It’s that time of year! Spring training is in full swing, and there’s daily developments coming from both Florida and Arizona as players get prepped for the season. Pitchers are dialing in their pitches, hitters are working out the kinks in their swings, and some young players are getting the chance of a lifetime to play against those stars.
But MLB isn’t done yet. They’ve announced the Spring Breakout, which is a new event this year. All 30 teams will have an exhibition game composed of the biggest talents from each farm system. There’s a total of 16 games between March 14th and 17th, aimed at showcasing the players for each team’s minor league system (Due to the uneven number of clubs in the leagues there’s an extra game instead of 15.)
For AquaSox and Mariner fans, the date to mark down is Friday, March 15th. The Mariners will be hosting the San Diego Padres in Peoria at the complex they both share. The game will be at 1:10 PDT and will be broadcast like a Mariners game, on ROOT along with various streaming options and radio on Seattle Sports 710 AM.
Who can we expect to see? How about AquaSox alumni like Cole Young, Jonatan Clase, Alberto Rodriguez and Tyler Locklear? For AquaSox fans, it’s a great chance to see our former Frogs in action and how they’ve developed. But it’s also a chance to lay eyes on some potential future Frogs like Colt Emerson, Jonny Farmelo, Lazaro Montes and Walter Ford. There’s talent from all around the world on the roster and some exciting young players who will likely be in Everett someday soon.
This game will give each of the players a chance to share the spotlight with major league players for a day. Allowing fans who don’t normally see the minors a chance to see the future of the Mariners franchise should get everyone excited for seasons to come at T-Mobile Park. For the players themselves it will be an opportunity to show the big-league club the progress they’ve made and perhaps why they should be considered for promotion later in the year or even perhaps Opening Day.
As a baseball fan, this is definitely something to get excited about. Every year during the All-Star Break, there’s something called the Futures Game, which highlights some big prospects from across the minors. However, as it’s just one game and pulled from across the league, it’s a bit limited. Last year in Seattle we were lucky to host it, and it contained some former AquaSox like Noelvi Marte and Harry Ford. It’s a fun watch every year, but it always feels like it doesn’t honor enough of the hard-working minor leaguers across the game.
In promoting the minor league stars this way, MLB hopes to excite fans for the future, and I think it’s nothing but positive for the future of the game. Are we going to be watching the 2027 Seattle Mariners out there on the field? We don’t know, but it’s definitely fun to see these players get a chance to shine in the spotlight. Perhaps we’ll witness a Spring Breakout!
