The 10 best 2025 Spring Breakout rosters, ranked
Ding, ding, who’s ready for Round 2? Last year’s inaugural edition of Spring Breakout gave fans early looks at Paul Skenes, Jackson Chourio, Pete Crow-Armstrong, James Wood, Jackson Holliday, Ceddanne Rafaela and many other young stars who graduated off prospect lists in 2024. Not only does it serve as a
Ding, ding, who’s ready for Round 2?
Last year’s inaugural edition of Spring Breakout gave fans early looks at Paul Skenes, Jackson Chourio, Pete Crow-Armstrong, James Wood, Jackson Holliday, Ceddanne Rafaela and many other young stars who graduated off prospect lists in 2024. Not only does it serve as a great showcase for the next generation, but it also gives folks a concentrated look at the strength of every farm system.
That said, teams aren’t using their full farms for one exhibition. They had to craft rosters based on health, availability, 40-man status, and of course, talent. And as is the case with any type of roster construction, some clubs just put together more exciting groups of players than others.
📩 SUBSCRIBE TO THE BASEBALL TRAVELER NEWSLETTER
Following Thursday’s release of all 30 Spring Breakout rosters, here are the 10 we believe are the most loaded (in descending order):
1. Boston Red Sox
Top 100 prospects (4): Roman Anthony, OF (No. 2); Kristian Campbell, 2B/SS/OF (No. 7); Marcelo Mayer, SS (No. 12); Franklin Arias, SS/2B (No. 75)
Total Top 30 prospects: 20
Matchup: @ Rays, March 13, 7:05 p.m. ET/4:05 p.m. PT
Boston is the only farm system with three top 12 overall prospects. All three are participating in Spring Breakout this year, including the top Breakout prospect in Anthony. Need we say more? OK, sure. Anthony, Campbell and Mayer all have at least above-average hit and power tools, and should they start together as expected, the Red Sox will have the most fearsome heart of the order in this year’s Breakout showcase. This could also be an introduction to Arias, who has played only 36 games above the Complex levels but excites Boston officials for his early buy-in to their hitting philosophies. The hitting group brings the majority of the excitement here, but keep an eye out for David Sandlin (No. 9) and Connelly Early (No. 10) on the pitching side. The latter, in particular, has shown improved velocity this spring up to 97 mph and could use the event as a launching pad for a big 2025.
2. Chicago White Sox
Top 100 prospects (6): Noah Schultz, LHP (No. 16); Kyle Teel, C (No. 32); Hagen Smith, LHP (No. 34); Colson Montgomery, SS (No. 39); Braden Montgomery, OF (No. 54); Edgar Quero (No. 65)
Total Top 30 prospects: 23
Matchup: vs. Rockies, March 16, 5:05 p.m. ET/2:05 p.m. PT
The White Sox are in the midst of a rebuild, so there’s no way better for Chicago to exhibit the talent that’s coming than by getting as much of it on the same field as once. Accordingly, all six of the Sox Top 100 prospects are included on the Spring Breakout roster. The two best left-handed pitching prospects in Schultz and Smith could go back-to-back at the start of the game. Teel, Braden Montgomery and Chase Meidroth (No. 8) could feature in the same lineup, all having been key pieces in the Garrett Crochet return. Beyond the Top 100 contingent, Chicago’s top 14 prospects were included on the Breakout roster. How many will we see as regulars on the South Side? Check back in five years, but don’t be shocked if it’s a few.
3. Tampa Bay Rays
Top 100 prospects (5): Carson Williams, SS (No. 9); Xavier Isaac, 1B (No. 50); Brayden Taylor, INF (No. 66); Tre' Morgan, 1B/OF (No. 93); Theo Gillen, OF (No. 98)
Total Top 30 prospects: 17
Matchup: vs. Red Sox, March 13, 7:05 p.m. ET/4:05 p.m. PT
The No. 2 farm system in the game is bringing all five of its Top 100 prospects and nine of its top 10 -- Brody Hopkins (No. 8) is the only one missing -- to this year’s Breakout. This makes the Florida opener against Boston a prime opportunity to see Williams and Morgan flash the leather, Isaac display his plus-plus pop and Chandler Simpson show off arguably baseball’s best set of wheels. That’s a lot of tools and a diverse set of skills at that. The pitching will be led by promising young arms Santiago Suarez, Gary Gill Hill and Trevor Harrison, so the excitement isn’t exclusive to the position-player group either. Tampa Bay’s system is so deep that non-Top 30 prospects like Mac Horvath or Paul Gervase could play big roles against the Red Sox.
4. Seattle Mariners
Top 100 prospects (6): Colt Emerson, SS/3B (No. 20); Lazaro Montes, OF (No. 42); Cole Young, SS/2B (No. 49); Harry Ford, C (No. 64); Felnin Celesten, SS (No. 73); Michael Arroyo, 2B/SS (No. 97)
Total Top 30 prospects: 22
Matchup: @ Guardians, March 14, 8:05 p.m. ET/5:05 p.m. PT
Seattle named six of its seven Top 100 prospects to the Breakout roster, tying with the White Sox for the most on one club. After developing pitching exceptionally well (plus Julio Rodríguez), the M’s bring a Top 100 contingent of exclusively hitters to this year’s showcase, giving fans a glimpse of the bats who could help the big club in time, even though none have experience above Double-A yet. Arroyo, in particular, just helped Colombia clinch a spot in the 2026 World Baseball Classic with a solid qualifiers performance in Tucson and will head to Friday’s game with plenty of competitive juices flowing. The hurler most will want to see: 2024 15th overall pick and switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje.
5. Detroit Tigers
Top 100 prospects (5): Max Clark, OF (No. 6); Kevin McGonigle, SS/2B (No. 28); Bryce Rainer, SS (No. 52); Thayron Liranzo, C/1B (No. 81); Josue Briceño, 1B/C (No. 94)
Total Top 30 prospects: 18
Matchup: @ Braves, March 16, 4:05 p.m. ET/1:05 p.m. PT
MLB Pipeline just named the Tigers the No. 1 farm system in baseball because of its depth and quality of top talent. Would Detroit sit in the No. 1 spot here if Jackson Jobe was pitching in Spring Breakout? It’s highly likely, but we won’t begrudge the right-hander for staying on the MLB side while he competes for an Opening Day roster spot. Instead, the bats should rule the day on Sunday against Atlanta. Clark provides lightning at the top of the order, McGonigle brings exceptional bat-to-ball skills and Liranzo and Briceño carry ample thunder. What’s more, this will be many Detroit fans’ first look at 2024 first-rounder Rainer, a shortstop with pop and plus-plus arm strength. With Hao-Yu Lee also in the mix, the Tigers will have a fun infield to sort through.
6. Cincinnati Reds
Top 100 prospects (3): Chase Burns, RHP (No. 26); Sal Stewart, 2B/3B (No. 83); Edwin Arroyo, SS (No. 91)
Total Top 30 prospects: 22
Matchup: @ Brewers, March 16, 7:40 p.m. ET/4:40 p.m. PT
Burns certainly commanded everyone’s attention Wednesday when he threw four pitches at 100+ mph and struck out three in his one and only Cactus League inning of the spring. His plus-plus slider should also be a weapon, and you can bet both the heater and breaking ball will be on full display if he gets the ball against Milwaukee on Sunday. The velo doesn’t stop there with Chase Petty (up to 98.9 mph this spring), Connor Phillips (98.6) and Luis Mey (100.5) also on the Breakout roster. Cincinnati could also bump up its infield group with Top 100 prospects with Stewart at second and Arroyo at short, and catcher Alfredo Duno could use this as a launching pad toward the Top 100 himself -- a broken rib cut his 2024 short in May.
7. Cleveland Guardians
Top 100 prospects (3): Travis Bazzana, 2B (No. 10); Jaison Chourio, OF (No. 59); Angel Genao, INF (No. 61)
Total Top 30 prospects: 16
Matchup: vs. Mariners, March 14, 8:05 p.m. ET/5:05 p.m. PT
Bazzana, last year’s No. 1 overall pick already proved he can put on a spring show by homering in his second Cactus League game on Feb. 25, and playing in this type of environment against fellow prospects, the former Oregon State star may be able to flex his hitting prowess even more. He won’t be alone. Chourio -- brother of Brewers star outfielder Jackson -- and Genao are both switch-hitters with plus hit tools, and after swiping 44 bags last season, Chourio can impact the game with his legs too. Outside the Top 100, Ralphy Velazquez and C.J. Kayfus rank No. 8 and 9 on MLB Pipeline’s list of Top 10 first-base prospects and could be left-handed-hitting forces for Cleveland on Thursday. Be prepared for lefty pitchers too. The top four ranked Guards hurlers are southpaws, as is 2024 standout Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson.
8. Pittsburgh Pirates
Top 100 prospects (3): Bubba Chandler, RHP (No. 15); Konnor Griffin, SS/OF (No. 43); Termarr Johnson, 2B/SS (No. 82)
Total Top 30 prospects: 18
Matchup: @ Phillies, March 14, 1:05 p.m. ET/10:05 a.m. PT
Last year’s Spring Breakout highlight was Skenes striking out Holliday in a matchup between two No. 1 overall picks. The Bucs could go with a big pitching prospect as its Breakout starter for the second year in a row with Chandler on the roster. The 22-year-old right-hander may have been assigned to Minor League camp earlier than expected, but his high-octane arsenal has the potential to baffle Phillies on Friday. Griffin and Johnson would make for a fun double-play partnership, and the former in particular caught a ton of attention for the way he handled himself at just 18 years old in MLB camp. A strong Breakout would only add to his impressive first Spring Training. Wyatt Sanford (second round) will give Pittsburgh fans an additional look at a shortstop from the 2024 Draft.
9. Kansas City Royals
Top 100 prospects (3): Jac Caglianone, 1B (No. 22); Blake Mitchell, C (No. 48); Carter Jensen, C (No. 85)
Total Top 30 prospects: 26
Matchup: @ D-backs, March 14, 8:10 p.m. ET/5:10 p.m. PT
We end with two organizations that understood the Spring Breakout assignment. Kansas City added 26 members of its Top 30 to the Breakout roster, tying them with the club below for most in this year’s series. While Mitchell won’t play as he recovers from a broken hamate, Caglianone and Jensen give the lineup ample heft. The former, in particular, has been a star of spring as he’s taken his trademark power from Florida and put it to use in the Cactus League. His raw power might be the best in the entire showcase. Each of the Royals’ top 19 prospects are on the roster, including notable arms Ben Kudrna, Noah Cameron and Steven Zobac. The Royals may not be as loaded a system as others, but you can’t ask for much better from their Breakout roster.
10. Miami Marlins
Top 100 prospects (3): Thomas White, LHP (No. 41); Starlyn Caba, SS (No. 80); Noble Meyer, RHP (No. 84)
Total Top 30 prospects: 26
Matchup: vs. Cardinals, March 14, 12:10 p.m. ET/9:10 a.m. PT
Again, the Marlins did as well as could be expected for filling out a Breakout roster with 26 of the 27 spots used up by Top 30 prospects; they just lack someone with the star power of Caglianone. White and Meyer are no strangers to this event, having each gotten an inning against the Cardinals last year. The former struck out all three batters he faced, and all three were future Major Leaguers in Victor Scott II, Thomas Saggese and Pedro Pagés. Caba, a plus-plus defender at shortstop, will make his official organization debut after coming over from the Phillies in the Jesús Luzardo deal. And Agustin Ramirez (another pickup from the Yankees at the 2024 Trade Deadline) brings ample power to the middle of the lineup.
Sam Dykstra is a reporter for MiLB.com. Follow and interact with him on Twitter, @SamDykstraMiLB.
Pioneer League Installs New Rules For 2021 Season
The Pioneer Baseball League today announced exciting new rules changes in effect for the 2021 season, as follows: · To avoid the excessive strain on our pitching staffs, the Pioneer Baseball League will not have extra innings, but rather will employ a first-of-its-kind “Knock Out” rule that resolves tied games
Pioneer League becoming MLB 'Partner League'
A new brand of baseball is coming to the Mountain time zone in 2021. The Pioneer League has been designated a "Partner League" of Major League Baseball, both the circuit and MLB announced Monday. The move will transform the Rookie Advanced loop into an independent league and comes as part
Mick Ritter Named New President
The Grand Junction Rockies are proud to announce that Mick Ritter has been named the new Team President. He has been with the Rockies since 2014 starting as the Food And Beverage Director and was named the Assistant General Manager in 2016.
Rox Swept In Division Championship
Grand Junction's 2019 season came to an end on Monday as they fell to Ogden in ten innings by a score of 6-5.Both teams pushed across runs in the first inning as Pioneer League MVP Colin Simpson brought in a run with a sac-fly while Ogden took a 2-1 lead
Heartbreaker Sinks Rox In Game One
Grand Junction dropped the game one pitcher's duel on Sunday as Ogden claimed the 2-1 victory at Suplizio Field.Starters Helcris Olivarez and Elio Serrano matched each other through five innings of shutout baseball until the Raptors took the 1-0 lead on a bases loaded walk from Jeremy Arocho in the
Rockies Take Regular Season Finale
GJ concluded its season on Saturday with a high note as they ended their two-game slide and topped Rocky Mountain 7-6 at UCHealth Park.For the third straight night, the Vibes took an early 2-0 lead thanks to Alex Hall's two-run double in the second that marked the only blemish on
Colin Simpson Named League MVP
Grand Junction Rockies utility player Colin Simpson has added another accolade to his collection for the 2019 season. He has won the Ralph Nelles Award as the MVP for the Pioneer League as announced by the Pioneer League last night.He is hitting .309 and slugging .667 with an OBP of
Rox Offense Shows Up Too Late In Loss
Grand Junction left eleven men on during Thursday night's game as they lost their second straight to the Vibes by 7-2.Starting in the second, Rocky Mountain dominated run production and took the lead 2-0 on Arbert Cipion's RBI triple and a sac-fly from Luis Avila.With two in the third, two
Junction's Win Streak Snapped At Four
The Rockies lost for just the second time in twelve games on Wednesday as they fell to the Vibes 6-3 at UCHealth Park.Rocky Mountain grabbed the lead first-ending GJ's streak of ten games in which they were the first team to score-with an RBI single from Alex Hall.In the third,
GJ Wins Fourth Straight; Clinches Playoff Berth
In addition to clinching a spot in the postseason on Tuesday, the Rockies defeated the Vibes for their tenth win in their last eleven games with a 7-5 final at UCHealth Park.After Colin Simpson advanced home on Todd Isaac's steal of second in the second, Grand Junction jumped out to
Rox Top Vibes In Home Run Derby
The Rockies survived Monday's slugfest and won their third straight at Suplizio Field in a game that featured a season- high ten home runs.After six straight batters were retired in the first, Grand Junction exploded for seven in the second behind its three Season-End All-Stars, Christian Koss, Colin Simpson, and
Rox Secure Series Win Over Vibes
For the second straight game, Grand Junction won a one-run ballgame on Sunday as they topped the Vibes 4-3 at Suplizio Field.Behind the arm of Helcris Olivarez, the Rockies tallied a run in each of the first three frames to make it 3-0 as Brenton Doyle accounted for two RBIs-a
Rox Hold Off Vibes
Grand Junction got back to .500 on Saturday as they defeated Rocky Mountain 5-4 in the first of a three-game set at Suplizio Field.After a six-up-six-down first inning, Bladimir Restituyo blasted his first GJ home run of the year with a two-run shot to left off of Braden Webb who
GJ's Streak Ends In Lopsided Loss
Grand Junction's six-game winning streak came to an end on Friday night as the Raptors salvaged a win in the series finale by a score of 13-3.Things got off to another positive start for the Rockies as they scored in the first inning for the sixth straight game thanks to
Wild Ending Yields GJ's Sixth Straight Win
The Rockies earned the series win over Ogden on Thursday as they defeated the Raptors 4-2 at Lindquist Field.For the fifth straight game, Grand Junction scored in the opening frame and took a 2-0 lead via an RBI groundout from Colin Simpson and a run scoring single off the bat
Rox Win Fifth Straight
The Rockies opened their three-game set in Ogden with a win on Wednesday as they defeated the Raptors 8-5 at Lindquist Field. Junction scored in the first inning for the fourth game in a row as Christian Koss got his team out to a 1-0 lead with an RBI single before
Rox Win Extra-Inning Nail-Biter
Grand Junction won their fourth straight game on Tuesday and defeated the Owlz 10-8 to secure the season series at UCCU Ballpark.The first inning was marked by the Rockies' first grand slam of the year as Colin Simpson launched his sixteenth home run of the season to bust his club
Rox Win Sloppy Slugfest
Grand Junction won their third straight on Monday as they defeated Orem 14-11 at UCCU Ballpark in a game that featured 28 hits and nine errors.Both starters took their lumps in the first inning as the Rockies grabbed an initial 2-0 lead via a wild pitch and a Colin Simpson
GJ Hangs On For Second Straight Win
Despite Ogden's late-inning run, the Rockies earned a series split on Saturday as they defeated the Raptors 7-5.After his walk-off heroics last night, Christian Koss picked up right where he left off in the first by blasting a two-run homer, his tenth of the year, to give his squad an
Koss' Hits Bookend Walk-Off Win
The Rockies ended their five-game losing streak on Friday as they took the third of a four-game set against the Raptors with a 4-3 victory.Despite the end result, Andy Pages carried over the offense from last night's ballgame as he blasted a leadoff home run against starter Jared Horn on
Rox Blasted In Fifth Straight Loss
Ogden decimated Grand Junction on Thursday as 17 hits and a season-high seven doubles paced the Raptors to a 14-2 win at Suplizio Field.Junction manufactured a run and a 1-0 lead in the first with Christian Koss bringing in Bladimir Restituyo on an RBI single after a perfect sacrifice bunt
Junction Loses Fourth Straight
In the first of a four-game set, the Rockies fell to the Raptors on Wednesday by a score of 5-3 at Suplizio Field.Ogden jumped out to 1-0 in the opening frame on Sauryn's Lou's 15th RBI double of the year but it was the only run that Anderson Amarista allowed
Rox Lose Series In Slugfest
In the longest game of the year, the Rockies dropped their series with Orem on Tuesday via a 10-8 loss at Suplizio Field.Despite entering the third with a 2-0 lead, Mike Ruff and Cayden Hatcher got tagged by the Owlz for seven runs highlighted by the efforts of Jose Verrier's
Rox Held To Two Hits In Blowout Loss
Grand Junction hit the 30-loss mark on Monday as Orem dismantled the Rockies 12-1 at Suplizio Field.After being unable to convert on a leadoff triple by Bladimir Restituyo in the bottom of the first, the Rox were able to manufacture a run and a 1-0 lead via a sacrifice fly
Solo Bombs Not Enough In Rox Loss
Grand Junction fell to Owlz on Sunday as Orem evened the series at one game apiece with an 8-3 win at Suplizio.A two-run triple from David Clawson and a one-run double from Justin Kunz gave the visitors their initial 3-0 lead in the second before an RBI groundout and a