Here are 15 prospects primed to bounce back from injury in 2026
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The long offseason gives players plenty of time to heal up and prepare for the following season. That's especially important for players who were hurt for large chunks of the previous campaign.
Sidelined prospects can lose valuable time to develop and prove themselves. Sometimes there are lingering issues, but often the new year can be a new start -- and a chance to rise in the rankings.
With that in mind, here is a look at 15 prospects -- nine from MLB Pipeline's overall Top 100 list -- who could be in for a breakout season after missing significant time in 2025 due to injury.
Bryce Rainer, SS, Tigers (DET No. 4/MLB No. 35)
Rainer was off to a strong start in his first pro season, slashing .288/.383/.448 in 35 Single-A games before dislocating his right shoulder sliding back into first base, which required season-ending surgery. The 11th overall pick in 2024 is known for his double-plus arm strength, so how that returns this season bears watching. Rainer has tremendous upside at the plate as well and will likely shoot up the rankings if his burgeoning power holds up over a larger sample at High-A.
Chase DeLauter, OF, Guardians (CLE No. 2/MLB No. 46)
Injuries have limited DeLauter to just 138 regular-season games since the Guardians drafted him 16th overall in 2022 -- multiple left foot injuries, a sprained big right toe, a right hamstring strain, a sports hernia and a hamate fracture among them. The good news is that most of his injuries have been freak accidents that shouldn't be at elevated risk of recurring (although the frequency is head-scratching). The Guardians clearly have big faith in his bat -- he's one of four ranked overall prospects with 60-grade hit and power tools -- having started him twice in the playoffs for his first big league action.
Mike Sirota, OF, Dodgers (LAD No. 5/MLB No. 60)
Once seen as a potential first-round pick, Sirota began fulfilling his potential last season -- slashing .333/.452/.616 across two levels of A-ball -- before a right knee injury sliding into second base ended his season in July. The Northeastern star has plus speed when healthy, so that will be key to watch when he returns. He has a chance to stick in center field, which would be a big boon to his value, and the Dodgers' farm system is loaded with speedy outfielders who could supplant him if he regresses.
Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF, Twins (MIN No. 4/MLB No. 74)
After missing significant time the previous three seasons with knee, abdominal and thumb injuries, Rodriguez was sidelined again in 2025, this time due to thumb, hip and oblique injuries. When healthy, though, he managed a robust .852 OPS with elite underlying numbers (max EV of 113.6 mph, in the 95th percentile at Triple-A). With the Twins potentially in the AL Central race -- and facing numerous injuries to outfielders in the big leagues last year -- they could benefit from calling up the soon-to-be-23-year-old and maximizing his time on the field.
Blake Mitchell, C, Royals (KC No. 2/MLB No. 75)
A broken right hamate bone in Spring Training paused Mitchell's season, and he suffered a setback after four rehab games that further delayed his return to High-A until July. The 2023 first-rounder hit a disappointing .218/.390/.320 with Quad Cities, although he did walk at a career-best 20.8 percent clip. Hamate injuries are notorious for sapping power, so 2026 will be a blank slate of sorts. And with top Royals prospect Carter Jensen set to split catching duties in the big leagues with franchise icon Salvador Perez, Kansas City should be in no rush.
Theo Gillen, OF, Rays (TB No. 2/MLB No. 76)
Gillen dealt with shoulder surgery and wrist and knee injuries in high school, and also faced several hiccups in his first full pro season after going 18th overall in the 2024 Draft. A calf injury sidelined him for three weeks in April, and his season ended in mid-August when he broke the middle finger on his left hand while attempting to steal a base. Gillen has untapped power potential -- he went deep just five times with a .119 ISO in 73 Single-A games last year -- and the further he is from his injuries, the easier it will be to add functional strength.
Jonny Farmelo, OF, Mariners (SEA No. 6/MLB No. 78)
The 29th overall pick in the 2023 Draft returned less than 11 months after a torn ACL, although a rib cage stress reaction landed him back on the injured list and held him to 29 regular-season games. Farmelo showed off his tantalizing tools in the Arizona Fall League, where he hit .234/.406/.442 with 12 steals in 14 attempts. His 65-grade speed is his carrying tool, so it will be crucial to watch in 2026 because it can take more than a year to fully regain such dynamic athleticism after ACL injuries.
Jarlin Susana, RHP, Nationals (WSH No. 4/MLB No. 80)
The 2025 campaign was mostly a wash for Susana, who missed three months with a sprained elbow and suffered a season-ending right lat injury in September. The 6-foot-6 righty has enormous upside with a 70-grade fastball and slider, but he faces major questions about his durability and control that could push him to a back-end bullpen role. Although Susana is expected to miss the start of the season recovering from injury, he will have a chance to address those questions in 2026 upon his return.
Rhett Lowder, RHP, Reds (CIN No. 5/MLB No. 86)
Lowder has historically been quite durable but was held to just six Minor League starts and a brief AFL appearance in 2025 because of a forearm strain and oblique injury. The 2023 first-rounder was ready to hold down a big league rotation spot last year and figures to be squarely in the mix in '26. The good news is that if the Reds want to limit his workload, they have rare rotation depth with Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott, Brady Singer, Nick Lodolo and Chase Burns, plus Brandon Williamson and fellow prospects Chase Petty and Julian Aguiar.
Ethan Salas, C, Padres (SD No. 1)
Salas was hoping for a big season after hitting just .206/.288/.311 in 2024, but a stress fracture in his back meant he could only play 10 games in '25. No longer a global top-five prospect, Salas has a chance to re-establish his value with his traditional strong defense and better production at the plate against secondary pitches.
Ricky Tiedemann, LHP, Blue Jays (TOR No. 4)
Recently the top left-handed pitching prospect in the game, Tiedemann did not pitch competitively in 2025 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in July 2024. The Blue Jays plan to ease him back into action, although it will be interesting to see whether they pitch him out of the bullpen to enable him to contribute to another potential playoff run.
Demetrio Crisantes, 2B/3B, D-backs (AZ No. 4)
Crisantes was on the verge of cracking the Top 100 Prospects list before suffering a posterior labral tear in his left shoulder that required season-ending surgery in May. Health will be key to watch -- he also had a pair of elbow surgeries in high school -- because he has the hit tool to move quickly if he can stay on the field.
Jake Bloss, RHP, Blue Jays (TOR No. 8)
Tommy John surgery in May 2025 will push back Bloss' big league debut with the Blue Jays until after his 25th birthday, although he should return in the second half of 2026. The 6-foot-3 righty still projects as a long-term starter with better control than Tiedemann and a wider but less dynamic pitch mix.
River Ryan, RHP, Dodgers (LAD No. 9)
Ryan went down with an elbow injury four starts into his big league career in August 2024 and missed all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery. Even at 27, he has No. 2 starter potential with a deep five-pitch mix, and the Dodgers have the rotation depth to ease him into action.
Xavier Isaac, 1B, Rays (TB No. 9)
It's hard to know what to expect from Isaac in 2026 after he disclosed that he underwent "life-saving" brain surgery in July that ended his season after previous dealing with elbow and wrist injuries. The left-handed slugger has some of the biggest raw power in the Minors and is eager to answer questions about his swing-and-miss.