1 prospect making some noise in each spring camp

2:10 AM UTC

Spring Training is the perfect time for prospects to show what they can do, and a number of players have taken that opportunity and run with it so far in 2026.

From elite prospects to unheralded young players, there's always someone putting on a show with the bat or the glove during Cactus League and Grapefruit League play.

With the help of MLB.com's beat writers, here is one prospect from every team making some noise this spring.

Jump to: AL East | AL Central | AL West | NL East | NL Central | NL West

American League East

Blue Jays: INF
Back and wrist injuries snuffed out some of Kasevich’s momentum in 2025 after a strong '24 season, but he’s back to having all of the right people in the Blue Jays’ organization singing his praises. Kasevich, the Blue Jays' No. 12 prospect following the 2025 season, already launched a 410-foot home run earlier in spring and he should see plenty of playing time with the Blue Jays’ entire infield off to play in the World Baseball Classic. The Blue Jays view Kasevich as a rock-solid defender and love his intangibles. You’ll hear the words “machine” and “robot” around Kasevich, which are high praise. The Blue Jays are waiting for Leo Jiménez to show them something and claim a big league job, but Kasevich will have every opportunity to play his way into that conversation with a strong start in Triple-A. He’s an organizational favorite. -- Keegan Matheson

Orioles: RHP
Manager Craig Albernaz has been impressed with all of the top pitching prospects in camp -- referring to each of them as “gross,” which is a good thing -- so any of them could be the pick here. But let’s go with German, who struck out four over 2 1/3 scoreless innings in his Grapefruit League debut against the Rays on Wednesday. The 24-year-old, Baltimore's No. 11 prospect after 2025, reached Triple-A Norfolk for the first time last year, but he made only two starts there, so he’ll be heading back to the level to open the 2026 season. But either he or fellow righty Trey Gibson is likely to be the first of the O’s top pitching prospects to get to the Majors, maybe even later this year. -- Jake Rill

Rays: RHP
Johnson isn’t the Rays’ top-ranked pitching prospect. In fact, as the club's No. 24 prospect at the end of 2025, he’s not even Tampa Bay’s highest-ranked pitching prospect in Major League Spring Training, as he’s sharing the experience with Brody Hopkins and T.J. Nichols. He’s likely to be one of the first pitchers sent out to Minor League camp so he can prepare for the season, but the big right-hander has turned heads early on. He’s 6-foot-6, so he gets excellent extension down the mound, and he throws from an unusual angle that makes it tough for hitters to see the ball. While he doesn’t have a huge arsenal, he has two pitches -- a mid-90s fastball and a wipeout slider -- that look like the real deal. -- Adam Berry

Red Sox: LHP (MLB No. 56 prospect)
After an impressive initiation to the Majors in the middle of a pennant race last September, Early might be the slight favorite to win the derby to be Boston’s No. 5 starter. Early was impressive in his first start of the spring, firing a pair of scoreless innings against the Rays. He continued to get stretched out in a bulk relief outing behind starter Sonny Gray on Saturday against the Twins, giving up two runs while striking out three in 2 2/3 innings. Ranked by MLB Pipeline as Boston’s No. 3 prospect after 2025, Early followed the team’s suggestion to bulk up over the offseason and has added some life to his fastball. Early has impressive command of his secondary stuff for a young pitcher. -- Ian Browne

Yankees: INF (MLB No. 32)
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has said the organization believes the 20-year-old Lombard could excel defensively in the big leagues right now, but the club is willing to give its top prospect more development time after mixed offensive results in Double-A last year. Experiencing his second Major League spring, Lombard has already made dazzling defensive plays in the early going, including a barehanded pickup on a slow chopper to third base that manager Aaron Boone said would be a “low-percentage” play for most infielders. Not for Lombard, who also has displayed a live bat and maturity far beyond his birth certificate. -- Bryan Hoch

AL Central

Guardians: OF
Take it from manager Stephen Vogt, who said on Saturday that Watson is making a “huge impression” early on in camp. Through his first six Cactus League games, the 22-year-old went 6-for-10 with two doubles and one triple, while playing left and center field. The Guardians acquired Watson from the Marlins in the 2023 Josh Bell trade and have been impressed by his progression during his time in their farm system. Watson, the club's No. 18 prospect at the end of 2025, fully transitioned from infielder to outfielder this past season, and he’s able to play all three spots. Cleveland added him to its 40-man roster in November. -- Tim Stebbins

Royals: RHP
Avila made his debut in 2025 out of the bullpen and did well in a short sample, with a 1.29 ERA across 14 innings (13 appearances). He struck out 16 and walked six, impressing coaches and his teammates with a devastating curveball that registered a 48.8% whiff rate. Kansas City's No. 14 prospect after the 2025 season entered camp this spring building up on a starter’s workload so the Royals can have as much depth as possible for their rotation. But the prevailing thought is that he could make the team out of the bullpen again, as a multi-inning reliever who could work up to more as he proves himself on the mound. -- Anne Rogers

Tigers: SS (MLB No. 2)
The Tigers’ top prospect entered camp with lofty expectations along with a chance to compete for a role in Detroit’s infield. So far, McGonigle has backed it up. Not only has he handled shortstop well, but he continues to post quality at-bats against Major League competition. McGonigle reached base safely in six consecutive plate appearances Friday and Saturday -- four hits, two walks -- with three of those hits featuring triple-digit exit velocities. -- Jason Beck

Twins: OF (MLB No. 74)
Rodriguez’s prospect star has dimmed slightly but not due to performance. He’s just had a hard time staying on the field. This spring, he’s playing and showing what he’s capable of. Rodriguez has already hammered a pair of home runs, and he’s the kind of player you just notice when he’s in the batter’s box. There’s probably not a spot for Rodriguez on the Opening Day roster, but he’s making the kind of impression that might hasten an in-season callup if he can stay healthy. -- Matthew Leach

White Sox: 2B/3B
In his first Cactus League game, on a 0-2 four-seamer from Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon, Antonacci launched a 417-foot home run to right at Sloan Park with a 109.5 mph exit velocity. People who didn’t know about the hard-nosed, left-handed-hitting infielder certainly learned quickly. Antonacci, Chicago's No. 11 prospect following 2025, has departed for Houston to play in the World Baseball Classic with Team Italy. But the 23-year-old, who was hit by a pitch 39 times last season and had 59 stolen bases between two Minor League stops and the Arizona Fall League, is rapidly pushing toward a role with the White Sox. -- Scott Merkin

AL West

Angels: RHP
Klassen, the Angels' No. 3 prospect at the end of 2025, faced a lineup full of Padres regulars in his spring debut on Wednesday and responded by throwing two scoreless innings. He also struck out Manny Machado, Jackson Merrill and Ty France. His fastball averaged 97.8 mph, and he also mixed in a slider, curveball and changeup. He could find his way into the rotation early this season if he continues to improve his command. -- Rhett Bollinger

Astros: C
The Astros’ first-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, Janek (the team’s No. 3-ranked prospect after last season) is making a strong impression in his first Major League camp. He’s 3-for-6 with four runs scored, a double, three walks and four stolen bases. He spent all of last season at High-A Asheville and hit .263/.333/.433 with 12 homers, 46 RBIs and 30 steals and should start 2026 at Double-A in his hometown of Corpus Christi. “We know what Janek can do behind the plate," manager Joe Espada said. "Now he’s starting to square up more balls, making better swing decisions. … He can do things that if you can have some of that in your lineup, it’s super valuable." -- Brian McTaggart

Athletics: LHP (MLB No. 41)
Selected 11th overall by the A’s in the 2025 MLB Draft, Arnold spent the first couple of weeks in camp dazzling his own teammates during live batting practices with his advanced arsenal of pitches before making his highly anticipated spring debut on Friday. The buzz surrounding the 21-year-old left-hander is similar to the hype that surrounded Nick Kurtz in camp around this time last year, and it would not be a shock if he performs well enough to merit a call to the big leagues at some point this season. -- Martín Gallegos

Mariners: INF (MLB No. 9)
We could easily go with top pitching prospects Ryan Sloan and Kade Anderson, who impressed in their much-anticipated Cactus League debuts. But Emerson has both beat in playing time, having played in seven games and at multiple positions (shortstop and third base). He's also flashed the five-tool skill set and drawn praise from the player who was in similar shoes in the organization four years ago. While there might be a roster crunch that prevents him being part of the group that breaks camp, it's clear that he's a big part of Seattle's plans in 2026 -- it's just a matter of when. -- Daniel Kramer

Rangers: INF
Cauley is making such an impact that new manager Skip Schumaker basically begged the club’s media contingent to ask about him. The Rangers’ 2021 third-rounder has become a cult legend in the Cactus League over the last two springs. So far this year, he has gone 8-for-22 with a home run and a 1.073 OPS. He’s one of the team leaders in plate appearances and has played all over the infield as he’s shown off his speed and versatility with the big league club. He hasn’t touched Triple-A just yet, but it’s easy to see how he contributes in the big leagues in 2026. -- Kennedi Landry

National League East

Braves: RHP (MLB No. 90)
Ritchie has impressed veterans like Sandy León and Chris Sale with his disciplined preparation and maturity. The 22-year-old right-hander has allowed one hit and recorded six strikeouts over four innings in Grapefruit League games thus far. His four-seamer touched 95.4 mph and he got a whiff with five of six swings against his changeup while facing the Red Sox on Friday. -- Mark Bowman

Marlins: RHP
Several prospects could easily be singled out, including catcher Joe Mack (grand slam) or righty reliever Josh White (four strikeouts in two scoreless innings). How about the pitcher coming out of nowhere? Non-roster invitee Ralston, whose unique over-the-top delivery has led to six strikeouts in three scoreless outings so far this spring, is catching eyes. The 28-year-old had spent the entirety of his pro career with the Cardinals until now. -- Christina De Nicola

Mets: OF (MLB No. 16)
Benge isn’t just making noise this spring; he’s one of the biggest stories in camp. This offseason, the Mets did almost nothing to address their corner outfield situation, save for moving Juan Soto from right field to left. That means right is wide open for Benge, the No. 16 prospect in baseball, who is battling Mike Tauchman, Brett Baty, Tyrone Taylor and MJ Melendez for the starting role. In one of his first Grapefruit League games, Benge went 3-for-3 -- a decent start if he has true designs on winning the job. -- Anthony DiComo

Nationals: C (MLB No. 71)
The Nationals are getting their first look at Ford after they acquired him from the Mariners in December. Ranked as the Nats' No. 2 prospect after 2025, Ford is competing for his first Opening Day roster spot after debuting last September. Starting catcher Keibert Ruiz is returning from being sidelined by concussions last season, and Ford and Drew Millas are the top candidates to join him behind the plate. Ford, 23, is learning not only the Nationals pitching staff but Team Great Britain's as well in the World Baseball Classic. -- Jessica Camerato

Phillies: CF (MLB No. 53)
Crawford, the Phillies' No. 3-ranked prospect following 2025, is almost certainly going to be the team's Opening Day center fielder. He has shown some things in his first few Grapefruit League games. He ripped an opposite-field double off the left-center-field wall in his first at-bat of the spring. It was his first of three doubles in his first 13 Spring Training at-bats. Crawford has also played pretty good defense in center field, getting good jumps and taking efficient routes on a few balls hit his way. -- Todd Zolecki

NL Central

Brewers: RHP (MLB No. 100)
Milwaukee’s reputation for pitching development will be put to the test this season since Brandon Woodruff is the only candidate for the starting rotation with at least two years of Major League service. Quinn Priester has earned a spot behind him, and the Brewers remain exceptionally high on Jacob Misiorowski’s chances to develop into an impact starter, but after that spots are wide open for an array of prospect types. That includes Sproat, one of two Top 100 prospects (along with infielder Jett Williams) acquired from the Mets in the Freddy Peralta trade. Sproat refined a new cutter over the winter and was happy with his execution in his first Spring Training start on Friday. Even if he doesn’t crack the Opening Day rotation, he is well positioned for a heavy dose of Major League starts in 2026. -- Adam McCalvy

Cardinals: INF (MLB No. 5)
Once the Cardinals traded Brendan Donovan to the Mariners, it left an opening for Wetherholt to become the Opening Day second baseman for St. Louis. It’s early, but Wetherholt has a great eye at the plate, walking five times in his first 13 plate appearances with a homer, four RBIs and an OPS of 1.365. A shortstop by trade, Wetherholt isn't having any problems playing second base and hopes to be Masyn Winn’s double-play partner by the time the Cardinals open the season against the Rays at Busch Stadium. Keep this in mind: If Nolan Gorman can't get the job done at third base, don't be surprised to see Wetherholt get some action at the hot corner. -- Bill Ladson

Cubs: SS
Rojas cracked the Top 100 list heading into 2025 and remains in the group of farmhands around the game just outside the current rankings. At just 20 years old, Rojas -- the Cubs' No. 3 prospect after last season -- is in camp as a non-roster invitee and has been impressing the MLB staff behind the scenes, in workouts and in games. He took Cade Horton deep in an early live BP setting and has been off to a strong start in Cactus League play, batting .313 with a home run and a 1.014 OPS through eight games. -- Jordan Bastian

Pirates: OF
A ton of hype surrounds No. 1 overall prospect Konnor Griffin this spring, but there’s also plenty more talent in the farm system. Garcia, whom the Bucs acquired from the Red Sox in December, has hit .538 (7-for-13) with a homer, three RBIs and a team-high-tying three steals across his first six Grapefruit League games. The Password can play all three outfield spots and has been errorless in each so far (four games in left, one each in center and right). He’s working to improve his plate discipline this spring and has drawn compliments from Pirates staff for his work ethic as he looks to crack the roster out of camp. -- Dawn Klemish

Reds: (MLB No. 22)
Stewart is competing for not only a big league roster spot but the chance to be Cincinnati's regular first baseman. A natural third baseman, he learned on the job in the big leagues after his September callup. The 22-year-old spent the offseason working on his skills and does early work each day in camp to improve on his technique. He's also still getting time at second base and third base. Meanwhile, he's still showing his mature approach at the plate as a hitter and slugged a 440-foot home run to center field against the White Sox on Wednesday. -- Mark Sheldon

NL West

D-backs: OF (MLB No. 59)
Waldschmidt was selected by the Diamondbacks in the 2024 Draft with the pick Arizona received for Corbin Carroll winning the 2023 NL Rookie of the Year Award. In his first full professional season, he displayed an advanced control of the strike zone, and when he did swing at pitches, he squared them up. He also showed the ability to play an outstanding center field. Invited to Spring Training as a non-roster player, Waldschmidt has impressed early, showing a good eye at the plate while registering eye-popping exit velocities. His first Cactus League homer had a 106.2 mph exit velocity, and the first ball he put into play this spring -- a groundout to shortstop -- registered at 115.6 mph. He’s a long shot to make the Opening Day roster, but he’s certainly making an impression. -- Steve Gilbert

Dodgers: OF (MLB No. 15)
While De Paula just reached Double-A for the first time at the end of last year, he's doing his best to give the Dodgers something to think about this season. The 20-year-old has been getting plenty of Cactus League at-bats, and he's shown why he's considered one of the most advanced hitting prospects the Dodgers have had in some time. If he can keep that up while making some strides defensively, then he could be knocking on the door of the big leagues sooner rather than later. -- Sonja Chen

Giants: RHP
McDonald impressed after earning a late callup at the end of last year, logging a 1.80 ERA over three appearances (two starts) for the Giants. The 25-year-old right-hander’s stuff has continued to tick up this spring, as he averaged 95.2 mph on his sinker in his first Cactus League appearance against the A’s on Feb. 23, up from 93 mph in 2025. If he can build on that velocity bump, McDonald could make a compelling case for a spot on the Opening Day roster this year. -- Maria Guardado

Padres: RHP
Rodriguez only made seven appearances after his big league breakthrough last season, but he impressed enough to earn a place on the postseason roster (even though he didn’t appear in the Wild Card Series). Rodriguez, who has made three scoreless appearances this spring, brings big-time velocity and a penchant for limiting hard contact. The San Diego bullpen is already loaded with high-leverage options. It might be the best in baseball already -- and Rodriguez’s emergence could make it even better. -- AJ Cassavell

Rockies: 1B
The at-bats have been long and competitive. And the hits have gone a long way -- two home runs in one game, another the following day. There also is a high comfort level defensively, since Rumfield won a Minor League Gold Glove Award in his Double-A days. The Rockies have added experience, which helps -- and Rumfield is confident enough in his knowledge of the strike zone and his approach to discuss strategies in the dugout with his teammates. -- Thomas Harding