Spring Breakout returns for 2025!
Remember Paul Skenes squaring off against Jackson Holliday on opening night of the inaugural Spring Breakout? Pitching in his first Spring Training, the 2023 No. 1 overall pick struck out the 2022 No. 1 overall pick while showcasing a fastball up to 101.7 mph, a 90.4 mph splinker and a
Remember Paul Skenes squaring off against Jackson Holliday on opening night of the inaugural Spring Breakout? Pitching in his first Spring Training, the 2023 No. 1 overall pick struck out the 2022 No. 1 overall pick while showcasing a fastball up to 101.7 mph, a 90.4 mph splinker and a couple tough low-90s sliders.
“That’s why we play the game, to have cool matchups like that,” Skenes later told reporters.
That battle was no mistake. It’s exactly what the first Spring Breakout series was designed to display. So now, MLB is running it back for more prospect-heavy clashes.
The Spring Breakout series will return to Arizona and Florida for four days from March 13-16, 2025, Major League Baseball announced Thursday as part of the Spring Training schedule reveal.
Team Top 30 Prospects lists:
ALE: BAL | BOS | NYY | TB | TOR
ALC: CLE | CWS | DET | KC | MIN
ALW: HOU | LAA | OAK | SEA | TEX
NLE: ATL | MIA | NYM | PHI | WSH
NLC: CHC | CIN | MIL | PIT | STL
NLW: AZ | COL | LAD | SD | SF
Spring Breakout is meant to spotlight some of the game’s brightest young prospects and put the next generation of baseball’s stars on full display in Major League Spring Training stadiums. In fact, fans got to see many such players reach The Show shortly after the first event. Ninety-five of last spring's Spring Breakout participants have played in the Majors this season, including Skenes and Holliday. Forty-eight of the 54 participants in this year’s All-Star Futures Game were on 2024 Breakout rosters. More are expected to head to the Arizona Fall League for the start of play there in early October.
The fun was just getting started.
Beginning with a pair of games featuring four of MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 farm systems, here’s how the schedule shakes out for 2025:
Thursday, March 13
Cubs* (8) @ Dodgers (5)
Red Sox (7) @ Rays (1)
Friday, March 14
Mariners (9) @ Guardians (4)
Royals (25) @ D-backs (21)
Athletics (22) @ Padres (28)
Pirates (20) @ Phillies (16)
Nationals* (10) @ Astros (30)
Cardinals (19) @ Marlins (15)
Saturday, March 15
Rangers (26) @ Giants (23)
Angels (29) @ Cubs* (8)
Yankees (18) @ Orioles (3)
Twins (2) @ Blue Jays (24)
Sunday, March 16
Reds (14) @ Brewers (17)
Rockies (12) @ White Sox (11)
Tigers (6) @ Braves (27)
Mets (13) @ Nationals* (10)
* --The Nationals and Cubs are scheduled to play two games in 2025
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While official rosters won’t come out until next year, here are some of the best potential individual and team matchups:
Individual matchups
Dylan Crews, OF, Nationals (No. 1/MLB No. 3) vs. Brandon Sproat, RHP, Mets (No. 1/MLB No. 40): This almost happened last spring when the Nats and Mets first squared off in Spring Breakout. Sproat touched 99 mph on the gun and faced three batters, none of whom were Crews. Here’s hoping it happens in ‘25. With James Wood up in the Majors, Crews is the next Washington outfielder with promising power and speed awaiting his turn at The Show, and Sproat brings high heat along with a full complement of secondaries (sweeping slider, cutter, and changeup).
Marcelo Mayer, SS, Red Sox (No. 1/MLB No. 5) vs. Carson Williams, SS, Rays (No. 2/MLB No. 6): The future of the shortstop position in the AL East could be on full display in Port Charlotte, Florida. Mayer just reached Triple-A after leading the Eastern League with a .307 average. Williams is pushing for his second straight 20/20 season and is a gifted defender at the six with good actions and a plus-plus arm.
Charlie Condon, OF/3B, Rockies (No. 1/MLB No. 12) vs Noah Schultz, LHP, White Sox (No. 1/MLB No. 15): Before he went third overall in the Draft to Colorado, Condon led Division I in batting (.433), slugging (1.009), OPS (1.565) and homers (37). His plus-plus power potential should have Rockies fans salivating about what he could achieve in Denver’s thin air. But the former Georgia star likely didn’t face an arm like Schultz’s in the SEC. The 6-foot-9 southpaw has a deadly slider and plus fastball and has held opposing righties (like Condon) to a .555 OPS in 2024.
Travis Bazzana, 2B, Guardians (No. 1/MLB No. 13) vs. Colt Emerson, SS, Mariners (No. 1/MLB No. 30): Bazzana will take the mantle from Skenes as the reigning No. 1 overall pick in his first Spring Training. As a .407 hitter last spring for Oregon State, he might also get plenty of run on the Major League side of Cleveland’s camp, but Spring Breakout would be his chance to take center stage with his plus-plus hit tool and above-average power. Emerson would be a nice infield foil on the Seattle side. The 19-year-old slugger is already walking more than he strikes out, showing a strong approach that earned him an early promotion to High-A.
JJ Wetherholt, SS/2B, Cardinals (No. 1/MLB No. 19) vs. Thomas White, LHP, Marlins (No. 1/MLB No. 46): The Battle of Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium is back on in 2025 and could feature an at-bat between the top prospect from both Jupiter-based organizations. Wetherholt’s elite bat-to-ball skills would be challenged by White’s three-pitch mix featuring a plus fastball, high-spin curveball and above-average changeup.
Team matchups (Farm system rankings in parentheses)
Cubs (8th) @ Dodgers (5th)
The Cactus League side begins with a bang featuring two Top 10 systems. The Cubs boast six Top 100 prospects, five of whom are at Triple-A already: Matt Shaw, Owen Caissie, Moises Ballesteros, James Triantos and Kevin Alcántara. Put that quintet in the heart of the lineup, and the Dodgers arms could have their hands full all game. Luckily, Los Angeles could bring promising bats of their own in Dalton Rushing, Josue De Paula and Alex Freeland, and southpaws Jackson Ferris and Justin Wrobleski have the stuff to hold the Cubbies at bay.
Yankees (18th) @ Orioles (3rd)
With Holliday set to graduate soon and Coby Mayo already in the Majors, Baltimore fans might want to know which big bat is coming next. Step in, Samuel Basallo. The 20-year-old catcher has transitioned nicely to Double-A while continuing to show plus hit and power tools, and he could be on his way to Camden Yards in 2025, post-Breakout. First-rounders Vance Honeycutt (2024) and Enrique Bradfield Jr. (2023) would add speed to Baltimore’s lineup around Basallo. This AL East matchup could feature Jasson Domínguez, should he not graduate first, teaming up with Spencer Jones in the outfield and George Lombard Jr. and Roderick Arias together on the dirt.
Reds (14th) @ Brewers (17th)
Sticking with division rivalries, the Reds have a pair of former Wake Forest aces in the pipeline in Chase Burns and Rhett Lowder, and while it’d take some scheduling work to get their pitching days to line up, the thought of the two putting on a show against the Brewers is tantalizing. On the Milwaukee side, shortstop Cooper Pratt will be building on a breakout first full season, and catcher Jeferson Quero could be recovered enough from shoulder surgery to provide a big boost behind the plate.
Sam Dykstra is a reporter for MiLB.com. Follow and interact with him on Twitter, @SamDykstraMiLB.
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