Here's where D-backs' bench battle stands

PHOENIX -- The D-backs were pretty set coming into Spring Training, though the front office and manager Torey Lovullo stressed that they wanted players to earn their spots.

When camp was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic and national emergency, the one main battle that still remained was for the final spot on the bench.

Here’s a look at where things stood:

Locks

Jake Lamb, Stephen Vogt, Tim Locastro, Ildemaro Vargas

Lamb and Vogt were clearly no-brainers and on the team from the get-go.

Locastro was a spark plug for the D-backs last year, providing energy off the bench and getting on base with his freakish ability to get hit by pitches. That and the fact that he can play all three outfield positions helped him.

Vargas is not as sure of a thing as the others, but he is out of Minor League options and his ability to play shortstop really helps him. He gave the D-backs quality at-bats off the bench last year.

• 5 takeaways from D-backs Spring Training

Fighting it out

Jon Jay, Josh Rojas, Yasmany Tomás

Tomás was a long shot to make the team, given that he’s not on the 40-man roster and he is limited defensively to the outfield corners and first base. He’s a below-average defender at those spots as well. But he deserves to be mentioned, because he was banging the ball around during camp.

It really seems like a battle between Jay and Rojas.

Jay has the ability to play all three outfield positions and, during his time with the team in 2018, he became a favorite of manager Torey Lovullo for his leadership and presence.

Rojas, meanwhile, joined the D-backs in July from the Astros in the Zack Greinke trade and quickly advanced to the big leagues in August. Rojas played mainly in the outfield, but is also able to play second, short and third. During the spring he saw time at second and short.

Would the D-backs go with veteran experience? Or youthful versatility?

It’s an answer we’re now going to have to wait to find out.