Here are the prospects with the best tools in Spring Breakout
The inaugural edition of Spring Breakout was a rousing success last year. Sixteen games showcased not only many of baseball's best prospects but also some of the most jaw-dropping tools in the Minors. Of the 10 best individual attributes we highlighted a year ago, nine belonged to players who reached
The inaugural edition of Spring Breakout was a rousing success last year. Sixteen games showcased not only many of baseball's best prospects but also some of the most jaw-dropping tools in the Minors.
Of the 10 best individual attributes we highlighted a year ago, nine belonged to players who reached the Majors later in 2024. National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes (fastball, slider) made the biggest impact at that level, while others such as Pete-Crow Armstrong (defense), Rhett Lowder (control), Masyn Winn (arm) and James Wood (power) also stood out.
This year should feature more of the same, with 73 Top 100 prospects scheduled to participate. Below, we break down the best tools that will be seen on Grapefruit and Cactus league diamonds, as well as on MLB's streaming platforms (MLB.com, MLB.TV and the MLB app, all games live and blackout-free) and eight live broadcasts on MLB Network.
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Numbers in parentheses indicate grades on the 20-80 scouting scale, with 50 representing big league average.
Best hitter: Travis Bazzana, 2B, Guardians (70)
Bazzana went No. 1 overall in the 2024 Draft because he was the best hitter available. He won the Cape Cod League batting title (.375) in 2023 before slashing .407/.568/.911 with an Oregon State-record 28 homers last spring. He has no obvious weakness at the plate, employing a compact left-handed stroke with plenty of bat speed, making smart swing decisions and producing a lot of hard contact.
Also in the running: Colt Emerson, SS/3B, Mariners; Chandler Simpson, OF, Rays; James Triantos, 2B/OF, Cubs; JJ Wetherholt, SS, Cardinals
Best power: Jac Caglianone, 1B, Royals (70)
The No. 6 overall choice in the 2024 Draft, Caglianone has more usable power than anyone in the Minors. He's both physical and athletic at 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, and he hits balls harder and farther than most big leagues can. He led NCAA Division I with 33 homers in 2023 before setting Florida records for round-trippers in a single season (35, second in D-I) and career (75) last spring. He has gone deep three times in 11 Cactus League at-bats, including a 444-foot jack on Sunday.
Also in the running: Charlie Condon, OF/3B, Rockies; Bryce Eldridge, 1B, Giants; Xavier Isaac, 1B, Rays; Sebastian Walcott, SS/3B, Rangers
Best speed: Chandler Simpson, OF, Rays (80)
Scouts joke about Simpson possessing 90 speed on the 20-80 scale, but it really may be closer to 100. He can fly from the left side of the plate to first base in less than 3.8 seconds and topped the Minors with 94 steals in his first full pro season and 104 in his second. An excellent contact hitter who also led MiLB with a .355 average and 3 percent swinging strike rate, he's hard to keep off base and prevent from running wild once he reaches.
Also in the running: Enrique Bradfield Jr., OF, Orioles; Dasan Brown, OF, Blue Jays; Kendall George, OF, Dodgers; Kellon Lindsey, SS, Dodgers
Best defender: Carson Williams, SS, Rays (70)
A Minor League Gold Glove winner in 2022, Williams has all the tools to earn similar accolades in the big leagues. He has slick actions, range to both sides, quick hands and one of the strongest arms in the Minors (more on that below). Not only can he execute spectacular plays, but he also consistently makes the routine ones, committing just nine errors in 113 games last year.
Also in the running: Enrique Bradfield Jr., OF, Orioles; Starlyn Caba, SS, Marlins; Tre’ Morgan, 1B/OF, Rays; Ethan Salas, C, Padres
Best arm: Carson Williams, SS, Rays (70)
When Williams was a California high schooler, some scouts liked him more as a right-handed pitcher than a shortstop after watching him run his fastball up to 95 mph and back it up with a tight slider. His arm stands out not only for its strength but also for its impressive accuracy.
Also in the running: Cole Carrigg, OF/SS/C, Rockies; Blake Mitchell, C, Royals; Braden Montgomery, OF, White Sox; Sebastian Walcott, SS/3B, Rangers
Best fastball: Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Brewers (80)
There are so many reasons to love Misiorowski's fastball. It parks at 97-98 mph and peaks at 101. It comes with plenty of carry and armside run. His 6-foot-7 frame and low arm slot provide a wider angle and more extension than most pitchers can create. His heater generated a 31 percent swing-and-miss rate between Double-A and Triple-A last year, a figure that would have ranked fifth in the Majors.
Also in the running: Bubba Chandler, RHP, Pirates; George Klassen, RHP, Angels; Jarlin Susana, RHP, Nationals; Reynaldo Yean, RHP, Dodgers
Best curveball: Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Brewers (70)
Misiorowski's curveball also devastates hitters, who went just 1-for-40 with a .025/.133/.025 slash line against it in 2024. His bender has more power than most, sitting in the mid-80s and topping out at 89 mph, and features huge downer break. His sharp low-90s slider isn't bad either.
Also in the running: Mason Adams, RHP, White Sox; Eric Cerantola, RHP, Royals; Dax Fulton, LHP, Marlins; Ben Hess, RHP, Yankees
Best slider: Noah Schultz, LHP, White Sox (70)
Thanks to his 6-foot-9 frame and low three-quarters arm slot, Schultz creates stunning horizontal movement on his dastardly slider. It has depth to it as well and continues to gain velocity, climbing as high as 88 mph. He can throw his slide piece for strikes or get hitters to fish for it off the plate, and it eats up lefties and righties alike.
Also in the running: Brody Brecht, RHP, Rockies; Chase Burns, RHP, Reds; Cade Horton, RHP, Cubs; Emiliano Teodo, RHP, Rangers
Best changeup: Carson Whisenhunt, LHP, Giants (70)
Whisenhunt ranked second in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League with 135 strikeouts last year, 71 of which came on changeups. He sells his tumbling 78-81 mph cambio with fastball arm speed and shows the feel for manipulating its shape and depth. His Triple-A chase (49 percent) and swing-and-miss rates (47 percent) were outlandish and both would have ranked second in the big leagues.
Also in the running: Luis Gastelum, RHP, Cardinals; Marquis Grissom Jr., RHP, Nationals; Bradgley Rodriguez, RHP, Padres; Craig Yoho, RHP, Brewers
Best control: Jedixson Paez, RHP, Red Sox (70)
Since signing for $450,000 out of Venezuela in 2021, Paez has posted a 3.25 ERA and 4 percent walk rate while succeeding at four different levels. He's coming off his best season yet, ranking second in the Minors in K/BB ratio (9.5) and third in walk rate (3 percent) among pitchers with 90 or more innings in 2024. He works from a low three-quarters slot with a flat approach angle, addling life and deception to his pitches without compromising his control.
Also in the running: Ryan Johnson, RHP, Angels; Adam Mazur, RHP, Marlins; Austin Peterson, RHP, Guardians; Steven Zobac, RHP, Royals
Jim Callis is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him @jimcallisMLB and @jimcallis.bsky.social. Listen to him on the weekly MLB Pipeline Podcast.
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