ALABAMA - The stretch between the winter event circuit and opening day is one of the most important windows on the high school baseball calendar. It’s during this time that offseason work begins to intersect with opportunity, when measurable gains made in controlled settings start to meet the unpredictability of game action.

Throughout the winter, we evaluated players across preseason event slate, capturing everything from velocity and bat-speed gains to improved athleticism, refined deliveries, and cleaner offensive actions. For many prospects, these environments provide a clear snapshot of progress, but they also raise the most important question of all: how will it play when the lights turn on?

While much of the attention this time of year gravitates toward the state’s most established prospects, this piece is intentionally focused elsewhere. Rather than spotlighting the players who have already made a name for themselves, this Breakout Radar centers on prospects who may still be emerging - players whose offseason progress and developmental trajectory suggest they are positioned for a meaningful step forward this spring. These are names that may not yet dominate rankings or headlines, but whose winter gains, growing confidence, and expanding roles point toward increased in-game impact once the season begins.

As we turn the page from our event coverage and begin full high school season coverage, these are the names we’ll be watching closely - players whose tools, confidence, and readiness point toward a louder impact once the games begin.

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Winter Momentum ➡️ Spring Opportunity

The offseason often provides the clearest indicators of growth, but it’s the arrival of spring that determines whether those gains truly matter. The players in this group separated themselves during the winter months through measurable progress, added strength, improved athleticism, sharper actions, or noticeable jumps in tools, and now enter the season with opportunities to turn that momentum into real impact. With expanded roles, increased responsibilities, or clearer paths to playing time ahead, these prospects are positioned to let their offseason work show up when it counts most.

Hudson Oliver OF / LHP / Hoover, AL / 2028 Breakout may not be the right word when discussing Oliver, who enters the spring already established as the top prospect in Alabama’s 2028 class and a multi-year varsity contributor. That said, the opportunity for a national breakout is very real as he transitions to a powerhouse Hoover program. Oliver brings elite, unteachable athleticism to the field, evidenced by a 3.75 30-yard dash, an arm that’s been up to 94 mph from the outfield, and a 100.0 mph exit velocity recorded this winter. With premium tools already in place and a bigger stage ahead, the foundation is there for his impact to expand well beyond the state level this spring.