Top Candidates to Enjoy Breakout Seasons for the Baltimore Orioles in 2015

The Major League Baseball regular season has finally arrived.

Across the country, fans are excited about watching their favorite teams compete day in and day out. And with that, one of the more interesting storylines is watching players develop, young guns and veterans alike.

While the Baltimore Orioles expect to compete for the AL East division crown after having won it last year, the team does have some players who have yet to firmly establish themselves in the bigs.

These guys look to not only help their team win, but also make a name for themselves in MLB. And if they can accomplish that, the O's as a whole will receive a big boost.

Surprise breakout candidates are always a fun discussion. Let's take a look at some potential breakout candidates for the Orioles in this 2015 season.

Alejandro De Aza, Outfielder

Steve Nesius/Associated Press

Left-handed hitting Alejandro De Aza has been in the majors for a while: eight seasons. But he hasn't really had a season where you look at his stat line and just think, "Dang, that's good."

He was a roughly average outfielder offensively for the Chicago White Sox in 2012 and 2013, but he struggled with the team in 2014 before his trade to the O's.

After the O's acquired him last August, though, he became a spark plug, batting .293 in 20 games with five doubles, three triples, three homers and a .341 OBP.

Sometimes, a change of scenery is just what a player needs to start living up to his potential. And while 20 games and 82 at-bats last season with the O's is a small sample size, it's possible that's what happened with De Aza.

He's started the season as the O's leadoff hitter and left fielder (he became the third O's leadoff hitter in team history to homer on Opening Day), and if he can continue collecting extra-base hits and getting on base, he'll become a big asset to the team. A solid all-around year from him isn't out of the question, and for De Aza, that would certainly qualify as a bit of a breakout season, similar to Steve Pearce's last year.

After all, he'll be 31 this month. It's not as if he's an old guy just yet.

Jonathan Schoop, Second Baseman

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

Twenty-three-year-old Jonathan Schoop has got huge potential.

For a big kid (listed as 6'2", 225 pounds), Schoop plays second base extremely well. And he can crush the ball at the plate.

The problem for him is pitch recognition and making consistent contact with the ball.

In his first full season in the majors last year, Schoop batted just .209 with a .244 OBP. He struck out 144 times and walked just 13 times in 455 at-bats. But, he did hit 18 doubles and 16 homers while tallying 45 RBI, showing he has power potential.

If Schoop can improve on his pitch recognition, he'll take a huge step forward in his development. And while I would expect him to need at least one more season before he reaches his "breakout season," it's not unrealistic for him to accomplish such a feat this year.

Travis Snider, Outfielder

Steve Nesius/Associated Press

A former first-round pick of the Toronto Blue Jays back in 2006, Travis Snider has yet to come into his own.

While he's had a couple of solid seasons in the majors, Snider hasn't stood out at all during his eight-year career. His career batting average of .247 with a .311 OBP is fairly disappointing considering he was the 14th pick overall during the 2006 draft.

However, he experienced a strong second half with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2014. During that time, he totaled 170 at-bats, posting a .288 batting average, .356 OBP, 13 doubles, nine homers and 24 RBI.

Did Snider figure something out in the middle of the season last year, or did he just get hot for a period of time? The Orioles are hoping for the former after they dealt for him to replace longtime right fielder Nick Markakis last offseason.

Snider turned 27 years of age in February, so theoretically speaking, his best seasons are about to come. With a change of scenery and joining a lineup full of power, it isn't silly to think he could break out and establish himself as a reliable everyday player in the majors.

Kevin Gausman, Starting Pitcher

Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images

Everyone expected to see Kevin Gausman on this list, right?

The young, hard-throwing right-hander is an obvious choice as a breakout candidate for the Birds this season. In his first full season in the majors in 2014, he made 20 starts, going 7-7 with a 3.57 ERA in 113.1 innings. He struck out 88 batters while walking 38 to round out a solid campaign.

Gausman has started the 2015 season in the O's bullpen, as Ubaldo Jimenez beat him out for the final rotation spot. There, Gausman will be able to help the team in a one- and two-inning role while also facing major league hitters, which should help his development.

Should another starting pitcher prove ineffective or get injured, something that is almost sure to happen over the course of a 162-game season, he will likely get the first chance to spot-start.

Somehow, someway, Gausman will end up back in the O's starting rotation. And once he's back in, he's going to pitch well enough that he won't be removed again.

In terms of the team's candidates to have breakout seasons this year, Gausman is probably the safest bet.

Brad Brach, Relief Pitcher

Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

Righty reliever Brad Brach is an intriguing bullpen piece for the Orioles.

The 2015 season marks Brach's fifth year in the majors, and he's put up some very solid numbers in his career. He totaled 167.1 innings over his first four seasons, which isn't a ton (though, to be fair, he only appeared in nine games in 2011, his first MLB experience), but he's posted a career 3.55 ERA.

Last season, his first with the Orioles, he went 7-1 out of the bullpen for the team and notched a 3.18 ERA over 62.1 innings in 48 games. He struck out 54 batters while walking 25, a total that needs to come down.

Brach's a guy with good stuff, and he's posted three straight seasons with an ERA of 3.78 or below, showing an ability to be a quality pitcher. It wouldn't be surprising if Buck Showalter used Brach in a few more high-pressure situations this season to see whether or not he's got the mindset and the stuff to become that type of relief pitcher.

Brach turns 29 this month, so like others in this slideshow, his best years are theoretically right in front of him. And even though he's given up two runs in his first inning of work this season (spanning two separate outings), it's likely he'll settle down soon.

The O's would love to see Brach become a force out of the bullpen for them this season.