6 Prospects Nationals Fans Should Keep Their Eye on During Spring Breakout Game
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One of the most exciting contests of the spring training calendar is here, as the Washington Nationals will face the St. Louis Cardinals in the Spring Breakout game that features top prospects from both organizations.
After first releasing a pool of players that had 27 out of their top 30 prospects, the Nationals finalized their gameday roster that will now feature 17 of their top 30 guys. Because of that, there will be plenty of star power on display for fans to watch on Thursday.
Washington announced their lineup for this contest:
-Eli Willits: SS
-Gavin Fien: DH
-Seaver King: 2B
-Andrew Pinckney: CF
-Yohandy Morales: 1B
-Ronny Cruz: 3B
-Phillip Glasser: LF
-Caleb Lomavita: C
-Sam Petersen: RF
-Davian Garcia: SP
While it's unclear how long the starters are going to play and how long each pitcher will get on the mound, there is a lot to pay attention to during this showcase. And with that in mind, here are six prospects Nationals fans should keep their eye on during this Spring Breakout Game.
Eli Willits & Gavin Fien
I'm lumping this duo together because they are the headliners of this roster and are the two players who are going to get the most attention as the No. 1- and No. 5-ranked prospects in the pipeline. It was a bit disappointing to not see Willits and Fien man the left side of the infield together, but Fien is still recovering from the surgical procedure he underwent in November of last year that removed a bone spur from his right hand. So holding him back from live game reps in the field isn't surprising.
Still, it will be exciting to see Willits and Fien bat one and two in this lineup. Both young players are expected to be major pieces of Washington's future. So seeing these two 2025 first-round draft picks on the field at the same time will be awesome.
Landon Harmon
Selected in the third round of the 2025 draft out of high school, Harmon did not pitch in the minors last year. This upcoming season will be his first as a professional, so this Spring Breakout game is really the first opportunity for Nationals fans to get their eyes on the 6-foot-5 right-hander.
With a fastball that already sits in the mid-90s and can get up to 99 mph, he is the latest flamethrower Washington has added to their pipeline. And with two versions of a breaking ball that impressed scouts when he was on the prep circuit, the No. 10-ranked prospect is an intriguing pitcher to follow during his young career.
Miguel Sime Jr.
Speaking of flamethrowers, Sime was eclipsing the 100 mph mark with his fastball as a high schooler. He pairs that with a curveball and a change up that keeps hitters off his heater, which is important for the youngster as he enters his first campaign of professional baseball.
Like Harmon, Sime didn't pitch in the minors last year following his fourth-round selection. So this will also be the first time fans will get their eyes on the right-hander in a live-game setting. While he likely won't pitch more than an inning, it will still be great to see the arsenal of the 19th-ranked prospect against hitters from a different organization.
Ronny Cruz
Cruz was invited to big league camp this year. He got into three games and was given only four at-bats, but he went 1-for-4 where his lone hit was a home run. He also produced two RBIs and struck out just once, which was an impressive showing for the 19-year-old.
Now starting in the Spring Breakout contest at third base, I'm interested to see what Cruz can do against other top prospects. Ranked 25th in the Nationals' pipeline, he was acquired from the Chicago Cubs alongside Christian Franklin ahead of the trade deadline last season. And while Cruz might have been a footnote of that deal initially, he was impressive during rookie ball in 2025 and has a real chance to breakout this year.
Sam Petersen
Petersen can just flat-out hit the baseball. He showed that during his collegiate career at Iowa, and despite getting drafted in the eighth round in 2024, his ability at the plate will allow him to quickly climb up the pipeline if he continues the level of production he's had as a professional thus far with a slash line of .316/.415/.500 across 64 games.
The 23-year-old was also part of Washington's MLB camp this spring, and he once again showed his ability to hit by going 2-for-4 with a walk, a double and an RBI across three games of action. Petersen is an interesting prospect to keep an eye on this season. Ranked No. 22 in the Nationals' farm system, he could be a riser if he has a big year. And that could start with a strong showing in this Spring Breakout contest.
Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he worked at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad became the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continued to cover Penn State athletics. Currently, Brad is the Publisher for Washington Nationals On SI and covers multiple teams across the On SI network. He is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, where he and his co-host discuss topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai