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.
Five Homers Fuel Omaha’s 8-1 Win
PAPILLION, NEB. – The Omaha Storm Chasers forced a series split with the Indianapolis Indians, as a season-high five home runs and dominant pitching led to Omaha’s largest winning margin of the season, 8-1. Omaha scored two runs in the first and stayed ahead for the rest of the game.
Chasers Bullpen Holds Indy Scoreless in 5-1 win
PAPILLION, NEB. – The Omaha Storm Chasers played back into the win column Saturday night, with a 5-1 win over the Indianapolis Indians. Omaha threw a bullpen game, opened by Anthony Simonelli, who tossed a scoreless first inning. Simonelli allowed an unearned run in the second, then Omaha’s bullpen kept
Chasers Held to 2 Hits in 6-0 Loss to Indy
PAPILLION, NEB. – The Omaha Storm Chasers lost a second straight game and third of four this week with the Indianapolis Indians, a 6-0 shutout loss Friday night at Werner Park. The Indians scored a run in the third on an RBI single off Omaha starter Thomas Hatch and led
Omaha Falls to Indianapolis 7-2
PAPILLION, NEB. – The Omaha Storm Chasers fell to the Indianapolis Indians 7-2 Thursday night at Werner Park, trailing for all nine innings in the game. The contest opened as a pitchers’ duel, with just one hit between the two sides over the first three innings. Omaha’s Ryan Ramsey allowed
Noah Cameron Makes MLB Debut With Kansas City Royals
PAPILLION, NEB. – Omaha Storm Chasers left-handed starting pitcher Noah Cameron made his MLB debut for the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in their game at George M. Steinbrenner Field against the Tampa Bay Rays, the fourth Storm Chaser to debut in the Major Leagues this season
Chasers Score Seven Unanswered to Snap Losing Streak
PAPILLION, NEB. – The Omaha Storm Chasers ended their eight-game losing streak Wednesday night, clinching a comeback win to defeat the Indianapolis Indians 9-6 to collect their first win since April 18. Omaha starter Chandler Champlain set the tone early, retiring the first seven batters he faced. Peyton Wilson collected
Storm Chasers Drop Series Opener to Indians
PAPILLION, NEB. – The Omaha Storm Chasers lost an eighth consecutive game, dropping Tuesday’s series opener to the Indianapolis Indians 9-7. Indianapolis plated four runs in the first inning on a grand slam and led the rest of the day, with a sacrifice fly in the third inning adding another
Storm Chasers Fall 2-0 to Mud Hens
TOLEDO, OHIO – The Omaha Storm Chasers lost a seventh straight game, falling to the Toledo Mud Hens 2-0 Sunday afternoon, as the Mud Hens swept the Storm Chasers in the six-game series. Toledo scored its first run in the second inning and led the rest of the way, as
Omaha Swept by Toledo in Doubleheader
TOLEDO, OHIO – The Omaha Storm Chasers were swept in a doubleheader Saturday at Fifth Third Field, losing to the Toledo Mud Hens by scores of 3-1 and 4-1. GAME 1: Toledo 3, Omaha 1 After both teams saw their opening pitcher fire two scoreless innings, including 2.0 hitless innings
Omaha Drops Third Straight to Toledo
TOLEDO, OHIO – The Omaha Storm Chasers dropped a third straight game to the Toledo Mud Hens losing 4-3 in 9 innings in the second walk-off defeat of the week for Omaha. Omaha starter Chandler Champlain started strong, retiring his first five batters before four straight singles and an error
Chasers Drop Second Straight to Mud Hens
TOLEDO, OHIO - The Omaha Storm Chasers let twice and kept the game close but couldn’t keep up with the Toledo Mud Hens, falling 8-4 Wednesday at Fifth Third Field. Omaha started hot in the top of the first with a leadoff single from Dustin Dickerson. MJ Melendez followed with
Storm Chasers Drop Series Opener to Mud Hens in 13 Innings
TOLEDO, OHIO – The Omaha Storm Chasers dropped the series opener to the Toledo Mud Hens Tuesday night, a 9-8 loss in 13 innings that lasted over 4 hours. The first four batters of the game reached base for Omaha, with Luke Maile drawing a bases-loaded walk to take a
April 20th Omaha Storm Chasers Game Cancelled
PAPILLION, NEB. – Due to current rain showers and impending inclement weather throughout the day, the Omaha Storm Chasers’ home game against the Norfolk Tides has been cancelled today – Sunday, April 20th – due to inclement weather. With today’s game being the final time Omaha and Norfolk play each
Chasers Fall to Tides 11-1
PAPILLION, NEB. – The Omaha Storm Chasers fell to the Norfolk Tides 11-1 Saturday afternoon at Werner Park. Throwing a bullpen game for the third time in four days, Omaha fell behind early as the Tides tagged starter Anthony Simonelli for one run in the first. Norfolk knocked Simonelli out
Sixth Inning Rally Carries Chasers to 10-8 win Over Tides
PAPILLION, NEB. – The Omaha Storm Chasers scored eight runs in the sixth inning for the team’s third come-from-behind win of the week, a 10-8 victory Friday night over the Norfolk Tides at Werner Park. Norfolk jumped out to an early lead, tagging starter Noah Cameron for three runs in
Chasers top Tides 4-2 for Second Comeback win of Series
PAPILLION, NEB. – The Omaha Storm Chasers scored three in the eighth inning for the team’s second late comeback win of the week, a 4-2 win over the Norfolk Tides Thursday night at Werner Park. After both starting pitchers threw scoreless first innings, Thursday’s game entered a rain delay before
Tides Top Chasers 15-6 on “All About Kids Day” at Werner Park
PAPILLION, NEB. – The Omaha Storm Chasers fell behind in the first inning and trailed for the rest of the game, losing to the Norfolk Tides 15-6 Wednesday afternoon at Werner Park. Norfolk knocked Omaha starter Cruz Noriega out of the game in the second inning, tagging the right-hander for
Evan Sisk Makes MLB Debut With Kansas City Royals
PAPILLION, NEB. – Omaha Storm Chasers left-handed relief pitcher Evan Sisk made his MLB debut for the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, in their game at Yankee Stadium against the New York Yankees, the third Storm Chaser to debut in the Major Leagues this season and the
Chasers Score Six Unanswered to take Series Opener Over Norfolk
PAPILLION, NEB. – The Omaha Storm Chasers overcame a five-run deficit to beat the Norfolk Tides, 9-8 Tuesday afternoon at Werner Park. These games marked the first meeting between the two franchises since 1991, when the Omaha Royals (American Association) and Tidewater Tides (International League )faced off in the Triple-A
Four-Run Eighth Pushes Omaha to Series Split in St. Paul
ST. PAUL, MINN. – The Omaha Storm Chasers forced a series split with the St. Paul Saints, scoring four runs in the eighth inning en route to a 5-3 win Sunday afternoon at CHS Field. Omaha was first onto the board in the series finale, with John Rave singling Cam
Castro Drives In Four as Omaha Beats St. Paul 7-5
ST. PAUL, MINN. – The Omaha Storm Chasers worked back into the win column Saturday afternoon, beating the St. Paul Saints 7-5, thanks in large part to a 4-RBI game from shortstop Harold Castro. The Saints were the first team onto the board yet again, scoring two runs in the
Omaha Drops Third Straight to St. Paul
ST. PAUL, MINN. – The Omaha Storm Chasers fell for a third straight night to the St. Paul Saints, losing 6-4 Friday night at CHS Field. Much like the previous two nights, the Saints scored first and led nearly the entire game. Omaha starting pitcher Chandler Champlain was tagged for
Storm Chasers to Play Split Doubleheader With Iowa Cubs
PAPILLION, NEB. – The Omaha Storm Chasers will host a split (day/night) doubleheader with the Iowa Cubs (Triple-A affiliate, Chicago Cubs), playing two 7-inning games on Wednesday, June 4 at Werner Park. The first game will begin at 1:05 p.m. CT, to make up a previously postponed game between the
Saints Roll Past Storm Chasers 13-6
ST. PAUL, MINN. – The Omaha Storm Chasers fell behind early and the St. Paul Saints rode a heavy offensive performance to a 13-4 win over Omaha Thursday night at CHS Field. John Rave started the game with a lead-off single up the middle, advancing to second on a wild
Home Runs Power St. Paul to 3-2 Win Over Omaha
ST. PAUL, MINN. – The Omaha Storm Chasers dropped the second of a six-game series with the St. Paul Saints, a 3-2 loss Wednesday at CHS Field. The first three innings consisted of a pitchers’ duel between Omaha’s Thomas Hatch and St. Paul’s Andrew Morris, with a 0-0 tied into