After spending an hour dealing with a mess of “wintry mix,” there’s nothing I’d rather do than talk spring training. With games starting soon in both the Cactus League and the Grapefruit League, it’s time to get serious about fantasy baseball prep. Whether you prefer season-long leagues, DFS contests or DraftKings Best Ball, DK Network will have you covered throughout the upcoming season. To begin our coverage, we’re working our way through some of the players who are potentially ready to take the next step in fantasy production in the coming year, and in this post we’re focusing on potential SS breakouts to watch for this spring.
Earlier in this series, we examined AL SP Breakouts, NL SP Breakouts, AL OF Breakouts, NL OF Breakouts, Catcher Breakouts, 1B Breakouts, 2B Breakouts and 3B Breakouts. Shortstop is a stacked position full of elite talent, but it’s also pretty deep with some fascinating potential SS Breakouts. Here are my top three:
Matt McLain, Cincinnati Reds
McLain looked ready for a full breakout last season, but injuries entirely washed out his 2024. He wasn’t able to play a single game in the majors last season while dealing with shoulder then rib injuries. However, he was able to play some in the Arizona Fall League for the Glendale Desert Dogs, hitting .240 (12-for-50) with two doubles and four home runs in 13 games. He said he finally felt normal, and that experience should hopefully put him on a good track coming into spring training.
In 2023, McLain posted impressive numbers, hitting .290 with 16 home runs, 14 stolen bases, a .370 wOBA and a 42.0% hard-hit rate, per Statcast. When he was in the lineup, he looked every bit the part of being a hard-nosed, everyday contributor and core piece for Cincinnati to build around.
One thing to watch in spring training is where exactly the Reds will end up playing McLain. He played outfield in the AFL since the team had plenty of infield prospects, but he played 2B and SS most of his previous time with the Reds. With Elly De La Cruz at shortstop and newly acquired Gavin Lux in the mix as well, the Reds could have to shuffle people around. Lux or McLain could move to the outfield, or one of them could move to either corner spot or play DH.
The team has some interchangeable parts, but if McLain can prove he’s healthy and fully back as a middle-of-the-order bat, he should be an everyday part of the heart of the lineup in a very hitter-friendly spot. If he stays healthy, McLain could be a top-10 option at the position and is one of my top SS breakouts to watch this season.
Zach Neto, Los Angeles Angels
The Angels were tough to watch last season, but one of the few bright spots was that Neto had a strong first full season in the Majors, and he could be poised for even more success this season. He just turned 24, so he still has lots of potential to grow and be one of this year’s top SS breakouts.
The big thing to watch for Neto this spring is his health. He was relatively healthy last year, unlike McLain, but he underwent surgery on his right shoulder in November after he was hurt sliding into second base during a September game against the White Sox.
When he arrived in camp, he got good news, according to this report from Rhett Bollinger of The Athletic:
Zach Neto said he got “good news” on his shoulder yesterday and is ahead of schedule. But he said he doesn’t know if he’ll be ready for Opening Day. He hasn’t been cleared to throw yet but has been hitting off a tee.
— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) February 12, 2025
Last year, Neto showed good signs of progress, hitting 23 home runs and adding 30 stolen bases with a .330 wOBA and 114 wRC+. Neto had over 600 plate appearances and played almost every game until getting hurt at the very end of the year. As soon as he can recover, he should be fairly durable based on his track record. He brings a good blend of both power and speed and should hit in a prime lineup spot in the Angels’ thin batting order. He hit second most of last season but that could shift when Mike Trout is healthy.
Keep a close eye on Neto’s recovery this spring and grab him as a value since he could continue building on last year and be one of 2025’s top SS breakouts.
Jordan Lawlar, Arizona Diamondbacks
Lawlar has been the Diamondbacks’ expected shortstop of the future for several seasons, but he hasn’t been able to make the leap and stick at the MLB yet, and there’s definitely some prospect fatigue with the general public based on his ADP.
Last year, the now-22-year-old only managed to play 23 games in the regular season due to a thumb injury and lingering hamstring issues. He hit .318 with a .409 wOBA, two homers and six stolen bases in his limited work, and he has demolished Triple-A with a .362/.438/.602 triple-slash when he has been available. However, he hasn’t been able to play more than 119 games in any of his three seasons in the organization.
Lawlar is unlikely to start the season on the bench, according to GM Mike Hazen, since he definitely needs the reps after last year’s limited action. While he may start the year at Triple-A, he could push his way onto the roster by midseason if he can sustain his success at that level. He’s an exceptional fielder and his bat has looked MLB-ready when he has been able to stay on the field.
While he’s a more of a “watch” than an “add” at this point, Lawlar could be one of the SS breakouts of spring training and force his way into a role for the Dbacks, who could use his right-handed bat to help balance their lineup. He’ll be one of the most interesting prospects to watch this spring to see if he’s healthy and how he can help both the Arizona roster and your fantasy team.
