Every year there are a number of prospects stealing headlines and making an impact across the league. The 2016 season began with Colorado's Trevor Story hitting seven homers in his first six games. Along the way Trea Turner established himself in Washington, Gary Sanchez flexed his muscle in New York and the season concluded with the Cubs' Willson Contreras collecting an RBI double in Game 7 of the World Series.
Michael Fulmer (Tigers) and Corey Seager (Dodgers) won the AL and NL Rookie of the Year awards and the newly-crowned No. 1 overall prospect in baseball, Andrew Benintendi, gave Red Sox fans a glimpse of the future, hitting .295 in 34 games.
Given how important prospects can be to a team's success, it seems like a good time to get an early jump on who the rising stars may be in 2017. Below are some of the top youngsters to watch out for during Spring Training.
* On 40-man roster
ANGELS
Competing for job: Alex Meyer*, Manny Banuelos, Abel De Los Santos, Brooks Pounders*
First taste:Matt Thaiss, Nate Smith*
Also invited: Taylor Ward, David Fletcher, Keynan Middleton*, Jose Campos, Jose Valdez
ASTROS
Competing for job:Francis Martes (No. 20 on Top 100 Prospects list), David Paulino (No. 54), Teoscar Hernandez, James Hoyt, Brady Rodgers, Jandel Gustave, Reymin Guduan
Also invited: Colin Moran, Derek Fisher, J.D. Davis, Ramon Laureano, Garrett Stubbs
ATHLETICS
Competing for job: Frankie Montas*, Jharel Cotton*, Raul Alcantara*
First taste:A.J. Puk (No. 69), Heath Fillmyer, Daniel Gossett, Max Schrock, Paul Blackburn*
Also invited: Franklin Barreto (No. 52), Matt Chapman, Richie Martin, Matt Olson, Renato Nunez*, Yairo Munoz*, Jaycob Brugman*, Joe Wendle*, Bobby Wahl*, Chad Pinder*
BLUE JAYS
Competing for job: Chad Girodo
First taste: Ryan Borucki*
Also invited: Richard Urena (No. 94), Anthony Alford (No. 70), Rowdy Tellez, Reese McGuire, Conner Greene, John Smith, Harold Ramirez*
BRAVES
Roster lock: Dansby Swanson (No. 4)
Competing for job: Rio Ruiz, A.J. Minter, Luke Jackson*
First taste: Max Fried*, Patrick Weigel
Also invited: Ozzie Albies (No. 11), Sean Newcomb (No. 80), Travis Demeritte, Dustin Peterson, Lucas Sims*, Akeel Morris*
BREWERS
Competing for job: Lewis Brinson (No. 18), Michael Reed*
First taste: Corey Ray (No. 30), Ryan Cordell*
Also invited: Jacob Nottingham, Josh Hader (No. 38), Brett Phillips, Jorge Lopez
CARDINALS
Competing for job: Alex Reyes (No. 6), Carson Kelly (No. 39), Marco Gonzalez*, John Gant*
First taste: Edmundo Sosa*
Also invited: Luke Weaver (No. 68), Magneuris Sierra, Kendry Flores
CUBS
Competing for job: Albert Almora (No. 75), Jeimer Candelario (No. 96), Rob Zastryzny
First taste: Eloy Jimenez (No. 14), Duane Underwood*
Also invited: Mark Zagunis, Chesny Young, Ian Happ (No. 28), Victor Caratini*, Pierce Johnson*, Jacob Hannemann*, Jose Rosario*, Felix Pena*, Alec Mills*
D-BACKS
Competing for job: Jimmie Sherfy*, Jared Miller, Socrates Brito*, Jack Reinheimer*, Matt Koch*
First taste: Josh Taylor
Also invited: Anthony Banda*, Domingo Leyba*, Dawel Lugo*, Daniel Gibson
DODGERS
Competing for job: Austin Barnes*, Brock Stewart*, Kyle Farmer*
First taste: Josh Sborz, Trevor Oaks
Also invited: Cody Bellinger (No. 13), Alex Verdugo (No. 61), Willie Calhoun (No. 82), Chase De Jong*, Jacob Rhame*, Alvin Toles
GIANTS
Competing for job: Steven Okert*, Clayton Blackburn*, Chris Stratton*, Ray Black*
First taste: Reyes Moronta*
Also invited: Tyler Beede (No. 88), Christian Arroyo (No. 89), Sam Coonrod, Aramis Garcia, C.J. Honojosa, Steven Duggar, Austin Slater, Joan Gregorio*, Chase Johnson*, Ty Blach*, Kyle Crick*, Ian Gardeck*
INDIANS
Competing for job: Shawn Armstrong*, Ryan Merritt*
First taste:Francisco Mejia (No. 40)
Also invited: Bradley Zimmer (No. 22), Yandy Diaz, Greg Allen, Nellie Rodriguez, Erik Gonzalez*, Shawn Morimando*, Adam Plutko
MARINERS
Competing for job: James Pazos*, Mitch Haniger*, Dan Vogelbach*
First taste:Andrew Moore, Max Povse, Rob Whalen*, Thyago Vieira
Also invited:Tyler O'Neill (No. 36), Boog Powell, D.J. Peterson*, Tyler Marlette, Dillon Overton*, Ben Gamel*, Tony Zynch, Paul Fry, Dan Altavilla
MARLINS
Competing for job: Drew Steckenrider*, Jake Esch*, Dustin Hood*, Tomas Telis*
First taste: Dillon Peters
Also invited: Brian Anderson, Jarlin Garcia*, J.T. Riddle*, Tayon Guerrero*
METS
Competing for job: Gavin Cecchini*, Brandon Nimmo*, T.J. Rivera*, Josh Smoker
First taste: Marcos Molina*, Tomas Nido*, P.J. Conlon, Chris Flexen*
Also invited: Amed Rosario (No. 5), Dominic Smith (No. 63), Robert Gsellman, Luis Guillorme, Wuilmer Becerra
NATIONALS
Competing for job: Pedro Severino*, Spencer Kieboom*, Koda Glover*, A.J. Cole*
Also invited: Austin Voth*, Rafael Bautista*, Raudy Reed, Brian Goodwin*
ORIOLES
Competing for job: Trey Mancini*, Chris Lee*, Oliver Drake*
First taste: Anthony Santander*
Also invited: Chance Sisco (No. 99), Christian Walker, Jason Garcia*, Joe Gunkel*, Parker Bridwell*, Aneury Tavarez*
PADRES
Competing for job: Manuel Margot (No. 23), Hunter Renfroe (No. 42), Jose Rondon*, Carlos Asuaje*, Allen Cordoba*, Miguel Diaz*, Luis Torrens, Jabari Blash
First taste: Dinelson Lamet
Also invited: Javier Guerra*
PHILLIES
Competing for job: J.P. Crawford (No. 7), Nick Williams*, Jorge Alfaro (No. 72), Roman Quinn, Andrew Knapp*,
First taste: Scott Kingery, Rhys Hoskins, Dylan Cozens*, Ricardo Pinto*, Nick Pivetta*, Elniery Garcia*, Ben Lively*, Alberto Tirado*
Also invited: Mark Appel*
PIRATES
Roster lock: Josh Bell (No. 27)
Competing for job: Tyler Glasnow (No. 9), Austin Meadows (No. 10), Elias Diaz*, Nick Kingham*, Alen Hanson*, Steven Brault*, Dovydas Neverauskas*, Trevor Williams*
First taste: Clay Holmes*, Kevin Newman, Tyler Eppler, Edgar Santana
Also invited: Max Moroff*, Jose Osuna*, Barrett Barnes
RANGERS
Competing for job: Andre Faulkner*
First taste:Ariel Jurado
Also invited: Yohander Mendez (No. 56), Ronald Guzman, Connor Sadzeck*, Jose Leclerc, Jose Trevino, Brett Nichols, Drew Robinson
RAYS
Competing for job:Jose De Leon (No. 33)
First taste: Chih-Wei Hu, Hunter Wood
Also invited:Willy Adames (No. 21), Jacob Faria, Jaime Schultz*, Daniel Robertson*, Nick Ciuffo, Casey Gillaspie, Jake Bauers, Christopher Guerrieri, Ryne Stanek*
RED SOX
Roster lock: Andrew Benintendi (No. 1)
First taste:Ben Taylor
Also invited:Rafael Devers (No. 17), Sam Travis, Deven Marrero*, Brian Johnson*, Luis Ysla*, Kyle Martin*, Chandler Shepherd
REDS
Competing for job: Amir Garrett (No. 66), Jesse Winker (No. 67), Robert Stephenson (No. 87), Austin Brice
First taste: Keury Mella*, Vladimir Gutierrez, Tyler Mahle
Also invited: Luis Castillo*, Rookie Davis*, Nick Travieso*, Phil Ervin*, Sal Romano*, Aristides Aquino*
ROCKIES
Competing for job: Jeff Hoffman (No. 44), Raimel Tapia (No. 90), German Marquez (No. 73), Tom Murphy, Jordan Patterson*
First taste: Antonio Senzatela*, Yency Almonte*, Ryan Castellani, Sam Howard
Also invited: Sam Moll*, Kyle Freeland, Harrison Musgrave, Dom Nunez, Ryan McMahon
ROYALS
Competing for job: Matt Strahm*, Peter O'Brien*
First taste:Josh Staumont, Eric Skoglund, A.J. Puckett, Chase Vallot
Also invited: Hunter Dozier*, Jorge Bonifacio*, Miguel Almonte*, Kyle Zimmer*, Jake Junis*, Andrew Edwards*, Ramon Torres*, Corey Toups, Ryan O'Hearn
TIGERS
Competing for job: JaCoby Jones*, Dixon Machado, Victor Alcantara*, Joe Jimenez
Also invited: Jairo Labourt*, Michael Gerber, Sandy Baez*, Myles Jaye*, Adam Ravenelle, Grayson Greiner, Dominic Ficociello
TWINS
First taste: Stephen Gonsalvez (No. 92), Nick Gordon (No. 50), Fernando Romero*, Felix Jorge*, Aaron Slegers
Also invited: J.T. Chargois*, Adalberto Mejia*, Engelb Vielma, Mason Melotakis, Daniel Palka*, Mitch Garver*, Jake Reed
WHITE SOX
Competing for job: Charlie Tilson*, Adam Engel, Lucas Giolito (No. 12), Reynaldo Lopez (No. 46)
First taste:Michael Kopech (No. 16), Zack Burdi, Spencer Adams, Brian Clark
Also invited: Yoan Moncada (No. 2), Dylan Covey, Carson Fulmer (No. 71), Zack Collins (No. 81), Courtney Hawkins, Jacob May, Tyler Danish*, Chris Beck*, Brian Clark
YANKEES
Competing for job:Aaron Judge (No. 45), Chad Green, Mason Williams*
First taste: Dietrich Enns*, Chance Adams, Jordan Montgomery
Also invited: Clint Frazier (No. 24), Gleyber Torres (No. 3), James Kaprielian (No. 58*), Jorge Mateo (No. 47), Justus Sheffield (No. 79), Miguel Andujar, Billy McKinney, Tyler Wade