(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
By Conor Liguori
December 14, 2023
Major League Baseball has announced a new event during spring training called the “Spring Breakout.” The inaugural showcase will let fans look closer at their team’s top prospects from March 14-17 next spring.
Each MLB team will assemble a roster of their best prospects to play against other organizations during Major League Baseball spring training. Each roster will feature 20-25 players from their respective minor league system. The expectation is that rosters for each team should be released closer to March 2024.
“Spring Breakout will provide a new opportunity to showcase the game’s future stars as they continue on their journey to the Major Leagues,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a press release on Wednesday. “Our fans will get unique opportunities to meet our best prospects, get autographs, and see the next generation of Major Leaguers up close. We are thrilled that Major League Baseball, minor league baseball, and all of our clubs are working closer than ever to grow the game and to shine a brighter light on our future All-Stars.”
Most fans receive limited opportunities to watch their team’s minor leaguers and top prospects. Unless they live close to an affiliate stadium, they usually only track their progress through highlight videos and following the player’s stats.
“Spring Breakout” will allow fans traveling to Florida and Arizona for spring training this coming March to focus solely on the stars of tomorrow. Until now, prospects generally make appearances in the later innings of spring training games after MLB stars and everyday players take to the clubhouse and hit the showers. Otherwise, they play on the back fields behind the MLB spring training stadiums.
The prospects will also play Major League Baseball competition during the event, as 12 of the games on the “Spring Breakout” schedule will be played as part of a doubleheader. Twenty-eight teams are guaranteed one seven-inning exhibition game, and the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals have two games on the schedule. How prospects fare against major league-level talent can give the organization a better idea of how close players are to being ready for Major League Baseball.
According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, “Spring Breakout” games could be televised on MLB Network, and fans who attend the games may have chances to meet the prospects and receive autographs.
2024 “Spring Breakout” Schedule
Thursday, March 14
6:05 p.m. ET– Cincinnati Reds vs. Texas Rangers
7:05 p.m. ET– Baltimore Orioles vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Friday, March 15
2:05 p.m. ET– Miami Marlins vs. St. Louis Cardinals
4:10 p.m. ET– Seattle Mariners vs. San Diego Padres
5:05 p.m. ET– Chicago White Sox vs. Chicago Cubs
3:10 p.m. ET– Washington Nationals vs. New York Mets
7:05 p.m. ET– San Francisco Giants vs. Oakland Athletics
Saturday, March 16
1:05 p.m. ET– Atlanta Braves vs. Boston Red Sox
1:05 p.m. ET– Philadelphia Phillies vs. Detroit Tigers
4:05 p.m. ET– Toronto Blue Jays vs. New York Yankees
4:05 p.m. ET– Tampa Bay Rays vs. Minnesota Twins
4:10 p.m. ET– Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Los Angeles Angels
7:05 p.m. ET– Cleveland Guardians vs. Cincinnati Reds
7:10 p.m. ET– Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Colorado Rockies
Sunday, March 17
10:05 a.m. ET– Houston Astros vs. St. Louis Cardinals
4:05 p.m. ET– Milwaukee Brewers vs. Kansas City Royals