The Most Likely Breakout MLB Prospect for Every Organization in 2026
Shortstop Jesús Made was the biggest breakout prospect of the 2025 season, emerging as not only the headliner of the Milwaukee Brewers system but also one of the elite prospects in the entire sport.
Payton Tolle (Red Sox), Gage Jump (Athletics), Mike Sirota (Dodgers), Carson Benge (Mets), Zyhir Hope (Dodgers) and Luis Peña (Brewers) were some of the other notable prospects who raised their profile significantly in the past year.
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 Joseph Dzierwa (Age: 21)
Dzierwa spent three seasons in the Michigan State rotation, capped off by a terrific junior campaign where he finished 8-3 with a 2.36 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 104 strikeouts in 91.2 innings to capture Big Ten Pitcher of the Year honors. The Orioles took him in the second round, and while his profile is more floor than ceiling from a scouting standpoint, he is the type of polished college arm who could dominate in his pro debut.
Boston Red Sox: OF Justin Gonzales (Age: 18)
After a stellar pro debut in the Dominican Summer League, Gonzales made his way stateside in 2025 and hit .298/.381/.423 with 29 extra-base hits in 81 games at Single-A before getting a taste of High-A to close out the year. With a 6'4", 210-pound frame and a 55-hit, 55-power offensive profile, he has only scratched the surface of his long-term potential.
New York Yankees: OF Dillon Lewis (Age: 22)
With an athletic 6'3", 205-pound frame and a healthy mix of power and speed, Lewis has one of the most impressive toolboxes in the Yankees system. He hit .371/.444/.729 with 22 home runs and 20 steals in 55 games at Queens University of Charlotte before going in the 11th round of the 2024 draft, then posted a .766 OPS with 22 home runs and 26 steals between Single-A and High-A in his first full professional season. The hit tool is a question, but the upside is huge if everything clicks.
Tampa Bay Rays: RHP Jose Urbina (Age: 20)
Urbina did little to turn heads in his first two professional seasons, but took a major step forward in 2025, when he logged a 2.05 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 96 strikeouts in 92.1 innings at Single-A. His fastball, slider and changeup all have plus potential, his 6'3", 180-pound frame offers further projection and his command has improved considerably with his walk rate dropping from 10.6 to 7.9 percent in 2025.
Toronto Blue Jays: IF Cutter Coffey (Age: 21)
The Blue Jays acquired Coffey and two other prospects from the Red Sox in exchange for catcher Danny Jansen at the 2024 deadline, and his stock is trending up after a strong season at High-A and a solid run in the Arizona Fall League. He has spent parts of the last three seasons at the High-A level, but after hitting .328/.427/.406 over 18 games in the AFL, he looks ready to make the jump to Double-A.
AL Central
2 of 6
Chicago White Sox: 2B Sam Antonacci (Age: 22)
Antonacci hit a ridiculous .367/.523/.504 over 306 plate appearances at Coastal Carolina in 2024, and he has continued to rake in pro ball. He capped off a strong 2025 campaign by batting .378/.505/.541 with three doubles, three home runs and 14 RBI over 19 games in the Arizona Fall League, and while his power is limited, there might be enough hit tool and on-base ability for him to make an impact.
Cleveland Guardians: RHP Braylon Doughty (Age: 20)
The No. 36 overall pick in the 2024 draft and the third high school arm off the board, Doughty was traded from the Nationals to the Guardians in exchange for outfielder Lane Thomas before he made his pro debut. After posting a 3.48 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 99 strikeouts in 85.1 innings at Single-A to kick off his career, he has the potential to emerge as a consensus Top 100 prospect in 2026.
Detroit Tigers: OF Cris Rodriguez (Age: 17)
One of the top prospects in the 2025 international class, Rodriguez did not disappoint in his pro debut after securing a $3.2 million bonus from the Tigers. He hit .308/.340/.564 with 12 doubles, 10 home runs and 39 RBI in 50 games in the DSL, and his powerful right-handed swing has drawn comparisons to Aaron Judge and Eloy Jiménez. After whiffing 42 times, he will need to cut down his strikeouts, but his stateside debut will be among the most anticipated of 2026.
Kansas City Royals: SS Daniel Vazquez (Age: 22)
Vazquez was the headliner of Kansas City's 2021 international class, but his prospect star faded considerably after he spent three years stuck at the Single-A level. He finally reached High-A and Double-A in 2025, and he finished the season on a major high note by hitting .329/.459/.468 with 26 hits and 19 walks in 22 games in the Arizona Fall League.
Minnesota Twins: SS Brandon Winkour (Age: 21)
Winkour is something of a unicorn with a 60-grade placed on his power, speed and throwing arm, and a massive frame for a shortstop at 6'6" and 210 pounds. He still has work to do cutting down a strikeout rate that was near 25 percent at High-A, but more of his plus power has started to show up with 20 doubles, 17 home runs, 68 RBI and 26 steals in 122 games. A unique prospect with a huge ceiling.
AL West
3 of 6
Athletics: SS Edgar Montero (Age: 19)
It's not always a bad thing when a team decides to have a young prospect repeat a level in the lower minors, and Montero seemed to benefit greatly from a second go-around in the DSL. He hit .313/.484/.580 and raised his OPS by nearly 300 points relative to his pro debut, and the five-tool potential that earned him a $1.2 million bonus in 2024 is still there.
Houston Astros: OF Kevin Alvarez (Age: 17)
With a 6'4", 184-pound frame that oozes projection and a smooth left-handed swing that has drawn comparisons to Kyle Tucker, Alvarez could quickly emerge as the top prospect in the Houston farm system. He hit .301/.419/.455 with more walks (23) than strikeouts (19) in his pro debut after signing for $2 million last January, and he could fly up leaguewide Top 100 lists with a strong start stateside.
Los Angeles Angels: LHP Xavier Mitchell (Age: 19)
Mitchell was a 13th-round pick in the 2025 draft, but the Angels went way over slot to sign him away from a commitment to the University of Texas with an $872,500 bonus. He already touches 94 with his fastball, has a projectable 6'3", 165-pound frame and throws a ton of strikes. If not for shoulder fatigue cutting short his senior season, he would have been off the draft board much sooner.
Seattle Mariners: OF Korbyn Dickerson (Age: 22)
After recording just 22 plate appearances in two years at Louisville, Dickerson transferred to Indiana and hit .314/.381/.632 with 19 home runs and 77 RBI in 56 games to give his draft stock a massive boost. A well-rounded prospect with plus tools across the board, he has a chance to develop into a 20/20 player with the defensive chops to stick in center field.
Texas Rangers: IF Devin Fitz-Gerald (Age: 20)
Fitz-Gerald won four straight state championships playing for his dad at Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, a program that has also produced the likes of Anthony Rizzo, Roman Anthony, Jesús Luzardo and others. He offered one of the more advanced high school bats in the 2025 class, and backed it up by hitting .302/.428/.482 in 41 games between rookie ball and Single-A in his pro debut.
NL East
4 of 6
Atlanta Braves: SS John Gil (Age: 19)
Gil does not turn 20 years old until May 14, but he already has 145 games between Single-A and Double-A under his belt, putting him well ahead of the developmental curve. He hit .258/.352/.378 with 33 extra-base hits and 50 steals in 100 games at Single-A, and has looked the part of a future shortstop while also seeing some action at third base.
Miami Marlins: SS Andrew Salas (Age: 17)
One of the top prospects in the 2025 international class, Salas jumped straight to Single-A for his pro debut while most players from that demographic suited up in the Dominican Summer League. He hit .186 over 453 plate appearances as the youngest regular in the Florida State League, but a .319 on-base percentage and 15.6 percent walk rate paint a far more encouraging picture.
New York Mets: LHP Zach Thornton (Age: 23)
Overshadowed by terrific seasons from Nolan McLean and Jonah Tong, Thornton had a terrific 2025 campaign of his own, posting a 1.98 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and 78 strikeouts in 72.2 innings between High-A and Double-A. The 6'3", 170-pound southpaw does not have a plus pitch, but he has excellent command of his entire five-pitch arsenal and more of the same in the upper levels of the minors will be impossible to ignore.
Philadelphia Phillies: OF Dante Nori (Age: 21)
Nori was ranked as the No. 80 prospect in the 2024 draft class, according to Baseball America, but the Phillies called his name with the No. 27 overall pick and gave him a below-slot, $2.5 million bonus. He reached Double-A in his first full professional season, hitting .261/.361/.372 with 34 extra-base hits and 52 steals in 125 games across three levels, and added a 12-for-39 showing over 12 games in the AFL.
Washington Nationals: SS Marconi German (Age: 18)
Four different players from the Nationals' 2025 international class received a higher bonus than the $400,000 given to German, but he was the early standout of the group. He hit .283/.479/.513 with 18 extra-base hits, 33 steals and more walks (43) than strikeouts (42) over 53 games in the DSL, and showed the athleticism to stick up the middle going forward.
NL Central
5 of 6
Chicago Cubs: C Owen Ayers (Age: 24)
Ayers took home Breakout Player of the Year honors in the Arizona Fall League after hitting .379/.539/.591 with 25 hits and 22 walks in 20 games. He also threw out 14 of 52 base stealers and tallied eight extra-base hits, and while he has yet to play above the High-A level, the Marshall University alum will be one to watch in 2026.
Cincinnati Reds: RHP/DH Sheng-En Lin (Age: 20)
Signed for $1.2 million out of Taiwan in 2023, Lin is a legitimate two-way prospect who had a strong season at the plate in 2024 (215 PA, .836 OPS, 11 XBH, 12 SB) and impressed on the mound in 2025 (15 G, 3.06 ERA, 61 K, 47.0 IP). It remains to be seen how he will be utilized going forward, but he is a talented athlete and a compelling prospect to monitor.
Milwaukee Brewers: RHP Bishop Letson (Age: 21)
Letson gets good extension out of his 6'4" frame that allows his fastball to play up, and there could be more velocity to come as he fills out in the coming years. He has logged just 104.2 innings in pro ball, but has an impressive 2.84 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 106-to-39 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He made his Double-A debut last September, and could be knocking on the big league door at this time next year.
Pittsburgh Pirates: OF Esmerlyn Valdez (Age: 21)
Signed for a modest $130,000 as an under-the-radar prospect in the 2021 international class, Valdez has a huge up arrow next to his name entering 2026. After hitting .286/.376/.520 with 25 doubles, 26 home runs and 86 RBI in 123 games between High-A and Double-A, he earned Offensive Player of the Year honors in the AFL with a gaudy .368/.513/.842 line that included eight home runs and 27 RBI in 19 games. He could be the homegrown run producer the Pirates have been lacking for years.
St. Louis Cardinals: LHP Braden Davis (Age: 22)
Davis racked up 153 strikeouts in 110.1 innings between Single-A and High-A in his pro debut, and while his command was spotty at times, it's difficult to overlook his ability to miss bats. He offers a high floor as a swing-and-miss lefty reliever, but will get every opportunity to iron out his command issues after limiting opposing hitters to a .156 average and .245 slugging percentage.
NL West
6 of 6
Arizona Diamondbacks: RHP David Hagaman (Age: 22)
Hagaman pitched primarily in relief at West Virginia, but was immediately stretched out as a starter in the Rangers farm system after going in the fourth round of the 2024 draft. He was traded to the D-backs in the Merrill Kelly deal and wrapped up his pro debut with a 2.98 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 42.1 innings. Proving himself over a full starter's workload would give his outlook a major boost.
Colorado Rockies: RHP Brody Brecht (Age: 23)
In terms of pure stuff, Brecht stacks up to any pitching prospect in the sport with a 70-grade fastball that touches triple digits and a lethal 70-grade slider, but command was a question throughout his time at the University of Iowa. The Rockies rolled the dice with the No. 38 overall pick in the 2024 draft, and he logged a 2.51 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 61 innings in 2025. His 13.3 percent walk rate still needs to improve, but was better than expected out of the gates.
Los Angeles Dodgers: OF Charles Davalan (Age: 22)
Davalan transferred from Florida Gulf Coast to Arkansas for his draft-eligible sophomore season, and hit .346/.433/.561 with 14 home runs, 60 RBI and 10 steals while holding his own against SEC competition. With a 60-hit, 55-speed profile and a center field outlook defensively, he has a chance to develop into a table-setter and a fast-rising prospect in the Dodgers system.
San Diego Padres: SS Jhoan De La Cruz (Age: 18)
The Padres have made multiple splashes on the international market in recent years, and De La Cruz is the latest high-profile addition to their first system after inking a $1 million bonus last January. His .477 on-base percentage and 23.2 percent walk rate speak to his advanced approach, and he has an all-fields approach with gap power.
San Francisco Giants: 1B/3B Parks Harber (Age: 24)
Harber posted a .928 OPS and slugged 54 home runs in 206 games over a four-year collegiate career, and he hit .323/.420/.550 with 21 doubles, 13 home runs and 64 RBI in 79 games between Single-A and High-A in his pro debut. The Yankees traded him to the Giants at the deadline as part of the Camilo Doval deal, and he closed out 2025 by posting a .383/.513/.683 line with 12 extra-base hits in 17 games in the AFL.
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