Every year, previously unheralded prospects break out in spring training and launch themselves into the hearts and minds of dynasty managers. That holds true this season. Every team has seen performances out of their young talent that they should be excited about.
So which of those prospects have improved their stock the most? It’s impossible to predict how the rest of the spring will go, but the five players discussed have exceeded expectations and may be starting conversations regarding how to get them MLB playing time in 2025.
This is not an exclusive list. Dozens of players have made an impact in their short time with their clubs in Spring Training. However, the following five names are the guys who have stood out to me.
Curtis Mead, INF – Tampa Bay Rays
The disparity between the 24-year-old’s stats in the Majors last season and his spring performance to date is almost comical.
Data as of: March 10th, 2025
Those spring numbers would be tough to put up on MLB The Show on rookie mode. Mead hasn’t shown a ton of pop (2/15 hits for extra bases), but he’s spraying the ball all over the field and has turned tough pitches into base hits. Is this level of production sustainable? Absolutely not, but any time a guy has an on base percentage over 75%, you should stop and take notice.
Coming into the spring, it was tough to see Mead generating any sort of production in 2025. He was seen as a fringe Major Leaguer who was destined for a bench role. Mead has decent pop (14 HR’s in 2024) but doesn’t carry any real threat on the basepaths. That’s a bad combination to have, especially in limited playing time. Now though, he’s playing like a man possessed, and the Rays would be insane to keep a bat that hot out of their lineup.
There still isn’t a clear path to playing time. Junior Caminero has third base locked down and Brandon Lowe should maintain his spot at second. That leaves Mead on the outside looking in, but a continued spell of production should land him a spot in the lineup. What he would do with that roster spot is a mystery though. The production should taper off significantly and revert to a 85-95 wRC+ level, but he could certainly excel that if he carries this hot streak into the season.
From a fantasy manager’s perspective, his value likely will not get any higher than it is right now. If you can sell high on Mead, you should.
Will Warren, SP – New York Yankees
There is an outbreak of the “injury bug” taking place in Tampa. The Yankees will be without two of their top starters to open the 2025 season. First, Luis Gil strained his lat on February 28th, sidelining him for at least three months. Then, their ace went down with an elbow issue. Reports indicate that Gerrit Cole has been recommended Tommy John surgery, but the team is yet to confirm whether or not the veteran starter will.
Either way, everyone in the Yankees rotation moves up two spots in their absences. Max Fried and Carlos Rodon aren’t going anywhere, and Marcus Stroman and Clarke Schmidt aren’t bad #3 and #4 options. What about that #5 spot though?
Enter Will Warren.
The 26-year-old righty has been outstanding this spring, allowing just one run and striking out 11. Warren’s data from his most recent Spring appearance make it clear why he’s been so effective.
Warren vs. Philadelphia (3/4/25)
Image Generated via PitcherList’s Spring Training Data App.
Bring your attention to the Sinker/Changeup area. The two offerings behave almost identically movement-wise, but there’s a near-seven mile-per-hour difference between them. Warren’s also added nearly three inches of both vertical and horizontal movement to the Sinker between last season and this spring. It made Phillies hitters look silly, generating a CSW% of 38.5 on 13 pitches. The rest of the arsenal looks to be pretty good too. Warren boasts a ~94-mile-an-hour heater and a sweeper with 17 inches of glove-side movement.
A month ago, Warren was a non-factor for dynasty managers. There was little reason to stash a 26-year-old with just five less-than-spectacular career MLB starts (10.32 ERA in 6 games with NYY in ’24). Now, with three weeks to go until Opening Day, the Yankees may be forced to thrust Warren into their starting rotation, barring any last-minute moves. Warren has the tools to stick in the rotation but will be on a short leash with Carlos Carrasco waiting in the wings (should he make the team). For now, though, Warren could be a bargain (#1108 ADP – NFBC) for fantasy managers to consider to bolster their pitching staffs.
Cam Smith, 3B – Houston Astros
Disclaimer: Smith’s value was already sky-high coming into spring training, and it feels like I’m cheating including him. That said, there are whispers in and around the Astros organization that suggest that the #14 overall pick has a chance to break camp with the Major League team.
The first reaction to that is: “No way, he’s only played 32 professional games.” While that’s true, look at what he did in those 32 games last year, not to mention the seven spring games he’s featured in so far.
Smith was the top prospect included in the deal that sent Kyle Tucker to Chicago, and he’s already starting to look like a good investment. The former Florida State Seminole put up a 1.005 OPS and 179 wRC+ in his first foray into pro ball, mashing seven homers in 134 plate appearances. Those numbers have only gotten better in his first Spring Training.
Per Jim Bowden, Smith is going to have “every opportunity” to win the right field job in Houston, hence the comparisons to McCormick, Dubon, and Gamel. Out of the four of them, there is no question who has the highest ceiling. Smith has the potential to be a real weapon in the Astros’ lineup and could make a real run at the Rookie of the Year award with enough opportunities.
Smith was already considered one of the best 5-7 players available in First-Year-Player-Drafts coming into 2025. With the added proximity, in tandem with Houston’s track record of developing quality bats in their system, Smith vaults himself into the top-four conversation alongside Bazzana, Wetherholt, and Kurtz (Sasaki remains a tier above all of them). If you were lucky enough to snag Smith in your drafts, hold on to him at all costs.
Gage Workman, 3B – Chicago Cubs
The Cubs entered the offseason with some glaring needs and did well to address some of them. The back half of the rotation and bullpen have been completely overhauled. Kyle Tucker was added to a lineup that needed an elite bat, and Justin Turner was brought in for depth and veteran expertise. The one area that fans argued needed addressing that was neglected was the hot corner.
Gage Workman, a Rule 5 Draft pick, represents the team’s only true third-base acquisition this offseason. It’s easy to see why the Cubs targeted him. At 6’4″, he has the build to be a power threat, and has proved to be one in the minors (18 HR in 2024). Not to mention, Workman is a plus defender with better-than-expected speed (30 steals in ’24). Before the spring started, he was seen as a high-upside, low-risk acquisition in an area of need, but not much more than that.
After two weeks of spring ball, that has changed. Workman was informed last week that he would be making the trip to Japan to open the regular season with the Major League roster. His spring performance suggests that he played well enough to lock down a bench spot to open the season. Workman has 3 homers in 13 games, posting a 1.214 OPS and 203 wRC+, working primarily at third base.
He’s got a tough task ahead of him competition-wise. Matt Shaw (Cubs’ #1 prospect, MLB #19) is also vying for the starting role at the hot corner. That said, his spring performance hasn’t been impressive (2-13, 8 wRC+), and he dealt with an oblique issue for the first few weeks of camp. As of March 10th, there hasn’t been a decision on whether or not Shaw will make the trip to Japan. If he’s not on the roster, Workman will have a chance to showcase his talents in front of an international audience.
Workman is far from a sure thing. He has a track record of high strikeout rates and has never played above AA. That said, given the Cubs’ current roster (assuming Shaw does not travel), he has the highest ceiling at third base of anyone available. Workman may not pan out, but he’s certainly a lot closer to the starting lineup than he was two months ago.
Grant Taylor, SP – Chicago White Sox
Until May 2024, Taylor was somewhat of a mystery. The 6’3″ right-hander was a second-rounder in 2023, but hadn’t pitched in that collegiate season due to an elbow issue that required Tommy John. He returned to action in A-Ball for four appearances and shoved. Taylor struck out 25 batters in 16 innings, allowing just two earned runs. Unfortunately, another injury and a poor AFL stint lowered any excitement around Taylor.
That excitement is well and truly back this spring though. So far the 22-year-old has struck out nine of the 14 batters he’s faced and has allowed just one hit. In his most recent outing, he picked up a two-inning save against the Dodgers.
Image Generated via PitcherList’s Spring Training Data App.
His four-seam fastball averaged over 98 miles per hour in that outing, in addition to over 16 inches of IVB. Gross. The curveball (85.3 MPH) and cutter (92.9) were both also on. Both pitches generated CSW%’s over 60%. In his first appearance of the spring against the Royals, that fastball was clocked at over 101 miles per hour.
That arsenal is deadly and could vault Taylor into the upper echelons of the minor leagues this season if it sticks. Asking for a 2025 debut for him would be wishful thinking though. Taylor hasn’t registered more than 20 minor league innings yet and has injury risk to keep in mind. That said, the talent is undeniable, and the White Sox need as much pitching talent as they can get right now.
2025 could be a breakout season for the former LSU Tiger. If dynasty managers can spare the roster spot, Taylor is a high-upside arm who may grow into an impact starter for the White Sox in the next few seasons.