25 MLB prospects who could make their debuts in the near future

Boston outfielder Roman Anthony is unanimously considered one of the very best prospects in all of baseball, and it's becoming increasingly difficult for the Red Sox to keep him in Triple-A much longer. Anthony is off to an excellent start with Worcester, slashing .297/.436/.554 with four homers and five doubles through his first 21 games. Meanwhile, with the big club, while Wilyer Abreu and Jarren Duran have been productive, the Red Sox are not getting much from center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela at the moment. Don't be surprised if Boston decides to insert Anthony into the Major League equation sooner rather than later. 

The Pirates have not gotten off to the type of start they were looking for in 2025, but that doesn't mean there aren't reasons to be excited in western Pennsylvania. Superstar Paul Skenes picked up right where he left off last year and is again looking every bit like the dominant ace Pittsburgh is counting on him to be. Veteran Andrew Heaney has been a revelation in the rotation, and his performance has really helped mitigate the long-term absence of Jared Jones. But conversations about the Pirates' pitching staff generally shift rather quickly to a name that has yet to even throw a pitch at the sport's highest level. Righty Bubba Chandler was Pittsburgh's 3rd round pick in 2021, and in short order has become the team's best prospect. In his first four starts with Triple-A Indianapolis, he's pitched to a 1.76 ERA with a dominant 0.78 WHIP, and especially with a potential injury to lefty Bailey Falter, his big league promotion feels like it's becoming imminent.  

Since the day last season ended, the Cardinals have publicly acknowledged that 2025 is in all probability going to be a year of transition for the franchise, which in baseball terms means getting young players opportunities is going to be prioritized. The guy at the top of the list for that, in my opinion, is young lefty Quinn Mathews, who climbed through four minor league levels in '24 en route to being named the Minor League Pitching Prospect of the Year. His first three outings for Triple-A Memphis in 2025 have been a little rocky, as he's posted a 6.10 ERA in 10.1 innings, and he was actually recently shut down with shoulder soreness. With that in mind, his debut is not imminent in the same way the earlier-mentioned Bubba Chandler's is, but at some point this summer, look for St. Louis to give Mathews a chance to earn some experience in the Show. 

The Mets enter play this weekend with the best record in the Major Leagues, which they've accomplished, in large part anyway, on the strength of a pitching staff that has been simply phenomenal. And the bad news for the rest of the National League is that New York's pitching should only get better as the season progresses. Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas have both yet to even appear in a Major League game, and the wild card in the equation is young Brandon Sproat, the team's top-ranked prospect. In four starts for Triple-A Syracuse thus far, Sproat has thrown to a 3.31 ERA in 16.1 innings, and if he can show consistency at that level for an extended period, look for New York to bring him to Queens. 

At this point the reason Samuel Basallo is still playing for the Orioles Triple-A affiliate in Norfolk has nothing to do with his readiness for the sport's highest level, and is rather just an indication of how much position player talent Baltimore has. Right now, there is just not an opening for Basallo to get regular at-bats at catcher, first base, or DH, and the O's rightfully feel he's better suited playing every day in the minor leagues. Previously this winter Baltimore indicated a willingness to move first baseman Ryan Mountcastle--mostly to open a spot for Basallo--and I'm sure that's an idea they would revisit. For now, though, Basallo looks poised to continue mashing Triple-A pitching until an injury or potential trade opens up an opportunity. 

After setting a new Major League record for futility last season, the White Sox have not fared much better in 2025, and are already buried at the bottom of the AL Central. Fans on the southside of Chicago, do, however, have more to look forward to this time around. The White Sox will undoubtedly begin promoting some of their highly touted prospects soon, and it will be exciting for both the club and the fan base to get a preview of the long-term future. Shortstop Colson Montgomery is the first name that comes to mind in terms of an eventual call-up, as the toolsy infielder has been shooting up prospect rankings since being drafted by Chicago in the first round in 2021. He's admittedly off to a slow start in Triple-A Charlotte, but once he turns it on I'd expect the White Sox to not waste any time bringing him up. 

With Montgomery struggling a bit right now, his current teammate in Charlotte, catcher Kyle Teel, may very well end up beating him to the Windy City. The 23-year-old was the headliner in the return the White Sox received from Boston in the Garrett Crochet trade this winter, and while he was immediately considered Chicago's catcher of the future, he could be the catcher of the present very soon. In 21 Triple-A games thus far in 2025, Teel is slashing .228/.322/.405 with seven extra-base hits and 11 RBI. The White Sox understandably don't want to rush him, but they're also getting next to nothing from the catcher position in the big leagues. Look for Teel to assume the starting job in Chicago sooner rather than later. 

Phillies right-hander Andrew Painter has been an incredibly popular name in prospect circles for a long time, and even after missing two full seasons due to injury, his stock is still through the roof. In his first two professional starts since '22, Painter has been up and down, pitching to a 4.15 ERA in only 4.1 innings. Philadelphia is taking things noticeably slow with their top prospect as they build him back up, but once he gets his proverbial legs under him, look for the organization to loosen the reins. Philadelphia's starting staff looked great on paper coming into the season, but things are currently a little rocky. Ranger Suarez is injured, Aaron Nola is struggling, and Christopher Sanchez had to leave a game early just the other day. If Painter can get his stamina up and reestablish himself as a frontline pitching prospect later this summer, the Phillies will have an opening for him to debut at the sport's highest level.

As stated earlier, the White Sox are going nowhere fast in 2025 and will unquestionably use the duration of the campaign as an opportunity to evaluate as many young players as possible. While the above-mentioned Montgomery and Teel will be in Chicago at some point this season, so will the organization's top pitching prospect, lefty Noah Schultz. The Naperville, IL native was tremendous in 23 minor league starts a year ago, and while he's off to an uneven start in his first three outings in Double-A this season, the White Sox are not discouraged in the least. The club would like to see Schultz force his way to Triple-A, and when he does, a second promotion could follow soon after. 

Shortstop Carson Williams is currently ranked 8th on MLB.com's top 100 prospect list, and the Rays have had visions of him patrolling shortstop in Tampa for a decade or more since the day they drafted him in the first round in 2001. After tearing up the lower levels on his way up the Rays' organizational ladder, Williams is currently playing in Triple-A Durham, where the first few weeks of 2025 have not been kind to him. In 20 games, he's slashing just .169/.299/.292 with only four extra-base hits. That said, Tampa Bay is getting essentially less than that from Taylor Walls at the big league level right now, and as soon as Williams can turn it on I'm expecting the team to make a switch.

When the Mets traded Justin Verlander back to the Astros a couple of years ago, they purposefully paid the entirety of the veteran's remaining contract to entice Houston to give them better prospects in return. One of those prospects was outfielder Drew Gilbert, who may very well be patrolling center field in Queens shortly. Gilbert struggled with injuries last season, but early in 2025 he's proven he is healthy and looks every bit like the premium offensive prospect the Mets believed they were acquiring. In 11 minor league games to date, Gilbert is slashing .359/.435/.590 with two homers and three doubles. Meanwhile, in the Majors, the Mets currently have Jose Siri on the injured list, and while Tyrone Taylor is a valuable 4th outfielder, he's struggling with the bat playing everyday. If Gilbert can keep up his hot start he could end up forcing the Mets hand sooner rather than later. 

Early in 2025 the Marlins have gotten excellent production from young right-hander Max Meyer, but as a whole, the rest of their rotation--including Sandy Alcantara--has really struggled. That development, paired with the dominant start he's off to with Double-A Pensacola, has accelerated the projected timeframe for lefty Robby Snelling's anticipated big league debut. In four starts thus far, Snelling has pitched to a 1.61 ERA with an 0.90 WHIP, while punching out 29 hitters in 22.1 innings. That level of performance is going to get hard to ignore if it continues, and could result in Snelling making starts in Miami sooner rather than later. 

Toolsy Emmanuel Rodriguez entered this season unanimously considered one of the top two prospects in the Minnesota Twins system, and somebody that could impact the Major League club as early as this summer. The 22-year-old was injured for much of 2024 but consistently opened eyes when he was on the field, and heading into '25 the Twins were anxious to see what he could do with a full season in Triple-A. So far, it's fair to say the results have been mixed. Through 17 games Rodriguez is slashing .231/.359/.277 with three doubles. Minnesota has gotten off to a disappointing start and currently sit 4th in the AL Central. If Rodriguez can catch fire soon, it would not surprise me in the least if he is promoted in an effort to give the big league team a spark. 

The Guardians selected 1B/OF C.J. Kayfus in the 3rd round of the 2023 draft coming out of the University of Miami, and he's wasted no time emerging as an impact offensive prospect. During the first couple of weeks of the 2025 season, Kayfus is absolutely wearing out Double-A pitching, slashing .421/.507/.684. Cleveland is off to a decent start at the Major League level, and at the time I'm writing this, they sit just a half game behind the Tigers in the AL Central. That said, outside of some power from Kyle Manzardo, Cleveland is not getting much offensively from guys not named Jose Ramirez or Steven Kwan. Kayfus's ability to play a few different positions could soon come into play here, because if he keeps swinging the bat the way he is, he may just force his way into the Major League lineup. 

Mercer University product Colby Thomas was taken by the Athletics in the 3rd round of the 2022 draft, and three years into his professional career so many teams must be kicking themselves for passing on the outfielder. At 5'10 and 190 lbs Thomas doesn't have the typical frame of an everyday corner outfielder which perhaps contributed to his draft day slide, but his offensive production has put any concerns over that to bed quickly. Last season Thomas crushed 31 homers and added 44 doubles, and he's off to another great start in 2025. Through his first 22 games, Thomas is slashing .276/.364/.460 with nine extra-base hits and 13 RBI. The A's certainly do not have a big league outfield that would block his eventual promotion, something that will likely happen on the early side of this summer. 

The new look Cubs are off to an excellent start and currently sit atop the National League Central. And I have bad news for the rest of their division--this team's pitching staff is going to get a lot better sooner rather than later. Chicago has gotten strong and consistent starts from Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga during the first month of the regular season, but the rest of its rotation has quietly kind of struggled. Which is where the team's top prospect--righty Cade Horton--will soon come into play. Chicago took Horton 7th overall three years ago, and at this point he has next to nothing left to prove in the minor leagues. In four starts in Triple-A thus far, he's pitched to a dazzling 1.06 ERA and struck out 23 hitters in 17 innings. The Cubs position in the standings gives them the luxury to be patient, but I really don't see them waiting much longer to pull the trigger and bring Horton to the Windy City. 

San Diego State product Troy Melton was on a rapid ascension through the Tigers minor league system before hitting a bit of a roadblock in Double-A last season where he pitched to a 5.10 ERA in 23 starts. Because of that, Detroit sent the young righty back to Double-A Erie to begin 2025, and this time around he's quickly proving he's ready to move to the next level. In his first four starts, Melton has delivered a  1.69 ERA with an 0.81 WHIP, while allowing opponents to hit just .164 against him. I'd expect the Tigers to shuttle him to Triple-A soon, where a follow-up promotion could develop quickly if there is an injury at the big league level. 

Thanks in large part to a 3-10 road record, the Royals have hovered around .500 for the season's first month. Fresh off a postseason appearance last fall, Kansas City came in to 2025 eager to take the next step, and armed with a talented core led by superstar shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and a veteran pitching staff, expectations are higher than they've been in a long time. The Royals rotation has been good but not great thus far, but at some point in the relatively near future they're likely to add an exciting reinforcement. Southpaw Noah Cameron has skyrocketed up Kansas City's prospect rankings, and has worked to the tune of a solid 3.54 ERA through his first four Triple-A starts. There is not yet a clear path to a promotion, but should an injury occur, Cameron is likely to be the first man up. 

Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones has been a much-talked-about name in prospect circles for a long time now, and it's easy to forget he has yet to even play in a game at the Triple-A level. That hurdle, at least, is likely to be cleared in extremely short order. After crushing 17 homers and collecting 30 doubles with New York's Double-A affiliate in Somerset last season, Jones was sent back there to begin 2025. In just 18 games this month he's already homered seven times, and at this point it seems silly for the Yankees to not challenge him with a higher level. Once he gets to Triple-A, don't be surprised if his arrival in the Bronx comes sooner than expected. 

The Reds selected right-hander Chase Burns with the 2nd overall pick in last year's draft coming out of Wake Forest, and he has the opportunity to breeze quickly through the organization's system. Burns began this season in Single-A, where after just three starts in which he posted a 3.09 ERA he's already been moved to Double-A. The Reds understandably will want him to get some innings under his belt and prove consistency at every level, but this is a talented kid who pitched a lot in college and is already 22 years old. I wouldn't be surprised one bit if he ends up in Cincinnati a lot earlier than some people may expect. 

The Mariners have arguably the most enviable young starting rotation in baseball, and in what is a credit to the organization's scouting and development, they're also deep with talent in the minor leagues. Right-hander Logan Evans didn't join Seattle as a top-tier prospect coming out of the University of Pittsburgh, but in three professional seasons, he's positioned himself on the cusp of cracking the Major Leagues. Through five starts so far with the Mariners' Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma, Evans has pitched to a 3.86 ERA with a 1.25 WHIP in 25.2 innings. Should an opening occur at the big league level he will in all likelihood be the one getting the call, and it will be cool to see what he can do with his eventual opportunity. 

The Dodgers are clearly not hurting for talent at the Major League level, but they have an exciting young prospect in Triple-A that is inevitably going to soon force the club's hand. Switch-hitting infielder Alex Freeland joined Los Angeles' organization as a 3rd round pick coming out of Central Florida in 2022, and he's quickly graduated through the team's lower levels. In his first 24 games in Triple-A this season, Freeland is slashing .316/.397/.469 with 13 extra-base hits and six stolen bases. He has the flexibility to play shortstop, second base, and third base, which should eventually make it easier for the Dodgers to find him playing time in the Show. 

The Nationals have somewhat quietly assembled a pretty exciting young core in D.C, and they'll soon be adding another impact position player prospect. Winder, GA native Brady House is a natural shortstop whom the Nationals have been transitioning to the hot corner in anticipation that that will be the position he plays in the Major Leagues. He blasted 19 home runs in 2024 splitting the campaign between Double-A and Triple-A, and he's off to an even better start with Triple-A Rochester right now. In 23 games, House is slashing .299/.365/.471 with three homers and four doubles. Veteran utilityman Amed Rosario has played most of the third base in Washington so far this season, but bringing House up to play every day imminently just makes too much sense not to happen. 

The Padres are off to a phenomenal start in 2025 which means they are not under any pressure to make any significant roster changes at the moment. San Diego has been firing on all cylinders offensively, and on the rubber, even though Dylan Cease has struggled, Michael King and Nick Pivetta have both been lights out. But, we all know things in this game can change in a hurry, and just because something isn't a need now, doesn't mean it won't be later. Which brings me to right-hander Braden Nett. The 22-year-old has been making a name for himself in the Padres system for several years now, and he's off to a strong start in Double-A. Later this summer if San Diego suffers injuries on the mound, Nett's name will inevitably come up as a potential option, and he could also become a name you hear mentioned a lot at the trade deadline. 

From a talent prospective the Marlins are inarguably behind all of their rivals in the National League East, which is going to present them with ample opportunities to evaluate their young talent. One of those names in particular is corner infielder Deyvison De Los Santos, who is making waves in Triple-A right now with his offensive production. De Los Santos has slashed .305/.363/.415 with six extra-base hits through his first 22 contests, and if he can keep swinging the bat at that level it will be hard for the Marlins to keep him in Jacksonville.