In Major League Baseball, April means a fresh start. After a long offseason, a few names always find their way on the national radar after a hot start. For many, this is the first time hearing about these players, and their early impressions can mean a lot for their careers going forward. Here are a few of the biggest breakouts in MLB in the first month.
José Soriano, Los Angeles Angels
Previously seen as just a volatile flamethrower, 27-year-old José Soriano has seemingly blossomed into a legitimate ace for the Angels. His staggering 0.28 ERA is the best among qualified starters and has been a workhorse providing significant innings to a team known for struggles with pitching depth.
Velocity has always been Soriano’s strength, but now he’s finally been able to generate more swing and miss, significantly improving his strikeout rate as a result. He showed off his potential as a frontline starter with back-to-back ten strikeout games, only surrendering a single run. His offseason adjustments to his approach have paid early dividends, transforming him into one of the most feared pitchers in baseball right now.
Ben Rice, New York Yankees
If someone said a Yankee was leading the league with an on base plus slugging percentage over 1.200, that wouldn’t be much of a surprise. But for it to be first baseman Ben Rice, most probably didn’t see coming.
Rice had a strong 2025 campaign in his first full season in the majors, hitting 26 home runs and posting an .836 OPS. Part of his dominance can be attributed to his composed plate discipline, nearly doubling his walk rate and cutting down on chases out of the zone, making him incredibly difficult to get out. Rice is currently in the 97th percentile of barrel rate, meaning he’s been able to punish pitchers who hang a pitch in the zone. In a short time frame, he’s gone from a reliable contributor in the middle of the lineup to a rising star in The Bronx.
Parker Messick, Cleveland Guardians
Taking a no-hit bid to the ninth inning is sure to get the world’s attention, and 25-year-old Parker Messick is showing that it wasn’t just a lucky performance. The newest product of Cleveland’s pitching development, Messick has solidified his spot in the Guardians rotation, putting up a stellar 1.76 ERA in five starts.
The 25-year-old southpaw doesn’t rely on triple digits to record outs but poses elite command and a nasty changeup that hitters haven’t been able to figure out. He already has six pitches at his disposal, with extreme movement on his breaking pitches holding hitters to a batting average below .200. Messick has quickly gone from a back-end starter to a legitimate force in a talented, young Cleveland staff.
Jordan Walker, St. Louis Cardinals
This may not be much of a surprise to many, but the Cardinals’ former top prospect has finally started to see elite physical tools turn into results. After a disappointing few years since his call-up in 2023, Walker is proving to be one of the best all-around hitters right now. With eight home runs, he’s tied for the National League lead while batting just under .300. He only recently saw his 15-game hitting streak snapped, but that kind of consistency shows he’s more than capable of keeping up this production.
The biggest adjustment he’s made is a different stance and approach, lifting more pitches as opposed to his previous struggles with ground balls. His launch angle has gone up significantly, so what used to be hard groundouts are translating into extra base hits. Opposing pitchers should beware the rising star in St. Louis, because right now, he’s looking like the five-tool player as advertised.
Chase Dollander, Colorado Rockies
Pitching isn’t easy in Denver, but Dollander has made it work. Selected 9th overall in the 2023 draft, he’s shown why he was a top pitching prospect not long ago despite the Coors elevation working against him. In 25 innings, he’s racked up 32 strikeouts en route to an impressive 2.88 ERA.
After major struggles in his first major league season, Dollander has so far thrived in a slightly different role. The Rockies have employed an opener to face the first inning before letting the 24-year-old take the reins. His breakout may be thanks to a surge in his fastball velocity, nearly touching triple digits and seeing far more whiffs compared to last year. This kind of development is a welcome sight for a Colorado team still trying to establish an identity after a historically bad 2025 season.