Frosty weather may be gripping much of the nation, but Spring Training is right around the corner. Players start officially reporting to camps next week and the exhibition schedule kicks off with seven games on Feb. 20.
To further whet your appetite, we're going to highlight an interesting prospect from every farm system who could make a run at a spot on the Opening Day roster. We're not including players who already seemed to have locked up jobs, such as Mets right-hander Nolan McLean or Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo.
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Instead, we're concentrating on 30 players whose talent stands out more than their immediate opportunity. Seventeen of them made our recently revealed Top 100 Prospects list.
Jump to: AL East | AL Central | AL West | NL East | NL Central | NL West
AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
Blue Jays: Spencer Miles, RHP
The 2022 fourth-rounder out of Missouri only has 14 2/3 innings of Minor League experience on his resume due to elbow and back injuries but went to the Blue Jays in the Rule 5 Draft in December. Why? He showed a pair of mid-90s fastballs as well as a high-spin curveball, a solid low-90s cutter and an upper-80s changeup in the Arizona Fall League, where he posted a 12/1 K/BB ratio in 8 2/3 frames. Miles’ Rule 5 chances are based solely on his stuff, and he’ll need to show it quickly in Dunedin to give himself a fighting chance at a bullpen spot with Toronto.
Orioles: Dylan Beavers, OF (MLB No. 69)
It sounds like Samuel Basallo is pretty much a lock to make this roster, but the outfield scene is a bit more crowded. Beavers had a huge 2025 in the Minors (152 wRC+) en route to making a modest big league debut (.227/.375/.400 in 110 AB). With a good spring, Beavers should land in one of the corners in Baltimore, but there’s Taylor Ward, Colton Cowser and Tyler O’Neill all on hand for outfield playing time.
Rays: Carson Williams, SS (MLB No. 63)
Williams debuted with the Rays last Aug. 22 but took his contact issues with him to the Majors, finishing with a .172/.219/.354 line and a 41.5 percent strikeout rate across 32 games. He did flash some power (five homers) thanks to above-average bat speed, but he didn’t perform enough to be guaranteed a spot as the club’s Opening Day shortstop, especially with Taylor Walls and newly acquired Ben Williamson in the mix. Williams’ pop, speed and defense will keep getting him chances to prove he’s worth a longer look.
Red Sox: Connelly Early, LHP (MLB No. 56)
Early capped a breakout 2025 season by posting a 2.33 ERA in four regular-season starts with Red Sox and getting the ball for the decisive game of their Wild Card Series, but he's blocked from the rotation after offseason trades for Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo and the signing of Ranger Suárez. The 2023 fifth-round pick from Virginia has a six-pitch mix highlighted by a 92-97 mph four-seamer, a low-80s changeup and a slider, along with plenty of polish and deception.
Yankees: Cade Winquest, RHP
Winquest is trying to buck history and become the first Rule 5 pick to stick with the Yankees since Billy Parker in 1973. A Cardinals eighth-rounder from Texas-Arlington in 2022, he used a mid-90s fastball and a big-breaking upper-70s curveball to finish last season with a 3.19 ERA in eight Double-A starts.
AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL
Guardians: Parker Messick, LHP (MLB No. 95)
Messick used a dancing changeup, deception and control to star at Florida State and has ridden the same formula to success since the Guardians selected him in 2022's second round. He compiled a 2.72 ERA in seven starts down the stretch to help Cleveland capture the AL Central, but there's no obvious opening for him in the big league rotation.
Royals: Luinder Avila, RHP
The 24-year-old right-hander came up to the Majors for 13 relief appearances last year and thrived in that role with a 1.29 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP and 16 strikeouts in 14 innings. His primary weapon was an 82-85 mph curveball that generated whiffs on 50 percent of his swings, but his mid-90s fastballs (a four-seamer and a sinker) and the occasional 86-88 mph changeup gave hitters more to consider. The Royals see Avila as a potential starter, but with the rotation a bit too crowded right now, it’ll be interesting to see if they try putting him back in the bullpen to begin the year back in the bigs.
Tigers: Kevin McGonigle, SS (MLB No. 2)
This will be one of the most closely followed storylines in Lakeland. No one doubts the cathedral-high ceiling of McGonigle’s bat long term. But can last year’s Arizona Fall League MVP show he’s ready enough this spring to jump straight from Double-A to Detroit at 21 years old? He’ll face equally big questions on the defensive side. Gleyber Torres’ return blocks him at second base, meaning he’ll have to show readiness at shortstop or third base whenever he gets Grapefruit League looks.
Twins: Connor Prielipp, LHP
There’s never been questions about the pure stuff, but Prielipp had thrown just 30 innings heading into the 2025 season since being drafted in 2022, and he was taken in a year he didn’t pitch in following 2021 Tommy John surgery. But the big lefty got through a healthy ‘25, topping 80 innings. He has the arsenal to start -- both a four-seam and newer two-seam fastball, slider, changeup and he’s even working on a curve -- but given the injury history, it’s possible the Twins could decide to let his stuff play up in shorter relief stints coming out of the big league bullpen.
White Sox: Braden Montgomery, OF (MLB No. 36)
Part of the Garrett Crochet trade with the Red Sox at the 2024 Winter Meetings, Montgomery could shore up what might be MLB's worst outfield contingent. A switch-hitting right-fielder with well-above-average raw power and arm strength, he slashed .270/.360/.444 with 12 homers and 14 steals in 121 games while advancing from Single-A to Double-A in his pro debut.
AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
Angels: George Klassen, RHP
There isn’t an obvious spot for a prospect here, but then again, no one saw Ryan Johnson breaking through and making the Opening Day roster a year ago either. Klassen throws really hard, hitting triple digits, and has two solid breaking balls. The strike-throwing has improved over time, but his command might not be good enough to start long term. Maybe now is the time to shorten him up and let that power stuff fly in the big league bullpen.
Astros: Brice Matthews, 2B (MLB 2B No. 3)
Matthews already has a two-homer game in the Majors to his credit and offers at least plus raw power and similar speed. A Houston native and 2023 first-rounder out of Nebraska, he had a .260/.371/.458 slash line with 17 homers and 41 steals in 112 Triple-A games. Jose Altuve's planned return to second base may block him from the Opening Day roster, though proving he can handle some outfield play this spring would help Matthews' chances.
A’s: Junior Perez, OF
The A’s aren’t shy about moving guys quickly, so it wouldn’t be shocking, if say, lefty Gage Jump pitches so well that he forces his way into the back of the rotation. It seems more likely that he’ll start the year in the Minors, though, while Perez is certainly in the running for a backup outfielder gig. He comes with impressive tools, fresh off a 20/20 season (26 homers, 27 steals) n the Minors, and he draws walks (14.8% walk rate), but there’s a lot of swing-and-miss (28.1% K rate).
Mariners: Colt Emerson, SS/3B (MLB No. 9)
This is going to be a fun one to watch. The Mariners have been saying all offseason that Emerson was going to get a very long look this spring after he reached Triple-A at the end of 2025, finishing with a combined .841 OPS and 129 wRC+. The 20-year old’s advanced bat seems ready and his ability to play three infield positions – he’s been working at second too – helps provide options. How the M’s decide to break camp with some combination of Emerson, Cole Young and the newly acquired Brendan Donovan will be one of more intriguing storylines of the Cactus League.
Rangers: Emiliano Teodo, RHP
A shoulder impingement limited Teodo to just 30 innings and led to a 7.20 ERA, but he's fully healthy again and could be a bullpen asset with three weapons. Signed for just $10,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2020, he sports a 97-99 mph sinker that touches 102, a tight upper-80s slider that falls off the table and an upper-80s changeup with fade and depth.
NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST
Braves: JR Ritchie, RHP (MLB No. 90)
On paper, this one seems unlikely. The Braves starting five seems somewhat set (Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, Reynaldo López, Hurston Waldrep) and there are others in line for rotation depth as well. But Ritchie is knocking very loudly on the door after reaching Triple-A and dominating all season across 140 workhorse-like innings combined in 2025. He’s just 22, and a start back at Gwinnett seems probable, but if he’s lights-out and some of the back-end guys falter, the Braves shouldn’t shy away from giving him a shot.
Marlins: Joe Mack, C (MLB No. 62)
While Mack is one of the game's best all-around catching prospects, the Marlins may opt to open the season with Agustín Ramírez and Liam Hicks behind the plate. A 2021 supplemental first-rounder from a New York high school, Mack hit .257/.338/.475 with 21 homers in 112 games between Double-A and Triple-A while showcasing impressive receiving, framing and blocking skills and plus arm strength.
Mets: Dylan Ross, RHP
Ross was called up by the Mets in late September but was never used out of their bullpen, instead finishing 2025 with a 2.17 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 54 innings across the top three levels of the Minors. He can run his four-seamer up to 102 mph, and 7 feet of extension further helps the heater. His 89-91 mph, low-spin splitter is another star of the show, while a hard upper-80s slider gives him another look. Ross really struggled to show control with the MLB ball at Triple-A, and that’ll be the focus in his push to join the relief corps.
Nationals: Harry Ford, C (MLB No. 71)
It’s easy to slot Ford into the starting catching role after he was acquired from the Mariners for lefty reliever Jose A. Ferrer this offseason, but nothing is guaranteed yet. Ford’s patient approach and decent exit velocities should give him solid footing in the camp competition with Keibert Ruiz, but many eyes will be on how far his framing work has come behind the plate. Ford is also scheduled to compete with Great Britain in his second World Baseball Classic.
Phillies: Andrew Painter, RHP (MLB No. 28)
All signs point to outfielder Justin Crawford and Painter both making the Opening Day roster. Painter, who's in his age-23 season, logged 118 innings last year mostly at Triple-A, his first regular-season action since 2022 following Tommy John surgery. His pure stuff was still plenty good, but he struggled to find consistency, particularly with his fastball command. The Phillies are confident the real Andrew Painter will resurface this spring and that will enable him to lock in the last spot in the rotation.
NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL
Brewers: Brandon Sproat, RHP (MLB No. 100)
Another new face in a new place, Sproat should be right in Milwaukee’s rotation mix coming off his move from the Mets in the Freddy Peralta/Tobias Myers trade. The 6-foot-3 right-hander made four uneven starts with New York at the tail-end of 2025, finishing with a 4.79 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings, but he can throw heat with a pair of fastballs and earns better reviews for his offspeed mix featuring a curveball, a sweeper, a slider and a changeup. The depth of the arsenal might give him the best chance at opening ’26 in the bigs.
Cardinals: JJ Wetherholt, INF (MLB No. 5)
The offseason trades of Nolan Arenado and Brendan Donovan certainly cleared two potential lanes for Wetherholt to crack the Opening Day roster. The 2024 seventh overall pick was probably ready late last season when he hit .306/.421/.510 with 17 homers and 23 steals in 109 games between Double-A and Triple-A, and his combination for hitting for average and power will be useful to St. Louis out of the gate. As it stands, he’s probably a better fit at second base but could still get looks at third for versatility purposes.
Cubs: Kevin Alcántara, OF
The Cubs signed free-agent outfielders Tyler Austin, Dylan Carlson and Chas McCormick this offseason while also claiming Justin Dean off waivers, lessening Alcántara's chances of making the Opening Day roster. Part of the Anthony Rizzo trade with the Yankees in 2021, he comes with four solid-or-better tools (power, speed, arm, center-field defense) and slashed .266/.349/.470 with 17 homers and 10 steals in 102 Triple-A games.
Pirates: Konnor Griffin, SS (MLB No. 1)
Is this one more wish list than realistic possibility? We shall see. Griffin had an otherworldly first full season of pro ball, reaching Double-A at age 19. He’s played just 21 games above A ball in his career, so it’s understandable that the Pirates’ brass might hedge a little bit when it comes to handing Griffin the shortstop job in Pittsburgh. But sometimes a player comes along to defy expectations and push his way up ahead of schedule. If Griffin continues to do what he did last year all spring, can the Pirates, who feel they’re putting together a playoff-caliber team, afford not to have Griffin on board from Day 1?
Reds: Sal Stewart, INF (MLB No. 22)
It’s hard to imagine Stewart not making this club after he took over at first base late last year and led the big league team with five homers in September, not to mention his presence in the middle of the postseason lineup. The signing of Eugenio Suárez does crowd things a little bit, though Stewart’s experience at a number of positions could help and the Reds want his advanced bat in the lineup.
NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST
D-backs: Ryan Waldschmidt, OF (MLB No. 59)
This may be one of the longer shots of this list considering Waldschmidt only has 66 games of experience above High-A, but the D-backs head into spring lacking a slam-dunk starter in center and left field -- exactly where Waldschmidt has seen the most time in pro ball. The former Kentucky star has a nice blend of power and speed, and he surprised some evaluators with how he took to the middle of the grass at Double-A last season. He’ll need a hot Cactus League that proves he can hit MLB-quality stuff regularly, but the 23-year-old will be in for a shout at an MLB gig in his second spring.
Dodgers: River Ryan, RHP
Acquired from the Padres in a 2022 deal for Matt Beaty, Ryan logged a 1.33 ERA in his first four big league starts in 2024 before his elbow gave out and required Tommy John surgery that cost him all of last season. The Dodgers will probably bring him back slowly, but it's still hard to ignore a six-pitch arsenal that includes a 95-100 mph four-seamer with nice carry, a mid-90s two-seamer, an upper-80s slider, a low-90s cutter, an 82-85 mph curveball and an upper-80s changeup -- all of which grade as at least solid when they're working.
Giants: Blade Tidwell, RHP
Tidwell's new manager with the Giants, Tony Vitello, also was his college coach at Tennessee, so that helps his cause. So does a mid-90s fastball and a pair of quality sliders, an 80-83 mph sweeper and a more traditional 82-85 mph version. Acquired from the Mets in the Tyler Rogers trade last July, he fashioned a 3.62 ERA with 111 strikeouts in 97 Triple-A innings.
Padres: Miguel Mendez, RHP
Sure, Mendez only made six Double-A starts last year, but in the Padres organization under A.J. Preller, anyone who reaches the Minors’ second-highest level gets MLB consideration. The 23-year-old right-hander was added to the 40-man roster this offseason after his breakout 2025 campaign, and his 95-98 mph fastball and mid-80s slider both play like plus pitches. He could factor into San Diego’s starting depth this season and push up his timeline with a strong spring.
Rockies: RJ Petit, RHP
Things clicked for the 6-foot-8 reliever in 2025, pitching his way from Double-A to Triple-A in the Tigers organization and finishing with a combined 2.44 ERA and 10.7 K/9 rate. Left unprotected, he was the No. 1 pick in December’s Rule 5 Draft and the 26-year-old should be given every opportunity to stick in the Rockies’ bullpen. His low-80s gyro slider is the key and the Rockies think it has the chance to play in Coors Field after it elicited a 41 percent miss rate last season.