2025 MLB Spring Breakout: Notable Prospects to Watch (AL Edition)

With the 2025 MLB Spring Breakout nearing, we’re taking a look at the best prospects to watch across both the American and National Leagues. The junior circuit’s rosters are littered with top picks from last July’s draft, plus international signees and other notable names. Here’s our list of the AL prospects to watch, sorted by team.

Athletics

We’ll start with the Athletics, a team with plenty of firepower. The Athletics are bringing one of their top international signees, Luis Morales, plus three former first-round picks.

One of those former first-rounders is Nick Kurtz, who was drafted by the A’s last summer with the fourth overall pick. Kurtz is a plus power hitter who did nearly everything at Wake Forest and has held his own in big-league spring training. The 21-year-old slashed .250/.444/.400 with a home run in 12 games.

There’s a lot of interesting talent aside from Kurtz, including outfielders Denzel Clarke and Colby Thomas. However, another name I’m honing in on is Tommy White, who hit 75 home runs over his three-year college career.

Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles are blessed with catching talent, both in the Majors and Minors. Baltimore’s sending Creed Willems, who hit 17 home runs as a 21-year-old last year, and former UVA standout Ethan Anderson, to the Spring Breakout. Plus, Samuel Basallo, an elite hitter and likely the Orioles’ best prospect.

Baltimore will also send several other big bats to the Spring Breakout.

Former first-round pick Enrique Bradfield Jr. is a plus runner who could be the heir apparant in center field for the O’s. Vance Honeycutt, on the other hand, is a plus power hitter. The issue? Honeycutt, dating back to his college days, has significant swing-and-miss problems. Late last season, Honeycutt struck out 24 times over 56 plate appearances (42.9%).

Boston Red Sox

Yes, Boston’s “big three” will be in the Spring Breakout. Roman Anthony is a potential 20-20 player, while Kristian Campbell was quite possibly the highest-rising player last season in terms of potential and player stock. Marcelo Mayer, who will likely start in Triple-A, isn’t far off from those two.

Red Sox fans will also get a look at several highly-touted hitting prospects, including Franklin Arias. Arias batted .309/.409/.487 (.896 OPS) as an 18-year-old, making it to Salem (A) to finish out the year.

As for the pitchers, one name to watch is Payton Tolle. Tolle, a left-hander, doesn’t throw hard — sitting in the low-90s with his fastball — but it plays up, and it helped him net a ton of strikeouts at TCU last season. The Sox’s 2024 second-round pick struck out 125 batters over 81.1 IP in 2024.

Chicago White Sox

White Sox fans may get a look at the future 1-2 punch atop their rotation. Left-hander Noah Schultz has evoked comparisons to the “Big Unit,” thanks to his blistering fastball and tough delivery to pick up.

Hagen Smith, also a lefty, led Division I last spring in K/9 (17.3) with Arkansas.

The two big pieces from the Garrett Crochet trade with the Red Sox, Braden Montgomery & Kyle Teel, are also on the roster. It’ll be Montgomery’s first notable action since the 2024 NCAA Tournament with Texas A&M. Teel, meanwhile, is a plus contact hitter who could make his MLB debut this year.

Speaking of potential debuts, Colson Montgomery could be up in Chicago this year, as well.

Cleveland Guardians

Last year, Paul Skenes was electric in the MLB Spring Breakout, months removed from being the top pick in the MLB Draft. Can Travis Bazzana put on a spectacular show in 2025? Bazzana was arguably the best college hitter last season and shouldn’t take too long to make it to Cleveland.

Aside from Bazzana, watch for Jaison Chourio. The Guardians have their own Chourio, the younger brother of Jackson Chourio. Jaison is a bit different than Jackson, in that the former profiles to be a better contact hitter — he only struck out 69 times over 98 games — but not as much home run power.

Ralphy Velazquez, the Guardians’ 2023 first-round pick, had 35 extra-base hits last season as a 19-year-old.

Detroit Tigers

Josue Briceno (C/1B)
Max Clark (OF)
Thayron Liranzo (C)
Kevin McGonigle (INF)
Bryce Rainer (INF)

Three former first-round picks headline the Tigers’ Spring Breakout.

Max Clark, arguably the best prospect on the roster, is a five-tool player who posted nearly a .800 OPS last season in full-season ball after a standout high school career. Kevin McGonigle, a Pennsylvania prepster, hit .309/.401/.452 (.853 OPS) in a breakout season. Bryce Rainer, the 11th overall pick in 2024, will join Clark and McGonigle.

Detroit’s roster also includes a pair of high-end catching prospects, one of those being Josue Briceno. Briceno only played 40 games in the regular season but made up for it in the Arizona Fall League. The 20-year-old batted .433 with 10 home runs, winning the circuit’s triple crown.

Houston Astros

The Astros’ next crop of prospects could easily become the next wave of high-end Houston hitters.

Jacob Melton is a power-hitting outfielder who can get on base, while Cam Smith may very well be the Astros’ future third baseman. Smith refined his swing last spring to make it shorter, and he’s got plus raw power. Brice Matthews, the team’s 2023 first-round pick, is a toolsy infielder with pop, speed, and athleticism.

Astros fans will also get a look at Walker Janek, the Astros’ first-round pick from 2024. Janek only hit .175/.214/.289 (.502 OPS) in Asheville (A+) late last year. He did perform very well at Sam Houston State in 2024, though, with a .364 AVG and 17 home runs.

Kansas City Royals

In his first spring, Caglianone has put on a show. The Royals’ 2024 first-round pick batted .545 with three home runs over his first nine games. There’s no doubt about his power; he hit 68 home runs between 2023 and 24 with Florida. But, how much contact will he make?

Gavin Cross, meanwhile, will look to continue his progress after he posted a .770 OPS in Double-A last year. It was a much better season from Cross after he batted .203/.298/.378 (.676 OPS) in 2023.

With Blake Mitchell hurt, former third-round pick Carter Jensen will be on full display.

Los Angeles Angels

If history is any indication, Christian Moore will be with the Angels this season if he’s healthy. The Angels promoted Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel to the Majors quickly, and Moore, with plus pop and athleticism, could be next.

Moore’s teammate with Rocket City (AA) last season, Nelson Rada, posted just a .600 OPS last season. However, he spent most of 2024 as an 18-year-old. Rada stole 90 bases over the last two seasons.

Los Angeles (AL) will also send a trio of big arms to the Spring Breakout. George Klassen, acquired in the Carlos Estevez trade, has a big arm and can flirt with the triple digits. Chris Cortez was a strikeout machine at A&M, while Ryan Johnson has a triple-digit fastball and a delivery you have to see to believe.

Minnesota Twins

Luke Keaschall (INF/OF)

Many of Minnesota’s top prospects will be held out of the Spring Breakout. Walker Jenkins is out with an ankle injury, while Marco Raya (quad) and Kaelen Cullpepper (hamstring) are also off the roster.

The big name left is Luke Keaschsll, a big bat who’s having his own injury troubles. Keaschell had Tommy John surgery last summer but is on the roster. Keaschall, who has a.954 OPS in Spring Training, is limited to DH.

New York Yankees

Will this be the year for Spencer Jones? Like in 2024, Jones has had a loud spring. The former first-round pick has three “Barrels” in 2025 Spring Training, tied for 12th in the Majors. No one will doubt Jones’ raw power — it’s been obvious he’s a well-above-average power hitter. However, the long swing has led to a lot of strikeouts over the past two seasons.

Aside from Jones, arguably the Yankees’ top two hitting prospects — not counting Jasson Dominguez — will also be on the team. Roderick Arias performed well as a 19-year-old in Tampa (A), as he recorded 42 extra-base hits over 124 games. Arias is a high-upside infielder.

George Lombard Jr., meanwhile, didn’t hit for much power. However, Lombard Jr. has impressed as a non-roster invitee. The 2023 first-round pick is a plus athlete with speed, with some room for growth at 6’2” and 190 pounds.

Seattle Mariners

Obviously, the switch-pitcher has to be on this list. Netherlands native Jurrangelo Cijntje struck out 113 batters with Mississippi State last spring, moving him into the first round. He could join a select group of players to pitch with both arms, and Cijntje will headline the Mariners’ pitchers alongside second-round pick Ryan Sloan.

As for the bats, the Mariners have two on-base machines heading to the Spring Breakout, Cole Young (.387 career OBP) and Colt Emerson (.419 OBP). Both are former first-round picks. Lazaro Montes, as we noted earlier in the year, is a plus power hitter.

Former first-round pick Harry Ford is also on the Mariners’ Spring Breakout roster.

Tampa Bay Rays

One of the best fielding shortstops in the Minors, Carson Williams, headlines the Rays’ Spring Breakout roster. Williams is a good power hitter in his own right, albeit one who has swing-and-miss problems. He belted 20 home runs last season in Triple-A.

Speaking of power, Xavier Isaac has some of the best pure raw power in the Minors. He’ll be joined alongside fellow infielders Tre’ Morgan and Brayden Taylor, the latter of whom was a first-round pick in 2023.

Texas Rangers

Malcolm Moore (C)
Winston Santos (P)
Emiliano Teodo (P)
Sebastian Walcott (INF)

Sebastian Walcott spent all of 2024 as an 18-year-old and did very well in full-season ball, months removed from being pushed to Hickory (A+) late in 2023. Walcott held his own, posting a .796 OPS in Hickory before a late-season run in Frisco (AA).

The soon-to-be 19-year-old hit .375 with the Roughriders over his first five games in Double-A.

And with Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker in big-league camp, the headlining pitchers are Winston Santos and Emiliano Teodo. The two were strikeout machines last season and are knocking on the door, as the two made it to Double-A last year.

Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays fans got a look at Joey Loperfido and Will Wagner, acquired in the Yusei Kikuchi trade last summer from the Astros. Toronto fans, though, didn’t get a chance to see Jake Bloss, who made his MLB debut last year but spent the last few months in Triple-A.

Bloss has a carrying fastball (18.1” IVB in MLB) and plus extension. However, he gave up too much contact in his brief run in the Majors. Aside from Bloss, the other big-name pitcher on the roster is Trey Yesavage, the Jays’ 2024 first-round pick.

Arjun Nimmala has a long swing but a lot of pop. Nimmala proved that in 2024, as he hit 17 home runs in his first full season.

Make sure to look at our 2025 Spring Breakout prospects preview for the National League.