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We're almost finished with the checking-in and stretching-out portion of spring training and now head into the slate of meaningless/meaningful action.

Meaningless because the scores don't matter. Meaningful because the way players look and perform does (to an extent).

A hot start in the Grapefruit League or Cactus League does not guarantee a great regular season, just as early scuffling isn't cause for panic.

Every year, though, a handful of players hit the ground running as early-spring sensations. Some are youngsters flashing their potential, while others are veterans who recently recovered from injuries or reworked their approaches.

Here's a look at eight guys who, for various reasons, appear poised to make a memorable first impression in exhibition games, including a newly bearded Tampa Bay Rays infielder, a Chicago Cubs outfielder with a revamped swing and a New York Yankees right-hander who got tutelage from a Boston Red Sox Hall of Famer.