Spring training statistics can be misleading due to the wide range of competition and small sample sizes. However, beneath the surface, some developments do carry significance—especially when it comes to adjustments in a player’s approach. Whether it’s a pitcher adding a new weapon to his arsenal or a hitter refining his mechanics, these changes can impact the upcoming season. With Opening Day fast approaching, here are some key trends emerging from spring training.
1. Paul Skenes Expands His Pitching Arsenal
Reigning NL Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes is already a nightmare for hitters, and this spring, he’s working to make life even tougher on them. The Pirates’ ace is experimenting with a running two-seam fastball and a cutter to complement his overpowering four-seam fastball, slider, and splinker. The cutter, in particular, looks like it could be a dangerous addition.
“You’ve just got to mix it in,” Skenes said after his first spring start (via the Associated Press). “I learned some stuff about it. It’s going to be good, I think.”
Last season, Skenes was slightly more effective against left-handed batters (.541 OPS) than right-handers (.562 OPS). However, his walk rate was twice as high against lefties, and he generated fewer ground balls against them. His primary weapons against lefties were his four-seam fastball and splinker, leaving him with a relatively limited arsenal in those matchups. Against righties, however, he threw everything at them—fastballs, breaking balls, and off-speed pitches.
Adding a cutter gives Skenes a way to jam left-handed hitters, potentially breaking bats and disrupting timing. If the two-seam fastball sticks, it would provide movement running away from lefties and into righties. That means hitters would have to prepare for high velocity up in the zone (four-seamer), a pitch running in on their hands (cutter), another moving away (two-seamer), and downward movement (splinker). That’s a lot to handle.
“Anything that looks like a fastball and doesn’t end up being a fastball is helpful,” Pirates pitching coach Oscar Marin said (via ESPN). “I think we all know how special his fastballs are. The cutter is just something that is going to really open up the zone for him as well.”
It’s common for pitchers to experiment with new pitches during spring training, and not all of them make it into regular-season usage. However, if Skenes can successfully integrate the cutter and two-seamer, he’ll become an even more dominant force on the mound.
2. Anthony Volpe’s Increased Bat Speed
For Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe, 2025 is a crucial year. While he has already established himself as one of the game’s elite defenders, his offensive production has been underwhelming. Over nearly 1,300 plate appearances, he has posted a .288 on-base percentage and an 83 OPS+, meaning he has been 17% worse than the league-average hitter.
Volpe’s defense ensures his value remains solid, but the Yankees are hoping for more from his bat. Last postseason provided some optimism—he hit .286/.407/.408 across 14 games while nearly matching his walks (10) with strikeouts (13). That performance wasn’t just a small-sample fluke; it was backed by data showing an increase in bat speed.
According to Statcast, Volpe swung harder in October than at any point during the regular season. That trend has continued into spring training. A “fast” swing is classified as one with a bat speed of at least 75 mph. In just 16 spring training plate appearances, Volpe has already surpassed his total number of fast swings from last May, when he had 128 plate appearances. Additionally, he has recorded swings at 74.7 mph and 74.4 mph—just below the 75 mph threshold.
Bat speed correlates well with maximum exit velocity, and that showed up when Volpe crushed a 110.0 mph home run last week. Before that, his hardest-hit ball at any level—including MLB, Triple-A, and spring training—was 108.7 mph. A jump of 1.3 mph is significant and suggests that his new approach is yielding tangible results.
“I want to take care of the strike zone a lot more,” Volpe said earlier this spring (via MLB.com). “When I do that, I feel like I can impact the ball a lot better and just take my natural, normal swing, which I feel plays. But when I get too big or too outside the strike zone, no one hits those pitches.”
The key for Volpe will be maintaining his improved bat speed while keeping his strong contact rates. He managed to do that in the postseason, and now the challenge is sustaining it over a full 162-game season. If he can, the Yankees could see a much-needed offensive boost from their shortstop.
Final Thoughts
Spring training is full of noise, but some trends do carry weight. Paul Skenes’ work on new pitches could make him even more dominant, while Anthony Volpe’s increased bat speed suggests he could take a step forward at the plate. With Opening Day just weeks away, these developments could have a significant impact on the 2025 season.