3 biggest winners of Angels Spring Training so far

The Los Angeles Angels sit at 11-5-2 this spring. Obviously Spring Training records mean nothing, but the team has playaed some really solid baseball thus far.

Players the Angels expect to be getting a ton of playing time are producing. There have even been some surprises.

We've gone over the losers of Spring Training thus far, now let's look at those players who have jumped up the depth chart thanks to outstanding starts to their springs.

1. LA Angels pitcher Tucker Davidson looks to be leading the sixth starter race

Tucker Davidson was always going to get a legitimate shot at the sixth starter spot for a couple of reasons. First, he's out of options. If he doesn't make the team, he will be DFA'd and available for all other 29 teams to claim him. Additionally, he was the only real piece the Angels got in return for Raisel Iglesias. I get that the main objective of the Iglesias trade was to clear salary, but the Angels wanted to see what they had with Davidson before letting him go.

Davidson was going to get his shot to prove himself, but he, at least in my eyes, was seen as a pitcher with a lot of ground to cover to get this shot. He's done that with a remarkable spring.

The southpaw has made four starts and has allowed two earned runs in ten innings of work. Most notably in those 10 innings, he's walked just two batters while striking out 14. He's shown off a new-look slider which appears to have helped immensely, and he's displayed a newfound ability to throw strikes.

Davidson has done nothing at the MLB level to earn this sixth-starter role. He has a 5.99 ERA in his career in 18 appearances (17 starts). He had a 6.87 ERA with the Angels and walked almost as many batters (22) as he struck out (23) in 36.2 innings pitched. This can be concerning to Angels fans if he does end up winning the job, but, he's put himself in the lead for it with his spring training performance.

Davidson's status as a player out of options helps him immensely, and I'd be pretty shocked at this point if he doesn't go with the team to Oakland to work in that swingman sixth starter role.

2. LA Angels reliever Ben Joyce actually has a chance at making the team

Ben Joyce is something special. He was taken in the third round by the Angels in the 2022 MLB Draft. He went straight to AA Rocket City after being drafted and pitched very well. He then got an invite to MLB Spring Training and seems to be doing everything Phil Nevin and Angels management could possibly want to include him to do to make the Opening Day roster.

It sounds crazy since Joyce has just 13 innings of professional experience, but I truly believe he has a shot at making this team. At least if Phil Nevin is telling the truth about taking the best 26 guys.

The Angels have been known to call young guys up pretty early, if not prematurely. We've seen first hand with Jo Adell how much he's struggled on the big stage, yet he's only 23 right now.

Joyce is 22 and doesn't turn 23 until September. He's vastly inexperienced and is not on the 40-man roster. He has things working against him, but it still feels like they can't leave him off the roster.

In Cactus League play Joyce has thrown four scoreless innings allowing one hit and striking out four. He has walked four which isn't great, but two of them came in his most recent outing and he still worked his way through trouble. These stats do not include his outing against Team USA when he struck out two including Pete Alonso and pitched a scoreless frame.

Joyce has been consistently used early in games against real MLB hitters. He hasn't allowed a run yet. He has some of the most electric stuff in the game of course headlined by his triple digit heater.

Joyce has everything working against him but is still with the team. He wasn't a part of the most recent roster cuts, and I don't envision him being part of one until he cracks. He's worked his way up from a non-factor to begin 2023 to someone with a real shot. His stuff is too good.