10 prospects at Spring Training who are lighting up Statcast
One of the best parts of Spring Training every year is getting to see the top prospects in baseball. A lot of the time, it's the first look fans get at MLB's future stars. But we also know a lot more about those prospects going into Spring Training than we
One of the best parts of Spring Training every year is getting to see the top prospects in baseball. A lot of the time, it's the first look fans get at MLB's future stars.
But we also know a lot more about those prospects going into Spring Training than we used to -- more than what's in their scouting report or their Minor League stat sheet.
Thanks to the Minor League Statcast data now available -- there's Statcast tracking for all Triple-A Games, a significant number of Single-A games, Arizona Fall League games and more -- we already know a lot about top prospects' tools before they even get to Spring Training. And then we get to watch them put those tools into action on the field.
So let's take a look at some of the young players at big league Spring Training this year (either on the 40-man roster or as a non-roster invitee) who have already showcased exciting skill sets in the Minors or Fall League.
Here are 10 top prospects at Spring Training 2025 -- five hitters and five pitchers -- who lit up Statcast last year.
Jac Caglianone, 1B, Royals
One of the biggest head-turners of the Arizona Fall League was Caglianone, who the Royals drafted as a two-way player with the No. 7 overall pick last year but will focus exclusively on hitting in 2025. And Caglianone rakes. The 22-year-old had a max exit velocity of 117.3 mph in the Fall League, on a line-drive single that was the second-hardest-hit ball of the AFL season. Only nine big leaguers had a 117-plus mph base hit in 2024. And Caglianone hit two home runs 110 mph or harder -- one at 113.1 mph, one at 111.6 mph. A non-roster invitee for the Royals this spring, the No. 22 prospect in baseball will be one of the most intriguing players to watch.
Deyvison De Los Santos, 1B/3B Marlins
De Los Santos enters Spring Training as the reigning Minor League home run champion. He hit 40 homers last season -- and a lot of them were big ones. The 21-year-old slugger, who is ranked as Miami's No. 5 prospect, launched five homers 110 mph or harder at Triple-A in 2024. Those included a monster 114.2 mph, 471-foot blast on June 14. De Los Santos has light-tower power, the Marlins have added him to their 40-man roster, and he could make an impact in the big leagues in 2025.
Drake Baldwin, C, Braves
Baldwin is the Braves' top prospect entering 2025, MLB's No. 63 prospect overall and the No. 7 catching prospect. And the 23-year-old lefty swinger has some hitting metrics from last season that should catch your eye, especially coming from a young catcher. Baldwin raked at Triple-A, with a 92.8 mph average exit velocity, 53.1% hard-hit rate and 10.6% barrel rate. He posted a .304 expected batting average and .516 expected slugging percentage based on his quality of contact. Just an all-around excellent hitter.
JJ Wetherholt, SS, Cardinals
Wetherholt was drafted by the Cardinals seventh overall in 2024, went to Single-A and consistently ripped the ball. The 22-year-old had a 91.9 mph average exit velocity and 54.9% hard-hit rate, which is a ton of hard contact for his first professional season. Wetherholt's expected stats were top-tier, with a .292 expected batting average, .406 expected on-base percentage and .390 expected wOBA. As he enters his first Spring Training as a non-roster invitee, Wetherholt is ranked St. Louis' top prospect, MLB's No. 23 prospect and the seventh-best shortstop prospect in baseball.
Xavier Isaac, 1B, Rays
Isaac is ranked No. 51 overall on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospects list in large part due to his tremendous raw power. That power showed up in the Arizona Fall League, where the 21-year-old lefty slugger smoked a 115.8 mph home run off White Sox prospect Eric Adler, which was one of the top 10 hardest-hit balls of the 2024 AFL season. Only 14 Major Leaguers hit a home run 115 mph or harder during the entire 2024 season, and only eight hit at least one 115.8 mph or harder.
Bubba Chandler, RHP, Pirates
Let's get to the pitchers. Chandler is ranked MLB's No. 15 prospect entering Spring Training 2025 after overpowering hitters in the Minors last year, including 54 strikeouts in 39 1/3 innings at Triple-A. The 22-year-old has a great power arsenal, with a four-seam fastball that averaged 96.8 mph at Triple-A, a changeup that averaged 88.8 mph and a slider that averaged 86.8 mph. All three of those pitches produced strikeout rates over 30%.
Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Brewers
Chandler has one of the best fastballs among Top 100 prospects. Misiorowski might have the best. MLB Pipeline gave Misiorowski -- who's ranked No. 100 out of 100 -- a perfect grade for his explosive four-seamer. Misiorowski's heater sat at 98 mph and frequently reached 100-plus mph, making it one of the fastest fastballs in the Minors. But don't forget his curveball, which MLB Pipeline also ranked the best of that pitch type. The 22-year-old's bender generated a 41% whiff rate and was his best strikeout pitch at Triple-A. Oh, and his slider averaged 92.8 mph, too. Misiorowski's arsenal and potential to be a big league reliever in 2025 make him a must-watch at Spring Training.
Zach Maxwell, RHP, Reds
Maxwell is a 6-foot-6, 275-pound tank on the mound who's nicknamed "Big Sugar" and is already turning heads as a non-roster invitee at Reds camp. The 24-year-old prospect has a power arsenal to match his stature, and he showed it on his way to racking up 58 K's in 39 1/3 innings at Triple-A in 2024. Maxwell's four-seamer averaged 99.2 mph and didn't even drop 10 inches on its way from his hand to the plate, which would make it comparable to some of the top rising fastballs thrown by Major League pitchers. Maxwell's fastball was so dominant that he could throw it almost three-quarters of the time in the Minors. He can blow hitters away well into the triple digits.
Carson Whisenhunt, LHP, Giants
Here's a pitcher who dominates with a pitch other than his fastball. Whisenhunt's changeup was his signature offering last season in the Minors, generating a 46.8% swing-and-miss rate and 39.1% strikeout rate at Triple-A. That changeup is why the 24-year-old lefty finished 2024 as San Francisco's top pitching prospect, and why he'll be an arm to watch at Spring Training as he tries to reach the Majors.
George Klassen, RHP, Angels
Klassen is all power -- his fastball, slider and curveball all have high-end velocity for their respective pitch types, and that trio made him the Angels' No. 3 prospect last year. The 23-year-old averaged 97.3 mph on his four-seamer in the Minors last season, 91.0 mph on his slider and 86.9 mph on his curve. Klassen's breaking balls were especially lethal, holding opposing hitters to a sub-.100 batting average between them and getting whiffs on nearly half of the swings against them. But it still starts with Klassen's heater, which doesn't just sit in the upper 90s but also gets over 14 inches of arm-side run. Any pitcher with three high-speed pitches like Klassen is worth watching in Spring Training, even as a non-roster invitee.
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