1 Potential Breakout Prospect to Watch for Every MLB Team

As updated top-prospect lists begin to trickle out and fall and winter leagues wrap up, it's a great time to shine some light on the prospects who are poised to make a name for themselves during the 2022 season.

Along with the well-established top prospects who become household names before they ever reach the majors, there are always a handful of players each year who take a significant step forward in their development and climb organizational and leaguewide prospect lists in the process.

Based on projectable tools, recent performance and long-term upside, we've selected one player from each team's farm system poised for a breakout season.

Baltimore Orioles: 3B Coby Mayo (Age: 20)

A fourth-round pick in 2020 who signed for an above-slot $1.75 million bonus, Mayo is a big 6'5", 215-pound third baseman with 60-grade raw power. He hit .319/.426/.555 with 24 extra-base hits in 216 plate appearances while reaching Single-A in his pro debut, and he has the power potential to emerge as a top-tier prospect.

Boston Red Sox: IF Eddinson Paulino (Age: 19)

Paulino made his stateside debut in 2021 and hit .336/.436/.549 with 20 extra-base hits in 36 games in the Florida Complex League. He split his time defensively between second base and third base, while also making a pair of starts at shortstop. He'll fly up prospect rankings if he can keep swinging a hot bat in his first year of full-season ball.

New York Yankees: OF Elijah Dunham (Age: 23)

The Breakout Player of the Year in the Arizona Fall League, Dunham hit .357/.465/.571 with 11 extra-base hits and 11 steals in 23 games. The Indiana alum signed for a max $20,000 bonus after he went unselected in the abridged 2020 draft, and with solid tools across the board, he has a chance to be a 20/20 corner outfielder if everything clicks.

Tampa Bay Rays: LHP Patrick Wicklander (Age: 21)

Wicklander discovered he was Type l diabetic during the 2020 shutdown. Once he began treatment, he found much more consistency on the mound and his stock took off. The 6'1" left-hander went 7-1 with a 2.09 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 77.2 innings as a junior at Arkansas and then tossed 11.1 scoreless innings with a 22-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio in his pro debut after going in the eighth round of the 2021 draft.

Toronto Blue Jays: LHP Kendry Rojas (Age: 19)

Signed to a $200,000 bonus as part of the 2019 international class, Rojas made his pro debut stateside this year and posted a 2.28 ERA and 0.80 WHIP with a 39-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 23.2 innings in rookie ball.

"Not overpowering velo but throws a ton of strikes; there's arm speed for him to throw harder down the road and a hard slider to miss bats in there," wrote Ben Badler of Baseball America.

Chicago White Sox: IF Bryan Ramos (Age: 19)

Assuming right-hander Norge Vera is already on everyone's radar and doesn't qualify here, Ramos is a good pick to raise his profile. With a strong 6'2", 190-pound frame and loud offensive tools, including plus raw power, he is capable of a significant step forward after hitting .244/.345/.415 with 23 doubles, 13 home runs and 13 steals at Single-A in 2021.

Cleveland Guardians: RHP Xzavion Curry (Age: 23)

With an undersized 5'11" frame, Curry faces an uphill battle if he hopes to stick in a starting role. However, he throws a ton of strikes and passed every challenge that was thrown at him in 2021 with flying colors, posting a 2.30 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 123 strikeouts in 97.2 innings over three levels. How he handles an expanded workload and better competition at Double-A will determine if his stock continues to climb.

Detroit Tigers: RHP Garrett Hill (Age: 25)

One of the top pitchers in the Arizona Fall League, Hill posted a 1.98 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 13.2 innings. The 6'0" right-hander doesn't have overpowering stuff with a low-90s fastball and a plus changeup, but he has still managed 10.4 K/9 in 237.1 pro innings since going in the 26th round of the 2018 draft. He could see the big leagues in 2022.

Kansas City Royals: OF Junior Marin (Age: 17)

The Royals' 2020-21 international prospect haul was headlined by tooled-up shortstop Daniel Vazquez, but it was Marin who was the early standout from that group. The teenage outfielder hit .380/.468/.696 with eight doubles, seven home runs and 32 RBI in 32 games in the Dominican Summer League, and that should pave the way for his stateside debut in 2022.

Minnesota Twins: RHP Matt Canterino (Age: 24)

Elbow issues limited Canterino to 23 innings in 2021, but he has been flat-out dominant when healthy since going in the second round of the 2019 draft. The 6'2" right-hander has a 1.13 ERA, 0.63 WHIP and 76 strikeouts in 48 pro innings, and he throws plenty of strikes despite a quirky delivery. A full season of work could send his stock soaring.

Houston Astros: IF J.C. Correa (Age: 23)

The Astros are poised to lose shortstop Carlos Correa in free agency, but his younger brother is quietly climbing the minor league ranks. He doesn't have the same ceiling, but after hitting .310/.368/.464 with 43 extra-base hits in 101 games between Single-A and High-A, he is a prospect on the rise. The Lamar University graduate was signed as a free agent after he went undrafted in 2020.

Los Angeles Angels: RHP Coleman Crow (Age: 20)

The youngest pitcher in the Arizona Fall League, Crow signed an above-slot $317,500 bonus as a 28th-round pick in the 2019 draft. His pro debut came this year when he posted a 4.19 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 62.1 innings at Single-A, and he impressed with a 1.59 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and a 20-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 17 innings in the AFL.

Oakland Athletics: 3B Zack Gelof (Age: 22)

Already widely viewed as a top-10 prospect in a thin Oakland system, Gelof has the potential to jump on to leaguewide top-100 lists with a strong 2022 campaign. He hit .333/.422/.565 with 17 extra-base hits, 13 steals and 30 RBI in 36 games in his pro debut, and he could quickly prove to be one of the best college bats in the 2021 draft class.

Seattle Mariners: LHP Adam Macko (Age: 20)

Macko is trying to become just the third Slovenian-born player in MLB history, though he was raised in Canada by way of Ireland. A spike in fastball velocity and the makings of a plus curveball helped him post a 4.59 ERA with 56 strikeouts in 33.1 innings at Single-A Modesto in 2021, and he's just scratching the surface of his potential.

Texas Rangers: RHP Owen White (Age: 22)

White took home Pitcher of the Year honors in the Arizona Fall League, going 5-0 with a 1.91 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 29 strikeouts in 28.1 innings. Signed an above-slot $1.5 million bonus as a second-round pick in 2018, he finally made his pro debut in 2021 after Tommy John surgery delayed his start. With a mid-90s fastball, high-spin curveball, plus slider and average changeup, he has top-of-the-rotation upside.

Atlanta Braves: RHP Andrew Hoffman (Age: 21)

Selected in the 12th round of the 2021 draft out of the University of Illinois, Hoffman pitched well in the MLB Draft League and then jumped straight to Single-A for his pro debut where he posted a 2.73 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 37 strikeouts in 29.2 innings. The 6'5" right-hander has some remaining projectability, and he finished on a high note in 2021 with 12 scoreless innings in his final two starts.

Miami Marlins: 3B Bennett Hostetler (Age: 24)

Outfielder JJ Bleday appears destined for a big breakout season after tearing up the Arizona Fall League, but he is already a top prospect.

Instead, let's focus on Hostetler, who hit .394/.513/.606 with 10 home runs and 58 RBI in 61 games as a fifth-year senior at North Dakota State before he was selected in the 18th round of the 2021 draft. He batted .319/.367/.486 in 150 plate appearances while reaching High-A in his pro debut, and his fast-moving bat is one to watch.

New York Mets: LHP Javier Atencio (Age: 20)

On the older end of the prospect scale for the Dominican Summer League, Atencio dominated younger hitters with a 2.44 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 48 innings. The 6'0" left-hander has a good fastball, but the jump to full-season ball will determine if his 2021 performance was the real deal.

Philadelphia Phillies: RHP Griff McGarry (Age: 22)

With a 65-grade fastball that touches triple digits and a wipeout slider, McGarry has electric stuff. However, he also walked batters at an unsightly 8.8 BB/9 clip in college and slipped to the fifth round of the 2021 draft as a result. He struck out 43 of the 100 batters he faced in his pro debut, logging a 2.96 ERA in the process, but he also issued 14 walks for a 5.8 BB/9. If he can evolve with his command, he'll be a dominant bullpen arm or an intriguing rotation project.

Washington Nationals: SS Jackson Cluff (Age: 25)

The Defensive Player of the Year in the Arizona Fall League, Cluff also hit .342/.432/.456 with six doubles and eight steals in 22 games. With even average offensive production, he could be an everyday big league shortstop thanks to his glove, so if he can prove the gains he made at the plate this fall are for real, he'll quickly move into the organization's top 10 prospects.

Chicago Cubs: OF Nelson Velazquez (Age: 22)

Velazquez led the Arizona Fall League in home runs (9), extra-base hits (16), total bases (74), slugging (.712) and OPS (1.191), hitting .385/.480/.712 in 123 plate appearances to take home the league's MVP honors. That came on the heels of a regular season that saw him post an .829 OPS with 20 home runs and 73 RBI in 103 games between High-A and Double-A. What's next?

Cincinnati Reds: IF Ivan Johnson (Age: 23)

A switch-hitting middle infielder with 50-grade tools across the board, Johnson has one of the highest ceilings in the Cincinnati system among position players. The 2019 fourth-round pick had a .960 OPS with six home runs in 70 plate appearances in the Arizona Fall League, and he could be ticketed for Double-A to begin the 2022 season.

Milwaukee Brewers: OF Hendry Mendez (Age: 18)

A growth spurt left Mendez as a lanky 6'2", 175-pound teenager at the onset of his pro career, and he showed some intriguing raw tools while hitting .316/.409/.470 with 13 extra-base hits and more walks (17) than strikeouts (12) in 40 games between the Dominican Summer League and stateside rookie ball. He's a low-level flier but one who could take off as he fills out physically and grows into his power.

Pittsburgh Pirates: C/OF Endy Rodriguez (Age: 21)

Acquired from the Mets in the three-team deal that sent Joe Musgrove to the San Diego Padres last offseason, Rodriguez hit .294/.380/.512 with 25 doubles, 15 home runs and 73 RBI in 98 games at Single-A. With the defensive versatility to play catcher, first base and both corner outfield spots, he's an intriguing piece of the puzzle for the rebuilding Pirates.

St. Louis Cardinals: RHP Andre Pallante (Age: 23)

Pallante spent 2021 pitching in the upper levels of the St. Louis system, despite the fact that it was his first full professional season after going in the fourth round of the 2019 draft. The 6'0" right-hander had a 3.81 ERA in 99.1 innings and then turned heads in the Arizona Fall League with a 1.29 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 22 strikeouts in 21 innings while touching 99 mph with his fastball.

Arizona Diamondbacks: 3B Deyvison De Los Santos (Age: 18)

De Los Santos was recently named the top power hitter in the Arizona farm system by Baseball America. The 6'1", 185-pound teenager hit .295/.370/.489 with 16 doubles, eight home runs and 37 RBI in 62 games while reaching Single-A in his pro debut and before hitting his 19th birthday. He might wind up at first base long term, but his bat has a chance to carry him to the big leagues.

Colorado Rockies: LHP Joe Rock (Age: 21)

With Rock's towering 6'6", 200-pound frame, a mid-90s fastball and a plus breaking ball, it's not hard to see why the Rockies selected him with the No. 68 pick in the 2021 draft. The left-hander has work to do in refining his command, but after he posted a 117-to-27 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 88.2 innings this past spring at the University of Ohio, it's easy to dream on his long-term potential.

Los Angeles Dodgers: OF James Outman (Age: 24)

Largely overlooked in a deep Dodgers farm system, Outman quietly hit .266/.379/.490 with 21 doubles, 18 home runs and 23 steals in 104 games between High-A and Double-A in 2021. That was followed by a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League where he logged a .974 OPS and 11 extra-base hits in 83 plate appearances, putting him squarely on the prospect radar for the first time in his career.

San Diego Padres: 1B/OF Daniel Montesino (Age: 17)

Montesino inked a $1 million bonus as part of the 2020-21 international class and made his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League, where he hit .316/.444/.489 with 21 extra-base hits and a 17.7 percent walk rate in 56 games. He is a bat-first prospect who will likely never provide much in the way of defensive value, but he has enough offensive upside to continue to climb prospect lists.

San Francisco Giants: RHP R.J. Dabovich (Age: 22)

With a staggering 17.3 K/9 and 10 saves in 31 appearances between High-A and Double-A last season, Dabovich quietly ranks as one of baseball's top bullpen prospects. He further boosted his profile with a 1.69 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 10.2 innings in the Arizona Fall League, though he also walked 12 hitters and had a 1.50 WHIP. If he can rein in his command, he could help the MLB bullpen in 2022.

All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference. Prospect ratings via MLB.com.