Here's the Red Sox player pool for their Spring Breakout game

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- For the Red Sox, the first two Spring Breakouts created a clear demonstration of coming attractions.

In the 2024 prospect showcase, played at JetBlue Park, Ceddanne Rafaela belted a three-run homer and made a great play in center field. Less than two weeks later, he broke camp as Boston’s starting center fielder.

And who could forget last year? Under the lights in Port Charlotte against the Rays, the men who made up Boston’s Big 3 group of prospects (Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell) all homered. The three all made their Major League debuts during the 2025 season, and Anthony is viewed as a potential All-Star going into this season.

So what does Boston’s next wave of prospects have in store at this year’s Spring Breakout game against the best of the Orioles’ farm system? We will soon find out.

What is Spring Breakout?

In 2026, MLB Spring Breakout will again be a four-day event showcasing baseball’s future -- the current stars of Minor League Baseball – in 16 exhibition games played between teams composed of each MLB organization’s top prospects. The third edition will be held from March 19-22 at Grapefruit and Cactus League stadiums during Spring Training.

In 2027, Spring Breakout will be expanded into a single-elimination tournament format, with champions being crowned in both the Grapefruit and Cactus leagues.

When do the Red Sox play their Spring Breakout game?

On March 20, many of the top Sox prospects as ranked by MLB Pipeline will make the trip to Sarasota, Fla., for a 6:05 p.m. ET game against the Orioles.

How can I tune in?

MLB.TV, MLB.com, MLB App, MASN, Gameday

Notable position players

MLB Pipeline’s No. 31 prospect (Red Sox No. 2), Franklin Arias, turned heads in his first start of the spring in Dunedin on March 2, when he made a flip throw out of his glove to second base to start a double play. Arias is a smooth defender at short, and the Red Sox are hoping the 20-year-old’s bat catches up as he continues to grow into his body.

In that same road game against the Blue Jays, No. 6 prospect Justin Gonzales, who manager Alex Cora said is built like an NFL tight end, hit a 117.3 mph single to left and made a 98.1 mph throw from right field to third base on the fly and with perfect accuracy. Gonzales is just 19, but it’s hard for Red Sox evaluators not to be excited about his tools.

Switch-hitting shortstop Dorian Soto, the prized signing out of the Dominican Republic from the 2025 international class, projects as someone who can hit for power from both sides of the plate.

Notable pitchers

After years of having a farm system built around top position players, the Red Sox have shifted gears under chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and bolstered their pitching in recent Drafts.

Righty fireballer Kyson Witherspoon, the team’s top Draft pick from last season, had a standout career at Oklahoma and could rise swiftly through the farm system. Marcus Phillips (Tennessee) and Anthony Eyanson (LSU) pitched in the same Southeastern Conference as Witherspoon. The trio has already formed a strong bond.

On the international side, righty Juan Valera, who was signed out of the D.R. for just $45,000 in 2023, has tremendous upside and is ranked No. 5 in the Boston farm system. He’s only 19, but his fastball has already touched 100 and hits in the upper 90s.

Roster details

To accommodate the player movement involved with the World Baseball Classic and to create greater flexibility for clubs and farm directors, Spring Breakout rosters are being constructed in two phases in 2026. Clubs initially submit a preliminary 40-man player pool on Thursday, March 5, which will then be pared down to the official 23-27 man rosters on March 18.

The preliminary 40-man player pools consist of the team’s Top 30 prospects, as determined by MLB Pipeline, minus any injured players, players on a Dominican Summer League roster or players on the 40-man roster who have elected not to participate. The pools also include 10 or more additional unranked prospects submitted by the club to replace the above ranked prospects who are not participating.

Preliminary 40-man player pool (Red Sox Top 30 Prospects list):

PITCHERS (18)
Cooper Adams, RHP, NR
Jake Bennett, LHP, No. 7
Alex Bouchard, RHP, NR
Sadbiel Delzine, RHP, No. 19
Austin Ehrlicher, RHP, NR
Anthony Eyanson, RHP, No. 10
Leighton Finley, RHP, NR
John Holobetz, RHP, No. 14
Jacob Mayers, RHP, NR
Hayden Mullins, LHP, No. 16
Marcus Phillips, RHP, No. 9
Eduardo Rivera, LHP, No. 26
Reidis Sena, RHP, NR
Brady Tygart, RHP, NR
Tyler Uberstine, RHP, No. 15
Juan Valera, RHP, No. 5
Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, No. 4/MLB No. 84
Gage Ziehl, RHP, No. 21

CATCHERS (4)
Nate Baez, C, NR
Johanfran Garcia, C, No. 28
Franklin Primera, C, NR
Gerardo Rodriguez, C/1B, No. 27

INFIELDERS (11)
Marvin Alcantara, INF, NR
Franklin Arias, SS, No. 2/MLB No. 31
Josue Brito, INF, NR
Yoeilin Cespedes, 2B, No. 18
Freili Encarnacion, INF, NR
Henry Godbout, 2B, No. 11
Ahbram Liendo, INF, NR
Hector Ramos, SS, No. 23
Mikey Romero, INF, No. 13
Dorian Soto, SS, No. 8
Mason White, INF, NR

OUTFIELDERS (7)
Enddy Azocar, OF, No. 12
Miguel Bleis, OF, No. 17
Allan Castro, OF, No. 25
Anderson Fermin, OF, NR
Justin Gonzales, OF, No. 6
Harold Rivas, OF, No. 20
Nelly Taylor, OF, No. 22