Breakout in the spring! A thirty-team prospect showcase will launch in March.
If you’re looking to check in on prospects every spring, your best bet is usually to hang around for a few at-bats or stray pitches in the later innings of Cactus and Grapefruit League games, or to head to the backfields of the various Spring Training facilities located throughout Arizona and Florida.
But what if the next generation was the only ones enjoying the limelight this spring? Yes, let the kids play.
Major League Baseball announced on Wednesday that Spring Breakout, a new Spring Training event, will take place from March 14–17 of next year.
With 20–25 of their best prospects on their rosters, all 30 MLB clubs will be able to compete against top Minor League or rookie talent from other organizations. As part of the initiative, each team will play at least one exhibition game lasting seven innings. To make the math work, two teams from Arizona and Florida will play two games over the course of four days.
As part of in-stadium doubleheaders, twelve of this year’s games will be paired with Major League Spring Training contests, providing fans with an unforgettable day to witness both the future and present of their favorite team.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred stated in a release on Wednesday that “Spring Breakout will provide a new opportunity to showcase the future stars of the game as they continue on their journey to the Major Leagues.” “Our fans will have exclusive chances to interact with our top prospects, get their signatures, and get a close-up look at the future Major League players. We are excited that in order to develop the game and provide a better light for our future All-Stars, Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball, and all of our Clubs are collaborating more closely than before.
Official announcements of the rosters will be made closer to the Spring Breakout. Prospects can participate regardless of their Minor League status or prior experience, which enables a mix of players who are almost MLB-ready and some of the youngest talent in professional baseball.
The Rangers and Reds play at Surprise Stadium in Arizona on Thursday, March 14, starting at 6:05 p.m. ET/3:05 p.m. local time. Prospects from the Orioles will travel to Bradenton, Florida, an hour later to play against their counterparts from the Pirates system.
Thus, it might be feasible to witness a match between 2023 first-round picks Wyatt Langford and Rhett Lowder in the desert on a mid-spring day, while Jackson Holliday and Paul Skenes, the top three overall prospects, are getting ready to play each other on the Gulf Coast.
Other must-see games are the Rays-Twins (Junior Caminero, Carson Williams; Walker Jenkins, Brooks Lee); Mariners-Padres (Cole Young, Harry Ford; Ethan Salas, Jackson Merrill); and Nationals-Mets (Dylan Crews, James Wood; Jett Williams, Luisangel Acuña, Drew Gilbert).
The schedule for the first-ever Spring Breakout is listed below:
