On the farm: 5 can't-miss prospects who outperformed expectations in MLB spring breakout
The inaugural MLB Spring Breakout gave fans the opportunity to see the future stars of their respective ball clubs, and by all accounts, it was a success. The showcase, which lasted four days, not only gave well-known prospects a platform to show what they could bring to a major-league club one day but also gave several prospects who may not be major names in prospect circles a chance to shine.
Let's take a look at the five prospects who stood out during the Spring Breakout showcase.
5 can't miss prospects from MLB spring breakout
Kyle Manzardo, Cleveland Guardians
Manzardo, the No. 2 ranked prospect in the Guardians system according to MLB Pipeline, continues to have an impressive spring.
No. 2 @CleGuardians prospect Kyle Manzardo shows some muscle with a two-run homer in #SpringBreakout. pic.twitter.com/IZNCupztjf
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) March 17, 2024
A few weeks ago, I wrote that he has a good chance to make the team on Opening Day and his performance against the Reds on Saturday perhaps helped. He finished the day with a home run and drew two walks.
Rhett Lowder, Cincinnati Reds
Lowder, the seventh pick overall out of Wake Forest in the 2023 MLB Draft, has a good chance he will start the season at Double-A Chattanooga. He throws a plus slider and changeup to go along with his fastball.
Rhett Lowder -- the @Reds' No. 2 prospect and MLB's No. 34 -- made quick work of opposing batters in #SpringBreakout.
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) March 14, 2024
2 IP | 0 H | 0 R | 0 BB | 2 K pic.twitter.com/ACs7kL800P
Lowder pitched in the first game the Reds were featured in the Spring Breakout against the Rangers on Thursday. He needed just 11 pitches in two hitless innings of work and struck out a pair. What makes this notable is after he was drafted, he did not pitch the rest of the summer so he has made quite the impressive debut.
Jace Jung, Detroit Tigers
Jung, who led all Tiger minor leaguers in home runs last season with 28, hit two on Saturday's win over the Phillies prospects. He is moving to third base when he starts the season at Triple-A Toledo but manager A.J. Hinch said he will still see time at second base, a position that earned him the Midwest League's Best Defensive Second Baseman of the Year in a vote among league managers for Baseball America.
The Tigers Josue Briceno hit .325/.404/.550 in the Florida Complex League last year before a brief 11 game stint w/ Low-A Lakeland. On Saturday he hit a Mick Abel curveball for a double at 111.7 mph off the bat. Big time juice. Also a Roboscout darling. #Tigers pic.twitter.com/QhvMKZylWI
— Geoff Pontes (@GeoffPontesBA) March 18, 2024
An honorable mention goes to catcher Josue Briceno, who had one of the loudest at-bats over the weekend by blasting a 111.7 MPH double in the right-field corner. Briceno's prospect stock continues to rise and its not just with the Tigers organization.
Brock Porter, Texas Rangers
Porter, who was drafted out of Orchard Lake St. Mary's Prep in Michigan in the fourth round of the 2022 MLB Draft, was one of the best high school pitchers I have ever seen pitch locally. The amount of scouts that were on hand during his starts is what always stood out to me.
In his full season in A-ball, Porter struck out 95 in 69.1 innings of work. While his walks were high, command did not seem to be an issue in his only inning of work against the Reds. He has a fastball to go along with plus change, which was able to generate a few swings and misses.
T.J. White, Washington Nationals
Washington is prospect heavy as it includes names like James Wood, Brady House and 2023 MLB second-overall pick, Dylan Crews. But White, who was drafted in the fifth round in the 2021 MLB Draft out of high school, went 2-for-3 in the game against the Mets, including a loud double into the right-field corner.
White, who struggled in his transition to first last season, will need to show improvements on offense as he adjusts to better pitching. But this was a good showing by White.
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