Regardless of whether a team is a perennial World Series contender, a fringe playoff team or a cellar-dweller, there is always at least some reason for excitement looking ahead to the future.

Whether it is a single player destined to be a superstar or a deep minor league system overflowing with talent, the “next big thing” is always waiting just around the corner to change the outlook of a franchise.

Hype and actual on-field production are two very different things, and not every next big thing pans out, but it gives fans a reason for optimism nonetheless.

So with that in mind, what follows is a look at the next big thing for all 30 MLB teams.

In order to be eligible for the list, a player has to carry rookie eligibility into the 2016 season, and most players here are expected to make an impact at some point in the next two years.

However, not every team has a next big thing on the horizon at this point in time, so keep that in mind as a few clubs were slapped with an unfortunate “TBD” for the sake of this exercise.

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