Deep Pitching Prospects Poised to Breakout in 2025

One of my favorite articles to write each offseason is my breakout prospect list. Getting in on prospects early in the dynasty before their stock takes off is huge, and this is what I hope to accomplish in this article, helping you add this list of high-octane prospects to your dynasty farm system.

No matter how deep of a league you are in, we have you covered with a ton of pitching prospects that could break out in 2025. Today, we are digging deep. You might have known most of the names in yesterday’s article, which I linked below. Today, its the deep pitching prospects that you need to know heading into 2025.

So, which deep-cut pitching prospects are set to breakout in 2025? I highlight 20 names below!

2025 Deep Pitching Prospect Breakouts

Humberto Cruz, RHP, 18, San Diego Padres, 6’1”/170, ACL

Rarely do we put much stock into the performance of a 17 year-old arm who has only thrown two professional innings in his career, but Cruz brings a lot of talent to the table. Signing for $750k in the 2024 international class, the Padres liked what they saw from Cruz in the U18 World Cup with Team Mexico when he was just 16.

Cruz will still be 17 years old until December but is already sitting in the low-to-mid 90s and has reportedly been up to 97. The pitch plays as a sinker with heavy arm-side movement.

The changeup pairs well with the sinker, sitting in the low-80s with plus fading action. It could be a useful weapon as a platoon-nuetralizer against left-handed hitters.

Cruz’s gyro slider has late-breaking action with a high spin. It misses bats at a high clip and looks like it could be a plus offering.

There is plenty of projection on Cruz’s frame, and the fact he has already added velocity is quite telling. If he adds good weight and does not lose his current athleticism, there is a massive amount of potential. Cruz’s mechanics are pretty smooth, and he repeats them well. Cruz's potential as a successful starter is as good as any other his age.

Zach Fruit, RHP, 24, Baltimore Orioles, 6’4”/212, A+

A former relief pitcher in college, Fruit attened Lansing Community College in 2019 and 2020 before heading to Eastern Michigan in 2021 and 2022. Fruit wrapped up his career at Troy University before being selected in the ninth round of the 2023 MLB Draft by the Orioles.

In his first pro season, Fruit dominated in High-A, tossing 107 innings with a 3.03 ERA and a 25 percent strikeout rate. In 20 of Fruit’s 25 starts, he allowed two earned runs or less and finished the year with a 2.04 ERA in his final 14 starts.

Fruit hit 100 mph on his fastball in 2024 whiler sitting in the 94-96 mph range. It has strong IVB and Fruit pairs it with big extension which allows the pitch to play up.

He has two breaking balls in a slider that has strong two-plane break and a 12-6 curve. The slider sits in the 83-86 mph range, while the curveball 79-81. There is a solid changeup, though Fruit did not throw it often in my look.

Given the pitch level data and the performanace in his first full-season, Fruit could really pop off in 2025.

Bishop Letson, RHP, 20, Milwaukee Brewers, 6’4”/170, A

Letson was an 11th-round pick in the 2023 MLB draft who received an above-slot bonus of $482k. His first full-pro season was strong, as Letson posted a 3.13 ERA across 63 innings with 57 strikeouts and 27 walks.

With plenty of projection on his 6’4” frame, there is room to add to his fastball, which presently sits in the 92-95 mph range, but Letson has already been up to 98 mph. It is an elite extension, which allows the pitch to play up even more. The two-seam regularly has north of 15 inches of horizontal movement, while his four-seam has more carry through the zone.

Letson’s slider has a two-plane break, getting good horizontal movement and nearly 30 inches of horizontal separation from his two-seam to the slider. The changeup is still a work in progress, but it does have heavy fading action. If the pitch further develops this offseason, Letson will have a strong arsenal.

For his age and larger frame, Letson threw strikes at an above-average clip this season, nearly 63 percent. He misses bats and does a good job keeping the ball on the ground. The upside is tremendous here, especially if the fastball continues to tick up.

Alessandro Ercolani, RHP, 20, Pittsburgh Pirates, 6’2”/185, A+

Ercolani feels like a major sleeper in the Pirates system, as I saw him quite often with Greensboro this year. His story is unique as Ercolani is the only player in professional baseball from the small country of San Marino, the fifth smallest country in the world. He is pitching his way onto radars as he posted a 3.29 ERA across 76.2 innings in 2024 with 93 strikeouts and 25 walks.

He only got better as the year went on, and the stuff improved. The fastball sits in the 91-93 mph range with good traits from a challenging release point. His slider works in the 82-86 mph range with good horizontal movement. He will mix in an upper-80s cutter as well that grades out very well. The curveball sits in the mid-80s with more depth than the slider.

It is a deep arsenal of pitches with good strike-throwing ability and bat missing. Ercolani had an above-average strike rate of 64 percent this season and struck out nearly 30 percent of the batters he faced. His strikeout minus walk rate was one of the better marks in minor-league baseball for pitchers his age.

Whether Ercolani is a starter or not long-term is still the question. He worked as a starter and in piggyback roles this year and was highly successful in both. There is a lot of intrigue here with what Ercolani brings to the table.

Keyner Benitez, LHP, 18, Miami Marlins, 6’1”/165, A

Benitez began the season as a 17-year-old who was pitching at the complex. He jumped to Single-A just days after his 18th birthday and pitched extremely well. Pitching 69.2 innings, Benitez posted a 2.71 ERA with 77 strikeouts to 28 walks. Listed at 6’1”/165 lb, Benitez seems to have added some weight, having a strong lower half.

The lefty gets a ton of east-west movement on his pitches and has shown five pitches. The sinker and four-seam sit around 93 mph but have been as high as 95 mph. Both pitches get a similar amount of IVB, nearly 15 inches from a 5’8” release height. Benitez gets a big extension, nearly seven feet, which allows his entire arsenal to play up.

The changeup was Benitez’s most used secondary, sitting between 82 and 83 mph with heavy fading action. He sells it well, and it tunnels with the sinker before causing it to tumble and fade late. Single-A hitters posted a 53 percent whiff rate against that pitch.

The slider sits in the upper-70s with good sweeping action and depth, and Benitez occasionally mixes in a curveball that sits in the mid-70s with a nice two-plane break.

Right now, the questions surround strike-throwing ability. The strike rate sat slightly north of 60 percent this year, which is below average, but again, this is a young 18-year-old. He misses bats and has a deep arsenal. Benitez should be a major helium prospect in 2025.

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