SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.–Every spring, a random player comes out of nowhere to bash a bunch of home runs or string together a long streak of scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
Last year, Jae-gyun Hwang hit five round-trippers and batted .333 in a bid to make the club that came up just short. Wednesday, St. Mary’s College product Kyle Jensen, a non-roster invitee, smashed a walkoff grand slam for his second home run of the spring.
These stories make spring training a joy to cover, and every once in a while, the players who author special performances earn a 25-man roster spot.