Sometimes the biggest games of the spring aren’t part of the Cactus or Grapefruit League. They take place in backyard parks, where baseball’s top prospects sharpen their tools by colliding with each other away from the public eye, as they attempt to become the stars of the future.
This year, Spring Breakout will allow those battles to be seen on the highest stage, on the main fields of Arizona and Florida.
The four-day exhibition series – to be held between March 14 and 17 – is designed to give each farm’s top prospects the opportunity to showcase their talents before the start of the regular season. By placing them on the same field, there is a great opportunity to see very interesting duels.
With that in mind, we present some of the most striking matchups of the Spring Breakout:
1. Jackson Holliday, SS/2B (BAL No. 1, MLB No. 1); Paul Skenes, LD (No. 1 of PIT, No. 3 of MLB)
Look, if there is a duel that should be at the top, it is this one. The last two picks in the first place of the Amateur Draft on the same field in Bradenton, Florida, during the start of the inaugural Spring Breakout game on March 14. It will be interesting to see them measuring themselves from the beginning of the series. Holliday’s big bat against Skenes’ triple-digit fastball and great slider.
2. Colson Montgomery, SS (No. 1 in CWS, No. 9 in MLB); Cade Horton, LD (CHC No. 2, MLB No. 26)
Chicago likes to brag about its teams, so both sides of the city will be watching the Montgomery-Horton showdown in Arizona on March 15. Montgomery has sometimes been compared to Corey Seager for being a shortstop and left-handed power hitter, while Horton hits 94-96 mph with his fastball and has a great slider.
3. Ethan Salas, C (No. 1 SD, No. 8 MLB); Harry Ford, C (No. 2 SEA, No. 38 MLB)
Here are the receivers of the future. Ford knows very well how to shine under pressure, having participated with Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic and the European Baseball Championship. His above-average power could be a great fit for Seattle’s lineup. On his part, it will be a great opportunity for the Venezuelan to continue exhibiting his talent after an impressive campaign in which, at the age of 17, he reached the Double-A level.
4. Walker Jenkins, OF (No. 1 of MIN, No. 10 of MLB); Carson Williams, SS (No. 2 TB, No. 20 MLB)
Williams is another fruit of the infield talent heading to the Rays. He is one of the best defensive shortstops in the minors, who also brings great power, after hitting 42 home runs in his last two seasons. Jenkins, for his part, is in the middle of his first preseason after being selected in the 2023 amateur draft. The outfielder is a five-tool talent who could skyrocket in the minors.
5. Dylan Crews, OF (No. 1 in WSH, No. 7 in MLB); Jett Williams, SS/OF (No. 1 of NYM, No. 45 of MLB)
The five tools Crews offers could take him to the Major Leagues as early as Opening Day. As part of their rebuild, the Nationals want to keep Crews in sight of their fans, so expect to see him there on March 15. As for the Mets, Williams, who has clear middle-field talent, brings speed and a solid bat that could make him a pitching threat in Washington and beyond.
6. Jordan Lawlar, SS (No. 1 AZ, No. 11 MLB); Adael Amador, SS (COL No. 1, MLB No. 28)
Could this be the future of the shortstop position in the NL West? At least that’s what it will feel like on March 16 at Salt River Fields. Lawlar was named to Arizona’s World Series roster last fall at age 21 because he can provide elite speed, a good glove and promising power off the bench. Amador is a natural hitter with a .292 minor league average, and the switch-hitter’s advanced approach should be valuable against Arizona’s arms.
7. Justin Crawford, OF (No. 3 in PHIL, No. 77 in MLB); Max Clark, OF (No. 1 of DET, No. 13 of MLB)
We could be seeing a display of speed at Lakeland on March 16. Crawford stole 47 bases in just 87 games across Class-A and High-A in his first full season, the second most in the Phillies organization despite missing playing time. Clark is a 70-grade running back who will get his first taste of spring training as the third overall pick in the 2023 draft. Take that as a warning, receivers.
8. Jacob Misiorowski, LD (No. 2 of MIL, No. 33 of MLB); Blake Mitchell, C (No. 1 in KC, No. 94 in MLB)
Welcome to your first spring training, kid. The Royals are excited about the first-round draft pick’s debut in what would be his first full season, given his natural power and strong arm behind the plate, but he’ll have his hands full if he can face Misiorowski. Milwaukee’s top pitching prospect has some of the most electrifying stuff in the minors with a 95 mph fastball and a plus-plus slider, and he could be a headache for every Kansas City hitting prospect in this season. showcase.
9. Masyn Winn, SS (No. 1 of STL, No. 43 of MLB); Noble Meyer LD (No. 1 of MIA, No. 57 of MLB)
Flip the narrative compared to the last matchup here. This time, he’s dealing with a developing pitcher against a more advanced hitter. Meyer was the top high school pitcher selected in last year’s draft at No. 10 overall by Miami, and the right-hander will bring his 94-97 mph fastball and high-spinning slider to the table against neighboring rivals. Marlins. That said, he’ll need the best stuff from him opposite Winn, who had 122 at-bats in the majors last year. The St. Louis shortstop is expected to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster, thanks in part to his impressive defense and powerful arm, but he might have a little extra motivation to shine in this prospect competition after the recent signing of club of veteran shortstop Brandon Crawford.
10. Spencer Jones, OF (No. 2 of NYY, No. 84 of MLB); Arjun Nimmala, SS (No. 3 of TOR)
Let’s finish this list with some fireworks. Jones generated quite a bit of attention when he hit a scenic 470-foot home run on February 24. It is the longest hit so far in spring training according to Statcast, tied with a similar rocket that came off the bat of Dominican Elly de la Cruz. At 7-foot-3, Jones will excel on any playing field, and with his improved discipline in Yankees camp, he could make a massive impact in this event. The Blue Jays will also bring in some serious young power with Nimmala. The 18-year-old slugger is ready to make his full-season debut with the organization after seeing action in just nine games last year in the rookie Florida Complex League, but he’s already considered the most exciting long-term project in the system right now. . This will be a great opportunity to showcase his tremendous power with the wood.
2024-03-11 20:08:01
#Ranking #matches #Spring #Breakout
