Matt Johnson
During the 2025 MLB season, we witnessed players like Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo and Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia deliver breakout seasons. It’s one of the best things about this time of year, seeing young players make a name for themselves with remarkable numbers and performances that make them well-known around the league.
Let’s dive into our list of MLB breakout candidates among everyday players. Stay tuned, we’ll have a breakout pitchers list before Opening Day.
Ivan Herrera, St. Louis Cardinals
The rebuilding St. Louis Cardinals need to have a representative in the All-Star Game this season, and we believe that’ll be 25-year-old Iván Herrera. He’s been excellent at the plate over the last two seasons, putting up a .291 batting average with an .820 OPS, 24 home runs, 13 steals and 97 RBI across 654 at-bats. In the final two months last season, he only struck out in 17.6 percent of his plate appearances while ranking 25th in wRC+ (133) among hitters with 200-plus plate appearances. We believe Herrera is headed for a season with 20-plus home runs, 80-plus runs scored and a .275 batting average, and he might even chip in double-digit stolen bases for St. Louis.
Related: Best Designated Hitters 2026
Chandler Simpson, Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson tied for the second-most stolen bases (44) in MLB last season, and that came in just 414 at-bats. He’s never going to be the caliber of hitter who offers much power, as evidenced by just 14.8 percent of his hits going for extra bases in 2025, but he is one of the fastest players in baseball. We’re talking about a player who can put up a .290 batting average and potentially a .330 OBP. Over a full season with Tampa Bay giving him the green light, Simpson has a shot at 50-60 steals this year.
Related: Best MLB Left Fielders 2026
Francisco Alvarez, New York Mets
New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez has flashed enticing potential through his first three seasons. He hit 25 home runs with a .437 slugging percentage in 2023 and then raised his batting average nearly 30 points the following year. Now he’s coming off a season with a batting average (.256) and OBP (.339) that have jumped 50 points from where they were two seasons ago. Unfortunately, a myriad of hand injuries have prevented him from showcasing more of that power (22 home runs in his last 554 at-bats). That’s finally going to change this season. Alvarez is going to return to his 20-plus homer form and pair it with a .330 OBP, approaching a double-digit walk rate for the first time in his career.
Related: Best MLB Catchers 2026
Jac Caglianone, Kansas City Royals
It was an abysmal first taste of the majors for Jac Caglianone after being called up by the Kansas City Royals. He posted a .157 batting average with a 22.4 percent strikeout rate across 232 plate appearances. The former top prospect entered September with more strikeouts than hits (22) and RBI (10) combined, resulting in a .147 batting average. He showed some signs of life in September, raising his walk rate to 14.1 percent, and he’s impressed in the World Baseball Classic. With the walls being brought in at Kauffman Stadium and Caglianone’s pedigree, we believe he can put up 25 home runs with a .240 batting average in the Royals lineup this coming season.
Read More: MLB Predictions 2026, Win-Loss Projections for all 30 Teams
Sal Stewart, Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds have a lot of exciting young talent poised to delight fans at Great American Ball Park this season. We’re highlighting Sal Stewart, who had only 58 plate appearances in the majors last season, but his 95.4 mph average exit velocity matched Aaron Judge’s mark, and he boasted a hard-hit rate (52.5%) that tied Ronald Acuña Jr. and Yandy Díaz. Stewart’s power is ideal for such a hitter-friendly park, and it wouldn’t be all that surprising if he delivers 20-plus homers, 60-plus RBIs and a .260 batting average.
Read More: Best MLB Rotations 2026
Addison Barger, Toronto Blue Jays
Addison Barger is coming off a season with 21 home runs and 74 RBIs. Where he really stood out, though, was during the Toronto Blue Jays’ run to the World Series. Barger posted a 1.025 OPS with 22 hits, nine RBIs and three home runs across 60 at-bats in the postseason. Those numbers reflect the type of batter who finished last season ranked in the 93rd percentile for bat speed (75.9 mph), the 91st percentile for hard-hit rate (51%) and the 86th percentile for average exit velocity (91.7 mph), according to Baseball Savant. Barger is the truth as a hitter, and he can make himself one of the many fan favorites in Toronto.
Read More: MLB Playoff Predictions 2026
