Each team's breakout player for 2025

Each team's breakout player for 2025

December 31st, 2024

Each Major League season is a stage for players to raise their game to previously unseen heights.

Perhaps a blossoming star becomes unquestionably elite. Or perhaps a big league newcomer makes the most of his opportunity. Regardless, these types of breakout seasons can help turn an under-the-radar club into a contender and help turn a contender into a World Series winner.

So who are the breakout players to watch in 2025? We asked MLB.com’s 30 beat reporters that question. Here's what they said.

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

AL EAST

Blue Jays: INF
It feels like the Blue Jays are going to need to find ways to get Wagner into the lineup. Even with a crowded infield, he represents a level of offensive upside this club needs, and he showed that in flashes down the stretch of 2024. Wagner hit .305 with a .788 OPS over 24 games down the stretch, all while dealing with a nagging knee issue he eventually had cleaned up with a scope in late September. Consider Wagner to be in a similar place to where Ernie Clement was last Spring Training. It looks crowded around him, but he could easily find his way into full-time reps. The organization is extremely high on Wagner. -- Keegan Matheson

Orioles: 2B/SS
Entering 2024, expectations were sky high for Holliday, who began the season as MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 overall prospect. He didn’t make Baltimore’s Opening Day roster, but he still made his big league debut in April and went on to play 60 games as a 20-year-old during his rookie campaign. Holliday struggled quite a bit, slashing .189/.255/.311 and recording 0.1 Baseball-Reference WAR while hitting all five of his home runs during a 10-game stretch from July 31-Aug. 10. The final numbers weren’t impressive, though he flashed his potential at times. He should take a big step forward in 2025, as the ‘22 No. 1 overall Draft pick has the tools to become a star player. -- Jake Rill

Rays: 3B
Caminero was briefly the game’s top-ranked prospect last season before graduating from that status. Now, he’s poised to be the Rays’ everyday third baseman. Caminero held his own in 43 games down the stretch, posting a 105 OPS+ with six homers and 18 RBIs, but he and Tampa Bay expect more. As manager Kevin Cash said, “Sky’s the limit.” The 21-year-old offers elite bat speed and generates eye-popping exit velocities, leading to some highlight-reel home runs. If he puts it all together, he’ll be the all-around offensive “force” that president of baseball operations Erik Neander said he can be. -- Adam Berry

Red Sox: LHP
There’s a temptation to say Crochet already had his breakout season last year. But there is more in the tank. The lefty was on a pitch count following the All-Star break that limited him to 146 innings. If he can make the jump to close to 200, there’s no telling what kind of season he could have, given how dominant his arsenal is. Don’t rule out Crochet elevating his game the way Tarik Skubal did for the Tigers last season. -- Ian Browne

Yankees: C
Wells completed his first full big league campaign as a Rookie of the Year Award finalist, finishing third behind teammate Luis Gil and the Orioles’ Colton Cowser. As he heads into ’25, Wells is expected to carry duties as the Yanks’ everyday catcher. That provides an opportunity to build upon a performance that saw him collect 18 doubles, 13 homers and 55 RBIs in 115 games while batting .229/.322/.395 (103 OPS+). Wells’ offense was his calling card in the Minors, and he showed glimpses of making adjustments at the big league level last year. -- Bryan Hoch

AL CENTRAL

Guardians RHP
Williams was supposed to take a step forward in 2024. Instead, an elbow injury sidelined him until July and he was left playing catch-up for the rest of the year. In flashes, we saw just how elite Williams can be, but he lacked consistency. His rookie season in ’23 was stellar. Now, it’s time to prove he can be the every-fifth-day workhorse this organization projects him to be. And with thin rotation depth, the Guardians will need Williams to step up now more than ever. -- Mandy Bell

Royals: RHP
In his second season as a Major Leaguer, Marsh posted a 4.53 ERA over 129 innings in 26 games (25 starts), serving as the Royals’ fifth starter for the majority of the year. He made four starts for Triple-A Omaha in August, when he was optioned to get a mental and physical reset, and he was excellent there. Marsh will be the first to say he had some good stretches and bad ones in ‘24, but the Royals will be looking for him to take a step forward in ‘25. They’re down a starter after trading Brady Singer to the Reds and will need their other homegrown pitchers to step up and help fill those innings. The 26-year-old Marsh should get every opportunity to do so. -- Anne Rogers

Tigers: CF
While Meadows has dazzled in stretches, including a strong postseason at the plate and in the field, the 25-year-old has yet to enjoy a full season in the Majors. He hit .296/.340/.500 with six home runs and 23 RBIs in August and September and looked like a more confident hitter than the one who was optioned to Triple-A Toledo in May. His defense affords a lot of patience with his hitting, but his plate discipline has improved, and his power-speed combination plays beautifully in the outfield gaps of spacious Comerica Park. -- Jason Beck

Twins: RHP
Beyond two rocky outings to begin his career, here’s what Festa -- the Twins’ top pitching prospect before his debut -- did with his second-half rotation slot: 54 1/3 innings, 69 strikeouts, 22 walks, five homers allowed, 3.81 ERA. His rookie season numbers didn’t tell the full story of the youngster with the big stuff who did everything the Twins want from a young pitcher: miss bats, don’t give away too many free bases, keep the ball in the ballpark. They were thrilled with their first look -- and as Festa’s body develops and he gains more MLB experience, watch out. -- Do-Hyoung Park

White Sox: RHP
Burke is just two offseasons removed from ranking No. 5 among White Sox prospects, according to MLB Pipeline. He dealt with right rotator cuff tendinitis, limiting him to nine rough starts with Triple-A Charlotte in 2023, and he didn’t exactly conquer the Minors over 19 starts in 2024. But once the right-hander reached the Majors -- albeit in just four appearances (three starts) -- Burke took off with a 1.42 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 19 innings. Burke also has shown a level of bravado, a level of confidence on the mound where he embraces the big moment. Although there should be a competition for the final spot in the rotation, Burke could take off with a regular opportunity every fifth day. -- Scott Merkin

AL WEST

Angels: C
O’Hoppe was an All-Star candidate but ultimately endured a tough second half to the season. But he still slashed a respectable .244/.303/.409 with 20 homers and 56 RBIs in 136 games in his first full season as a catcher. He also learned a lot about how to handle a pitching staff and get through the grind of a year behind the plate. This year he’ll get some help, however, as the Angels signed Travis d’Arnaud to a two-year deal worth $12 million to be O’Hoppe’s backup and mentor. They also hired highly respected catching/pitching coach Sal Fasano to join the staff. -- Rhett Bollinger

Astros: RHP
Arrighetti reached the big leagues earlier than expected because of injuries to Houston’s starters last year and more than held his own as a rookie. He wound up making 28 starts and showed the potential of a frontline starter at times, including back-to-back starts in which he struck out a combined 25 batters on Aug. 4 and 10. He posted a 4.53 ERA in 145 innings with 171 strikeouts, 65 walks and 21 homers. In 80 innings prior to the All-Star break, he had a 5.63 ERA and .802 opponents’ OPS. In 65 innings after the break, he had a 3.18 ERA and .697 opponents’ OPS. -- Brian McTaggart

Athletics: RF
Butler’s fantastic finish to his 2024 campaign generated plenty of excitement as to what could be in store for 2025. Adjusting his approach following an early-season demotion to Triple-A Las Vegas, Butler slashed .302/.346/.597 (.943 OPS) over his final 73 games with 20 home runs, 18 doubles, two triples, 49 RBIs and 14 stolen bases over that stretch. Add in the fact that Butler and the A’s will be moving to a more hitter-friendly home ballpark in Sutter Health Park, and the 24-year-old outfielder could be a candidate for a 30-30 season. -- Martín Gallegos

Mariners: CF
Though it might sound like a stretch to call a former AL Rookie of the Year Award winner, a two-time All-Star and the face of the Mariners’ franchise a breakout candidate, consider that Rodríguez has had extended stretches of inconsistency at the plate over the past two seasons, and that Seattle’s offense, in so many ways, runs parallel to his highs and lows. Rodríguez finished 2024 on a high note, slashing .313/.364/.537 (.902 OPS), with nine of his 20 home runs in the season’s final 34 games -- which he said was related to interim hitting coach Edgar Martinez taking over. With Martinez returning, and Rodríguez a little more seasoned, the Mariners are banking on the 24-year-old taking an even bigger leap in ‘25. -- Daniel Kramer

Rangers: OF
Langford did more than enough in his rookie season to be recognized within the Rangers organization. Nobody in Texas doubts his ability to produce on the biggest stage. But Langford ultimately finished outside of the top five in AL Rookie of the Year voting and is perfectly set up for a breakthrough on the national stage. During his 2024 rookie season, the outfielder got off to a slow start, slashing .222/.288/.286 with just one home run through the end of May. But from June 1 through the end of the season -- a span of 100 games -- Langford slashed .263/.337/.458 with 15 home runs. It wasn’t quite enough to get him back into the Rookie of the Year race, but things ended on a high note. The 23-year-old can only get better next year. -- Kennedi Landry

NL EAST

Braves: OF
Kelenic has been a breakout candidate each of the past few years. Will this be the year he finally lives up to the potential envisioned when he ranked as MLB’s No. 4 prospect as recently as 2021? The 25-year-old outfielder hit 15 homers and enjoyed a couple of good stretches last year. But he ended the season with a .679 OPS and was relegated to a bench role by the end of August. Though he debuted in 2021, the talented athlete is still young. If he finally finds some consistency, Kelenic might show why the Braves were willing to spend approximately $17 million to secure him prior to last season with five years of potential control. -- Mark Bowman

Marlins: 3B
Norby, who was acquired from the Orioles as a top prospect in the Trevor Rogers trade, got off to a strong start with his new club by collecting a hit in each of his first 10 games and finishing with a .760 OPS during his 36-game stint. The 24-year-old quickly endeared himself to fans and the organization with his hard-nosed play and ability to drive the ball to all fields. With an offseason's worth of work at third base, Norby should look more comfortable at his new position and could become a cornerstone player for Miami. -- Christina De Nicola

Mets: C
Now that Mark Vientos has broken out, the Mets can hope for the same from his younger teammate, Alvarez. Entering his age-23 season, Alvarez has struggled to find consistency at the plate, and he dropped from 25 homers as a rookie to just 11 last season. But Alvarez improved his batting average and on-base percentage in Year 2, as well as his throwing arm behind the plate. He now has 228 games of experience at the game’s highest level and is at an age when players tend to break out. Often lauded for his work ethic, Alvarez still has a chance to be one of the game’s top offensive catchers. -- Anthony DiComo

Nationals: OF
Wood pummeled nine home runs in his first 79 big league games last year. He also ranked fourth in the NL in batted balls with an exit velocity of 105 mph or higher from July 1, when he was called up, through the end of the season. So what can he do in his first full season? The production for the 6-foot-7 outfielder could be very exciting. ZiPS projections predict that Wood will lead the Nationals in offense with a .265/.351/.456 slash line, 137 hits, 20 home runs, 76 RBIs, 18 stolen bases and a 127 OPS+. -- Jessica Camerato

Phillies: RHP
The Phillies are banking on Kerkering taking a significant step forward in production and role in 2025. After all, the Phillies are not expecting free-agent right-handers Carlos Estévez or Jeff Hoffman to return to the bullpen. When they signed right-hander Jordan Romano in December, the Phils made a point to say they are comfortable with what they have in the bullpen, specifically mentioning Kerkering as a key piece to the back end. He will need to step up to make their plan work. -- Todd Zolecki

NL CENTRAL

Brewers: LHP
Ashby has already had two mini-breakouts -- one in 2022 when he signed a five-year contract extension, and another late last season when he returned from two tough years with injuries to become a lights-out reliever. The Brewers hope that Ashby will build on the confidence of last season, when he delivered a 1.98 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 13 2/3 relief innings in September, and that he’ll benefit from a normal, healthy offseason. Pitching coach Chris Hook has said he’d love to see Ashby compete for a return to the rotation. As a fallback, the Brewers know they have a terrific lefty reliever who was so good, he might even figure into the closer conversation. -- Adam McCalvy

Cardinals: 2B/3B
In the spring of 2023, Gorman told me, “There is no backup plan; this has to work,” as he was coming off a rocky rookie season. He responded by leading the Cardinals with 27 homers in 2023. However, the bottom fell out in 2024 as he saw his whiff and strikeout rates soar (151 K's in 107 games). Gorman has been working on swing changes with new hitting coach Brant Brown most of the offseason, and he is poised to bounce back. He’s just 24, and his power is too great for him to not push for 30 homers if he can regain his plate confidence. -- John Denton

Cubs: CF
Crow-Armstrong’s overall showing in 2024 (.237 average with a .670 OPS in 123 games) does not really tell the story of his season. The Cubs gave him a long runway in his rookie year to sort through the learning curve, and Crow-Armstrong finally turned a real corner in late July. Veteran Dansby Swanson described what he witnessed down the stretch as a “controlled, intentional process” by the rookie. From July 27 onward, the 22-year-old center fielder hit .289/.337/.469 (.806 OPS) and posted 2.2 FanGraphs WAR. Given Crow-Armstrong’s speed, knack for power at times and elite defense, he looks poised for a breakout in ‘25. -- Jordan Bastian

Pirates: RHP
Jones had a very solid rookie season, striking out 132 batters over 121 2/3 innings, but a handful of ugly starts inflated his ERA to 4.14. Anyone who watched him last year saw his immense potential, and he continued to develop a curveball into a real third pitch as the season progressed. A third pitch would be massive, effectively eliminating those games where he tries to get by with just one offering, which usually doesn’t go well. -- Alex Stumpf

Reds: 2B
McLain is looking to resume his promising career after he missed all of 2024 recovering from left shoulder surgery after a Spring Training mishap. He is expected to be fully healthy after seeing some action in the Arizona Fall League. The 25-year-old was arguably Cincinnati's best all-around player as a 2023 rookie while batting .290 with an .864 OPS, 16 homers, 50 RBIs and 14 steals. McLain, a plus defender, should also upgrade the team up the middle as he replaces Jonathan India and resumes his role as Elly De La Cruz's double-play partner. -- Mark Sheldon

NL WEST

D-backs: OF
It's a bit of a stretch to call Carroll a breakout player candidate considering he won the NL Rookie of the Year Award in 2023, but hear me out. Carroll struggled through a terrible stretch at the plate for the first half of the season, but after he figured out some issues with his swing, he put it together in a big way in the final two-plus months. In the first half, Carroll had a .635 OPS, and that jumped to .919 in the second half. Given how consistent he was in his rookie season, expect Carroll to come flying out of the gates in 2025 and once again be among the best in the league. -- Steve Gilbert

Dodgers: OF
With inconsistencies and injuries, Pages was forced into the Dodgers’ starting lineup a lot earlier than initially anticipated. But as he gained experience, Pages continued to show why he was considered one of the best prospects in the Minors before his callup. In the postseason, Pages had a two-homer game and didn’t seem uncomfortable in the big situations. Pages will likely get an increased role in 2025, and the Cuban outfielder should be up for the task. -- Sonja Chen

Giants: CF
Lee was the Giants’ biggest free-agent addition last offseason, but he appeared in only 37 games before suffering a season-ending right shoulder injury in May. Lee is expected to be full-go for Spring Training and should slot back in at center field and possibly the leadoff spot, where the Giants still believe he can be a dynamic offensive force due to his elite contact skills. -- Maria Guardado

Padres: RHP
Has Estrada already broken out? Well, sort of. He’s broken strikeout records. He's pitched crucial postseason innings. Quite a year for an offseason waiver claim. But here's guessing Estrada takes another step forward in 2025. There's no reason why he can't be one of the sport’s most dominant relievers. The back end of the Padres’ bullpen is already one of the best in baseball. Robert Suarez and Jason Adam are established relief arms coming off excellent seasons. But there's a case that Estrada – and his wipeout three-pitch mix – might be the most dominant of the bunch. -- AJ Cassavell

Rockies: SS
Tovar earned his first Gold Glove, finished first in the National League in doubles (45), second in extra-base hits (75) and led the Rockies in home runs (26). However, the 23-year-old Tovar is only scratching the surface of his potential. While he possesses a swing that drives the ball to the opposite-field gap yet can turn on an inside pitch and put it in the seats, he also finds himself chasing pitches just out of the zone. He finished last season second in the Majors with 200 strikeouts. Tovar improved his OPS from .695 in his 2023 rookie year to .764 last season, and incremental improvement in his chase and strikeout rates could earn him star status. -- Thomas Harding