MLB's Spring Breakout, incepted in 2024, is a way for the league to showcase the next generation of MLB talent.
Rosters include players from all levels of the minor leagues and many of the best prospects in baseball. The Breakout games are pure exhibition — they've got no impact on draft position, standings, or anything else, but they give fans a chance to see guys they've only read about online. Let's look at some of the notable performances of the 2025 series.
The Red Sox Trio - Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, Kristian Campbell
Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, and Kristian Campbell comprised the top third of the Red Sox lineup in their game against the Rays.
Anthony, the top prospect in baseball (excluding Roki Sasaki), Campbell, the fastest-rising prospect of 2024, and Mayer, the fourth overall pick in 2021, each went 1-for-3 with a home run. The pitchers who allowed the home runs (Trevor Harrison and Santiago Suarez) haven't yet graduated Single-A, so it's like someone on the varsity squad hitting a home run off someone on junior varsity. Still, it does symbolize the fruition of Boston's plans for the future.
The trio are all due to open the year in Triple-A, blocked by Ceddanne Rafaela, David Hamilton, and Trevor Story, respectively.
However, they should all make their debut at some point this season. Once that happens, it'll be as if the Red Sox signed impact free agents in the outfield and middle-infield. If any of them make it up before June, it would be easy to imagine them as a Rookie of the Year finalist.
And if the Red Sox decide to add at the trade deadline, each could headline a package for any available All-Star the team wants.
SS Carson Williams, Tampa Bay Rays
Carson Williams was the 28th pick (out of high school) in the 2021 MLB Draft. He's a superb shortstop who can hit for power and steal bases. The knock against him is that he strikes out too much and makes poor swing decisions, but because of his defense, he can still be an impact player for many years, even if his hit tool doesn't improve.
Williams went 2-for-4 with a home run, a single, and a walk in the breakout game against the Red Sox. However, similar to the Red Sox trio, Williams' home run was against a pitcher (Blake Wehunt) who hasn't yet pitched in the upper minors.
Unlike the Red Sox guys, nobody is blocking Williams from the Rays' major league roster. The Rays will probably get him some experience at Triple-A. Then, once service time considerations aren't a factor, promote him to join Junior Caminero as part of their infield of the future.
SP Bubba Chandler, Pittsburgh Pirates
Bubba Chandler had an outstanding 2024 season (striking out over a batter per inning with a 1.83 earned run average in seven starts at Triple-A), which catapulted him up the prospect rankings.
He has the upper-90s fastball that every little leaguer dreams about and can mix in a sinker, slider, curveball, cutter, and change-up. Pittsburgh's track record of success developing Paul Skenes and Jared Jones means Chandler is in good hands. If he reaches his full potential, the Pirates will have one of the best rotations in baseball.
In the breakout game against the Phillies, Chandler tossed two perfect innings, striking out four. It was an impressive showing for the 22-year-old, who faced five of Philly's top seven hitting prospects.
Right now, he's blocked from the Opening Day rotation by Bailey Falter and Andrew Heaney, but he should be the next man up after an injury. If he gets the call early enough, he'll be a ROY favorite, since he has the stuff to dominate from the jump.
SP Cade Horton, Chicago Cubs
Cade Horton began the 2024 season in Double-A, where he overpowered opposing hitters and quickly earned a promotion to Triple-A. Unfortunately, he succumbed to injuries after five starts there and finished the year with fewer than 35 innings pitched. After missing most of the season, he fell out of the top 50 prospects, but he'll be a quick riser if he recaptures his pre-injury form.
Pitching against the Angels in the Breakout game, Horton allowed one run on two hits in two innings while striking out three.
He has a four-pitch mix: fastball, slider, change-up, and curveball. The slider is his bread and butter, and he may have a couple more ticks on his fastball than he showed in his injury-plagued 2024 season.
The Cubs look like the favorites to win the NL Central, so it would be a surprise for them to give Horton developmental innings at the big league level. He will have to earn it if he gets promoted, especially when several other players (Javier Assad, Jordan Wicks, Colin Rea, Ben Brown) are also vying for the job. A mid-season call-up is the best-case scenario here.
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