Every season has its share of players who provide a glimpse at their potential, turning heads in small sample sizes and leaving us eager to see more.

The 10 players below did just that in 2024, positioning themselves to take on bigger roles in the upcoming campaign.

We'll be watching these 10 breakout candidates closely in 2025 to see if they can turn their brief flashes of brilliance into sustained success.

Jonathan Aranda, 1B, Rays
Aranda capitalized on the chance to start regularly for Tampa Bay in the final month of the 2024 season, recording five homers with an .836 OPS and a 139 wRC+ after the calendar flipped to September. His underlying metrics backed up the strong production: He ranked 19th in barrel rate (15.0%) and tied for 25th in expected wOBA (.375) among the 183 players with at least 75 plate appearances in that span. A left-handed hitter, the 26-year-old Aranda could serve as the Rays’ go-to designated hitter against right-handed pitching in 2025.

Joey Bart, C, Pirates
Selected second overall by the Giants in the 2018 MLB Draft, Bart was expected to be the heir to franchise icon Buster Posey behind the plate in San Francisco. However, he had trouble carving out a consistent role with the Giants over parts of four seasons with the team, struggling on offense (.623 OPS) and failing to distinguish himself as a defender. His tenure with the Giants came to an unceremonious end last April when the club traded him to the Pirates for 2023 eighth-round Draft pick Austin Strickland. Bart, though, found new life in Pittsburgh, posting 13 homers with a .799 OPS and a 121 wRC+ over 282 plate appearances while splitting playing time with veteran Yasmani Grandal. The 28-year-old still needs to prove himself on defense, but with Grandal a free agent, he’s about to receive the biggest opportunity of his career.

Osvaldo Bido, SP, Athletics
In a year when Brent Rooker, Mason Miller, Lawrence Butler, Shea Langeliers and JJ Bleday all made significant strides for the Athletics, it was easy to overlook Bido’s success. Non-tendered by the Pirates on the heels of a 5.86 ERA as a rookie in 2023, the righty opened 2024 in the Minors and didn’t become a full-time member of the A’s rotation until late July. However, Bido put together an outstanding stretch from July 23 through Sept. 2, recording a 3.56 ERA with a 3.14 K/BB ratio over 43 innings spanning eight starts. Among pitchers who faced at least 150 batters in that time, Bido ranked sixth in xBA (.188) and seventh in xwOBA (.256) allowed, further underscoring his effectiveness. The 29-year-old doesn’t currently have a guaranteed rotation spot after the A’s signed Luis Severino as a free agent and traded for Jeffrey Springs, but his 2024 performance suggests he deserves another look as a starter.

Cody Bradford, SP, Rangers
With Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and Tyler Mahle all sidelined to start the season, Bradford opened 2024 in the Rangers’ rotation and got off to a hot start (3-0, 1.40 ERA through three starts) before suffering an injury of his own, a low back strain that kept him out more than three months. Despite the lengthy absence, Bradford picked up where he left off upon rejoining Texas’ starting staff in August. Overcoming mediocre stuff with pinpoint control, the soft-tossing lefty finished the season with a 3.54 ERA, a 3.59 FIP and a 5.38 K/BB ratio over 76 1/3 innings. Given the injury histories of the Rangers’ other starting options, Bradford could prove to be a key arm for Texas in 2025, even if he doesn’t open the season with a starting job.

Iván Herrera, C, Cardinals
The Cardinals got their first extended look at Herrera in 2024 when starting catcher Willson Contreras spent significant time at designated hitter and also made multiple trips to the injured list due to a fractured left arm and fractured right middle finger, which ended his season in August. Herrera not only recorded an impressive .301/.372/.428 slash but also had the best xwOBA (.366) among primary catchers with at least 250 PAs, flashing the offensive skill set that helped him earn St. Louis’ Minor League Player of the Year Award the previous season. Contreras is moving to first base full time in 2025, clearing the way for the 24-year-old Herrera to take over as the Cardinals’ primary backstop.

DJ Herz, SP, Nationals
The Nationals’ promising young core is notably skewed toward position players, but Herz could help balance the scales a bit if he’s able to build on his solid rookie season. Although his ERA+ was below average at 97, some of his other performance indicators were far stronger, including a 3.26 expected ERA, a 3.77 SIERA, a 3.71 FIP and a 27.7% strikeout rate. Herz’s four-seam fastball was particularly impressive, generating a +9 run value with the third-highest whiff rate (30.5%) among starting pitchers (min. 300 swings on four-seamers) behind Ryan Pepiot and Garrett Crochet. Although the Nationals re-signed Trevor Williams and added Michael Soroka and Shinnosuke Ogasawara in free agency this offseason, Herz should get a chance to retain his starting spot in 2025.

Garrett Mitchell, OF, Brewers
Injuries have stalled Mitchell’s attempts to cement himself as the Brewers’ starting center fielder over the past two seasons. After missing most of 2023 with a left shoulder subluxation, Mitchell fractured his left index finger last spring and didn’t make his 2024 debut until July 1. However, he posted impressive numbers after returning from the injured list, recording eight homers, 11 steals and a 126 wRC+ over 224 plate appearances, while also providing plus defense in center field. His strong performance helped the Crew overcome the loss of Christian Yelich to a season-ending back injury in late July. Yelich is expected to be healthy for Opening Day, but star shortstop Willy Adames’ departure as a free agent has left a gap in Milwaukee’s lineup. Mitchell is one of the young players the Brewers will be counting on to step up as they look to replace Adames’ production in 2025.

Pavin Smith, 1B/OF, D-backs
With Christian Walker entrenched at first base and Joc Pederson serving as the D-backs’ starting DH against right-handers, the left-handed-hitting Smith found himself without a clear path to playing time in 2024. He made the most of his limited opportunities, however, recording an .896 OPS with nine homers -- three of them coming in an eight-RBI performance against the Astros on Sept. 8 -- over 158 plate appearances. Smith had a sterling .395 xwOBA behind those numbers, combining a 14.7% barrel rate with a 19.6% strikeout rate and an 11.4% walk rate. Pederson’s departure in free agency has cleared the way for Smith to step into the role the former filled last season, which afforded him 449 PAs.

Matt Wallner, OF, Twins
The Twins have yet to fully commit to Wallner as an everyday player, but that could change in 2025, with right field now open following the departure of Max Kepler as a free agent. The 27-year-old has hit .254 with 27 homers, an .886 OPS and a 149 wRC+ in 515 PAs over the past two seasons, despite striking out 34% of the time in that span. Wallner’s extreme swing-and-miss tendencies are an ongoing concern, but there’s no denying his immense power potential. After all, Wallner was one of only 17 players to hit a ball 116 mph or higher in 2024, and he posted the 13th-highest hard-hit rate (53.2%) and sixth-highest barrel rate (17.5%) among hitters with at least 100 batted balls.

James Wood, OF, Nationals
A highly touted prospect who peaked at No. 3 overall on MLB Pipeline’s list of the Top 100 prospects prior to his 2024 debut, Wood largely lived up to the hype as a rookie, even though it took some time for him to find his footing. While Wood hit the ball with authority throughout the season (52.0% hard-hit rate), he wasn’t able to take full advantage of that skill early on. The 6-foot-7 slugger posted a .560 OPS over his first 21 games, combining elevated strikeout (36.4%) and ground-ball (64.6%) rates with a miniscule pull rate (22.9%). However, it didn’t take him long to address those issues. Over his final 58 games, Wood made dramatic improvements in all three of those departments and also bumped his walk rate to 12.9%, leading to a .288/.383/.479 slash in that span. Still just 22 years old, the sky is the limit for Wood in 2025.