With pitchers and catchers set to report to Spring Training in the coming days and full-squad workouts beginning shortly thereafter, the beginning of the baseball season continues to get that much closer.
Spring Training provides the opportunity for players to potentially earn spots on the Opening Day roster. Additionally top prospects get exposure to the big league atmosphere and perhaps get to enjoy some moments in the spotlight.
Players on 40-man rosters or who get a non-roster invite will appear in big league camp, with 26 teams having already announced their NRI groups. Currently, 65 players from MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects list fit into one of those two buckets, with more potentially coming when the Cubs, Dodgers, Mets and Twins announce their invites in the coming days.
Here’s a breakdown of those Top 100 prospects who will attend Major League Spring Training by team, as well as how they might factor into their respective organizations’ plans in 2026:
Blue Jays: RHP Trey Yesavage (MLB No. 12) (40-man); SS Arjun Nimmala (MLB No. 77) (NRI)
Yesavage became a part of Blue Jays lore with a postseason run to remember for Toronto during his first full pro season last year while falling just short of a World Series crown. Now the 22-year-old righty — who posted a 3.58 ERA over six playoff appearances — aims to be a pivotal part of the Jays’ rotation this season and beyond. Nimmala enters his third big league camp since being taken No. 20 overall in the 2023 Draft. Still just 20 years old, the first-generation Indian-American looks to continue his steady rise through Toronto’s system, which concluded last year with a solid showing at High-A Vancouver.
Orioles: C/1B Samuel Basallo (MLB No. 8) (40-man); OF Dylan Beavers (MLB No. 69) (40-man)
No surprises here for the O’s as the club’s two best prospects look to build on their Major League debuts a season ago. Basallo mashed four homers and drove in 15 runs while throwing out 38.5 percent of potential basestealers during a 31-game stint with Baltimore. Beavers added four dingers of his own and scored 16 times during his 35-game debut in The Show. He appeared at both corner outfield spots and produced a handful of highlight-reel catches.
Rays: SS Carson Williams (MLB No. 63) (40-man); RHP Brody Hopkins (MLB No. 85) (NRI)
Williams is coming off a Major League debut in 2025 that he would probably like a mulligan on. After striking out at a 41.5 percent clip over 32 games in The Show, the 22-year-old aims to get his hit tool up closer to the level of his elite glove and plus power, which did lead to five dingers over that stretch with Tampa Bay. Hopkins — acquired by the Rays from Seattle in the Randy Arozarena deal in 2024 — enters his first big league camp. The 24-year-old provides a versatile depth piece for the organization’s pitching staff with an effective five-pitch arsenal. He will likely be one of the first arms tapped in the Rays’ system this season if a need opens up.
Red Sox: LHP Payton Tolle (MLB No. 19) (40-man); LHP Connelly Early (MLB No. 56) (40-man)
A pair of quick risers through Boston’s system, Tolle and Early will be key pieces in the Red Sox rotation this season. Tolle raced from High-A to The Show in first pro full season last year and pitched well enough to earn a spot on the postseason roster, where he recorded an out in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series against the Yankees. Early opened last season at Double-A before making his big league debut and posted a 2.33 ERA in four starts for Boston before getting the start in the team’s decisive Game 3 of the Wild Card Series.
Yankees: INF George Lombard Jr. (MLB No. 32) (NRI); RHP Carlos Lagrange (MLB No. 79) (NRI); RHP Elmer Rodríguez (MLB No. 82) (40-man)
Lagrange and Rodríguez will participate in their first Major League Spring Training, and although neither will likely break camp with the big league squad, it might not be too long until they get that call to the Bronx. Lagrange showed what he could do with a clean bill of health last season and finished third in the Minors in strikeouts (168 in 120 innings) and K percentage (33.4 percent) while splitting time between High-A and Double-A. Rodríguez climbed three levels of the Yankees’ organization to the Minors’ highest level while posting a 2.58 ERA and a .192 average-against with 176 punchouts (second-best in the Minors). Lombard Jr. makes his third trip to big league camp and could position himself for what some might consider an early Major League debut with his play.
Guardians: 2B Travis Bazzana (MLB No. 20) (NRI); OF Chase DeLauter (MLB No. 46) (40-man); SS Angel Genao (MLB No. 66) (40-man); 1B/OF Ralphy Velazquez (MLB No. 89) (NRI); LHP Parker Messick (MLB No. 95) (40-man); C Cooper Ingle (MLB No. 99) (NRI)
Cleveland’s system is stacked with six Top 100 prospects, and all of them are heading to big league camp. DeLauter and Messick both made their debuts in The Show last season. DeLauter made two postseason starts in center field in the Wild Card Series for Cleveland, and Messick helped the Guardians lock down a division title by posting a 2.72 ERA over his first seven big league starts to conclude the regular season. Genao was added to the organization’s 40-man roster in November for Rule 5 Draft protection. The 21-year-old suffered a strained right shoulder last spring that derailed his progress, but he could still factor into Cleveland’s infield with a strong early showing this year. Bazzana battled through an oblique strain in his first full pro season but did enough to earn a promotion to Triple-A and could get the call sooner than later if he’s healthy. Ingle will likely return to Triple-A to open the season to round out some edges in his game, but he still remains on the doorstep of his debut in Cleveland.
Royals: C Carter Jensen (MLB No. 18) (40-man); C Blake Mitchell (MLB No. 75) (NRI)
Jensen will look to build off a memorable 2025 campaign in which he raked across the upper levels of the Minors before not missing a beat during his 20-game Major League debut, slashing .300/.391/.550 while posting a 159 wRC+ over 69 plate appearances. Mitchell missed big league camp last spring after suffering a broken right hamate bone and never really got back on track after that, although he showed glimpses of returning to form during the Arizona Fall League. But a full year removed from surgery should provide an opportunity for the 21-year-old to get back on track.
Tigers: SS Kevin McGonigle (MLB No. 2) (NRI); OF Max Clark (MLB No. 10) (NRI); C/1B Josue Briceño (MLB No. 40) (NRI)
All of the arrows are pointing up for baseball’s No. 2 overall prospect McGonigle. After rising through three levels of the Tigers’ system last season to Double-A, the 21-year-old balled out in the Arizona Fall League en route to earning AFL MVP honors. After an eye-opening performance in big league camp last year when he went 4-for-10 with a home run, McGonigle has his sights on the Motor City. Clark is right there as well, having finished last season in Erie too after mashing a career-best 14 long balls while posting a 94/90 BB/K ratio over 111 games. Briceño was also part of that lethal Erie lineup during the latter portion of the season and his 20 homers were tied for the second-most by a catcher aged 20 or younger. His path defensively to The Show remains a bit of a work in progress, but his bat will certainly find a place in the middle of Detroit’s order soon enough.
Twins: OF Emmanuel Rodriguez (MLB No. 74) (40-man)
Rodriguez was added to the club’s 40-man in 2023 for Rule 5 protection and will attend his fourth big league camp. Plagued by injuries for a good chunk of his career, he finished last season with a solid showing for Triple-A St. Paul and carried that into winter ball in his native Dominican Republic. This is the most momentum heading into a season that Rodriguez has been able to garner since turning pro, so if he can stay on the field, he could push for an Opening Day roster spot. Even if the organization feels he could use a little more development in the Minors, it seemingly won’t be long until his number is called.
White Sox: OF Braden Montgomery (MLB No. 36) (NRI); LHP Noah Schultz (MLB No. 49) (NRI); LHP Hagen Smith (MLB No. 72) (NRI)
In the midst of a rebuild, the White Sox are in a favorable position for early returns on keystone prospects like Montgomery, Schultz and Smith — all of whom can make a run at an Opening Day spot this year. The most likely scenario, though, is that Montgomery returns to the Minors for a bit more seasoning after his successful pro debut that ended at Double-A and continued with a strong performance in the Arizona Fall League. Schultz and Smith remain right on the doorstep of the South Side if they don’t get Opening Day opportunities.
Angels: RHP Tyler Bremner (MLB No. 81) (NRI)
The Angels have shown they are not afraid to put their favorite college prospects on the fast track to The Show, so 2025 No. 2 overall pick Bremner getting a closer look at Major League Spring Training should come as no surprise. The 21-year-old hasn’t made his pro debut yet, so an Opening Day spot would be a stretch, but if Bremner maintains his plus three-pitch mix and mid-to-upper 90s velocity on his fastball — and stays on the field — he is a legitimate candidate to reach The Show this season.
Astros: None
Houston is the only organization without a current Top 100 prospect.
Athletics: SS Leo De Vries (MLB No. 4) (NRI); LHP Jamie Arnold (MLB No. 41) (NRI); LHP Gage Jump (MLB No. 57) (NRI)
There is a ton of hype surrounding this prospect trio, and for good reason. Although none of the three is expected to earn a spot out of spring, De Vries and Jump will likely be ready for a big league callup if and when a need arises. Arnold was the organization’s first-round pick in last year’s Draft (No. 11 overall), but has yet to throw a professional pitch. Still, he could be a fast riser through the system and a legitimate option out of camp in 2027.
Mariners: SS Colt Emerson (MLB No. 9) (NRI); LHP Kade Anderson (MLB No. 21) (NRI); RHP Ryan Sloan (MLB No. 33) (NRI); OF Lazaro Montes (MLB No. 43) (NRI); 2B Michael Arroyo (MLB No. 67) (NRI); OF Jonny Farmelo (MLB No. 78) (NRI)
Another one of the most stacked systems in baseball, Seattle flexes six Top 100 prospects and extended invites to Major League Spring Training to all of them. Emerson and Arroyo seem to have the best shots at competing for Opening Day spots. Emerson played his way to Triple-A last season and saved his best for the Minors’ highest level. There is little the 20-year-old can’t do well, so it seems only a matter of when — not if — Emerson gets his call. Arroyo will have no problem fitting his bat into the Mariners’ lineup when the time comes, but his place in Seattle defensively remains a question mark. Montes clubbed 32 homers last season (third-best in the Minors) while playing his way to Double-A, and Farmelo has seen limited time on the field because of injuries, but has flashed five-tool potential when he gets an opportunity to play. Anderson has yet to make his organizational debut and Sloan is coming off an impressive rookie campaign, but both have the potential to be move through the system rapidly. Anderson was the No. 3 overall pick in last year’s Draft and has the arsenal to justify it. Standing 6-foot-5 at 220 pounds, Sloan is an intimidating presence on the mound who currently ranks as MLB’s No. 6 right-handed pitching prospect.
Rangers: SS/3B Sebastian Walcott (MLB No. 7) (NRI)
Still just 19 years old, Walcott will take part in his third Major League camp since signing with Texas in 2023. No stranger to being the youngest guy in the room, Walcott played at High-A at 17 and reached Double-A at 18. Even at 19 last season, he was the youngest batting qualifier in the Texas League. Although not likely to break camp with the Rangers, Walcott might make a legitimate run at a Major League callup later this year.
Braves: RHP JR Ritchie (MLB No. 90) (NRI)
Ritchie thrived across three levels last season as he combined for a 2.64 ERA with 140 strikeouts in a career-high 140 frames. Now that he’s made it to Triple-A, he’ll appear in big league camp for the first time and compete for a rotation spot.
Marlins: LHP Thomas White (MLB No. 17) (NRI); LHP Robby Snelling (MLB No. 39) (NRI); OF Owen Caissie (MLB No. 42) (40-man); C Joe Mack (MLB No. 62) (40-man)
Caissie is expected to compete for the starting right-field spot after arriving from the Cubs in the Edward Cabrera trade this winter. He has some of the best bat speed and raw power on the team. White and Snelling are two of the best left-handed pitching prospects in baseball and are likely to make their Major League debuts at some point in 2026. Mack will be back in big league camp for the third straight year with his best chance yet to make the team.
Mets: RHP Nolan McLean (MLB No. 6) (40-man); RHP Jonah Tong (MLB No. 48) (40-man)
Two right-handers who ended the year in Queens will be back to compete for a rotation spot. McLean is the top pitching prospect in the game after racking up 57 strikeouts with a 2.06 ERA in 48 big league innings last year, while Tong had an up-and-down time in the Majors after leading the Minors in ERA (1.43) and K’s (179) in 2025.
Nationals: RHP Travis Sykora (MLB No. 54) (NRI); C Harry Ford (MLB No. 71) (40-man); RHP Jarlin Susana (MLB No. 80) (NRI)
Hard-throwing righties Sykora and Susana are unlikely to pitch as they recover from Tommy John surgery and lat surgery respectively, but experience around big leaguers will be invaluable. This will also be a key Spring Training for Ford, who arrived from Seattle via trade this offseason and will be competing for a timeshare behind the plate.
Phillies: SS Aidan Miller (MLB No. 23) (NRI); RHP Andrew Painter (MLB No. 28) (40-man); OF Justin Crawford (MLB No. 53) (NRI)
All three prospects ended the season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley and are expected to make their MLB debuts in 2026. Crawford is an early favorite to win a starting job in center or left field, and Painter should be squarely in the mix for one of the final rotation spots. Miller is the longest shot to make the team, in part because of a crowded infield, but will be in big league camp for the third straight year entering his age-22 season.
Brewers: SS/2B Jesús Made (MLB No. 3) (NRI); SS/2B/OF Jett Williams (MLB No. 51) (NRI); SS Cooper Pratt (MLB No. 64) (NRI); RHP Brandon Sproat (MLB No. 100) (40-man)
Williams and Sproat are set to make their Brewers debuts after arriving from the Mets in the Freddy Peralta trade. Sproat, who had four big league starts last season, will be squarely in the mix for a Milwaukee rotation spot. The speedy Williams split his time between short, second and center, and it will be interesting to see how the Brewers deploy him. Pratt is a standout defender at short but is far from his MLB debut after hitting just .238/.343/.348 in his age-20 season at Double-A last year. Made similarly just made it to Biloxi but is a rising star and one of the most exciting players in the Cactus League this year.
Cardinals: INF JJ Wetherholt (MLB No. 5) (NRI); C Leonardo Bernal (MLB No. 98) (40-man)
The trade of Brendan Donovan clears the way for Wetherholt to take over the starting second-base job, and he’ll be an early favorite for the National League Rookie of the Year Award. The seventh overall pick in 2024, Wetherholt hit .306/.421/.510 across the top two levels of the Minors last year. The switch-hitting Bernal will return for his third stint in big league camp.
Cubs: C Moisés Ballesteros (MLB No. 55) (40-man)
Ballesteros ended last season as the Cubs’ DH and is penciled into that spot after the free-agent departure of Kyle Tucker and the trade of Owen Caissie. He only played one of his 20 big league games at catcher, and while he doesn’t have a reputation as a strong defender, he could see more time behind the plate in the Cactus League. Chicago has yet to announce its non-roster invitees, but right-hander Jaxon Wiggins (MLB No. 58) could make an appearance as well.
Pirates: SS/OF Konnor Griffin (MLB No. 1) (NRI); RHP Bubba Chandler (MLB No. 11) (40-man); LHP Hunter Barco (MLB No. 96) (40-man)
One of the biggest storylines of Spring Training will be whether Griffin, baseball’s No. 1 prospect, can make the Opening Day roster. The 2024 first-rounder made one of the most impressive pro debuts ever last season as he reached Double-A while compiling a slash line of .333/.415/.527 with 21 homers and 65 steals. Chandler and Barco will compete for rotation spots after combining to make nine appearances (four starts) in the Majors last year, with Chandler a solid favorite to begin the year in Pittsburgh.
Reds: INF Sal Stewart (MLB No. 22) (40-man); RHP Rhett Lowder (MLB No. 86) (40-man)
Stewart is a heavyweight NL Rookie of the Year candidate after hitting .255/.293/.545 in 18 big league games last year. He can play the infield corners and some second base but figures to have the easiest path to playing time at first. Lowder is Major League-ready after 30 2/3 strong innings in The Show in 2024, although a forearm strain and oblique injury cost him most of the ’25 season. The Reds have rare rotation depth, so cracking the Opening Day roster as a starter may be an uphill battle.
D-backs: OF Ryan Waldschmidt (MLB No. 59) (NRI)
Waldschmidt’s first full pro season was a roaring success as he made it to Double-A and slashed .289/.419/.473 between two levels. The right-handed slugger will be making his second go-around in the Cactus League and has a chance to make the Majors later this season.
Giants: 1B Bryce Eldridge (MLB No. 25) (40-man)
Eldridge was the youngest hitter in the Majors when he debuted at 20 last September, and he’s squarely in the mix for playing time at first base and DH once again. The 6-foot-7 slugger has some of the best power in the organization and can provide much-needed lefty thump in the Giants’ lineup, provided he hits better than he did in his brief cameo last year (.476 OPS).
Padres:
San Diego’s lone Top 100 prospect, 2025 first-rounder Kruz Schoolcraft (No. 88), did not receive an invite to big league Spring Training. The 18-year-old southpaw made one start at Single-A last year after being selected 25th overall.
Rockies: 1B/OF Charlie Condon (MLB No. 70) (NRI)
Condon’s first full pro season included hand and wrist injuries that hampered his approach and limited how much he could show off his impressive power. With a clean bill of health, this figures to be an important Spring Training for him. The righty slugger mostly played first base last year (while also moonlighting in left and at third) but is listed as an outfielder on the Rockies’ roster, so his defensive deployment bears watching.
