Every Main League season is a stage for gamers to boost their recreation to beforehand unseen heights.
Maybe a blossoming star turns into unquestionably elite. Or maybe an enormous league newcomer makes probably the most of his alternative. Regardless, most of these breakout seasons may help flip an under-the-radar membership right into a contender and assist flip a contender right into a World Sequence winner.
So who’re the breakout gamers to look at in 2025? We requested MLB.com’s 30 beat reporters that query. This is what they stated.
Blue Jays: INF Will WagnerIt feels just like the Blue Jays are going to want to search out methods to get Wagner into the lineup. Even with a crowded infield, he represents a stage of offensive upside this membership wants, and he confirmed that in flashes down the stretch of 2024. Wagner hit .305 with a .788 OPS over 24 video games down the stretch, all whereas coping with a nagging knee concern he ultimately had cleaned up with a scope in late September. Think about Wagner to be in an identical place to the place Ernie Clement was final Spring Coaching. It appears crowded round him, however he may simply discover his means into full-time reps. The group is extraordinarily excessive on Wagner. — Keegan Matheson
Orioles: 2B/SS Jackson HollidayEntering 2024, expectations have been sky excessive for Holliday, who started the season as MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 general prospect. He didn’t make Baltimore’s Opening Day roster, however he nonetheless made his huge league debut in April and went on to play 60 video games as a 20-year-old throughout his rookie marketing campaign. Holliday struggled fairly a bit, slashing .189/.255/.311 and recording 0.1 Baseball-Reference WAR whereas hitting all 5 of his house runs throughout a 10-game stretch from July 31-Aug. 10. The ultimate numbers weren’t spectacular, although he flashed his potential at instances. He ought to take an enormous step ahead in 2025, because the ‘22 No. 1 general Draft decide has the instruments to develop into a star participant. — Jake Rill
Rays: 3B Junior CamineroCaminero was briefly the sport’s top-ranked prospect final season earlier than graduating from that standing. Now, he’s poised to be the Rays’ on a regular basis third baseman. Caminero held his personal in 43 video games down the stretch, posting a 105 OPS+ with six homers and 18 RBIs, however he and Tampa Bay anticipate extra. As supervisor Kevin Money stated, “Sky’s the restrict.” The 21-year-old presents elite bat pace and generates eye-popping exit velocities, resulting in some highlight-reel house runs. If he places all of it collectively, he’ll be the all-around offensive “pressure” that president of baseball operations Erik Neander stated he could be. — Adam Berry
Pink Sox: LHP Garrett CrochetThere’s a temptation to say Crochet already had his breakout season final yr. However there’s extra within the tank. The lefty was on a pitch rely following the All-Star break that restricted him to 146 innings. If he could make the bounce to shut to 200, there’s no telling what sort of season he may have, given how dominant his arsenal is. Don’t rule out Crochet elevating his recreation the best way Tarik Skubal did for the Tigers final season. — Ian Browne
Yankees: C Austin WellsWells accomplished his first full huge league marketing campaign as a Rookie of the 12 months Award finalist, ending third behind teammate Luis Gil and the Orioles’ Colton Cowser. As he heads into ’25, Wells is anticipated to hold duties because the Yanks’ on a regular basis catcher. That gives a chance to construct upon a efficiency that noticed him acquire 18 doubles, 13 homers and 55 RBIs in 115 video games whereas batting .229/.322/.395 (103 OPS+). Wells’ offense was his calling card within the Minors, and he confirmed glimpses of creating changes on the huge league stage final yr. — Bryan Hoch
Guardians RHP Gavin WilliamsWilliams was speculated to take a step ahead in 2024. As an alternative, an elbow damage sidelined him till July and he was left taking part in catch-up for the remainder of the yr. In flashes, we noticed simply how elite Williams could be, however he lacked consistency. His rookie season in ’23 was stellar. Now, it’s time to show he could be the every-fifth-day workhorse this group tasks him to be. And with skinny rotation depth, the Guardians will want Williams to step up now greater than ever. — Mandy Bell
Royals: RHP Alec MarshIn his second season as a Main Leaguer, Marsh posted a 4.53 ERA over 129 innings in 26 video games (25 begins), serving because the Royals’ fifth starter for almost all of the yr. He made 4 begins for Triple-A Omaha in August, when he was optioned to get a psychological and bodily reset, and he was glorious there. Marsh would be the first to say he had some good stretches and unhealthy ones in ‘24, however the Royals will probably be on the lookout for him to take a step ahead in ‘25. They’re down a starter after buying and selling Brady Singer to the Reds and can want their different homegrown pitchers to step up and assist fill these innings. The 26-year-old Marsh ought to get each alternative to take action. — Anne Rogers
Tigers: CF Parker MeadowsWhile Meadows has dazzled in stretches, together with a robust postseason on the plate and within the area, the 25-year-old has but to get pleasure from a full season within the Majors. He hit .296/.340/.500 with six house runs and 23 RBIs in August and September and seemed like a extra assured hitter than the one who was optioned to Triple-A Toledo in Could. His protection affords plenty of endurance along with his hitting, however his plate self-discipline has improved, and his power-speed mixture performs fantastically within the outfield gaps of spacious Comerica Park. — Jason Beck
Twins: RHP David FestaBeyond two rocky outings to start his profession, right here’s what Festa — the Twins’ prime pitching prospect earlier than his debut — did along with his second-half rotation slot: 54 1/3 innings, 69 strikeouts, 22 walks, 5 homers allowed, 3.81 ERA. His rookie season numbers didn’t inform the complete story of the teen with the large stuff who did every part the Twins need from a younger pitcher: miss bats, don’t give away too many free bases, hold the ball within the ballpark. They have been thrilled with their first look — and as Festa’s physique develops and he good points extra MLB expertise, be careful. — Do-Hyoung Park
White Sox: RHP Sean BurkeBurke is simply two offseasons faraway from rating No. 5 amongst White Sox prospects, in response to MLB Pipeline. He handled proper rotator cuff tendinitis, limiting him to 9 tough begins with Triple-A Charlotte in 2023, and he didn’t precisely conquer the Minors over 19 begins in 2024. However as soon as the right-hander reached the Majors — albeit in simply 4 appearances (three begins) — Burke took off with a 1.42 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 19 innings. Burke additionally has proven a stage of bravado, a stage of confidence on the mound the place he embraces the large second. Though there needs to be a contest for the ultimate spot within the rotation, Burke may take off with a daily alternative each fifth day. — Scott Merkin
Angels: C Logan O’HoppeO’Hoppe was an All-Star candidate however in the end endured a troublesome second half to the season. However he nonetheless slashed a decent .244/.303/.409 with 20 homers and 56 RBIs in 136 video games in his first full season as a catcher. He additionally realized lots about the way to deal with a pitching workers and get via the grind of a yr behind the plate. This yr he’ll get some assist, nonetheless, because the Angels signed Travis d’Arnaud to a two-year deal price $12 million to be O’Hoppe’s backup and mentor. Additionally they employed extremely revered catching/pitching coach Sal Fasano to affix the workers. — Rhett Bollinger
Astros: RHP Spencer ArrighettiArrighetti reached the large leagues sooner than anticipated due to accidents to Houston’s starters final yr and greater than held his personal as a rookie. He wound up making 28 begins and confirmed the potential of a frontline starter at instances, together with back-to-back begins during which he struck out a mixed 25 batters on Aug. 4 and 10. He posted a 4.53 ERA in 145 innings with 171 strikeouts, 65 walks and 21 homers. In 80 innings previous to the All-Star break, he had a 5.63 ERA and .802 opponents’ OPS. In 65 innings after the break, he had a 3.18 ERA and .697 opponents’ OPS. — Brian McTaggart
Athletics: RF Lawrence ButlerButler’s incredible end to his 2024 marketing campaign generated loads of pleasure as to what could possibly be in retailer for 2025. Adjusting his method following an early-season demotion to Triple-A Las Vegas, Butler slashed .302/.346/.597 (.943 OPS) over his remaining 73 video games with 20 house runs, 18 doubles, two triples, 49 RBIs and 14 stolen bases over that stretch. Add in the truth that Butler and the A’s will probably be transferring to a extra hitter-friendly house ballpark in Sutter Well being Park, and the 24-year-old outfielder could possibly be a candidate for a 30-30 season. — Martín Gallegos
Mariners: CF Julio RodríguezThough it’d sound like a stretch to name a former AL Rookie of the 12 months Award winner, a two-time All-Star and the face of the Mariners’ franchise a breakout candidate, contemplate that Rodríguez has had prolonged stretches of inconsistency on the plate over the previous two seasons, and that Seattle’s offense, in so some ways, runs parallel to his highs and lows. Rodríguez completed 2024 on a excessive notice, slashing .313/.364/.537 (.902 OPS), with 9 of his 20 house runs within the season’s remaining 34 video games — which he stated was associated to interim hitting coach Edgar Martinez taking on. With Martinez returning, and Rodríguez slightly extra seasoned, the Mariners are banking on the 24-year-old taking a good larger leap in ‘25. — Daniel Kramer
Rangers: OF Wyatt LangfordLangford did greater than sufficient in his rookie season to be acknowledged throughout the Rangers group. No one in Texas doubts his capacity to provide on the most important stage. However Langford in the end completed exterior of the highest 5 in AL Rookie of the 12 months voting and is completely arrange for a breakthrough on the nationwide stage. Throughout his 2024 rookie season, the outfielder received off to a sluggish begin, slashing .222/.288/.286 with only one house run via the tip of Could. However from June 1 via the tip of the season — a span of 100 video games — Langford slashed .263/.337/.458 with 15 house runs. It wasn’t fairly sufficient to get him again into the Rookie of the 12 months race, however issues ended on a excessive notice. The 23-year-old can solely get higher subsequent yr. — Kennedi Landry
Braves: OF Jarred KelenicKelenic has been a breakout candidate every of the previous few years. Will this be the yr he lastly lives as much as the potential envisioned when he ranked as MLB’s No. 4 prospect as lately as 2021? The 25-year-old outfielder hit 15 homers and loved a few good stretches final yr. However he ended the season with a .679 OPS and was relegated to a bench function by the tip of August. Although he debuted in 2021, the gifted athlete continues to be younger. If he lastly finds some consistency, Kelenic would possibly present why the Braves have been prepared to spend roughly $17 million to safe him previous to final season with 5 years of potential management. — Mark Bowman
Marlins: 3B Connor NorbyNorby, who was acquired from the Orioles as a prime prospect within the Trevor Rogers commerce, received off to a robust begin along with his new membership by amassing successful in every of his first 10 video games and ending with a .760 OPS throughout his 36-game stint. The 24-year-old rapidly endeared himself to followers and the group along with his hard-nosed play and talent to drive the ball to all fields. With an offseason’s price of labor at third base, Norby ought to look extra snug at his new place and will develop into a cornerstone participant for Miami. — Christina De Nicola
Mets: C Francisco AlvarezNow that Mark Vientos has damaged out, the Mets can hope for a similar from his youthful teammate, Alvarez. Coming into his age-23 season, Alvarez has struggled to search out consistency on the plate, and he dropped from 25 homers as a rookie to only 11 final season. However Alvarez improved his batting common and on-base proportion in 12 months 2, in addition to his throwing arm behind the plate. He now has 228 video games of expertise on the recreation’s highest stage and is at an age when gamers have a tendency to interrupt out. Usually lauded for his work ethic, Alvarez nonetheless has an opportunity to be one of many recreation’s prime offensive catchers. — Anthony DiComo
Nationals: OF James WoodWood pummeled 9 house runs in his first 79 huge league video games final yr. He additionally ranked fourth within the NL in batted balls with an exit velocity of 105 mph or greater from July 1, when he was referred to as up, via the tip of the season. So what can he do in his first full season? The manufacturing for the 6-foot-7 outfielder could possibly be very thrilling. ZiPS projections predict that Wooden will lead the Nationals in offense with a .265/.351/.456 slash line, 137 hits, 20 house runs, 76 RBIs, 18 stolen bases and a 127 OPS+. — Jessica Camerato
Phillies: RHP Orion KerkeringThe Phillies are banking on Kerkering taking a big step ahead in manufacturing and function in 2025. In any case, the Phillies aren’t anticipating free-agent right-handers Carlos Estévez or Jeff Hoffman to return to the bullpen. After they signed right-hander Jordan Romano in December, the Phils made a degree to say they’re snug with what they’ve within the bullpen, particularly mentioning Kerkering as a key piece to the again finish. He might want to step as much as make their plan work. — Todd Zolecki
Brewers: LHP Aaron AshbyAshby has already had two mini-breakouts — one in 2022 when he signed a five-year contract extension, and one other late final season when he returned from two powerful years with accidents to develop into a lights-out reliever. The Brewers hope that Ashby will construct on the boldness of final season, when he delivered a 1.98 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 13 2/3 aid innings in September, and that he’ll profit from a standard, wholesome offseason. Pitching coach Chris Hook has stated he’d like to see Ashby compete for a return to the rotation. As a fallback, the Brewers know they’ve a terrific lefty reliever who was so good, he would possibly even determine into the nearer dialog. — Adam McCalvy
Cardinals: 2B/3B Nolan GormanIn the spring of 2023, Gorman instructed me, “There isn’t a backup plan; this has to work,” as he was coming off a rocky rookie season. He responded by main the Cardinals with 27 homers in 2023. Nevertheless, the underside fell out in 2024 as he noticed his whiff and strikeout charges soar (151 Ok’s in 107 video games). Gorman has been engaged on swing adjustments with new hitting coach Brant Brown many of the offseason, and he’s poised to bounce again. He’s simply 24, and his energy is just too nice for him to not push for 30 homers if he can regain his plate confidence. — John Denton
Cubs: CF Pete Crow-ArmstrongCrow-Armstrong’s general displaying in 2024 (.237 common with a .670 OPS in 123 video games) does probably not inform the story of his season. The Cubs gave him an extended runway in his rookie yr to type via the educational curve, and Crow-Armstrong lastly turned an actual nook in late July. Veteran Dansby Swanson described what he witnessed down the stretch as a “managed, intentional course of” by the rookie. From July 27 onward, the 22-year-old heart fielder hit .289/.337/.469 (.806 OPS) and posted 2.2 FanGraphs WAR. Given Crow-Armstrong’s pace, knack for energy at instances and elite protection, he appears poised for a breakout in ‘25. — Jordan Bastian
Pirates: RHP Jared JonesJones had a really strong rookie season, hanging out 132 batters over 121 2/3 innings, however a handful of ugly begins inflated his ERA to 4.14. Anybody who watched him final yr noticed his immense potential, and he continued to develop a curveball into an actual third pitch because the season progressed. A 3rd pitch can be huge, successfully eliminating these video games the place he tries to get by with only one providing, which normally doesn’t go properly. — Alex Stumpf
Reds: 2B Matt McLainMcLain is seeking to resume his promising profession after he missed all of 2024 recovering from left shoulder surgical procedure after a Spring Coaching mishap. He’s anticipated to be absolutely wholesome after seeing some motion within the Arizona Fall League. The 25-year-old was arguably Cincinnati’s finest all-around participant as a 2023 rookie whereas batting .290 with an .864 OPS, 16 homers, 50 RBIs and 14 steals. McLain, a plus defender, must also improve the workforce up the center as he replaces Jonathan India and resumes his function as Elly De La Cruz’s double-play associate. — Mark Sheldon
D-backs: OF Corbin CarrollIt’s a little bit of a stretch to name Carroll a breakout participant candidate contemplating he gained the NL Rookie of the 12 months Award in 2023, however hear me out. Carroll struggled via a horrible stretch on the plate for the primary half of the season, however after he discovered some points along with his swing, he put it collectively in an enormous means within the remaining two-plus months. Within the first half, Carroll had a .635 OPS, and that jumped to .919 within the second half. Given how constant he was in his rookie season, anticipate Carroll to return flying out of the gates in 2025 and as soon as once more be among the many finest within the league. — Steve Gilbert
Dodgers: OF Andy PagesWith inconsistencies and accidents, Pages was compelled into the Dodgers’ beginning lineup lots sooner than initially anticipated. However as he gained expertise, Pages continued to indicate why he was thought of among the finest prospects within the Minors earlier than his callup. Within the postseason, Pages had a two-homer recreation and didn’t appear uncomfortable within the huge conditions. Pages will probably get an elevated function in 2025, and the Cuban outfielder needs to be up for the duty. — Sonja Chen
Giants: CF Jung Hoo LeeLee was the Giants’ greatest free-agent addition final offseason, however he appeared in solely 37 video games earlier than struggling a season-ending proper shoulder damage in Could. Lee is anticipated to be full-go for Spring Coaching and will slot again in at heart area and presumably the leadoff spot, the place the Giants nonetheless consider he generally is a dynamic offensive pressure on account of his elite contact abilities. — Maria Guardado
Padres: RHP Jeremiah EstradaHas Estrada already damaged out? Effectively, type of. He’s damaged strikeout information. He is pitched essential postseason innings. Fairly a yr for an offseason waiver declare. However here is guessing Estrada takes one other step ahead in 2025. There is no cause why he cannot be one of many sport’s most dominant relievers. The again finish of the Padres’ bullpen is already among the finest in baseball. Robert Suarez and Jason Adam are established aid arms coming off glorious seasons. However there is a case that Estrada – and his wipeout three-pitch combine – is perhaps probably the most dominant of the bunch. — AJ Cassavell
Rockies: SS Ezequiel TovarTovar earned his first Gold Glove, completed first within the Nationwide League in doubles (45), second in extra-base hits (75) and led the Rockies in house runs (26). Nevertheless, the 23-year-old Tovar is just scratching the floor of his potential. Whereas he possesses a swing that drives the ball to the opposite-field hole but can activate an inside pitch and put it within the seats, he additionally finds himself chasing pitches simply out of the zone. He completed final season second within the Majors with 200 strikeouts. Tovar improved his OPS from .695 in his 2023 rookie yr to .764 final season, and incremental enchancment in his chase and strikeout charges may earn him star standing. — Thomas Harding
