10 MLB Prospects Facing Make-or-Break Spring Trainings

Spring training means different things to different players.

For established big leaguers who are essentially guaranteed a spot on the Opening Day roster, it's an opportunity to shake off the rust and gear up for a long season to come.

For non-roster invitees and young players ready to make the jump, it's a chance to prove they're deserving of one of the 25 spots on the MLB roster.

For lower-level prospects getting their first taste of big league camp, it's an opportunity to learn from some proven big leaguers and make an impression on the coaching staff.

However, for some former top prospects, this spring will be make-or-break.

Whether their careers have been derailed by injury or they've simply struggled to make the necessary adjustments while advancing through the minor league ranks, the following 10 prospects will have a lot on the line this spring.

Note: Included is a look at each player's "top prospect timeline," which shows where they ranked within their own organization and among the league's top prospects in recent years, per Baseball America.

RHP Mark Appel, Philadelphia Phillies

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Top Prospect Timeline

• 2014: No. 3 HOU prospect, No. 39 MLB prospect
• 2015: No. 2 HOU prospect, No. 31 MLB prospect
• 2016: No. 8 HOU prospect

2016 Stats (AAA)

8 GS, 3-3, 4.46 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 20 BB, 34 K, 38.1 IP

Outlook

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 draft and a first-round selection in back-to-back years, Mark Appel is still trying to live up to the expectations that came with that lofty draft position.

The 25-year-old joined the Philadelphia Phillies last offseason in the trade that sent Ken Giles to the Houston Astros, as he looked to turn over a new leaf with a change of scenery.

"We want to appreciate Mark for the pitcher he is and not necessarily the pitcher that everybody hoped or expected he would be. With all our guys, we want to appreciate what they do and not what they don’t do," Phillies general manager Matt Klentak told Jim Salisbury of Baseball America last spring.

The injury bug reared its ugly head once again, though.

After making just eight starts, Appel underwent surgery to remove a bone spur from his elbow in June, effectively ending his season.

With a 6'5", 220-pound frame and an impressive three-pitch repertoire that includes a mid-90s fastball and a good slider, it's easy to see why scouts envisioned a potential future ace when they watched Appel during his time at Stanford University.

The physical tools simply haven't translated to pro success. He has a 5.04 ERA and 1.46 WHIP over 291.1 minor league innings.

MLB.com may have put it best: "He still has the tools to be a successful big league starter, but the clock is certainly ticking."

RHP Kyle Crick, San Francisco Giants

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Top Prospect Timeline

• 2012: No. 8 SF prospect
• 2013: No. 1 SF prospect, No. 66 MLB prospect
• 2014: No. 1 SF prospect, No. 33 MLB prospect
• 2015: No. 3 SF prospect
• 2016: No. 27 SF prospect

2016 Stats (AA)

23 GS, 4-11, 5.04 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 67 BB, 86 K, 109.0 IP

Outlook

Repeating a level is not necessarily a death sentence for a prospect, provided they show marked improvement and get their developmental timeline back on track quickly.

Three straight years at the same level is generally a bad sign, though.

Kyle Crick has taken up residence at Double-A Richmond for the past three seasons, plummeting from the No. 1 prospect in the San Francisco Giants system in 2013 and 2014 to their No. 27 prospect in the process.

His production hasn't exactly been trending in the right direction, either:

• 2014: 23 G, 22 GS, 6-7, 3.80 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 6.1 BB/9, 11.1 K/9
• 2015: 36 G, 11 GS, 3-4, 3.29 ERA, 1.79 WHIP, 9.4 BB/9, 10.4 K/9
• 2016: 23 G, 23 GS, 4-11, 5.04 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 5.5 BB/9, 7.1 K/9

So why is this suddenly a make-or-break spring for the 24-year-old?

Despite his ongoing struggles, the Giants have continued to trot Crick out as a starter in hopes that something would click and his command would improve.

They can only do that for so long, though, before a full-time move to the bullpen is unavoidable.

He's always had an electric fastball, but his secondary stuff simply hasn't progressed, and his 6.2 BB/9 career walk rate just doesn't cut it.

If he has any hopes of being a starter at the highest level, he'll need to show the organization something early on in 2017.

LF Courtney Hawkins, Chicago White Sox

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Top Prospect Timeline

• 2013: No. 1 CWS prospect, No. 55 MLB prospect
• 2014: No. 6 CWS prospect
• 2015: No. 9 CWS prospect
• 2016: No. 12 CWS prospect

2016 Stats (AA)

106 G, 455 PA, .203/.255/.349, 37 XBH (12 HR), 60 RBI, 35 R, 0/3 SB

Outlook

Few, if any, prospects in the 2012 draft class made a more immediate impact than Courtney Hawkins.

Taken No. 13 overall by the Chicago White Sox out of Carroll High School in Texas, he posted an .804 OPS with 26 extra-base hits and 11 stolen bases over 249 plate appearances, climbing three levels to close out his debut at High-A Winston-Salem.

However, in the four years since, he's yet to climb above Double-A.

Hawkins followed up his impressive debut with a dismal .178/.249/.384 line in a full season at High-A, flashing decent pop with 19 home runs but striking out at a dizzying 37.6 percent clip.

His OPS jumped from .633 to .781 the following season, and he trimmed his strikeout rate to a more manageable 27.8 percent as he looked to be putting the pieces together.

He's been completely overmatched the past two seasons in Double-A, though, and his numbers actually dropped across the board in his second stint.

As the White Sox get set to begin a long rebuilding process, Hawkins is at risk of being lost in the prospect shuffle unless he does something to prove he's still capable of making an impact.

RHP Alex Meyer, Los Angeles Angels

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Top Prospect Timeline

• 2012: No. 6 WAS prospect
• 2013: No. 4 MIN prospect, No. 59 MLB prospect
• 2014: No. 3 MIN prospect, No. 45 MLB prospect
• 2015: No. 5 MIN prospect, No. 62 MLB prospect
• 2016: No. 12 MIN prospect

2016 Stats (Rk/A+/AAA/MLB)

MiLB: 8 G, 7 GS, 1-1, 1.86 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 6 BB, 40 K, 29.0 IP
MLB: 7 G, 6 GS, 1-3, 5.68 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, 17 BB, 29 K, 25.1 IP

Outlook

It speaks to the dearth of talent in the Los Angeles Angels farm system right now that 27-year-old Alex Meyer currently ranks as their best pitching prospect, per Baseball America.

The big 6'9" right-hander has long been on the prospect scene, and he'll be looking to finally get over the hump with a new organization after joining the Angels as part of the Hector Santiago-for-Ricky Nolasco deadline swap.

It appears he has at least one fan in manager Mike Scioscia.

"This pitcher absolutely has as much upside as any pitcher in the game today," Scioscia told reporters after Meyer was acquired last summer. "Hopefully, he'll start to realize some of that potential, turn it into performance."

Meyer has always had top-end stuff with a heavy fastball that sits in the mid-90s, a power slider and an average changeup as he used his big frame well.

He simply hasn't been able to avoid the injury bug long enough to establish himself.

Given his age, this could be his last chance to break through and earn a spot in the big league rotation. If he struggles again with his command or lands on the disabled list for an extended period of time, his future will likely be in the bullpen.

1B/OF Matt Olson, Oakland Athletics

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Top Prospect Timeline

• 2013: No. 10 OAK prospect
• 2014: No. 12 OAK prospect
• 2015: No. 3 OAK prospect
• 2016: No. 6 OAK prospect

2016 Stats (AAA/MLB)

MiLB: 131 G, 540 PA, .235/.335/.422, 52 XBH (17 HR), 60 RBI, 69 R, 1/1 SB
MLB: 11 G, 28 PA, .095/.321/.143, 1 XBH (0 HR), 0 RBI, 3 R, 0/0 SB

Outlook

It looked like Matt Olson was destined for big things after a breakout year in 2014.

Playing at the High-A level, Olson posted a .947 OPS with 31 doubles and 37 home runs, along with a .404 on-base percentage while leading the minors with 117 walks.

That was enough to make him the No. 3 prospect in the Oakland Athletics system heading into 2015, and it looked like he'd be arriving in Oakland in short order.

Instead, he struggled with the jump to Double-A.

His slugging percentage dipped from .543 to .438, and he hit just 17 home runs while his strikeout rate climbed from 21.6 to 23.8 percent.

Things continued trending in the wrong direction this past season in his first go-around in Triple-A, as his slugging percentage (.438 to .422) and walk rate (17.9 to 13.1 percent) both declined and his strikeout rate grew again to 24.4 percent.

Still just 22 years old, Olson will now need to climb back up the organizational depth chart as fellow corner infield prospects Ryon Healy, Matt Chapman and Renato Nunez have since passed him by.

Proving he can be a viable option in right field, where his strong throwing arm would be an asset, could boost his stock considerably this spring.

1B D.J. Peterson, Seattle Mariners

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Top Prospect Timeline

• 2014: No. 2 SEA prospect, No. 85 MLB prospect
• 2015: No. 2 SEA prospect, No. 85 MLB prospect
• 2016: No. 10 SEA prospect

2016 Stats (AA/AAA)

119 G, 504 PA, .264/.327/.455, 48 XBH (19 HR), 78 RBI, 57 R, 1/3 SB

Outlook 

Viewed as one of the most polished bats in the 2013 draft class, D.J. Peterson was the fourth college hitter taken at No. 12 overall by the Seattle Mariners.

He wasted no time establishing himself as one of the best offensive performers in the minors, hitting .297/.360/.552 with 31 doubles, 31 home runs and 111 RBI while splitting the 2014 season between High-A and Double-A.

However, his encore performance the following season was a disaster.

His triple-slash numbers fell to .223/.288/.345, and he managed just seven home runs in 403 plate appearances.

"He became too pull-conscious after his impressive 2014 campaign, and then lost some of his feel to hit last year as he tried to overcompensate and use the whole field," wrote MLB.com's Prospect Watch last spring. "His formerly sound approach regressed as well, and some scouts wonder if his current bat path will ever allow him to drive secondary pitches."

His numbers were up this past season in a second attempt at the upper minors, and that was enough for the Mariners to add him to the 40-man roster in the offseason, protecting him from the Rule 5 draft in the process.

"At the end of the day, we had the (roster) space. And we don’t think he’s played his best baseball. We wanted to give him a chance to stay in the organization and see what he can do," GM Jerry Dipoto told Bob Dutton of the News Tribune.

The 25-year-old will have a chance to compete for the right-handed side of a platoon with Dan Vogelbach at first base this spring.

CF Brett Phillips, Milwaukee Brewers

Top Prospect Timeline

• 2015: No. 6 HOU prospect
• 2016: No. 4 MIL prospect, No. 57 MLB prospect

2016 Stats (AA)

124 G, 517 PA, .229/.332/.397, 36 XBH (16 HR), 62 RBI, 60 R, 12/19 SB

Outlook

The Milwaukee Brewers have added a wealth of prospect talent over the past two seasons, and their rebuilding efforts really began with the deadline deal that sent Carlos Gomez and Mike Fiers to the Houston Astros.

Left-hander Josh Hader now looks like the best prospect acquired in that deal, but at the time, outfielder Brett Phillips was the clear headliner.

Phillips began the 2015 season ranked outside of the top 100 prospects in the league, but he climbed to the No. 21 spot when Baseball America released its midseason update.

After hitting .310/.375/.529 with 60 extra-base hits in 2014, Phillips seemingly proved his breakout performance was for real with an almost identical .309/.374/.527 line and 64 extra-base hits in 2015.

He returned to Double-A Biloxi to start the 2016 season, and it looked like he could push for the starting center field job by midseason if all went well.

It did not.

Phillips hit just .229/.332/.397 in a full season with Biloxi as his strikeout rate soared from 21.2 to 29.8 percent and his pop disappeared with just 36 extra-base hits.

The 22-year-old has now fallen out of the top 10 prospects in a deep Brewers system, and the deadline addition of Lewis Brinson has left a clear roadblock in his path to the center field job.

There's still plenty of time for him to get back on track, but this will undoubtedly be an important spring.

RHP Robert Stephenson, Cincinnati Reds

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Top Prospect Timeline

• 2012: No. 7 CIN prospect
• 2013: No. 2 CIN prospect, No. 56 MLB prospect
• 2014: No. 1 CIN prospect, No. 19 MLB prospect
• 2015: No. 1 CIN prospect, No. 23 MLB prospect
• 2016: No. 1 CIN prospect, No. 32 MLB prospect

2016 Stats (AAA/MLB)

MiLB: 24 GS, 8-9, 4.41 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 71 BB, 120 K, 136.2 IP
MLB: 8 GS, 2-3, 6.08 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 19 BB, 31 K, 37.0 IP

Outlook

Robert Stephenson has been a top-50 prospect in the league each of the past three seasons.

As recently as last season, he ranked as the 12th-best pitching prospect in the game ahead of the likes of Gary Sanchez, Alex Bregman, Michael Fulmer, Jon Gray and a number of others who have since raised their stock considerably.

Triple-A manager Delino DeShields vented his frustrations with Stephenson's lack of progress last summer while talking with Kenzie Winstead of the Louisville Courier-Journal.

"

This is what we’ve been going through with this kid for the last three or four years. Until he makes an adjustment, it’s going to continue. It’s not going to get better. It’s on him. He’s been told what he needs to do and what he needs to work on by numerous coaches and staff members. It’s up to him to make those adjustments. If I was him, I’d be embarrassed.

"

A lack of command continues to be the biggest issue for the 23-year-old, as he walked 71 hitters in 136.2 innings in the minors last year.

He has the stuff to be a front-line starter with a fastball he can run up to triple digits, a good changeup and a curveball that flashes plus. It's simply a matter of making the necessary adjustments, and some question if he ever will.

"At this point, I'd be surprised if he didn't end up in the bullpen," one NL Central scout told Christopher Crawford of ESPN.com.

If that winds up being the case, he has the stuff to close games.

For now, the rebuilding Reds will give him every chance to prove he can be part of the future rotation.

LF Nick Williams, Philadelphia Phillies

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Top Prospect Timeline

• 2014: No. 3 TEX prospect, No. 97 MLB prospect
• 2015: No. 5 TEX prospect
• 2016: No. 2 PHI prospect, No. 27 MLB prospect

2016 Stats (AAA)

125 G, 527 PA, .258/.287/.427, 52 XBH (13 HR), 64 RBI, 78 R, 6/10 SB

Outlook

Nick Williams was acquired from the Texas Rangers as part of the prospect haul the Philadelphia Phillies received for Cole Hamels at the 2015 trade deadline.

While that package also included the likes of Jerad Eickhoff, Jorge Alfaro, Jake Thompson and Alec Asher, it was Williams who appeared to have the highest ceiling of anyone in the deal.

After a .303/.354/.491 showing at the Double-A level in 2015, he looked poised to join the Philadelphia outfield at some point in 2016.

Instead, he hit .258 in Triple-A while walking just 19 times in 527 plate appearances for a .287 on-base percentage.

One AL East scout explained how Williams' lack of plate discipline is undermining his impressive tools while talking with Christopher Crawford of ESPN.com:

"

[Williams] was the most frustrating player I saw in 2016. You watch him take batting practice, and you think you have a future batting champion; his swing is so fluid and he makes a ton of hard contact. Then you watch him in games, and you see that he has no plan at the plate, unless you count grip-and-rip as a plan. He's a decent outfielder, there's plus raw power and he has the speed to steal bases, but that means nothing if he doesn't start taking more pitches.

"

Williams had a clear path to playing time last season, but that has since closed after the Phillies added Michael Saunders and Howie Kendrick in the offseason. He's also fallen behind Roman Quinn as the next man up among outfield prospects.

John Sickels of Minor League Ball summed it up well: "[Williams] could be a star, but could also turn into Domonic Brown."

RHP Kyle Zimmer, Kansas City Royals

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Top Prospect Timeline

• 2013: No. 1 KC prospect, No. 24 MLB prospect
• 2014: No. 1 KC prospect, No. 23 MLB prospect
• 2015: No. 4 KC prospect, No. 75 MLB prospect
• 2016: No. 2 KC prospect, No. 85 MLB prospect

2016 Stats (A+/AA)

3 GS, 0-2, 1.59 ERA, 1.77 WHIP, 6 BB, 11 K, 5.2 IP

Outlook

Kyle Zimmer has an impressive enough arm that even after throwing 4.2 innings in 2014 and 64 innings in 2015, he still ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the Kansas City Royals organization heading into last year.

Baseball America ranked him as the top pitching prospect and the No. 3 prospect overall in the 2012 draft, and the Royals were happy to snatch him up at No. 5 overall.

After an impressive debut, Zimmer showed all the makings of a future ace in his first full season with a 1.17 WHIP and 140 strikeouts in 108.1 innings between High-A and Double-A.

Injuries have derailed his rapid ascent to the majors, though.

Shoulder issues limited him in 2014 and eventually required surgery, and he underwent thoracic outlet surgery last summer after throwing a total of 5.2 innings.

"With Kyle, it’s been very frustrating along the way, because you see the short glimpses of the guy that we know he is, with the good fastball and the breaking stuff and the command. And then you see him come out a couple days later and have a hard time playing catch comfortably," assistant GM J.J. Picollo told Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star.

The 25-year-old is expected to be back healthy for the start of spring training.

No one expected younger brother Bradley—an outfield prospect who was drafted two years after Kyle by the Cleveland Indians—to be the first Zimmer brother to reach the majors, but that might wind up being the case.

At any rate, a thin Royals farm system would benefit greatly from a return to health for their former top pitching prospect.

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs.com, unless otherwise noted.

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