Eight former State College Spikes will be among the top prospects featured when all 30 Major League Baseball teams showcase their future stars against one another in the inaugural set of Spring Breakout games in Florida and Arizona from March 14-17.
MLB Spring Breakout is a four-day event showcasing baseball’s future: the current stars of Minor League Baseball. The inaugural edition will be held from March 14-17, 2024, at Grapefruit and Cactus league stadiums during Spring Training. A series of 16 exhibition games will be played between teams comprised of each MLB organization’s top prospects.
The eight Spikes alums on the Road to the Show presented by HRI, Inc. represent six different clubs, and all of them will be on the roster for a game pitting their MLB club’s squad against another MLB club’s squad in a first-of-its-kind best vs. best event during MLB Spring Training.
The St. Louis Cardinals will have two former Spikes on their Spring Breakout roster, each representing the Redbirds in one of their two scheduled games. 2019 Spikes catcher and MLB.com’s 16th-ranked prospect in the Cardinals system Pedro Pages will join the St. Louis roster for a Friday, March 15 matchup against the Miami Marlins, while 2018 Spikes infielder and Sunbury, Pa. native Nick Dunn is slated to appear for the Cards on Sunday, March 17 against the Houston Astros.
The 2021 Spikes were the franchise’s first team to compete as one of the founding members of the MLB Draft League, and a trio of stars from that team will also be part of the Spring Breakout festivities. Infielder Damiano Palmegiani, who is already #14 on MLB.com’s list of the top Toronto Blue Jays prospects, will be on the Jays roster battling the New York Yankees on Saturday, March 16, while flamethrowing right-hander Andrew Moore will join the Cincinnati Reds pitching staff for their matchups against the Texas Rangers on Thursday, March 14 and against the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday, March 16.
Moore’s fellow Reds prospect, 2023 Spikes pitcher Gabe Starks, was also added to Cincinnati’s Spring Breakout roster this week, and will be in line to pitch during the club’s Thursday, March 14 game against the Rangers only.
In addition, catcher Kenny Piper, noted for his strong arm that kept runners from daring steal during his time in Happy Valley, will be part of the Tampa Bay Rays roster as they face the Minnesota Twins on Saturday, March 16.
More recent Spikes to be selected for the showcase include a pair of 2022 Spikes infielders. First baseman Will Simpsonwill represent the Oakland Athletics against the San Francisco Giants on Friday, March 15. Simpson was taken by the A’s in the 15th round of last year’s MLB Draft and has already risen to #30 in MLB.com’s rankings of Oakland’s top prospects. Middle infielder Keshawn Ogans will be part of the Atlanta Braves roster as they take on the Boston Red Sox on Saturday, March 16.
