Get ready for four-days of top prospect baseball when all teams will showcase top prospect games with the inaugural SPRING BREAKOUT held from March 13-16 at Grapefruit and Cactus league stadiums starting a week from today and through that weekend. The Washington Nationals will get two Spring Breakout games that will be played on March 14 and March 16. The Cubs and Nationals are the only teams playing in two games this year.
The “Spring Breakout” game, which was a new concept that debuted last year, fields rosters of team’s future stars for a showcase in the middle of the Spring Training schedule. Teams are paired against nearby teams in the Grapefruit and Cactus leagues, and the Nats prospects will face the Astros prospects in the Friday night exhibition game and then the Mets prospects in the Sunday exhibition game.
The event’s concept is to showcase each organization’s best prospects (available) and match them up against the best prospect competition from the opposing team. The only downside to this is taking top prospects out of Big League games in the Spring Training schedule. But for many top prospects, they are out of sight on the backfields at the team’s Spring Training complexes — and this will put them front-and-center.
“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.”
— MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement a year ago
“Our fans will get unique opportunities to meet our best prospects, get autographs, and see the next generation of Major Leaguers up close.”
“We are thrilled that Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball, and all of our Clubs are working closer than ever to grow the game and to shine a brighter light on our future All-Stars.”
The Washington Nationals might have inspired the Spring Breakout idea when they announced that they were doing an exhibition game last year of their top prospects versus the Nats’ MLB players in an exhibition game called “On Deck: Nationals Futures Game”. By the way, the Nationals decided not to do that this year. Rumored reasons was that last year’s game was not well-attended. Personally, I thought it was a great exhibition game.
For the “Spring Breakout” games, MLB set it up to also include in-person autograph sessions and other meet-and-greet opportunities with prospects. This is a chance to broaden baseball’s appeal with the stars of tomorrow. Certainly, a perfect time to travel to Spring Training.
Last year, the Nationals had James Wood, Dylan Crews, Trey Lipscomb, Darren Baker, DJ Herz, and Mitchell Parker on the Spring Breakout roster. Each of them made their MLB debuts in that same year. In last year’s game, we got our first look at Travis Sykora in a game as he was a 2023 draftee who didn’t pitch after the draft. None of these players will participate in the 2025 exhibition games, and Sykora is being held out because he is recovering from minor hip surgery.
Here is the roster per the Press Release:
PITCHERS
Jarlin Susana, RHP, No. 3 (MLB No. 78)
Alex Clemmey, LHP, No. 6
Tyler Stuart, RHP, No. 15
Jackson Kent, LHP, No. 21
Brad Lord, RHP, No. 23
Marquis Grissom Jr., RHP, No. 24
Jose Atencio, RHP, NR
Andrew Alvarez, LHP, NR
Brendan Collins, RHP, NR
Robert Cranz, RHP, NR
Marc Davis, RHP, NR
Alexander Meckley, RHP, NR
Angel Roman, LHP, NR
Dustin Saenz, LHP, NR
Thomas Schultz, RHP, NR
Seth Shuman, RHP, NR
Jack Sinclair, RHP, NR
Yoel Tejeda Jr., RHP, NR
Sam Vasquez, RHP, NR
CATCHERS
Caleb Lomavita, C, No. 9
Kevin Bazzell, C, No. 14
Max Romero, C, NR
INFIELDERS
Brady House, 3B, No. 4
Seaver King, SS, No. 5
Luke Dickerson, SS, No. 7
Cayden Wallace, 3B, No. 11
Yohandy Morales, 1B/3B, No. 13
Kevin Made, SS, No. 29
Armando Cruz, SS, NR
Jorgelys Mota, SS, NR
OUTFIELDERS
Daylen Lile, OF, No. 10
Andrew Pinckney, OF, No. 26
Sam Petersen, OF, No. 30
Brenner Cox, OF, NR
Sir Jamison Jones, OF, NR
Carlos Taveras, OF, NR
What is interesting is Sir Jamison Jones was listed under the outfielders and not the catchers in the press release and also in this graphic, but he was listed as a catcher in the graphic (below). This will also be a first look at several 2024 draft picks in these games. We look forward to first looks at high school 2nd round pick Luke Dickerson. Also, T.J. White and Elijah Green were not listed in the Press Release but is in the graphic as a player on the roster. Noticeably missing is Robert Hassell III who is a top prospect who has not made his MLB debut.
This will be a “must see” game, and that is what MLB wants. There are no “blackouts” on MLB.TV to watch these games.
