With the World Baseball Classic rapidly approaching, the Los Angeles Dodgers will soon be down a second option at second base in the Cactus League, with hopeful Opening Day starter Hyeseong Kim set to join Team South Korea as Tommy Edman continues to rehab from surgery.

Asked after his team's first loss of the winter about who will step up to fill both Kim and Edman's shoes in the short-term, skipper Dave Roberts identified two players he's excited to watch, one a success story of the team's developmental system, and the other a former All-Star looking for another chance at a ring.

“You know what? I think that Santiago is just a baseball player. He's like he's been an All-Star before. The game's slow for him. I love the way he plays the game. I love his energy. The bat to ball, he catches it. Can you trust him anywhere on the diamond? And it's been fun getting to know him,” Roberts said.

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“And then I think Alex has really grown from last year. I think that the game has slowed down. I think he's a lot more comfortable. Even today, right-handed, I thought he almost had a chance for a homer in that first inning. And his, at best, left hand had been good, and just kind of steady defensively. So it's going to be interesting, because like you said, Hyeseong's going to be gone. So we'll get a lot more looks at Alex this spring.”

On paper, Santiago Espinal and Alex Freeland couldn't be more different. The former has been playing at the MLB level since 2020, first with the Toronto Blue Jays from 2020-23, including an All-Star berth in 2022, and then with the Cincinnati Reds from 2024-25, while Freeland has 29 pro games on his resume and counting after being called up last fall. And yet, with Edman likely beginning the season on IL alongside super utilityman Kike Hernandez, getting both players innings now could pay dividends next month, as they might both make the initial 40-man roster.