Don't sleep on these prospects at Spring Breakout -- 1 from each team

The second edition of Spring Breakout is bursting with high-profile prospects. Seventy members of MLB Pipeline¡¯s Top 100 are slated to participate, including Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (No. 2), Tigers outfielder Max Clark (No. 6), Red Sox infielder Kristian Campbell (No. 7), Rays shortstop Carson Williams (No. 9) and Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana (No. 10). Bazzana was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 Draft, and 32 of the top 35 choices last year will take part in Spring Breakout.

The 16 all-prospect games also will give a chance for lesser-known Minor Leaguers to make names for themselves. With that in mind, we identify a talented player from each farm system who could stand out on the Spring Breakout stage.

All of the games will be broadcast live and blackout-free on MLB¡¯s streaming platforms (MLB.com, MLB.TV and the MLB app), with eight carried live on MLB Network.

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AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

Blue Jays: Sean Keys, 3B (No. 20)
Toronto has had success in recent years developing high-OBP types in Spencer Horwitz and Alan Roden, and Keys -- the Jays¡¯ fourth-rounder last year out of Bucknell -- could fall right in line. The left-handed hitter built on that reputation in his first taste of the pros last year (.378 OBP at Single-A Dunedin), and his power played well in that setting too. That pop, combined with Keys¡¯ unwillingness to expand the zone, could turn some heads Saturday against the Twins in Dunedin.

Orioles: Austin Overn, OF (No. 29)
A multisport standout in high school, Overn went on to Southern Cal as a wide receiver and outfielder. After a year, he gave up the gridiron to focus on baseball and landed in the third round of the 2024 Draft as an eligible sophomore. He had a solid pro debut and will let his nearly top-of-the-scale speed loose for his first full season. He¡¯d be the fastest guy in the organization if it weren¡¯t for Spring Breakout teammate Enrique Bradfield Jr.

Rays: Will Simpson, 1B (No. 30)
Xavier Isaac and Tre¡¯ Morgan were late Spring Breakout removals, opening up the chance for Simpson to soak up the attention at first base in Thursday¡¯s Florida opener against the Red Sox. Acquired from the A¡¯s this offseason for lefties Jeffrey Springs and Jacob Lopez, the right-handed slugger has impressed Rays officials with some of the best raw bat speed in camp -- a trait that helped him hit 18 homers between High-A and Double-A in his first full season last year. That¡¯s saying something for an organization loaded with hitters, and it could make for a big introduction to Rays fans up and down the Gulf Coast.

Red Sox: Justin Gonzales, 1B/OF (No. 15)
Signed for $250,000 out of the Dominican Republic in January 2024, Gonzales debuted by slashing .320/.391/.517 with 20 extra-base hits and eight steals over 47 games in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League, winning both a league championship and the organization's Latin program player of the year award. He already features plus raw power with more to come, generating impressive exit velocities while also making advanced swing decisions.

Yankees: Eric Reyzelman, RHP (No. 23)
A cyst on his back required three surgeries and sidelined Reyzelman for most of his first two years as a pro, but he returned last year to post a 1.16 ERA, .136 average-against and 41 percent strikeout rate in 31 appearances between three levels, mostly at Double-A. The 2022 fifth-rounder from Louisiana State works with a riding fastball that touches 99 mph, a tight low-80s slider and a promising changeup with similar velocity.

AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL

Guardians: Alfonsin Rosario, OF (No. 26)
Acquired from the Cubs in exchange for Eli Morgan in November, Rosario has some of the best all-around tools in his new organization, including well-above-average raw power and arm strength as well as plus speed. His extreme aggression at the plate does lead to strikeout issues, and he slashed .230/.344/.423 with 16 homers and 20 steals in 109 games at Single-A last year.

Royals: Spencer Nivens, OF (No. 30)
Nivens was the hottest hitter in the Minor Leagues from Aug. 1 onward last year at High-A Quad Cities, slugging 15 homers while posting a MiLB-best 1.179 OPS over his final 34 games of the regular season. What can the 2023 fifth-rounder do as a follow-up? Watch his mechanics at the plate Friday against the D-backs. He simplified some of his movements prior to that breakout, and those adjustments played a big role in getting his impressive pullside pop into games consistently.

Tigers: Franyerber Montilla, INF (No. 14)
Detroit will be loaded with middle-infield talents Sunday against the Braves with Kevin McGonigle, Bryce Rainer and Hao-Yu Lee all on the roster, but don¡¯t overlook Montilla. The 19-year-old placed himself squarely in Top 30 consideration after slashing .273/.409/.448 with 24 steals and a near-even 40/38 K/BB ratio over 48 games in the Florida Complex League last year. His above-average speed might work at short, but he has enough arm for third too. A strong Breakout could solidify Montilla¡¯s standing as a must-follow prospect in the best system in baseball.

Twins: Travis Adams, RHP (No. 22)
The Twins have a knack for finding big league arms later in the Draft, with guys like Zebby Matthews and David Festa among the most recent examples. It¡¯s taken Adams, a sixth-rounder in 2021, a while to click, but it happened last year at Double-A and he earned a spot on the 40-man roster after pitching his way to Triple-A. He¡¯s a strike-thrower with continued improvement in the usage of his four- or five-pitch mix, giving him the chance to fit in the back end of a rotation.

White Sox: George Wolkow, OF (No. 10)
Though he¡¯s overshadowed by Chicago¡¯s six Top 100 prospects, Wolkow has more power upside than any of them. After reclassifying into the 2023 Draft and signing for an over-slot $1 million, he slashed .257/.357/.451 with 13 homers in 91 games last year as an 18-year-old between Rookie ball and Single-A. He¡¯ll need to make more consistent contact but the strength and leverage in his 6-foot-7, 239-pound frame and the bat speed in his left-handed stroke give him massive raw pop.

AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST

Angels: David Mershon, INF
Mershon posted a .954 OPS with 27 steals as a Draft-eligible sophomore at Mississippi State but wasn¡¯t taken until Round 18 of the 2024 Draft, when the Angels went over slot to sign him for $405,000. The Angels pushed him to Double-A during his pro debut. He held his own (.254/.326/.298) and then got some good work in during an Arizona Fall League stint (.858 OPS). He¡¯s a switch-hitter with on-base skills and speed who can play excellent infield defense.

Astros: Jackson Nezuh, RHP (No. 15)
Another bargain pitching find by the Astros, Nezuh went from 14th-rounder out of Louisiana-Lafayette in 2023 to logging a 3.89 ERA and ranking 10th in the Minors with a 30 percent K rate while reaching High-A in his pro debut last year. He has an outstanding low-80s changeup that plunges at the plate, achieving hefty vertical separation from his 93-97 mph fastball with carry.

A¡¯s: Shotaro Morii SS/RHP (No. 28)
Morii opted to come to the United States rather than enter the NPB Draft and the A¡¯s gave him just over $1.5 million to sign, the largest bonus ever given to an amateur player from Japan. Most scouts think he¡¯ll end up as a hitter full time, playing on the left side of the infield, but he¡¯s going to get the opportunity to do that and pitch (with a four-pitch mix). The potential to see him do both in one Spring Breakout game is one of the more exciting storylines this weekend.

Mariners: Grant Knipp, C/RHP
A two-way guy at Campbell who hit .402 with with 18 homers while pitching a little out of the bullpen as a senior, Knipp joined the Mariners as an under-slot sixth-round signing. The Mariners are going to proceed with two-way development and see if the power plays at this level, but most think his future is on the mound, where he¡¯s up to 95-96 mph with his fastball and backs it up with more of a true up-down kind of curve.

Rangers: David Davalillo, RHP (No. 30)
Signed for just $10,000 out of Venezuela in 2022, Davalillo led the Minors with a 1.88 ERA last year while striking out 113 in 110 1/3 innings between two Class A stops. The key to his success is a low-80s splitter that generated a 58 percent swing-and-miss rate in 2024, while the rest of his arsenal grades as fringy to average. He comes from an extended baseball family that includes a grandfather (Pompeyo) and great-uncle (Vic) who played in the Majors, a father (David) who reached Double-A and a younger brother (Gabriel) who signed with the Angels for $2 million in January.

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NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

Braves: Elison Joseph, RHP (No. 29)
A way-under-the-radar signing on the international market in November 2019 when he was almost 19, Joseph spent three years in the Florida Complex League or with Single-A Augusta, but things clicked a bit in 2024 as he pitched his way to Double-A for the first time. He¡¯s the type of reliever who could create a buzz in his Spring Breakout game by touching triple digits with his fastball while also missing bats with his nasty slider.

Marlins: Joe Mack, C (No. 9)
Three years after the Marlins selected him 31st overall in the 2021 Draft out of a New York high school, Mack finally broke out. After changing his approach and looking to attack fastballs early in counts, he finished fifth among Minor League catchers last season with 24 homers while slashing .252/.338/.468 (mostly in Double-A). He¡¯s also an athletic defender with a strong arm behind the plate.

Mets: Christopher Suero, C/1B/OF (No. 22)
Any time you hear about a catching prospect who is fast enough to also play outfield, Daulton Varsho comparisons immediately jump to mind. Having only reached High-A to this point, Suero is years away from truly solidifying such a lofty comp, but don¡¯t be surprised if he finds multiple ways to contribute Sunday against the Nationals. The 5-foot-11 right-handed hitter has some pullside pop, and his plus speed helped him swipe 20 bags last season. He¡¯s listed among the Mets catchers, but he could slide to first base, left field or even center if New York needs it.

Nationals: Sam Petersen, OF (No. 30)
Dylan Crews and James Wood should be mainstays in Washington¡¯s outfield for years to come, and 2025 Breakout participants Daylen Lile, Elijah Green and Andrew Pinckney will be among those pushing to join them in the D.C. grass down the line. The same goes for Petersen, a 2024 eighth-rounder who shouldn¡¯t go overlooked in either of the Nats¡¯ two Spring Breakout matchups. The Iowa product has plus speed, can play above-average defense and can pick extra-base hits aplenty in the gaps.

Phillies: Keaton Anthony, 1B
Anthony has hit pretty much everywhere he¡¯s been, leaving Iowa with a career .372/.476/.686 line before signing as a nondrafted free agent in July 2023. He then proceeded to hit his way from Single-A to Double-A in his first full season and led all Minor League first basemen in hitting, finishing with a .327/.414/.454 line while also earning a Gold Glove award for his defense.

NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL

Brewers: Jack Hostetler, RHP
This is a true deep cut. Hostetler signed with the Brewers as a nondrafted free agent last year just before he was set to move from Division III Whitman College to Oregon State, and he¡¯s caught the organization¡¯s attention this spring as noted in our Brewers Spring Training Report. Hostetler already has a Cactus League appearance under his belt from Feb. 25 when he touched 97.3 mph and showed off a cutter and a changeup. The Crew believes Hostetler could use that heater to blow by pro hitters quickly as a potential breakout hurler in his first pro season.

Cardinals: Luis Gastelum, RHP (No. 30)
Fans of terrific changeups will want to watch out for a potential Gastelum appearance Friday against the Marlins. The 23-year-old right-hander¡¯s 81-84 cambio had negative induced vertical break last year, along with 15-16 inches of armside break, making it a menace for batters. Gastelum has made one Grapefruit League appearance this spring and struck out two of the three batters he faced (one of whom was Dylan Crews on a changeup), proving that he¡¯s carried the pitch¡¯s effectiveness into 2025.

Cubs: Jaxon Wiggins, RHP (No. 10)
Tommy John surgery sidelined Wiggins for his Draft year at Arkansas in 2023, though he did land a well-over-slot $1,401,500 as a second-rounder, and led the Cubs to limit him to 59 2/3 innings in his pro debut last season. He¡¯s inconsistent but has a fastball that reaches triple digits and a mid-80s slider with tremendous depth, and he could rank as the Cubs¡¯ best position prospect by season¡¯s end.

Pirates: David Matoma, RHP (No. 30)
Signed for $20,000 in January 2023 out of Uganda, Matoma started creating some buzz on the backfields in Bradenton, Fla., and then threw really well in the Florida Complex League. It was only 22 innings, but the 6-footer struck out 11.5 per nine innings and held hitters to a .183 average, with a fastball that hits triple digits and a solid gyro-like slider. He¡¯s only 19 and relatively raw, but showed up to camp this spring with more physicality for the full season ahead.

Reds: Luis Mey, RHP (No. 20)
Mey has always had arm strength but hadn¡¯t been able to land his high-octane stuff in the strike zone (career 7.1 BB/9 rate). That changed during his Arizona Fall League stint, when he allowed just two walks and one hit in 8 2/3 scoreless innings. It was enough for the Reds to add him to the 40-man roster, and his sinking fastball (up to 102 mph) and upper-80s slider are nasty enough to envision him closing out big league games in the future.

NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST

D-backs: Yordin Chalas, RHP (No. 17)
Spring Breakout games are terrific opportunities to show off plus-plus stuff, and Chalas¡¯ fastball ticks that box. It¡¯s ranged 96-99 mph in Statcast games already this spring, and it plays up with close to 7 feet of extension. He¡¯ll also mix in a mid-80s slider that flashes plus while he searches for a third pitch to keep hitters guessing. A Breakout outing could provide a glimpse at that progress before the 21-year-old ascends to the upper Minors.

Dodgers: Ching-Hsien Ko, OF (No. 16)
He gets lost among the Dodgers¡¯ avalanche of quality teenage prospects because he has played just nine pro games, but Los Angeles director of Pacific Rim scouting Jon Deeble compared Ko to Cody Bellinger when he signed for $650,000 out of Taiwan in 2023. He has all the ingredients to hit for average and power as well as an advanced approach at the plate.

Giants: Trent Harris, RHP (No. 11)
The son of former big leaguer Greg W. Harris, Trent has been a revelation since signing for $10,000 as a nondrafted free agent out of NCAA Division II UNC Pembroke in 2024. He has compiled a 1.52 ERA and 36 percent strikeout rate while ascending to Double-A in his first year-plus as a pro, thanks to a dynamic mid-90s fastball and a pair of quality breaking pitches.

Padres: Kai Roberts, OF (No. 24)
San Diego feels like it¡¯s unearthed a potential gem in Roberts, a seventh-round pick out of Utah last July. The 6-foot-5 outfielder is a plus-plus burner (remarkable for someone his size) who went 14-for-14 in steal attempts after the Draft with Single-A Lake Elsinore and can play an above-average center field. He doesn¡¯t have significant power despite his large frame, but those wheels could wreak some havoc against the A¡¯s on Friday.

Rockies: Michael Prosecky, LHP
The 6-foot-3 left-hander was on the Rockies¡¯ Top 30 a year ago following a solid 2023 season in the Single-A California League after he was the team¡¯s sixth-round pick in 2022 out of Louisville. He missed nearly all of the 2024 season with a flexor strain, throwing just 64 uneven innings between the regular season and the Arizona Fall League. He¡¯s healthy now, with the hope that he can get back to missing a ton of bats with his four-pitch mix, led by a fastball up to 96 mph and a solid slider.