The 2010 season should produce a slew of breakout seasons from talented young veterans. Teams eased many elite prospcts in last season, setting the stage for big things in their first full major league season.

Consider the case of Braves hurler Tommy Hanson. He was brilliant in 21 starts last season, finishing 11-4 for Atlanta with a 2.89 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 127 2/3 innings.

His command, poise and pitch repertoire earned comparisons to Roy Halladay, arguably the most talented starting pitcher in the sport.

Hanson dazzled veterans like Tim Hudson. “I was impressed with him almost from Day 1,” Hudson told ESPN.com last season. “He came with a lot of hype, and I was like, 'OK, let's see how good this kid is.' I was expecting some big stud coming in who was real cocky.

“But you know what? It was just the opposite. He was really humble. He would be in the outfield shagging balls and carrying the bucket. I think he volunteered. It was refreshing to see.'”

Here are some other players just waiting to bust loose:

David Price, SP, Rays: Tampa Bay stayed patient with him last year, starting him in the minor leagues and leaving him there until late May. In 23 starts, Price went 10-7 with a 4.42 ERA and 102 strikeouts in 128 1/3 innings. He is the best young arm in the majors and fans can’t wait to see what he could do with 30-plus starts.

Matt Wieters, C, Orioles: Baltimore broke him in slowly last season, giving him a two-month tour at the Class AAA level before calling him up at age 23. He did not disappoint; in 96 games as a rookie, he hit .288 with nine homers and 43 RBI. It’ll be fun to see what the switch hitter does with a full season in the bigs. He has already earned comparisons to Twins hitting machine Joe Mauer.

Cameron Maybin, OF, Marlins: He got a nice taste of the big league last season, hitting .250 in 176 at bats with 12 doubles, two triples and four homers. He played with a torn labrum in his left shoulder, then underwent surgical repairs after the season. He did his most damage in September, hitting .293 with eight doubles, three homers, 19 runs scored and 10 RBI.

Alcides Escobar, SS, Brewers: His ascension allowed Milwaukee to deal veteran J.J. Hardy. In 125 at bats, he batted .304 with 20 runs scored and four stolen bases. He continued that progress playing in Venezuela over the winter, batting .393 (68-for-173) in 45 games for the Lara club. He stole 16 bases, drew 14 walks and struck out only 17 times.

Neftali Perez, RP. Rangers: In 20 rookie appearances, he was 1-0 with two saves, a 1.74 ERA and a .124 batting average against. He developed a curveball and change-up to go with a fastball that touches 100 miles per hour. Is he a young Felix Rodriguez?

Julio Borbon, CF, Rangers: He needs better plate disciple to become a great lead-off hitter, but Texas will let him grow into this job after letting Marlon Byrd depart via free agency. He stole 53 bases in the minor leagues in 2008 and made a nice splash late last season in the majors – batting .312 with 19 stolen bases (in 23 tries) in 46 games.

“There is a lot about the kid that we won't know about until we get on the field,” Rangers manager Ron Washington told Dallas Morning News. “But this organization is willing to go down that path because we think he's ready to help us win.”

Matt LaPorta, OF/OB, Indians: As a key piece of the CC Sabathia deal, he is expected to develop into a strong every day offensive player. He hit .254 in 181 rookie at bats, with seven homers and 21 at bats. He is coming back from hip and toe injuries that hampered his development.

Brandon Wood, 3B, Angels: Anaheim’s desire to park him at third base this season led to Chone Figgins’ free agent departure. Wood, 24, hasn’t been able to stick in the majors to this point. He has hit just .192 in 236 at bats spread over three seasons.

But Wood has averaged 29 homers in his last three minor league seasons. “He's been up and down so many times, he's probably [ticked] off,” outfielder Torii Hunter told the Los Angeles Times. “It makes you want to prove to people you can play. If he's our third baseman, we've got to be patient with him. He's got that power threat. He's got a sure glove and a nice arm. Defensively, he's good. Offense is where the question mark is.”

Travis Snider, OF, Blue Jays: The boy wonder did NOT shine as a rookie, hitting just .241 with nine homers and 29 RBI in 241 at bats spread over early- and late-season stints. But general manager Alex Anthopoulos believes Snider will become the centerpiece of this team’s rebuilding.

“We love Travis Snider,” Anthopoulos wrote during an online discussion. “We think he’s going to be an impact, middle order bat.”

Colby Rasmus, OF, Cardinals: He was a second half disappointment as a rookie last season, hitting just .216 after the All-Star break with just three doubles, five homers, 18 RBI, a .314 OBP and a .592 OPS. He let first-year anxiety get the better of him. He did not respond well to platoon duty. With the Cardinals re-signing free agent Matt Holliday and letting free agent Rick Ankiel walk, Rasmus will get more consistent playing time this season – perhaps in the coveted No. 2 slot, in front of Albert Pujols.

Nolan Reimold, OF, Orioles: In 358 at bats as a rookie, he hit .279 with 15 homers and 45 RBI in 358 at bats. He hit for power in the minors (one every 19 at bats), so it is fair to expect 20-plus homers from him in his first full big league season.

Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Rockies. In two big league seasons, here is what he has done with 580 at bats: 36 doubles, eight triples, 17 homers, 55 RBI, 20 stolen bases. His partial season in Colorado was much better than his partial rookie year in Oakland.

Mat Gamel, 3B, Brewers: In 128 rookie at bats, he hit .242 with six doubles, five homers and 20 RBI. The 2008 Topps Minor League Player of the Year had to battle throw a nagging elbow injury. His defense has improved, but it remains an issue.