Hope. Everyone enters spring training full of it, including—and perhaps especially—rookies looking to make an impression.
You know about the big names, blue chips like the Chicago Cubs’ Kris Bryant who trail the weighty “can’t miss” label.
Every year, though, at least a few lesser-known youngsters emerge to help the big club. Maybe not right away, but at some point during the 162-game grind.
What follows is by no means an exhaustive list; by definition sleeper prospects are tough to identify and tougher to predict.
But here are five rookie-eligible players to watch out for, under-the-radar talents with the ability and opportunity to make an MLB impact in 2015.