14 Nuts who could make their MLB debut in 2025

Nine former Lansing Lugnuts made their Major League Baseball debuts in 2024, bringing the all-time total to 193 players to work their way up from Lansing to MLB.

Who will the 194th be? Who will the 200th be?

The answer requires good health, production... and an opportunity.

So how about:

Cooper Bowman, Reds: A fourth-round selection by the NY Yankees, the native South Dakotan was traded to the A's in a four-player package for Frankie Montas and Lou Trivino at the deadline in 2022. Assigned to Lansing, Bowman batted .209 in 33 games with a home run in his debut. This past December, Bowman was selected seventh overall by Cincinnati in the Rule 5 Draft. He enters Spring Training looking to clinch a spot on the Reds' Opening Day roster.

Colby Thomas, Denzel Clarke, Max Muncy, A's: This is the year that the Athletics' position-player talent arrives. All three should open the season in Triple-A Las Vegas, where offensive stats boom. Keep an eye out for catcher Daniel Susac, the 2023 Midwest League batting champion, who will be making his Triple-A debut.

Gunnar Hoglund, Jack Perkins, Blake Beers, A's: The trio of right-handers all mastered Double-A Midland, part of a dominant RockHounds' starting rotation (alongside Mason Barnett and sleeper southpaw James González). They'll all pitch in Las Vegas this year, one of the most challenging pitching environments in the country, waiting for an opening to develop in the A's pitching corps.

Pedro Santos, A's: The velocity is great, the curve is great, the cutter is great, but the control has been unpredictable for the native Cuban, who impressed with the Lugnuts in 2023 (31 strikeouts but 17 walks in 21 innings). He made 33 relief appearances for Las Vegas last year and continued to strike out more than a batter per inning, earning himself a non-roster invite to Spring Training.

Stevie Emanuels, A's: Stevie is a fascinating story, one of the last picks of the shortened 2020 draft who pitched for the Lugnuts without distinction in 2021 and 2022 before breaking through in 2023. Unfortunately, injuries have troubled him each season. If he can stay on the field, he'll have a shot at the A's bullpen.

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A little farther away, but worth keeping an eye on:

Will Johnston, A's: The phenomenon at the lower levels in the A's system, Will blew through Stockton (14 innings, only five hits, 26 strikeouts) and then looked terrific in Lansing (97 strikeouts in 77 2/3 innings). He'll start the year in Double-A Midland with the potential to skyrocket. Right-handers are absolutely helpless against his splitter.

Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang, A's: Last year, Z was too good for Stockton (1.67 ERA), too good for Lansing (2.56), and too good for Midland (2.45), while demonstrating remarkable control: 84 strikeouts compared to 12 walks. He'll go back to Midland for Opening Day with great expectations ahead.

Kade Morris, A's: In their ranking of the Top 42 prospects in the Athletics' organization, Fangraphs' Eric Longenhagen and Travis Ice were sky high on Kade, whom they ranked No. 10 and predicted, "He’s tracking to debut at some point in mid-to-late 2025." Acquired via trade with the NY Mets at the 2024 deadline, the lanky right-hander finished last season with the Lugnuts, putting him on track to open this year with Double-A Midland.

Will Simpson, Rays: Traded by the A's along with Jacob Watters and Joe Boyle for Jeff Springs, Simpson should start 2025 in Double-A Montgomery and there are a few obstacles in his way – namely, the No. 4 and No. 5 first base prospects in all of baseball, Xavier Isaac and Tre' Morgan will likely be Southern League teammates with him, perhaps forcing both him and Morgan into the outfield. Still, Lugnuts fans know how good Simpson's bat is. If he sizzles in the SL, watch out.

Eric Pardinho, Blue Jays: There are still a few 2019 Lugnuts hanging around in the minors, working toward a taste of the majors, and the native Brazilian has the most hopeful path. 18 years old when he made his Nuts debut, the 24-year-old Pardinho worked his way up to Triple-A Buffalo last year, where he's likely to return to begin this season. Pardinho is also a member of Brazil's national team attempting to qualify for the World Baseball Classic.