Baseball has seen a huge increase in impact rookies over the past few seasons, with guys like Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Yasiel Puig and Jose Abreu all making huge splashes in their rookie seasons.
This season doesn't appear to be short on young talent either, as some of the top prospects in the game are set to debut in the coming months.
Here are five prospects who should make the greatest impact for their respective teams in 2015:
Disclaimer: The potential impact on this season factors greatly into this list, so while guys like Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa are top names in prospect land, they are likely a year or two away from MLB relevance and were not considered for this list.
1) Kris Bryant (3B |Cubs)
Arguably the top prospect in baseball, and definitely the top MLB-ready prospect right now, Kris Bryant is set to take the league by storm this season.
A few factors may keep Bryant in Triple-A for the first month or two - to save a year of arbitration, and the fact the Cubs don't have a clear spot for Bryant right now. Regardless, Bryant is going to push the Cubs hand, and when he does arrive in Chicago it's going to be quite the scene.
Bryant is MLB's next potential 50 home run player, as his colossal power will force the Cubs to put him in the lineup somewhere. It's entirely possible that Bryant can be a 20 home run player in 2015 even if he only plays half of the year.
2) Jorge Soler (RF |Cubs)
Jorge Soler has already made an impact at the MLB level, debuting with an impressive five home runs and 20 RBI in just 97 plate appearances last season.
Soler is still prospect eligible - and therefore on this list - because he hasn't hit the 130 at-bat mark in the majors yet. Don't let the small sample size fool you though, the Cubs are going to give Soler the chance to stick in right field all year.
If he does, Soler could easily push 25 home runs and 75 RBI in his first full season in the majors. Along with Bryant, he figures to make up the core of the Cubs potentially stacked future lineup.
3) Francisco Lindor (SS |Indians)
The best defensive prospect in baseball, Francisco Lindor is knocking on the door of the starting shortstop job in Cleveland. With Asdrubal Cabrera gone, the path is clear for Lindor, though he may spend a month or two in Akron before his debut in the majors.
Once he makes it to Cleveland, there is little doubt that Lindor can stick in the starting lineup. Although his offense is behind his defense at this point, Lindor showed vast improvements at the plate last year, suggesting he can be an impact player on both sides of the ball.
It would be a total shock if Lindor wasn't the Indians starting shortstop by the All-Star break, even for a team likely to contend this year. He could push for 50 runs and 20 steals even if he doesn't start from day one.
4) Carlos Rodon (LHP | White Sox)
The White Sox first round pick last June, Carlos Rodon is looking to make the jump from pitching at NC State to pitching in Chicago in less than a year's time. Current Sox ace Chris Sale accomplished this feat back in 2010, debuting just two months later.
Rodon can't match Sale in that department, but with a solid month or two in the minors, he looks ready to contribute in Chicago by the time June roles around. Once there, Rodon will be an impact arm for the White Sox rotation, slotting in behind Sale and Jeff Samardzija.
He figures to stick near the top of the rotation from there on, where Chicago will have another dominant lefty to send out every fifth day for years to come.
5) Dalton Pompey (CF | Blue Jays)
Pompey finished his astronomical rise through the Blue Jays farm system with a debut in Toronto late last season. After starting the year off most prospect radars, Pompey went from Single-A all the way to Toronto, finishing his season with a .241 average, one home run (which came off of Felix Hernandez no less), four RBI and a steal in a September cup of coffee with the Jays.
He heads into 2015 poised to take over the starting center field job, where his speed and on-base ability should give him a chance to hit near the top of the Jays lineup. Toronto is hoping he is everything that former prospect Anthony Gose wasn't.
Pompey should push 80 runs and 40 steals hitting atop a powerful Toronto lineup, which would put him in the conversation for AL Rookie of the Year.
More MLB Content To Check Out:
The 5 Best Managers In Baseball
Back to the MLB Newsfeed