The best prospects coming to Lansing this summer
There are important caveats here. When Minor League players report to Spring Training, they do not have complete certainty where they will be assigned; they compete in the spring for the best assignment possible. There are also injuries that pop up, sidelining players in the early season and presenting opportunities
There are important caveats here. When Minor League players report to Spring Training, they do not have complete certainty where they will be assigned; they compete in the spring for the best assignment possible. There are also injuries that pop up, sidelining players in the early season and presenting opportunities for other players.
That said... let's dance.
Begin with three big arms. 19-year-old right-hander Steven Echavarria, the 2022-2023 Gatorade New Jersey High School Baseball Player of the Year, spent last year with Stockton and should join the Lugnuts' rotation from Opening Day, becoming the one of the top pitching prospects in the Midwest League. The top A's pitching prospects from the 2024 draft, LSU second-rounder Gage Jump and Portland fifth-rounder Sam Stuhr, have yet to make their professional debuts, but we've already seen pitchers Blake Beers (2022), Jake Garland (2023) and Will Johnston (2024) ascend to Lansing the year after they were drafted, setting the stage for a Jump jump.
For the lineup, look to A's second-round third baseman Tommy White, Jump's college teammate, who was nicknamed "Tommy Tanks" as an LSU fan favorite for his charisma and his power. Add in third-round shortstop Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, the 2024 Big Ten Player of the Year out of Rutgers, fourth-round outfielder Rodney Green, Jr., brimming with power and speed; plus the possible appearance of 19-year-old Myles Naylor, the 39th overall pick in the 2023 draft, who struggled at Stockton and may need to return to the Ports before earning his way up to Lansing later on in the summer.
It's always worth watching out for returning breakouts, the players who've experienced Lansing before and excel in their encore visit, such as center fielder Ryan Lasko, the A's second-round selection in 2023; and his fellow 2024 Lugnuts outfield mate Nate Nankil, who batted .356 for the Lugnuts in 28 games.
But the Nuts' MWL rivals will be bringing in their own blue-chippers: pitcher Chase Burns may be part of Dayton's starting rotation, shortstop Leodalis De Vries is on his way to Fort Wayne, shortstop Jaison Chourio is arriving in to Lake County, outfielder Zyhir Hope should be showing up in Great Lakes, and first baseman/catcher Josue Briceño, who won the 2024 Arizona Fall League Triple Crown, will be in West Michigan. All are members of MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Major League prospects.
Tickets to all of the Lugnuts' 66-game home schedule as well as the 2025 Crosstown Showdown are on sale now! For more information, call (517) 485-4500 or follow the Nuts on social media @lansinglugnuts.