Which 2026 MLB Spring Training Prospects Could Break Camp?

Atlanta’s pitching staff is in serious trouble early in the season.

Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep are recovering from elbow surgery to remove bone spurs and might be out for most of 2026. AJ Smith-Shawver is recovering from Tommy John surgery and might not be ready until later in the season. They’re essentially down to Chris Sale, a recovering Spencer Strider, and three bullpen pieces to round out the rotation.

The best story the Braves have gotten out of camp is the rise of MLB Pipeline number 90 prospect JR Ritchie. In four innings, the right-hander has surrendered only one hit, a home run, plus a walk, but struck out six batters.

The 22-year-old prospect really put himself on the radar after a five-strikeout performance against the Boston Red Sox Feb. 27. Ritchie generated eight whiffs on 29 pitches, and touched 95 on his plus-graded fastball.

Ritchie saw his value increase significantly with a strong campaign at Triple-A in 2025. Although his stuff graded around average and had a below-average whiff-rate, he held a groundball rate over 50% and a healthy .180 opposing batting average. He did struggle with a 11% walk rate.

Given that Atlanta needs arms for their rotation, Ritchie is a clear favorite to take a spot regardless of his competition with Didier Fuentes in spring training. Maybe both could appear on the roster?

Charlie Condon, First Baseman/Outfielder, Colorado Rockies

Any news is good news for the Colorado Rockies following their dismal 2025 season.

There’s a lot of good news, including Zac Veen’s return to form on the field and the emerging T.J. Rumfield. Even starting pitchers Chase Dollander and Tanner Gordon might help pump life into a depleted rotation.

No one has as good a spring training for this team as MLB Pipeline’s number 70 prospect Charlie Condon, though. In nine spring games, the 2024 first-rounder has gone seven-for-15 with three home runs and two walks with only three strikeouts. That includes a 115-mile-an-hour ripper against the Kansas City Royals.

Condon rebounded in 2025 after a lackluster 2024 debut season in high-A, going .268/.376/.820 with 14 home runs and 16 doubles. His manager in Hartford, Bobby Meacham, also noted his work ethic and leadership, something the Rockies need.

Given Condon hasn’t played in a triple-A game yet, it might be a stretch to say he will break camp. Condon’s made it hard for the team, though, to consider cutting him.

Chase DeLauter, Outfielder, Cleveland Guardians

The Cleveland Guardians always seem to surprise the baseball world with playoff runs and strong team chemistry. The problem is their outfield isn’t strong, even with Steven Kwan in left field and with Nolan Jones continuing to struggle.

MLB Pipeline’s number 46 prospect Chase DeLauter has an open shot to break camp and provide Jose Ramirez and Kyle Manzardo with more power. In three spring training games, the 24-year-old went five-for-eight with two doubles and a home run.

DeLauter possesses high grades for his hitting and power abilities, which he has been able to show off in the minors since being drafted in the first round in 2022. His fielding is also plus-graded, committing only three errors in 944 innings of play in the minors across all outfield positions.

The downside is whether he can stay healthy. DeLauter hasn’t played in more than 50 games in a season since 2023 and had a back issue early in spring training. He returned, but keeping him off the injured list is paramount.

Still, DeLauter’s glove and power should be more than enough to earn him a spot on opening day.

Andrew Painter, Right-Handed Pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies are in the same boat as the Braves, but in a different way. Zack Wheeler is recovering from shoulder surgery, and Ranger Suarez is with the Boston Red Sox now, while Aaron Nola and Taijuan Walker are beginning to sink.

Andrew Painter, who at one point ranked as the number six prospect in baseball in 2023, is destined for a rotation spot. The 22-year-old was dominant in 2022 before going down with a torn UCL and losing out on two years of play. He returned in 2025 to mixed results, struggling to keep his home run rate down but keeping parts of his plus-plus fastball.

At Thomas Netico notes, Painter’s fastball isn’t only still lagging behind his debut, but the shape isn’t good either. It’s becoming more stagnant rather than having more explosive horizontal breaks. At the same time, he only hit 98 on the gun for his fastball. The stuff still needs time to come back from Tommy John surgery.

The good news is that Painter’s 22 and has some time before the clock turns against him. Given the Phillies need a replacement for Suarez, Painter should break camp with ease if he continues getting hot.

JJ Wetherholt, Shortstop, St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals are long past the days of Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina, and Paul Goldschmidt. JJ Wetherholt is the real passing of the torch to the younger generation.

No Nolan Arenado, Brendan Donovan or Wilson Contreras gives the number-five overall prospect a clear path to the opening day roster. Wetherholt’s gone three-for-10 with a home runs and six walks against two strikeouts in six games. He also has a stolen base to go along with it.

Wetherholt is known for his bat, with more gap power but good raw power to hit 10-15 home runs a year, along with his speed on the basepaths. His patience at the plate is also notable, drawing 197 walks to 190 strikeouts in five seasons, including college.

The question is whether Wetherholt’s defense can hold up, given that he’s had issues at shortstop with 12 errors. With Masyn Wynn there, however, he could move to second base, which could suit him better.

Kevin McGonigle, Shortstop, Detroit Tigers

The number two prospect, Kevin McGonigle, has had a better spring training than his rival number-one, Konnor Griffin of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

McGonigle has gone six-for-15 with two doubles and a triple, along with two walks and a stolen base in seven games. Griffin has had more home runs, but McGonigle is the more complete player this time around. Both haven’t played past double-A, though the Detroit Tigers product is making a serious case.

McGonigle’s a great improvement over Trey Sweeney from 2025, and the Tigers need someone who could produce an .800 OPS. With Riley Greene being the only one to do so in 2025, McGonigle should jump past Triple-A to give Detroit a boost in their lineup.

End Of My Spring Training Rant

With spring training still barely halfway done, things can always change and new players can rise. Still, these players have a very good shot of breaking camp and appearing for their respective teams. It’s all about the team’s needs and whether their players are ready to appear in the show.

DeLauter might be the exception due to injury concerns, and McGonigle might start at Triple-A just for more seasoning. If they get called up, though, it shouldn’t be a surprise at all.