Each team’s standout prospect so far this spring

Every spring, there are prospects who shine so brightly that they both pressure their method onto their group’s Major League roster or at the very least speed up their progress towards reaching the massive leagues. Think again to a yr in the past, when Julio Rodríguez dazzled his method onto the Mariners’ Opening Day roster en path to profitable the 2022 American League Rookie of the Year Award.

Who can be this yr’s J-Rod? Or who will elevate his prospect inventory in an enormous method with an enormous spring? Here’s a have a look at one standout prospect from every staff up to now throughout Spring Training:

Blue Jays: LHP Ricky Tiedemann
Tiedemann was the reply earlier than he threw a pitch, however after his Grapefruit League debut, he’s the speak of camp. The 20-year-old blew away Javier Báez  with a 99.4 mph fastball in his clear inning of labor, putting out two. The lefty will open the season in both Double-A or Triple-A, however with outings like this, he’ll rapidly pressure the Blue Jays into a choice on their No. 1 prospect. He ought to get a number of extra seems to be towards MLB hitters in Spring Training video games, too. — Keegan Matheson

Orioles: SS Jackson Holliday
The O’s have eight gamers on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects checklist, they usually’re all in huge league camp, so it’s arduous to choose just one as a spring standout. But we’ll go along with Holliday, who continues to be solely 19, in case you hadn’t heard. The No. 1 total choose within the 2022 MLB Draft, the proficient shortstop — and son of former All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday — promptly hit an RBI double in his first Grapefruit League at-bat on Feb. 25. He’s impressed everyone along with his defensive work and maturity, as skipper Brandon Hyde lately famous Holliday “looks comfortable out there,” regardless of having solely 20 video games of professional expertise. — Jake Rill

Rays: INF Osleivis Basabe
The Rays’ No. 7 prospect has made persistently arduous contact and managed the strike zone this spring. The staff already knew he had these instruments, however this plate consequence might need actually opened some eyes. For all of Basabe’s presents with the bat, he has simply 9 house runs by means of greater than 1,200 plate appearances within the Minors. He is engaged on methods to create and drive extra fly balls, and his future will look even brighter if he can do this with out sacrificing an excessive amount of of his bat-to-ball abilities. — Adam Berry

Red Sox: SS Matthew Lugo
Perhaps misplaced within the shuffle as a result of latest shortstops the Red Sox have taken within the Draft, Lugo retains plugging away. Boston’s No. 14 prospect per MLB Pipeline, Lugo had a monster recreation towards the Rays on Feb. 26, belting a double and a triple to go along with 5 RBIs. Lugo, the nephew of nine-time All-Star Carlos Beltrán, was a second-round choice (No. 69 total) by Boston within the 2019 Draft. He had a powerful ’22 season for High-A Greenville, main the South Atlantic League in hits, extra-base hits, triples and complete bases. He will begin this season with Double-A Portland. — Ian Browne

Yankees: OF Jasson Dominguez
Beginning with a moonshot homer in his first Grapefruit League recreation, the 20-year-old Dominguez has been one of the spectacular gamers in camp up to now. Manager Aaron Boone observes that “the game is moving slow for him,” mentioning that Dominguez appears to be exhibiting superior endurance on the plate. Player growth staffers have seen huge progress over the previous calendar yr, noting that Dominguez’s efficiency improved at each Minor League cease. — Bryan Hoch

Guardians: RHP Hunter Gaddis
It’s uncommon for a staff to have the ability to go all 162 video games with out having an harm to one among its beginning pitchers. These six weeks in Arizona ought to assist Cleveland work out who might be the following man up, and Gaddis has made a powerful impression. He got here up in 2022, and acquired knocked round in his two outings, however the Guardians aren’t letting that outline him. So far this spring, he’s given up one earned run in 4 1/3 innings and has displayed higher fastball command by getting forward in counts. If he’s in a position to show he can stay constant, he might both be a beginning choice sooner or later this season or a reduction choice as quickly as Opening Day. — Mandy Bell

Royals: SS Maikel Garcia
Garcia, Kansas City’s No. 3 prospect, is coming off a torrid winter ball season, when he slashed .323/.444/.498 for La Guiara in Venezuela, strolling greater than he struck out. He has continued that sizzling hitting this spring, hitting the duvet off the ball and going 7-for-11 in Cactus League play. His bat-to-ball abilities and manufacturing are forcing the Royals into a tricky determination about their roster and the way they’ll match Garcia on it. The 23-year-old will get time at shortstop with Bobby Witt Jr. taking part in within the World Baseball Classic, however with the Royals dedicated to Witt at quick this yr, Garcia can even play third and begin to get work in middle discipline. — Anne Rogers

Tigers: 3B Andre Lipcius
The former third-round Draft choose and nuclear engineering main at Tennessee caught the group’s consideration along with his plate self-discipline and extra-base energy between Double-A Eerie and Triple-A Toledo. Those qualities have carried over to his first Major League camp, the place he has put up robust at-bats whereas additionally displaying some opportunistic energy. He will not make the Opening Day roster, barring one thing loopy. But with third base in flux, he might put himself in place to get an in-season name if the Tigers need assistance. — Jason Beck

Twins: SS Brooks Lee
Though Lee was taking part in faculty ball underneath his dad at Cal Poly lower than a yr in the past, he’s already beginning a big chunk of video games at shortstop in Grapefruit League play — and he’s already acquired Carlos Correa satisfied that he might be a part of the Twins sooner or later this season. His easy swing and strategy from each side netted him hits in every of his first three spring video games, and final yr’s No. 8 total choose and the No. 1 prospect within the Twins’ group completed final season in Double-A, placing him a stone’s throw from Minneapolis. — Do-Hyoung Park

White Sox: OF Oscar Colas
The 24-year-old left-handed hitter entered Spring Training as the favourite to win the appropriate discipline beginning job and has accomplished nothing to alter that mindset in Arizona. Through his first seven video games, the No. 2 White Sox prospect per MLB Pipeline was 6-for-13 with one RBI and one run scored. Colas spoke in the beginning of camp about working this offseason to be extra of an entire hitter and never only a energy presence, and that plan has manifested itself in three of Colas’ first 5 singles going to the other discipline. He picked up his first extra-base hit and stolen base in a victory over the Reds Friday, displaying he has the complete array of abilities. — Scott Merkin

Angels: RHP Ben Joyce
Joyce first turned heads in faculty when he threw a 105.5 mph fastball with the University of Tennessee. He fared nicely at Double-A final season after the Angels took him within the third spherical of the 2022 Draft. Joyce, 22, has impressed in his first style of Major League camp, showcasing his elite velocity in addition to his two sliders. He’s thrown two scoreless innings and the Angels had him face the guts of the Royals’ order on Thursday to see what he might do towards Major League hitters. Joyce has an opportunity to make the bullpen however the Angels might have him work on his management within the Minors earlier than calling him up later this season. — Rhett Bollinger

Astros: OF Justin Dirden
Dirden, a 25-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder who’s not on the 40-man roster, was 3-for-6 with two homers in his first 4 video games of Grapefruit League play. He additionally made a diving catch in left discipline in Tuesday’s win over the Mets and threw out a runner at house plate from proper discipline Wednesday. Dirden break up final yr between Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Sugar Land, hitting .302 with 82 runs, 5 triples, 24 house runs, 101 RBIs, 51 walks and 12 steals in 124 video games. He began 31 video games in left discipline, 46 in middle and 34 in proper, and he might push for a roster spot, particularly if Michael Brantley is not wholesome to start out the season. — Brian McTaggart

Athletics: OF Lawrence Butler
Though A’s camp options different extremely touted prospects who’re nearer to Major League-ready comparable to Tyler Soderstrom and Zack Gelof, it’s Butler who has been the speak of Spring Training for his thrilling type of play. Through Sunday, he was hitting .600 with a house run, three doubles, a triple, six RBIs and two stolen bases. Likely to start the season at Double-A Midland, Butler is making the most of his probability to make an impression on the massive league employees and he might be knocking on the door of a name as much as Oakland by season’s finish. — Martín Gallegos

Mariners: RHP Prelander Berroa
Much consideration coming into camp has rightfully been on Emerson Hancock and Bryce Miller, however it was Berroa who made the primary robust impression, putting out Nelson Cruz and Xander Bogaerts — guys he grew up watching within the Dominican Republic — in the course of the Mariners’ Cactus League opener. The fastball that he dials as much as 99 mph wows, however it’s the late-breaking slider that might be a plus-plus pitch within the Majors as quickly as this season. — Daniel Kramer

Rangers: OF Evan Carter
Carter, now ranked No. 41 in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects, didn’t enter camp with any actual shot to make the Opening Day roster, however the 20-year-old has impressed regardless. In eight Cactus League video games, he’s hitting .330 with two steals and 5 walks, whereas additionally displaying off the protection that gained him a Rawlings Minor League Gold Glove Award in middle discipline in 2022. While he gained’t be in Arlington to start out the season, there’s an out of doors probability he makes his MLB debut earlier than his twenty first birthday in August. — Kennedi Landry

Braves: SS Braden Shewmake
Shewmake has come to camp to show he shouldn’t be thought-about the forgotten man. He has proven nice vary at shortstop and supervisor Brian Snitker says the 25-year-old’s “bat plays.” Had Shewmake not been injured in August, he could have been referred to as as much as Atlanta as an alternative of Vaughn Grissom, who’s now the favourite to start the season as Atlanta’s shortstop. Shewmake hasn’t had a lot offensive success above the High A stage. But if he exhibits one thing with the bat this yr, he might discover himself on the huge league stage. — Mark Bowman

Marlins: RHP Eury Pérez
It’s arduous to not stand out while you’re 6-foot-8 and gentle up the radar gun with 99.6 mph vs. NL MVP Award finalist Nolan Arenado. Pérez, who would not flip 20 till April 15, is on no account a completed product. But MLB Pipeline’s No. 13 total prospect is actually attempting to expedite his growth by serving as ace Sandy Alcantara’s shadow all winter and spring. — Christina De Nicola

Mets: SS Ronny Mauricio
It’s not straightforward to be hotter than Mauricio, who hit three house runs in his first seven Grapefruit League at-bats. He later added a double to go 4-for-9 over the primary week of spring video games, with all 4 hits going for additional bases. Mauricio, the Mets’ sixth-ranked prospect who has gained greater than 50 kilos since signing his first skilled contract in 2017, appears destined for one more place since Francisco Lindor is locked down at shortstop for one more 9 years. The Mets even have Brett Baty, who’s carried out nicely this spring, vying for reps at third base. But if Mauricio continues to hit like this, the Mets will discover a place for him. — Anthony DiComo

Nationals: INF Jake Alu
Alu, ranked because the Nationals’ No. 27 prospect by MLB Pipeline, was shielded from the Rule 5 Draft and added to their 40-man roster following a standout 2022 efficiency. The 25-year-old lefty hitter has defensive versatility the Nats covet as they take into account choices for his or her 2023 roster. At the plate, final season Alu led all Nationals Minor Leaguers with a .299 batting common, .506 slugging proportion and .871 OPS. He was the recipient of Washington’s Minor League Nationals Way Award. — Jessica Camerato

Phillies: RHP Andrew Painter
Who else might it’s however Painter, who’s baseball’s No. 6 prospect? Painter impressed in his Grapefruit League debut Wednesday towards the Twins in Ft. Myers. He allowed three hits and one run in two innings. He acquired one strikeout. Perfect? No. But he confirmed the glimpses of why he was most likely the favourite to be the staff’s No. 5 starter earlier than he was sidelined by elbow tenderness. The Twins had been impressed, together with Carlos Correa. “I believe this kid’s going to be a star,” he mentioned. — Todd Zolecki

Brewers: RHP Abner Uribe
If there’s one space up for grabs going into this season, it’s the bullpen. That places Uribe, Milwaukee’s No. 12 prospect, in a great place to contribute later this season if he continues to remain wholesome (he missed a lot of final season with a knee harm) and if he continues to impress the way in which he’s been doing up to now this spring. After Uribe labored an inning towards the Rangers this week, supervisor Craig Counsell mentioned, “You’re getting swings and misses on a two-seam fastball, lefties and righties. Early-count swings and misses. That’s spectacular. That’s thrilling. Professional hitters know the fastball’s coming, and also you get it by them.” — Adam McCalvy

Cardinals: OF/DH Jordan Walker
The Cardinals have a number of candidates for this query with how nicely shortstop Masyn Winn, right-handed pitcher Tink Hence and slugger Moises Gomez have carried out up to now. But the reply right this moment, tomorrow and the day after will at all times be a powerful “Jordan Walker.” The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder confirmed off his superior maturity by bouncing again from a gradual begin in drills with a stellar debut in his first Grapefruit League recreation. In a matter of three innings, the 20-year-old smashed a 430-foot house run, caught a deep fly ball towards the wall and legged out an infield single. His five-tool expertise is plain and he’s already making a powerful case to be included on the Opening Day roster. The staff has even taken to hitting him leadoff and second within the order — one thing he’s dealt with with the guile of a 10-year veteran. — John Denton

Cubs: RHP Caleb Kilian
When Cubs supervisor David Ross listed off the candidates for the lone rotation emptiness this spring, Javier Assad, Adrian Sampson and Hayden Wesneski had been named. Kilian might have been in that group, however the righty has one thing to show within the upcoming season given the ups and downs of 2022. Ranked No. 18 on MLB Pipeline’s new Top 30 checklist, the 25-year-old Kilian was a key piece within the Kris Bryant commerce with the Giants in ’21. He reached Chicago in ’22, however posted a ten.32 ERA in three outings earlier than returning to Triple-A. In his Cactus League debut, Kilian sat 95-96 mph along with his fastballs, topped out at 97 mph and retired the six batters he confronted in a two-inning begin towards the D-backs. Maybe Kilian just isn’t within the hunt for a rotation job proper now, however he can very simply pitch himself again into the rotation image this summer season. — Jordan Bastian

Pirates: C Endy Rodriguez
Per week into Spring Training and Rodriguez is already selecting up from the place he left off final season. Rodriguez, the No. 55 total prospect in baseball per MLB Pipeline, is already 3-for-9 with a pair of doubles whereas seeing time at each catcher and first base. Rodriguez burst onto the scene final yr, hitting .323/.407/.590 with 25 house runs throughout three totally different ranges and being named the group’s Minor League Player of the Year. Rodriguez probably gained’t start the season with the Major League staff, but when the 22-year-old continues to impress, he might make the dialog all of the extra fascinating. — Justice delos Santos

Reds: 1B/3B Christian Encarnacion-Strand
Ranked No. 7 within the group by MLB Pipeline, Encarnacion-Strand was acquired from the Twins within the Aug. 2 Tyler Mahle commerce and got here with a fame for uncooked energy. He slugged 32 homers with 114 RBIs mixed final season between High A and Double-A, and has proven that energy in camp. On Wednesday vs. Oakland, he clobbered a grand slam to left discipline and has additionally hit balls arduous to the other discipline. The 23-year-old, who additionally batted .304/.368/.587 in 2022, has largely performed third base however has gotten a lot of his time in camp at first base. That might be his future place when the time involves discover a alternative for Joey Votto. — Mark Sheldon 

D-backs: RHP Drey Jameson
Jameson debuted final September and was excellent over 4 begins, which put him within the combine for the No. 5 spot within the rotation this spring. In his first two spring outings, he has thrown 4 scoreless innings and seemed spectacular in doing so. His two-seam fastball is a big weapon when paired along with his upper-90s four-seamer. Jameson additionally pitches with a number of confidence — he didn’t appear fazed in any respect final September regardless of the larger stage. It’s early in camp, however up to now he’s accomplished nothing however assist his probabilities of profitable a rotation spot. — Steve Gilbert

Dodgers: OF James Outman
At the beginning of spring, it appeared Outman would open the season at Triple-A Oklahoma City, however with Gavin Lux taking place with an harm and Outman’s robust play, the outfielder is making fairly the case to be on the Dodgers’ Opening Day roster. With Chris Taylor taking part in extra shortstop following Lux’s harm, the Dodgers might flip to an outfielder to exchange Lux within the Opening Day lineup. The proven fact that Outman hits left-handed additionally helps his probabilities. So far this spring, Outman is 6-for-15 with a triple and a homer, and has routinely hit the ball arduous. After leaping out to a historic begin to his huge league profession, Outman struck out in six of his final eight at-bats. But there’s little doubt the 25-year-old is opening eyes this spring. — Juan Toribio

Giants: INF Brett Wisely
Wisely, who was acquired from the Rays in change for Minor League outfielder Tristan Peters over the offseason, has impressed by going 3-for-7 with two house runs by means of his first two Cactus League video games this spring. The Giants don’t have a ton of shortstop depth behind 36-year-old Brandon Crawford, so the left-handed-hitting Wisely ought to be well-positioned to interrupt into the Majors and contribute to the membership’s infield combine in 2023. — Maria Guardado

Padres: LHP Jay Groome
Top prospect Jackson Merrill has been an apparent standout in Padres camp, a 19-year-old shortstop who doesn’t look his age. But there’s little to no probability that Merrill will crack the massive league roster. Groome, however? Suddenly there may be a gap for a rotation spot whereas Joe Musgrove is out with a fractured left huge toe. Groome, the Padres’ return within the commerce that despatched Eric Hosmer to Boston, has pitched scoreless ball in every of his three spring begins. A 24-year-old former first-round choose, Groome has an opportunity to reset his profession with San Diego — and he seems decided to profit from it. — AJ Cassavell

Rockies: OF Zac Veen
Through his first eight Spring Training video games, Veen was hitting .353 with a .421 on-base proportion and a house run. As huge part of his spring is his seven stolen bases. Veen stole 55 mixed in High A and Double-A, and 16 extra in 21 Arizona Fall League video games. He’s been as unafraid within the Cactus League. His seven steals by means of Saturday led all of Spring Training. — Thomas Harding