MLB's Spring Breakout to become tournament next year

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball will expand its Spring Breakout of games involving top prospects into a tournament next year, when the big league exhibition schedule could be impacted by a possible lockout.

MLB launched the breakout from March 14-17, 2024, and held a second edition from March 13-16 last year whose rosters included Boston outfielder Roman Anthony and Cleveland second baseman Travis Bazzana.

MLB said Monday the event will transform to a single-elimination tournament in late March during spring training in 2027 and 2028.

The sport's collective bargaining agreement expires Dec. 1 and a lockout appears likely that 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, whose labor contract expires on Dec. 1, 2027.

In 2022, spring training games were slated to start Feb. 25 but a 99-day lockout ended on March 10 and the exhibition schedule began on March 17.

MLB said the new format will determine a Grapefruit League and Cactus League Breakout Tournament champion.

Rosters are to be announced Thursday for this year's 16 games, scheduled for March 19-22. Konnor Griffin of Pittsburgh, Kevin McGonigle of Detroit, Leo De Vries of the Athletics, Jesús Made of Milwaukee and J.J. Wetherholt of St. Louis are expected to participate along with Detroit outfielder Max Clark.

MLB said it did not attempt to launch the new format this year because spring training overlaps with the World Baseball Classic, to be played from Thursday through March 17.