1 Potential Breakout Prospect for Every MLB Organization in 2025
Boston Red Sox second baseman Kristian Campbell and St. Louis Cardinals left-hander Quinn Mathews were two of the biggest breakout prospects in baseball in 2024, shooting up leaguewide Top 100 lists in their first full professional seasons.
Alex Freeland (LAD), Jaden Hamm (DET), Gary Gill Hill (TB), Cooper Pratt (MIL), Agustin Ramirez (MIA), Travis Sykora (WAS) and Colby Thomas (OAK) are just a few of the other prospects who emerged as potential future stars during the 2024 minor league season.
Ahead we've highlighted one prospect from each franchise who is well outside consideration for a spot on Top 100 prospect lists but could make that leap during the upcoming season.
It's a collection of recent draft picks, players returning from injury and low-level prospects who have just scratched the surface of their significant upside.
AL East
1 of 6
Baltimore Orioles: LHP Luis De León (Age: 21)
Signed for just $30,000 in 2021, De León has a big fastball and a projectable 6'3", 168-pound frame that offers significant upside. He posted a 4.62 ERA with 106 strikeouts in 87.2 innings between Single-A and High-A in 2024, and a step forward with his command would quickly make him the top pitching prospect in the Orioles system.
Boston Red Sox: LHP Payton Tolle (Age: 22)
The Red Sox went above-slot to sign Tolle to a $2 million bonus as the No. 50 overall pick in the 2024 draft, and he will make his pro debut in 2025. The imposing 6'6", 250-pound southpaw went 7-4 with a 3.21 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 125 strikeouts in 81.1 innings to win Big 12 Pitcher of the Year honors at TCU, and after serving as a two-way player in college his full attention will now turn to the mound.
New York Yankees: C Edgleen Perez (Age: 18)
A strong on-base percentage in rookie ball is often an indication that a player has an advanced approach at the plate that could allow him to move quickly through the minors. Perez hit .283/.444/.380 with a 20.8 percent walk rate in his stateside debut last year, and that coupled with his strong overall defensive skills make him a sleeper to watch.
Tampa Bay Rays: OF Colton Ledbetter (Age: 23)
Ledbetter raised his draft profile by transferring from Samford to Mississippi State ahead of his junior year in 2023, and the Rays took him in the second round of that year's draft. He posted an .822 OPS with 23 doubles, 16 home runs, 65 RBI and 34 steals in 109 games at High-A in 2024, and 50-hit, 50-power, 50-speed center fielders don't exactly grow on trees.
Toronto Blue Jays: RHP Trey Yesavage (Age: 21)
Yesavage was the consensus No. 3 college starter in 2024 behind Hagen Smith and Chase Burns, and after some rumblings that he could go inside the top 10 in the draft, he ended up slipping all the way to the Blue Jays at No. 20 overall. The 6'4", 225-pound right-hander is more floor than ceiling, but his polish could allow him to dominate lower-level hitters. He went 11-1 with a 2.03 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 145 strikeouts in 93.1 innings.
AL Central
2 of 6
Chicago White Sox: RHP Grant Taylor (Age: 22)
Taylor was trending toward first-round consideration before blowing out his elbow during the 2023 preseason. The White Sox rolled the dice on his return to health with an above-slot bonus in the second round and he finally made his pro debut this past May, posting a 2.33 ERA and 32-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 19.1 innings before he was shut down again with a lat strain. A healthy season could send his stock soaring.
Cleveland Guardians: SS Welbyn Francisca (Age: 18)
A switch-hitting middle infielder with an advanced hit tool, Francisca signed for $1.375 million in 2023, and he hit .326/.411/.474 with 27 extra-base hits and 19 steals in 74 games between rookie ball and Single-A in his stateside debut. He could be the 2025 version of Angel Genao, who offers a similar profile and jumped onto Top 100 lists in 2024.
Detroit Tigers: C/1B Josue Briceño (Age: 20)
Briceño won 2024 Arizona Fall League MVP honors, hitting .433/.509/.867 with 10 home runs and 27 RBI in 25 games. A knee sprain cost him a significant chunk of the regular season, but he hit .278/.381/.378 in 40 games at Single-A. The question is whether he will stick behind the plate defensively or need to make a full-time move to first base, and he split his time evenly between the two positions in 2024.
Kansas City Royals: 3B Austin Charles (Age: 21)
With an extremely athletic 6'5", 215-pound frame and 55-grade raw power, Charles has as much offensive upside as any hitter in the Royals system. He hit .257/.353/.386 with 15 doubles, 10 home runs and 64 RBI in 117 games at Single-A in 2024, and while there is some swing-and-miss to his game, his 25.8 percent strikeout rate is manageable.
Minnesota Twins: OF Eduardo Beltre (Age: 18)
One of the early standouts from the 2024 international class, Beltre hit .326/.453/.618 with nine doubles, 11 home runs, 36 RBI and 10 steals over 43 games in the Dominican Summer League. The Twins gave him a $1.5 million bonus as one of the headliners of their 2024 international haul, and his combination of plus power and a strong arm could make him a good fit in right field.
AL West
3 of 6
Athletics: RHP Steven Echavarria (Age: 19)
The A's lured Echavarria away from a strong commitment to the University of Florida with a hefty $3 million bonus in the third round of the 2023 draft. Armed with four quality pitches and advanced command, he has the foundation to be a quality MLB starter, and there is room to grow into his 6'1", 180-pound frame. He had a 6.55 ERA and 1.91 WHIP in a rocky pro debut, but flashed his potential with 59 strikeouts in 57.2 innings.
Houston Astros: RHP Anderson Brito (Age: 20)
Signed for just $10,000 in 2023, Brito has enjoyed a significant uptick in his fastball velocity since starting his pro career and he now works in the mid-90s while bumping 99 mph. He began 2024 in the Dominican Summer League but made his way stateside at midseason, all told posting a 1.51 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 82 strikeouts in 53.2 innings. The Astros have long had a knack for finding diamond-in-the-rough pitchers on the international market.
Los Angeles Angels: RHP Dioris De La Rosa (Age: 18)
De La Rosa was one of the surprise standouts of the 2024 international class, signing for $300,000 and turning in a stellar pro debut in the Dominican Summer League, finishing with a 2.79 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 57 strikeouts in 51.2 innings. The 6'4", 200-pound right-hander has the potential to develop into a workhorse starter in the majors, and there is plenty of projection left in his frame.
Seattle Mariners: OF Jonny Farmelo (Age: 20)
Farmelo had as much helium as any prospect heading into the 2023 draft, and the Mariners went above slot to sign him to a $3.2 million bonus as the No. 29 overall pick. He posted an .820 OPS with 17 extra-base hits and 18 steals in 46 games in 2024 before suffering a torn ACL in June, and his 50-hit, 50-power, 65-speed profile gives him well-rounded offensive upside.
Texas Rangers: SS Yolfran Castillo (Age: 17)
Castillo hit .414/.552/.471 with 29 hits, 22 walks and only eight strikeouts in 20 games in the Dominican Summer League before making his stateside debut at 17 years old. With an advanced hit tool, plus speed and all the defensive tools to be a shortstop at the next level, he has a chance to be a major steal after signing for only $647,500 out of Venezuela last January.
NL East
4 of 6
Atlanta Braves: SS Jose Perdomo (Age: 18)
Perdomo received the largest bonus of any player from the 2024 international signing period, with the Braves using $5 million of their $5.284 million bonus pool to add the Venezuelan shortstop. A hamstring injury limited him to only eight games in his pro debut, but he has the pure hitting ability and advanced bat-to-ball skills to quickly jump onto leaguewide Top 100 prospect lists.
Miami Marlins: LHP Keyner Benitez (Age: 18)
A fast-rising signing from the 2023 international class, Benitez turned heads in his stateside debut last year, posting a 2.71 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 77 strikeouts in 69.2 innings between rookie ball and Single-A. With three plus pitches and good athleticism on the mound, he has a chance to be a starter at the next level if he can prove his 6'1", 165-pound frame can handle a full workload.
New York Mets: C Yovanny Rodriguez (Age: 18)
The Mets gave Rodriguez one of the biggest bonuses of the 2024 international class, adding him to the system for $2.85 million on the strength of his 50-hit, 50-power offensive profile and standout defensive tools. He hit just .219 in his pro debut but showed an advanced approach with a 16.6 percent walk rate and .359 on-base percentage in 181 plate appearances.
Philadelphia Phillies: 3B Carson DeMartini (Age: 21)
DeMartini posted a 1.072 OPS with 21 home runs last spring at Virginia Tech, and while he batted just .269 with a 27.7 percent strikeout rate, the Phillies saw enough upside in his power potential to take him in the fourth round. He hit .315/.385/.478 with nine extra-base hits in 104 plate appearances at Single-A in his pro debut and notably trimmed his strikeout rate to a more manageable 13.5 percent.
Washington Nationals: C Caleb Lomavita (Age: 22)
A three-year starter at the University of California, Lomavita hit .322/.395/.586 with 13 doubles, 15 home runs and 52 RBI in 55 games during his junior year before going No. 39 overall in last year's draft. He hit a lackluster .213/.310/.246 in 17 games at Single-A in his pro debut, but he has a well-rounded game with above-average tools across the board and a chance to be one of the steals of the 2024 draft class.
NL Central
5 of 6
Chicago Cubs: SS Fernando Cruz (Age: 18)
Cruz received the third-highest bonus of the 2024 international class and the second-highest international bonus in Cubs franchise history when he signed for $4 million last January. With elite bat speed and 55-grade raw power, Cruz has the upside to quickly join the top tier of a stacked Cubs system, though he hit just .215/.326/.329 in 25 games in the Dominican Summer League in his pro debut.
Cincinnati Reds: RHP Ty Floyd (Age: 23)
A 17-strikeout performance against Florida in the College World Series finals sent Floyd's draft stock soaring, and the LSU right-hander ended up going No. 38 overall in the 2023 draft. Shoulder surgery sidelined him for the entire 2024 season, and still has not made his pro debut, but he could quickly rise up the prospect ranks if he picks up where he left off to close out his collegiate career.
Milwaukee Brewers: SS/3B Jesus Made (Age: 17)
No 2024 international signing made a better first impression than Made, who hit .331/.458/.554 with 21 extra-base hits, 28 steals and more walks (39) than strikeouts (28) over 51 games in the Dominican Summer League. He has a 55-hit, 55-power offensive profile, and while he has split his time evenly between shortstop and third base to begin his pro career, it's his bat that could allow him to move quickly through the system.
Pittsburgh Pirates: RHP Zander Mueth (Age: 19)
A year after Paul Skenes and Jared Jones debuted in the majors, the Pirates have more high-ceiling pitching talent in the pipeline, with Bubba Chandler, Thomas Harrington and Braxton Ashcraft headlining the farm system. With a projectable 6'6", 205-pound frame and strong early returns in his pro debut, including a 2.31 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 74 innings, Mueth has a chance to join that group if he can take a step forward with his command.
St. Louis Cardinals: C Rainiel Rodriguez (Age: 17)
After signing for $300,000 in April, Rodriguez made an immediate splash in his pro debut, hitting .345/.462/.683 with 12 doubles, 10 home runs and 38 RBI in 41 games in the Dominican Summer League. His defensive game could take some time to develop behind the plate, and he has a power-over-contact approach that could be tested against more advanced pitching, but his 60-grade power is the real deal.
NL West
6 of 6
Arizona Diamondbacks: IF Demetrio Crisantes (Age: 20)
Crisantes has been the early standout from a 2022 draft haul that was headlined by Druw Jones at No. 2 overall, looking like a steal as a seventh-round pick from the Arizona high school ranks. The offensive-minded infielder hit .341/.429/.492 with 36 extra-base hits and 30 steals in 92 games between rookie ball and Single-A, and more of the same as he moves up the ladder will put him on the national top prospect radar.
Colorado Rockies: RHP Brody Brecht (Age: 22)
A two-sport star in high school who began his college career also playing wide receiver for the University of Iowa football team, Brecht eventually turned his full attention to baseball. With a 70-grade fastball and 70-grade slider, he had arguably the most electric stuff in the 2024 draft class, and he racked up 128 strikeouts in 78.1 innings during his junior season. His command remains a work in progress, but his upside is huge.
Los Angeles Dodgers: SS Emil Morales (Age: 18)
The Dodgers have maintained a steady pipeline of impact international prospects over the past decade, and Morales looks like their latest find after signing for $1.9 million last January. The 6'3", 191-pound infielder hit .342/.478/.691 with 11 doubles, 14 home runs, 46 RBI and 12 steals in 46 games in the Dominican Summer League, and he still has significant physical projection remaining.
San Diego Padres: OF Kavares Tears (Age: 22)
After redshirting as a freshman and tallying just 66 plate appearances as a sophomore, Tears broke out in a big way last spring, hitting .324/.427/.643 with 16 doubles, 20 home runs and 62 RBI in 71 games for a stacked Tennessee team. He has a wide range of tools and is just scratching the surface of his offensive potential if he continues on his current developmental trajectory.
San Francisco Giants: SS Walker Martin (Age: 20)
A candidate to go in the middle of the first round in 2023, Martin ended up slipping all the way to No. 52 overall where the Giants scooped him up and signed him to an above-slot bonus just below $3 million. He hit just .218 in his pro debut but offset that with a .391 on-base percentage while splitting the year between rookie ball and Single-A. He may always have a power-over-contact approach, but he is capable of significantly more offensively.
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