If you enjoy watching the best MLB prospects in action, then you're in luck this week: From March 13 to March 16, the top young players from every team will compete against each other in the second annual Spring Breakout.
The event features games played at major league spring training stadiums across Arizona and Florida, with full rosters of top prospects from each franchise taking the field against each other. This past year's inaugural Spring Breakout opener featured a battle of recent No. 1 picks as Jackson Holliday's Baltimore Orioles faced off against Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates.
To get you ready for this year's event, I've put together rankings of the best prospects participating -- based on how I view their potential 2025 major league impact.
These are not long-term rankings of these players -- that's what my Top 100 list is for -- and before you get too upset that your favorite team's prospects are nowhere to be found, it's important to note that some notable prospects who have long been expected to break camp with their major league clubs aren't part of this year's event.
Now, let's rank some budding MLB stars.
Tier 1: Rookie of the Year contenders
1. Colson Montgomery, SS, Chicago White Sox (No. 33 on the Top 100)
2. Caden Dana, RHP, Los Angeles Angels (No. 61)
3. Cam Smith, 3B, Houston Astros (No. 73)
4. Orelvis Martinez, 2B, Toronto Blue Jays (No. 98)
None of these players are currently projected to break camp on a big league roster, but they all have a chance to be up soon as there's an injury or very slow start -- and if they're called up, they have a shot at Rookie of the Year. More importantly, they're all top-100 talents that have proven themselves in the upper minors -- Smith was drafted this past year but has dominated since he signed, including this spring -- and their teams seem intent on building around them.
Montgomery was in the mix to break camp with the club, but a hot month should lead to a call-up for him, with the option to play shortstop or third base. Dana looks to be the sixth rotation option, or first call-up at any signs of trouble for the Angels; he debuted this past year and has mid-rotation potential this season. Smith has sliced through the minors and might need to be promoted to continue developing if he torches Triple-A to start this season; Houston clearly believes in him long-term as a centerpiece of the Kyle Tucker trade. Martinez is the top infield call-up for Toronto and could hit 25 homers if given a full big league season; he needs an opening in any of the spots currently filled by Ernie Clement, Joey Loperfido and Will Wagner.
Tier 2: Elite prospects who could come up in the first half
5. Roman Anthony, OF, Boston Red Sox (No. 2)
6. Kristian Campbell, 2B, Boston Red Sox (No. 26)
7. Bubba Chandler, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates (No. 11)
8. Chase Dollander, RHP, Colorado Rockies (No. 14)
9. Edgar Quero, C, Chicago White Sox (No. 54)
10. Kyle Teel, C, Chicago White Sox (No. 38)
11. Luke Keaschall, 2B, Minnesota Twins (No. 43)
12. Christian Moore, 2B, Los Angeles Angels (No. 75)
13. Carson Williams, SS, Tampa Bay Rays (No. 5)
14. Bryce Eldridge, 1B, San Francisco Giants (No. 51)
15. Chase Burns, RHP, Cincinnati Reds (No. 36)
16. Cole Young, SS, Seattle Mariners (No. 57)
17. Noah Schultz, LHP, Chicago White Sox (No. 18)
18. Samuel Basallo, C, Baltimore Orioles (No. 17)
19. Hagen Smith, LHP, Chicago White Sox (No. 41)
20. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers (No. 68)
21. Moises Ballesteros, C, Chicago Cubs (No. 50)
22. Quinn Mathews, LHP, St. Louis Cardinals (No. 58)
23. Brady House, 3B, Washington Nationals (No. 47)
This is a much larger and more diverse group of players with different skills and timetables, but all are Top 100 prospects.
Anthony is the top prospect in the minors once Roki Sasaki breaks camp with the Dodgers. If Anthony has a hot first few weeks and there's an opening, he might be playing major league baseball for the next 15 years with true All-Star potential -- but that call-up could also be closer to midseason. His teammate, Campbell, might be up first if Boston's first opening in the lineup is in the infield. That's the issue with all of these players: Any of them could make me look silly for not putting them in the first tier if things break just right for them.
Chandler, Dollander, Misiorowski and Burns all have a shot to come up a month or two into the season and take the majors by storm -- though, I doubt more than one of them do it as pitchers is unpredictable. Mathews, Schultz and Smith all feel like options later in the year. In terms of awe-inspiring tools and potential fan favorites in this group, I would keep an eye on Basallo (catcher with massive lefty raw power), Williams (plus defensive shortstop with plus raw power) and Eldridge (6-foot-7 lefty masher with plus-plus power).
Tier 3: Mid-level prospects who should make Opening Day rotations
24. Sean Burke, RHP, Chicago White Sox (Not ranked)
25. Bradley Blalock, RHP, Colorado Rockies (NR)
These two are projected to break camp as a backend starter in their team's rotation; sticking there all year would be a nice outcome for them, and mostly where their upside is projected. The Cardinals' Thomas Saggese (power over hit with some chase issues; second or third base is his best fit) and Marlins' Javier Sanoja (versatile with incredible bat control and plus speed, but little power) are both projected to break camp as utility infielders, with a shot to grow into a bigger role.
Tier 4: Solid prospects with a ceiling that should get midseason shot
26. Chase Meidroth, SS, Chicago White Sox (No. 199 on the Top 200)
27. Agustin Ramirez, C, Miami Marlins (No. 96)
28. Carson Whisenhunt, LHP, San Francisco Giants (No. 163)
29. Alan Roden, OF, Toronto Blue Jays (NR)
30. Jake Bloss, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays (No. 118)
31. Deyvison De Los Santos, 1B, Miami Marlins (NR)
32. Jacob Melton, OF, Houston Astros (No. 95)
33. James Triantos, 2B, Chicago Cubs (No. 181)
34. Cade Horton, RHP, Chicago Cubs (No. 97)
35. Gunnar Hoglund, RHP, Athletics (NR)
These are slightly lesser prospects than those in the second tier and/or have a less clear path to playing time, but I figure they'll all get a shot to play in the majors this season.
Meidroth is limited physically but can play acceptable defense anywhere in the infield and has great on-base skills. Ramirez could be the Marlins' starting catcher by the summer and was the best prospect in the return this past summer for Jazz Chisholm Jr. Roden is a pick to click for me this year as a prospect that will come up a month or two into the year and post more than 1.0 WAR, but without star potential. De Los Santos led the minors in homers this past year while playing in Triple-A, but he isn't a great defender and will have to wait for a spot to open. Left-hander Whisenhunt has one of the best changeups on Earth but his fastball command holds him back. Hoglund, a 2021 first-round pick, has seen his velocity rise early this spring and should get a shot in the big league rotation at some point this year. A couple relievers (or potential relievers) to keep your eye on by midseason include RHP Craig Yoho (Brewers), RHP Luis Mey (Reds), LHP Brandyn Garcia (Mariners) and RHP Bradgley Rodriguez (San Diego Padres).
Tier 5: Potential impact prospects who could come up in the second half
36. Enrique Bradfield Jr., CF, Baltimore Orioles (No. 82)
37. Marcelo Mayer, SS, Boston Red Sox (No. 4)
38. Jett Williams, 2B, New York Mets (No. 34)
39. Parker Messick, LHP, Cleveland Guardians (NR)
40. Troy Melton, RHP, Detroit Tigers (NR)
41. Noah Cameron, LHP, Kansas City Royals (NR)
42. Travis Bazzana, 2B, Cleveland Guardians (No. 25)
43. Jac Caglianone, 1B, Kansas City Royals (No. 29)
44. Joe Mack, C, Miami Marlins (No. 148)
45. Nick Kurtz, 1B, Athletics (No. 52)
46. Emiliano Teodo, RHP, Texas Rangers (NR)
47. Harry Ford, C, Seattle Mariners (No. 59)
48. Aidan Miller, SS, Philadelphia Phillies (No. 13)
49. J.J. Wetherholt, SS, St. Louis Cardinals (No. 30)
50. George Klassen, RHP, Los Angeles Angels (No. 88)
This is a catch-all group for a bunch of prospects who might not come up this year at all, but have enough proximity, opportunity and ability that I could see it coming together and clicking this season.
Bradfield Jr. is a near lock to get some time as a defensive replacement and pinch runner in the stretch run if Baltimore is in the playoff race as expected, but he may also be the starting center fielder by then. Caglianone similarly could go into Hulk smash mode like he did in college and be a late-season addition for a competing Royals team. Mayer could get a look later in the year -- likely after Anthony and Campbell -- but if the Red Sox need a true shortstop sooner in the season, he's their guy. I also wouldn't rule out a run through the minors for Bazzana, even if Cleveland doesn't normally promote prospects that aggressively.
I didn't include some potential front-line types since they have yet to pitch in Double-A. Messick, Cameron and Melton could become Top 100 prospects and then find a rotation spot late in the year, while Teodo could be a late-inning option once he gets moved full-time to relief.