Over the past few years, Major League Baseball has added new rules and showcases to add a new thrill for the players and fans. The newest showcase took place this offseason, as the MLB had their first Spring Breakout.
Spring Breakout is a four-day event that showcases 16 games filled with top prospects from every team. These games get to show what the top prospects can do against each other as a sort-of look into the future of the league for fans.
“Spring Breakout was created so we could provide ourselves with a chance to showcase the future stars of the league,” said Rob Manfred, the MLB’s commissioner.
This year, Spring Breakout started on March 14 and went on until March 17. These games were highlighted by debuts of potential future league stars, such as Paul Skenes, Jackson Holliday, Luisangel Acuña and many more.
Skenes led the MLB off by being one of the big-name prospects to play in these games, as he started the game as the pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Skenes’s performance really turned some heads around the league — not just with fans, but he may have put the MLB on notice as to what is to come. In his Spring Breakout debut, Skenes displayed high velocity, topping 100 mph and had several strikeouts.
Holliday, the current top prospect in the MLB and player for the Baltimore Orioles, was in awe of the velocity that Skenes was dealing to him in their matchup.
“I think he was probably throwing like 110,” Holliday said. “That’s what it looked like. He brought out a cutter as well, I got to see all of them this time. Good pitchers get good hitters out sometimes.”
The respect shown between the top prospects — and the fact that they are oozing with potential and talent — makes for amazing matchups in these styles of games, as fans and players alike can see the next age of stars duke it out before they get to the big leagues.
These games are beneficial for players and teams to understand what they have in a player, but this addition has not been noticed or viewed by many fans.
Claire Smith, a senior management major, explained her perspective on Spring Breakout, saying that there is a positive impact that the games can offer the fans and players alike.
“I think it’s trying to make minor league more exciting, and it’s actually working because people are interested,” Smith said. “It helps grow the players and helps them prove themselves that they can face harder opponents.”
If these games are indeed geared toward helping players maximize their potential, like many fans believe, it could greatly benefit baseball. By providing prospects with opportunities to showcase their skills against MLB-level talent, it may alleviate the stress and nervousness often associated with entering the MLB.
Another potential benefit of these games is the enhancement of spring training. Rather than watching players who may never make it to the league, fans are more likely to be engaged by the presence of established stars and promising rising stars. This new showcase concept could foster early enthusiasm among fans for their respective teams even before the regular season commences.
As the season progresses and these young prospects are called up to the majors, their development as both athletes and competitors will be on display. These players’ success could underscore the effectiveness of initiatives like the Spring Breakout in preparing them for the league’s demands.
