MLB 2016 breakout candidates

Buxton's name has been popular on prospect lists since he was selected second overall in the 2012 draft, but injuries have pushed back his E.T.A. He struggled in his rookie debut with the Twins last season but has the wheels to be a catalyst at the top of Minnesota's lineup after swiping 94 bases in 276 minor league games. He's also a .301 career hitter in the minors.

Arm issues have limited Capps to 118 relief appearances through four seasons, but facing him has been a nightmare for opposing batters. He had an incredible 16.8 K/9 rate last season in 31 innings and averaged better than 98 mph on his fastball. The Marlins will give him a chance to win the closer role this spring.

Carrasco went 14-12 with a 3.63 ERA in 2015, and there's much more where that came from. He's shown dominant stuff, with a 10.6 K/9 rate as a starter last season. He's one part of a potentially dominant Cleveland starting rotation.

The thin Angels lineup has no choice but to use Cron in the middle of the order, where he will benefit with RBI opportunities hitting behind Mike Trout and Albert Pujols. He had 27 Major League home runs in 620 at-bats and showed big power in the minors.

The Twins like control pitchers, and Duffey has a chance to be a good one. He was strong in his rookie debut last season, going 5-1 with a 3.10 ERA in 10 starts after posting a 2.54 ERA in the minors. His minor league career BB/9 below 2.0 shows tremendous control.

The Orioles are banking on a breakout season from Gausman after losing Wei-Yin Chen in free agency. The former top prospect has shown flashes in three Major League seasons, but he has only a 4.21 ERA for his career.

Acquired last season for Howie Kendrick, Heaney has been known for his polish since being drafted ninth overall in 2012 by the Marlins. He had a solid 3.49 ERA in 18 starts for the Angels last season and will be counted on for more this season with Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson coming off subpar performances in 2015.

Hendricks is the pitcher in the Cubs rotation no one is talking about, but sabermetricians have loved him since he was a prospect. He went 8-7 with a 3.95 ERA in 2015 but had a terrific 3.88 K/BB ratio. The upside is far greater than his status would seem as the team's No. 4 starter.

Iglesias was just growing accustomed to the Majors in his first full season after leaving Cuba and was still one of baseball's best pitchers down the stretch with a 3.39 ERA and 10.4 K/9 after the All-Star break. The Reds will count on him as their ace in 2016.

Johnson looked like a breakout candidate in 2014, but he lost velocity and struggled in the minors. Last season he got back on track, with a 2.37 ERA at Triple-A Charlotte and 3.34 ERA in six starts down the stretch with the White Sox. While Carlos Rodon is getting most of the attention among the team's young pitchers, Johnson will be counted on just as much.

Matz was simply spectacular during his Major League debut, but his time was limited due to injury. The lefty had a 2.27 ERA in six starts during the regular season and added a 3.68 ERA in three postseason starts. He realistically could be the Mets' fourth ace.

Seattle paid heavily to acquire Miley from Boston this offseason, but he could pay dividends while pitching in a favorable ballpark for the first time in his MLB career. The lefty has a sub-4.00 ERA for his career and has been very durable, with more than 190 innings pitched in four consecutive seasons. The move to Safeco Field should help him put his recent struggles of the last two seasons behind him.

Norris' 2015 was one to forget, as he was demoted by Toronto early in the season, traded to Detroit at the trade deadline and then diagnosed with thyroid cancer. He's now healthy and has a chance to be a huge part of Detroit's starting rotation. Norris has been a dominant pitcher during his minor league career and showed flashes in Detroit with a 3.68 ERA and 3.86 K/BB ratio in eight starts.

Ozuna fell out of favor with Marlins ownership last season, getting demoted to Triple-A. The team has resisted the temptation to trade him this offseason, as hitting masterminds Don Mattingly and Barry Bonds prepare to fix whatever ailed him in 2015. Ozuna hit 23 home runs in 2014 and will be relied on as protection for Giancarlo Stanton this season. He showed big upside as a minor leaguer, hitting more than 20 home runs three times.

Sometimes it helps to be in the right place at the right time. Paulsen found at-bats as Colorado's starting first baseman last season when Justin Morneau was injured, hitting 11 home runs in 325 at-bats. He goes into spring training as the team's unquestioned starting first baseman, giving him upside to produce far more.

A former minor league pitcher, Peralta's story is worthy of a Hollywood script. The Diamondbacks found him playing for the Amarillo Sox of the Independent League in 2013, and he's done nothing but hit since then. He hit .312-17-78 in only 462 at-bats last season and should see his at-bats increase this season with a surefire starting job.

Perez worked his way back slowly from Tommy John surgery, struggling at times. He had a 4.46 ERA in 14 starts, but his plus control and excellent ground ball rate remained intact. If those positive trends continue, he should fit in nicely as the Rangers' No. 3 starter.

Piscotty played well late in the year in his rookie debut, hitting .305 in 63 games. The Cardinals have raved about his work ethic and were hesitant to add an outfielder to replace Jason Heyward during the offseason because they want Piscotty to see regular at-bats. While he's never hit more than 18 home runs in one season as a pro, Piscotty has the bat control to build on last season.

Polanco's sophomore season didn't go as well as planned in 2015, but some scouts feel he has even more upside than teammates Andrew McCutchen and Starling Marte. Polanco did steal 27 bases last season, and he's shown double-digit home run power in the minors. If it all comes together, he could show numbers comparable to Marte's in 2016.

Arguably the favorite for NL Rookie of the Year, Seager unseated Jimmy Rollins at shortstop late last season. He was incredible in his first 27 MLB games, hitting .337-4-17 after hitting 18 home runs in the minors. The consensus is that he has significantly more upside than his brother, Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager.

Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber made most of the headlines among the Cubs' young hitters last season, but we shouldn't forget about Soler. The Cuban outfielder has had his share of injuries as a pro, but he's also made pitchers look like they're playing slow pitch softball when he's been on hot streaks. Soler hit .340-15-57 in only 200 minor league at-bats during 2014.

A torn ACL ruined what was supposed to be a breakout season for Stroman in 2015, but he enters 2016 fully healthy after a nice late-season push. He's already 15-6 with a 3.31 ERA over 157.2 Major League innings, showing command well beyond his years. Toronto's incredible offense could help him approach 20 wins.

Yankees fans had waited a while for Severino's arrival, and he was arguably their best pitcher down the stretch in 2015. He had a 2.89 ERA in 11 starts after posting a 2.45 ERA in 19 minor league starts. If the Yankees have a chance to win the AL East, they'll need Severino to deliver over a full season.

Shoulder issues last season prevented Smyly from picking up where he left off late in 2014. He still pitched well in 12 starts during 2015, posting a 3.11 ERA and dominant 10.4 K/9. Tampa Bay has the makings of an elite starting rotation, with Smyly slotting behind Chris Archer and Jake Odorizzi, along with Alex Cobb returning later in the season.

Walker showed his youth early last season, struggling to keep the ball in the park with 25 homers allowed, 19 of which came in May through July. He got his act together later in the year, showing his dominant stuff and finishing the season with nearly one strikeout per inning. Pitcher-friendly Safeco Field should continue to expedite Walker's progress, and his 3.93 K/BB ratio last season shows terrific command already at age 22.