10 Prospects Who Could Up Their Stock At Spring Breakout

Demetrio Crisantes, 2B, Diamondbacks

Crisantes entered 2024 as an unknown. Now, he’s a Top 100 Prospect. How’d he do it? Simple. He hit the stitches off the ball for three solid months. Crisantes blitzed the competition in the Arizona Complex League, then did the same at Low-A to close the regular season. By the time the curtains closed, he’d gotten on base in 57 straight games, nine short of the mark Mookie Betts compiled between the 2013 and 2014 seasons. When the streak ends is fodder for the record books, but another strong campaign—which is likely to end in the upper levels—would vault Crisantes into the upper echelon of the sport.

Luis Mey, RHP, Reds

Edgardo Henriquez’s inning against the Angels a year ago announced to the world that he was on a fast track to Los Angeles. With a strong outing, Mey could kickstart his first trip to Cincinnati. The righthander can go heater for heater with anybody in the minors and might wind up with the hardest fastball in the Spring Breakout series. Mey’s biggest questions have always revolved around command and control, though he did a good job pounding the zone during the Arizona Fall League. In the desert, he allowed just a hit and two walks over 8.2 innings. If he can carry that momentum into the regular season, he might be a big leaguer in short order.

Angel Genao, SS, Guardians

For two years, Baseball America has been pointing to Genao’s potential. He was gangbusters in 2022 in Rookie ball but spun his wheels a little bit a year later while recovering from knee surgery. Last year, however, Genao reemerged in full and put forth one of the best seasons in the minors. His .330 average was the fifth-best in MiLB—virtually deadlocked with Minor League Player of the Year Kristian Campbell—and he finished among the top 10 in the minors in hits (148) and doubles (38), as well. That kind of offensive output along with a defensive skill set that will keep him up the middle adds up to a very strong prospect resume. 

David Shields, LHP, Royals

The Royals’ system is led by lefty boppers Jac Caglianone and Blake Mitchell (though the latter will miss time with a wrist injury), but Shields is another southpaw who should have your attention. Kansas City’s second-rounder in 2024, Shields didn’t turn 18 until September. He did not pitch in official games after the draft, but his pitch mix opened enough eyes during instructional league to earn a spot as the Royals’ No. 5 prospect and second-best arm talent. None of his pitches grades as a potential plus, but his fastball, slider and curveball all could reach above-average, as could his control. The sum of those parts could add up to a high ceiling.

Zyhir Hope, OF, Dodgers

Hope was one of the highest-risers in the Dodgers’ system despite a year that was splintered by injuries. All of his regular season was spent at Low-A, and he performed well both before and after his stint on the IL. He showed more of his potential in the Arizona Fall League, and his ceiling puts him squarely among Los Angeles’ terrific trio of outfielders, which also includes fellow Spring Breakout prospects Josue De Paula and Eduardo Quintero. There’s a long way to go, but Hope and Jackson Ferris’ tenures in the Dodgers’ system makes it look like they did quite well in the haul they received from the Cubs for first baseman Michael Busch. 

Joe Mack, C, Marlins

Francisco Alvarez. Tyler Soderstrom. Diego Cartaya. Samuel Basallo. Thayron Liranzo. Joe Mack. Those are the six catchers over the last four seasons to hit 20 or more homers in a season when they were younger than 21 years old. In fact, Mack was the only prospect in the minors his age or younger who finished the year with 30 or more doubles and 20 or more home runs. Offense at the catcher position is always at a premium, and Mack looks like he has the potential to provide it in spades. Couple what he does with the bat with potentially above-average defense, and you’ve got a potential rocket ship who could take off in April and land in Miami sometime during the summer. 

Boston Baro, 3B, Mets

Baro was the Mets’ eighth-rounder in 2023, though his bonus was the fourth-highest in New York’s class and the second-highest in the round. At the time, New York was betting on Baro’s combination of skills and athleticism to coalesce into a big league regular. In his first full season as a pro, Baro finished second in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League in both batting average (.288) and on-base percentage (.368). His 122 wRC+ was third on the circuit, as well. Baro didn’t provide a ton of power, but stacking more muscle on his 6-foot-2, 170-pound frame could pave the way for that to change. If it does, he could move quickly up the rankings not only in the system, but in the sport. 

Devin Saltiban, 2B, Phillies

Even the loudest offensive seasons can get muted by the pitcher-friendly conditions in the Florida State League. That was the case for Saltiban, a Hawaii high school product the Phillies took a chance on in the third round of the 2023 draft. The former outfielder’s 17 home runs were the third-most in the league. His batting average (.237), on-base percentage (.346) and slugging percentage (.428) were all top 10, as well. All those numbers added up to 123, which was the second-highest wRC+ in the FSL. His path to shortstop exposure was blocked by the since-traded Starlyn Caba. If Saltiban gets more time—and succeeds—he could move up the ranks… quickly. 

Arjun Nimmala, SS, Blue Jays

Nimmala just missed landing on BA’s Top 100 Prospects list when the first version dropped this winter. If he performs like he did in his second try at the Florida State League, that’ll change in short order. He was one of just three players aged 18 or younger to hit 15 or more home runs in 90 or fewer games, and his 16 blasts in the FSL tied him for fourth in the league. Whether he bests his current projection as a below-average hitter will determine the height of his ceiling, especially considering he has the athleticism and chops to stick at shortstop. Development is rarely linear, and it looks like Nimmala had to take a step backward to take two steps forward. 

Aidan Smith, OF, Rays

The Rays added several waves of reinforcement to their system over the summer. In fact, nine of Tampa Bay’s Top 30 prospects were added in deals before the deadline in 2024. Smith was part of the package Seattle sent east for outfielder Randy Arozarena. Smith’s scouting card is a thing of beauty. The Texas high school product is a potentially plus defender and runner and complements those skills with 55-grade power and arm strength. His 2024 season—split between the Seattle and Tampa Bay Low-A affiliates—was exemplary. He was one of just two minor leaguers to rack up 30 doubles and 40 stolen bases, a pair of bench marks that in recent years has included Anthony Volpe, Masyn Winn and Elly De La Cruz.