukee vs. Chicago White Sox — 3:05 p.m.
On TV? No.

PROSPECTS TO WATCH
Milwaukee
OF — Michael Reed (No. 17; batting second in LF)
2B — Colin Walsh (Rule 5 Pick; batting eighth at 2B)
SS — Yadiel Rivera (No. 21; batting ninth at SS)
Chicago
None

Seattle vs. Cleveland— 3:05 p.m.
On TV? MLB Network, MLB.tv

PROSPECTS TO WATCH
Seattle
None
Cleveland
OF — James Ramsey (No. 23; hitting eighth in RF)

Texas vs. Oakland — 3:05 p.m.
On TV? No.

PROSPECTS TO WATCH
Texas
OF — Nomar Mazara (No. 3; hitting fourth in RF)
3B — Joey Gallo (No. 1; hitting sixth at 3B)
Oakland
3B — Matt Chapman (No. 3; hitting eighth at 3B)

Arizona (SS) vs. San Diego — 3:05 p.m.
On TV? No.

PROSPECTS TO WATCH
Arizona
C — Peter O’Brien (No. 10; batting sixth at C)
RHP — Zack Godley (No. 18; starting pitcher)
San Diego
None

Los Angeles Angels vs. Arizona (SS) — 6:05 p.m.
On TV? MLB.tv

PROSPECTS TO WATCH
Los Angeles
OF — Chad Hinshaw (No. 10; batting seventh in RF)
Arizona
OF — Socrates Brito (No. 8; batting second in LF)
2B — Brandon Drury (No. 5; batting sixth at 3B)

Cincinnati vs. San Francisco — 9:05 p.m.
On TV? MLB Network, MLB.tv

PROSPECTS TO WATCH
Cincinnati
OF — Jake Cave (Rule 5 Pick; leading off in CF)
OF — Jesse Winker (No. 6; batting third in RF)
OF — Scott Schebler (Trade Acquisition; batting fifth in LF)
OF — Phillip Ervin (No. 12; batting eighth at DH)
San Francisco
OF — Jarrett Parker (No. 9; batting fourth in RF)