MLB will expand its Spring Breakout games involving top prospects “into a tournament next year,” according to the AP. The event will become a single-elimination tournament in late March during spring training in 2027 and 2028. MLB’s CBA expires Dec. 1, and a lockout “appears likely,” which could “prevent or delay 40-man roster players from reporting to spring training.” In that event, the Spring Breakout Tournament “could take place using players with minor league contracts.” MLB indicated that it “did not attempt to launch the new format this year because spring training overlaps with the World Baseball Classic,” which will be played from Thursday through March 17 (AP, 3/2). BASEBALL AMERICA’s J.J. Cooper noted that this is the third year of the Spring Breakout games, in which all 30 MLB clubs put together teams of their top prospects. The games have thus far been one-off exhibitions. The Spring Breakout games this year are set for March 19-22. This year, more of the games are “becoming standalone events instead of part of a doubleheader,” with the MLB club playing either before or after. Only five of the games this year are part of a doubleheader (BASEBALL AMERICA, 3/2).
