50 More MLB Prospects Who Had Scouts Buzzing This Spring
Image credit: Thomas White (Photo by Jasen Vinlove/Miami Marlins/Getty Images)
Earlier this week, we published part one of our annual deep dive into prospects who impressed scouts on the backfields of Florida and Arizona during spring training. Now, we’re back with part two highlighting 50 additional prospect names that could be primed for a breakout season in 2025.
These next 50 prospects are listed—not ranked—below. Let’s dive in to see who turned heads in minor league spring training.
Chris Cortez, RHP, Angels
Los Angeles popped Cortez in the second round a year ago out of Texas A&M. With the Aggies, the righthander worked with a powerful pitch mix headed by a sinker in the upper 90s. The same has been true in his brief turn as a pro. Scouts saw Cortez bring his fastball into triple-digits and complement it with sliders and cutters in the mid 80s and low 90s. The stuff is plenty good. Now, the question will be whether he can find enough control and command to use it effectively as a member of a rotation. If he does, his ceiling will move up a couple of notches.
Nick Kurtz, 1B, Athletics
It’s not exactly a surprise that Kurtz would find his way to this list. He performed well in the regular season after the draft, he performed well again in the Arizona Fall League and he performed well in the Cactus League. Understandably, scouts believe Kurtz will perform again once he reaches the big leagues. That time could come soon considering he’s already in Triple-A and is—wait for it—performing. Once he hits his stride in the majors, he could be a true middle-order masher.
Jac Caglianone, 1B, Royals
The report on Caglianone is the same as it was coming out of Florida: If he can improve his approach just a touch, he has a chance to be a star. The lefty slugger’s raw power is at least double-plus, and his in-game output could be the same if he just makes a touch more contact. Scouts would also like to see him do a better job catching the ball out front and getting it in the air more often. He’s been solid around the bag as well, too.
Grant Taylor, RHP, White Sox
It took a while for Taylor to debut, but it might be worth the wait. The Louisiana State alum’s stuff is loud, including a high-90s fastball and a sharp slider, but the command and control need to come a bit further. Scouts would like to see him improve his tempo and show more consistent direction to the plate during his delivery. If he can do that, his stuff would spend less time in the sweet parts of the strike zone and garner more swings and misses.
Alexander Clemmey, LHP, Nationals
Clemmey came to the Nationals from Cleveland in the deal that sent outfielder Lane Thomas to the Guardians. The lefty has lightning in his arm and a high ceiling to match. His high-90s fastball plays well at the top of the strike zone, and his best offspeed pitch is a sweeping slider in the mid 80s that generates lots of chases when properly executed. Scouts noted, however, that it tended to lose some snap when thrown to his armside. His changeup still has a ways to go to match his fastball and slider. Clemmey sold both of his secondaries well with the conviction in his delivery and did a good job getting in-zone misses on his fastball. There’s plenty of skepticism about whether Clemmey’s future is in the rotation or the bullpen, but if he becomes a reliever, he has the stuff to handle high-leverage, late-game scenarios.
Matt Allan, RHP, Mets
Allan is one of the ultimate blasts from the past. The righthander was taken by New York in the third round of the 2019 draft, then got his feet wet as a pro in the Gulf Coast and New York-Penn leagues. He hasn’t pitched since. Now, five full seasons after his last professional appearance, it appears that Allan is ready to return. Scouts in Florida were impressed by what they saw, especially considering his long layoff. Allan’s fastball peaked at 99 mph and paired with an 87-90 mph slider with plenty of plane and break. He mixed in a changeup as well, but it was significantly behind his fastball and slider. Allan will begin this season at High-A Brooklyn, where he’ll hope to author baseball’s next great comeback story.
Thomas White, LHP, Marlins
White is going to be very, very good. In fact, he has a chance to be special. That much was made clear during a standout 2024 season that saw him mow through Class A hitters with a ruthless efficiency rarely seen from a pitcher so young. The point was reinforced during the Marlins’ Spring Breakout tilt with the Cardinals, when he struck out three hitters over two scoreless frames. The scouting report matches the stat line. Evaluators place White among the sport’s elite pitching prospects thanks to a fastball and slider that each project as double-plus offerings, as well as a changeup that could be at least average. On their own, those offerings would be more than enough to predict a high ceiling. White’s pitches, command and poise all point to a pitcher with frontline potential who will fit right in with Sandy Alcantara and Eury Perez.
Seaver King, SS, Nationals
King was part of a loaded Wake Forest team that also included fellow 2024 top 10 picks Chase Burns (Reds) and Nick Kurtz (A’s). King went 10th overall to Washington, and this spring showed plenty of upside. Scouts who saw King in Florida believe he has the potential to get to above-average in terms of both hittability and power thanks to a smooth, quick swing with just enough loft to do damage in the air. King’s defense at shortstop is a little more of a question. He’s adept at making the highlight reel plays, but he’ll occasionally box up balls that are more routine. If he can iron out the kinks in the field and remain at shortstop, he’ll be an elite prospect. If not, he can slide over to second and be a very good prospect, as well.
Keyner Benitez, LHP, Marlins
Thomas White is the best southpaw in Miami’s system, but Benitez isn’t far behind. The 18-year-old lefty was excellent in a quick cameo in the FCL last summer and more than held his own with Low-A Jupiter afterward. Benitez works with three pitches, two of which are excellent. His fastball sits in the mid 90s with plenty of life, and he complements it with an outstanding changeup that coaxes bushels of empty swings. His slider flashes at least average, but those versions of the pitch can be fleeting. If he can gain a better feel to spin without sacrificing the quality of his other two offerings, he could fit toward the back end of a rotation.
Nelson Rada, OF, Angels
Rada’s career path has been jagged, to say the least. The 19-year-old outfielder has leapfrogged two levels—the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League in 2023 and High-A Tri-City in 2024—before opening last season as the youngest player on an upper-level Opening Day roster. For perspective, Rada would have been the second-youngest player in the Low-A California League had he begun the season with LA’s affiliate in Inland Empire. This spring, scouts have seen a rejuvenated version of Rada, which could leave him primed for a breakout. Specifically, they see a player who has gotten stronger, is more willing to use the whole field and could one day produce 15 home runs in a season. That’s a big development for a player who sports a career .369 slugging percentage and has just four career minor league long balls.
Dakota Jordan, OF, Giants
The book on Jordan is simple: He’s an extremely tooled-up player with questions surrounding whether he’ll hit. As minor league camp went on, he started to look better and better in that regard. Near the end of spring training, his cuts were less about pure violence and instead geared toward controlled power that allowed him to let his hands work and still make plenty of impact. Scouts also noted that he was making better swing decisions as March turned into April. If these trends continue, he could start hot at Low-A San Jose.
Braylon Payne, OF, Brewers
All of the hype this spring and summer in Zebulon, N.C., will go to shortstop Jesus Made, the latest Latin American wunderkind to come through Milwaukee’s system. Some of those kind words should be steered toward Payne. The Brewers’ 2024 first-round pick acquitted himself well in spring training and showed more power than expected, especially to the pull side. Scouts noticed that Payne had become less of a slash-and-dash player and instead does a better job of staying in his legs and tapping into his natural strength. He’s still got plenty of speed and moves well in center field, so the transformation in approach could lead to a different type of hitter than was forecasted as an amateur.
Anderson Brito, RHP, Astros
There’s little doubt about Brito’s stuff. The righthander regularly parks his fastball in the mid-to-upper 90s and backs it with an array of potentially average-or-better offspeed pitches. He was generally around the strike zone this spring, and will need to continue to do so under the lights to make the most of his stuff. His walk rate was slightly elevated at Low-A Fayetteville in 2024, and improvement in the department will go a long way toward determining whether his future is in the rotation or at the back end of a bullpen where he can air it out for an inning at a time. There are also questions about durability considering Brito’s body is not particularly physical.
Andrew Morris, RHP, Twins
Quietly, Morris has had a stellar run as a professional. The 2022 fourth-rounder out of Texas Tech rose three levels last season and finished tenth in the minor leagues with an ERA of 2.37. He opened eyes in big league camp by turning vets like Bo Bichette, Daulton Varsho and Anthony Santander into strikeout victims with a deep and powerful pitch mix. His fastball has touched as high as 98 mph as a pro, and his cutter has given him an extra wrinkle. Morris’ slider projects as a plus offering, and his changeup is serviceable. If all goes well, Morris has a chance to help the Twins this year and could be a rotation piece down the line.
Malcolm Moore, C, Rangers
Moore was Texas’ first-round pick in 2024 out of Stanford, where he spent three seasons mashing. As an amateur, the book on the lefty swinger was that his best position might be in the batter’s box. This spring, scouts have given Moore positive reviews for his work behind the dish. The evaluators reported the kind of defender who might not stand out, but also isn’t going to be noticed in a bad way. He’s also the kind of catcher who gets plaudits for the way he works with pitchers. Moore is a physical hitter who should produce average and power in equal measure thanks to a clean swing and plenty of strength.
Jackson Ferris, LHP, Dodgers
Ferris came to the Dodgers from the Cubs in the deal that sent first baseman Michael Busch to Chicago. Before the trade, the lefty was a really good prospect who had a chance to scratch at even further upside. Now, he might be ready to turn that potential into reality. There’s still some quirks with his delivery that might give evaluators pause, but the stuff coming out of his left arm is not to be trifled with. He works with a full five-pitch mix of fastball, slider, cutter, changeup and curveball, and all five are capable of eliciting swings and misses. The fastball and slider are particularly nasty, and each could be at least plus. The Dodgers have plenty of depth in their pitching pipeline, but with each passing start Ferris could move himself another rung up the ladder.
JR Ritchie, RHP, Braves
Ritchie was Atlanta’s first-round pick in 2022 out of high school in Washington. He missed parts of the last two seasons while recovering from Tommy John surgery but returned to action late last season and looked solid this spring. Chief among the reasons for Ritchie’s improved stock is a jump in velocity. He touched 97 mph in the Braves’ Spring Breakout game with the Tigers, a tick above his peak from a season ago. His slider flashed above-average, and his changeup has also improved, though not to the point where it can be considered a true out pitch. Scouts believe he could one day find his way into a big league rotation, with the most bullish among them believing his pitches and athleticism could give him a ceiling as a No. 3 starter.
Chase Burns, RHP, Reds
Burns was one of the most electric arms available in the 2024 and was one of three top 10 picks on his Wake Forest club. Though he has yet to make his official pro debut, he’s found plenty of time to wow fans and scouts both on the backfields and in Cactus League action. The righthander has a pair of potentially 80-grade pitches in his fastball and slider, and his curveball and changeup could each be average or better, as well. Burns reached 102 mph with his fastball on the backfields and has a chance to move very quickly through the minor leagues. Hitters in the High-A Midwest League, where Burns is slated to begin, certainly hope so.
Luis De Leon, RHP, Orioles
De Leon was one of the most dominant pitchers in the Orioles’ Spring Breakout tilt against the Yankees, cutting through the three hitters he faced with impressive efficiency. He showed the same mid-90s fastball and potentially-plus changeup as have become his hallmark, but the biggest reason for optimism was the improved breaking ball. Previously, he’d shown a feel for spin that was middling at best, but evaluators this spring noticed a tighter, more effective version that could get to above-average and greatly improve his chances to stick as a starter.
Keeler Morfe, RHP, Orioles
Despite a mild trainwreck of an outing in Baltimore’s Spring Breakout game, scouts were intrigued by Morfe’s powerful pitch mix. The smaller-framed righthander brought his fastball into the triple-digits and backed it with a slider that flashed its ceiling as a potentially-plus pitch. His delivery is athletic and his arm speed is electric, but there’s plenty of refinement necessary to unlock the bulk of his potential. If Baltimore can do it, however, they could get either a midrotation starter or a fireballer who works important innings toward the end of games.
More Names To Keep An Eye On
— A few pitchers who hit 100 mph on the backfields: Royals righthander Natanael Garabitos, Rays righty Alexander Alberto and Dodgers righty Reynaldo Yean.
— Mets reliever Raimon Gomez, who was featured in this piece two years ago, touched 103 mph with his fastball. He and Matt Allan will form a fun duo this spring in Brooklyn.
— Tigers lefty Jake Miller was intriguing in fits and starts in the 2024 Arizona Fall League and now looks like one of the most improved pitchers in their system. The southpaw brings his fastball into the mid 90s with regularity and pairs it with a sharp, slicing slider. He also offers an improved changeup, but the fastball-slider combination will be his ticket to Detroit.
— The Padres signed righty Bryan Balzer in January 2023 as an international free agent out of Japan, and his only pro experience thus far is a six-outing sample last season in the Arizona Complex League. This spring, he showed enough upside to rise up the ranks in San Diego’s system. Balzer brings his fastball into the upper 90s and peaked at 99 mph on the backfields. He pairs it with a splitter and a slider that each flash at least average but are somewhat inconsistent.
— Pirates catcher Richard Ramirez left his mark on scouts for a strong throwing arm that consistently produced pop times of less than 2.0 seconds. Ramirez also entered camp noticeably stronger and with an improved approach at the plate that now allows him to hit balls to the opposite field.
— Elsewhere in Pirates camp, righthander Khristian Curtis continued to open scouts’ eyes with an athletic delivery, a mid-90s fastball, a sharp downer curveball and a strong feel to both pitch and manipulate the baseball.
— Righty Zander Mueth has sharpened his east-west mix and has drawn high-end comparisons to Red Sox righty Tanner Houck. At the very least, his arsenal should lead to a glut of grounders with more than a few whiffs mixed in. Fellow righty Carlos Castillo firmed up his body, and his pitch mix has followed suit. He works east to west, brings his fastball into the mid 90s and pairs it with a sharp, darting slider.
— Marlins shortstop Andrew Salas just signed this past January, but he’s already made positive impacts on scouts, who showed an athletic, projectable frame with enviable actions and body control—all ingredients he’ll need to stick at shortstop as he matures.
— Also in Jupiter, outfielder Dillon Head—who joined Miami’s system from San Diego in the Luis Arraez trade—showed a better ability to manipulate the barrel and make more contact. The speedster also has more than enough chops to stick in center field.
— Two Orioles arms to monitor: Righty Cameron Weston throws five distinct pitches for strikes from a delivery that creates deceptive angles. He’s added a couple of ticks to his fastball and now reaches into the mid 90s. Weston backs the fastball with a slider and sweeper that have also seen improved power, as well as a changeup and splitter with excellent action. The combination gives him answers for hitters from both sides of the plate. Fellow Baltimore righty Braxton Bragg has an enviable feel to spin the ball, which he uses to create a solid east-west attack.
— The Nationals took a chance on Florida State righthander Yoel Tejeda and might already seeing a payoff. He brings his fastball up to 97 mph from a funky slot and pairs it with a solid changeup and an excellent feel for spin. He had severe strike-throwing issues in Tallahassee but was much better in the Cape Cod League and already impressed the Nats enough to earn time in one of their Spring Breakout games.
— Here are pair of Guardians infielders to keep on your radar: Dauri Fernandez and Gabriel Rodriguez. Fernandez is a physical switch-hitter with a sound swing from both sides of the plate who could one day produce plus power. He will likely slide off of shortstop and move to either second or third base, where his bat would profile nicely. He has throwing issues to clean up no matter where he winds up on the diamond. Rodriguez, meanwhile, is a smooth, fundamentally sound defender with the quickness and range to stick at shortstop. His swing is geared to produce line drives and his approach is advanced for his age. He might not have the most pop in the world, but his defensive abilities should give him a high floor.
— Shortstop Yairo Padilla and catcher Rainiel Rodriguez are a pair of Cardinals prospects who come about their intriguing upsides in opposite fashion. Rodriguez spent the spring impressing scouts with his ability to barrel the ball and produce loud contact to all fields. On the other hand, Padilla continued to look like a bouncy athlete who should easily stick at shortstop. Though he tracked pitches well, early results on his bat were not promising because he was consistently late when delivering the barrel. If he is to achieve his ceiling, patience will be required.
— Teams have been tapping into the University of Miami in recent years to find pitchers with excellent stuff but poor result. The next up might be lefty Rafe Schlesinger, who pitched to a 6.29 ERA in his final season with the Hurricanes. He had the good fortune of landing with Cleveland, whose work with pitching prospects has been outstanding in recent years. In Schlesinger, scouts saw a pitcher with electric arm speed, a three-pitch mix and a deceptive delivery that creates uncomfortable angles for hitters. All three pitches have at least average potential, and he does a good job working within the zone. Under the tutelage of Cleveland’s pitching gurus, it would be unsurprising to see Schlesinger stuff and stock jump up.
— The Phillies popped righthander Titan Hayes with their 11th-round pick in 2024 and have already seen an uptick in results. The Austin Peay State fireballer lost weight over the offseason but still retained his high-end velocity. Hayes regularly brings his fastball into the upper 90s and pairs it with a potentially-plus slider. The biggest question will be whether he can sharpen his command enough to throw consistent, quality strikes. If he can, he might fit as a leverage reliever.
— The Yankees went heavy on college arms in the 2024 draft and could be poised to see strong early returns from sixth-rounder Griffin Herring, a Louisiana State product who spent two seasons in Baton Rouge and is a relief-only prospect. Herring showed scouts a low-90s fastball, a potentially-plus splitter and a near-average slider. He tied the mix together control and command that could each be plus, as well.
— Dodgers righthander Eriq Swan was one of the breakout stars of the Arizona Fall League, and he’s continued his assault on hitters this spring. Though some evaluators noted Swan looked a little tentative early in camp, by the end, he was rocking and rolling using his powerful fastball and slider to rip through hitters. Swan’s changeup, which flashed solid potential during the AFL, wasn’t deployed often. He needs to sharpen his command, but its present version should at least be enough to get him to the big leagues in a relief role.
— The early returns on Twins lefthander Dasan Hill have been excellent. The second-rounder, whom Minnesota plucked out of high school in Texas, has shown an athletic delivery, a fastball up to 95 mph and a solid slider and curveball. His frame portends a velocity spike in the coming years, and each of his pitches could reach above-average grades.
— A pair of Rangers shortstops—one high-profile, one on the come up—were impressive, as well. Sebastian Walcott is one of the best prospects in the sport and has superstar potential written all over him in indelible ink. His physicality belies his age, and he has the tools to wreck shop in the Texas League this summer. There might be a few bumps in the road as he adjusts to more advanced pitchers, but he has impact potential of the highest caliber. A few steps down the minor league ladder lurks Yolfran Castillo, a gifted player whose potential hinges on the way his body develops in the coming years. Castillo’s rep for extreme bat-to-ball skills remains true, but so far there’s very little in the way of impact. Scouts also see a sound defender with the instincts to remain at shortstop until and unless his body necessitates a move.
– The Brewers’ pitching hawks might have grabbed another one from the realm of the undrafted. This time, they found Jack Hostetler, a righthander whose amateur career took place at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Wash., and featured summer stops with the Spearfish Sasquatch of the Independence League, the Bethesda Big Train of the Cal Ripken League and the Mat-Su Miners of the Alaska League. Hostetler signed after the draft but did not make his official pro debut, though he did pitch the ninth inning of the Brewers’ Spring Breakout game. The righthander has to work on his command, but he already brings his fastball up to 96 mph and can bamboozle hitters with a slider, changeup and cutter that each can draw swings and misses.
— Two Dodgers pitching prospects to put on your radar are righthanders Ryan Brown and Samuel Sanchez. The former is Ball State alum with a hellacious changeup that can draw sword swings from both righties and lefties. The pitch was his signature in college and projects as at least a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale. Brown also brings his fastball into the mid 90s and will occasionally mix in a cutter, but the fastball and changeup form his primary one-two punch. Sanchez is a long-term play who’s flashed plenty of upside in the complex leagues and now will face his first full-season test. He brings his fastball into the low 90s and pairs it with a solid changeup in the low 80s that easily draws swings and misses. His feel for spin is only so-so right now, but he has poise and pitchability that should serve him well as he moves up the ladder.
— When he’s right, Cubs righthander Nazier Mule is electric. He easily generates mid-90s heat and complements it with a pair of sliders: an inconsistent, sweepier version and a powerful down-breaker that drops off the table. His velocity and pitch quality fluctuate from inning to inning and hitter to hitter, but the flashes of the upper end of his talent make it extremely easy to dream of him having a future as a late-game reliever.
