MLB Power Rankings: How All 30 Teams Stack Up 1 Month from Spring Training
There's a light at the end of the tunnel, baseball fans.
Pitchers and catchers are set to begin reporting to spring training in less than a month as we come down the homestretch of another long and eventful MLB offseason.
With that said, it's time for an updated look at how all 30 teams stack up around the league.
This will be the second time we've updated our power rankings since the conclusion of the regular season, with the first coming on Dec. 8 just after the winter meetings wrapped up, so here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Offseason rankings are not necessarily meant to be a prediction for the year ahead. Instead, they are a look at how teams would stack up with the rosters they have if the season started today.
- These rankings will be updated several more times between now and the start of the 2017 campaign, so if your favorite club is lower than you'd like, there's still time.
- A team dropping in the rankings is not necessarily an indication that they've gotten worse since the last rankings, but often a case of a team below them simply pulling ahead.
Included for each team is an updated look at each club's offseason activity and a preliminary 25-man roster.
Note: Players listed in bold on projected rosters indicate newcomers. An (R) next to a player indicates that his rookie status is intact.
30. San Diego Padres (Previous: 30)
1 of 30
Offseason Update
Since we last updated these rankings, the San Diego Padres have signed a trio of warm bodies—Jhoulys Chacin, Clayton Richard and Trevor Cahill—to fill out the starting rotation.
Cahill is by far the most intriguing of that group.
The 28-year-old posted a 2.74 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 9.0 K/9 in 50 appearances for the Chicago Cubs last season, making one spot start and tossing five shutout innings. He enjoyed significant success as a starter early in his career and could enjoy a career renaissance as a starter in Petco Park.
They also inked All-Star first baseman Wil Myers to a six-year extension worth a guaranteed $83 million, per Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
With top prospects Manuel Margot and Hunter Renfroe pushing for starting jobs in the outfield and backup catcher Christian Bethancourt trying his hand at pitching, Padres camp will offer plenty of intrigue this spring.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| LF Travis Jankowski | RHP Jhoulys Chacin |
| CF Manuel Margot (R) | LHP Clayton Richard |
| 1B Wil Myers | RHP Trevor Cahill |
| 3B Yangervis Solarte | LHP Christian Friedrich |
| RF Hunter Renfroe (R) | RHP Paul Clemens |
| 2B Ryan Schimpf | |
| C Austin Hedges | RHP Jarred Cosart |
| SS Luis Sardinas | RHP Miguel Diaz (R) |
| RHP Phil Maton (R) | |
| C Luis Torrens (R) | RHP Kevin Quackenbush |
| C/OF Christian Bethancourt | LHP Ryan Buchter |
| 1B/OF Alex Dickerson | LHP Brad Hand |
| IF Cory Spangenberg | RHP Brandon Maurer |
| OF Jabari Blash |
Projected DL: RP Carter Capps (Tommy John surgery), SP Colin Rea (TJ surgery), SP Robbie Erlin (TJ surgery)
29. Minnesota Twins (Previous: 29)
2 of 30
Offseason Update
The big move of the offseason for the Minnesota Twins came in November when they signed catcher Jason Castro to a three-year, $24.5 million deal.
Pitch-framing ability played a major role in that signing, as manager Paul Molitor explained to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com:
"The whole idea of signing Jason Castro, a lot of it was measured on the impact of catching on a staff. As we've learned more about how to quantify that, it's probably been a little bit of an undervalued position for guys that handle some of those types of things better than others. We thought that was a big piece in trying to at least start off a way of trying to figure out a way to pitch better.
"
The Twins finished 29th in the majors with a 5.08 ERA last season, so it makes perfect sense that they'd be looking for any way possible to improve the pitching staff.
The other big news this offseason has been whether second baseman Brian Dozier would be traded.
According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the Twins have come to an "impasse" in trade talks with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who looked like the most realistic landing spot for Dozier.
They still have a significant hole to fill at second, though, so never say never.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| 2B Brian Dozier | RHP Ervin Santana |
| SS Jorge Polanco | RHP Kyle Gibson |
| 1B Joe Mauer | LHP Hector Santiago |
| 3B Miguel Sano | RHP Phil Hughes |
| RF Max Kepler | RHP Tyler Duffey |
| DH Kennys Vargas | |
| C Jason Castro | RHP Justin Haley (R) |
| LF Eddie Rosario | LHP Ryan O'Rourke |
| CF Byron Buxton | RHP Michael Tonkin |
| LHP Taylor Rogers | |
| C John Ryan Murphy | RHP Ryan Pressly |
| IF Eduardo Escobar | RHP Trevor May |
| IF/OF Danny Santana | RHP Brandon Kintzler |
| OF Robbie Grossman |
Projected DL: RP Glen Perkins (shoulder)
28. Milwaukee Brewers (Previous: 27)
3 of 30
Offseason Update
The Milwaukee Brewers might legitimately have five rotation spots up for grabs heading into spring training.
Surprise rookie standout Junior Guerra and high-priced veteran Matt Garza are the closest locks for the staff, while Zach Davies and Chase Anderson lead a plethora of other options, including 2016 Opening Day starter Wily Peralta, Jimmy Nelson, Taylor Jungmann and prospects Josh Hader and Brandon Woodruff.
Expect the rotation to be a fluid situation throughout the 2017 season, as the rebuilding Brewers try to decide who fits where in their future plans.
Meanwhile, the two big additions of the offseason came on the infield, where KBO standout Eric Thames and 26-year-old Travis Shaw are the new corner infielders.
They'll be asked to help shoulder a good deal of the run-production responsibilities alongside Ryan Braun, with the team looking to replace the 41 home runs and 94 RBI that departed when Chris Carter was non-tendered.
Keep an eye on Keon Broxton as a potential breakout candidate.
The 26-year-old returned in late July from a minor league demotion and hit .294/.399/.538 with 18 extra-base hits and 16 stolen bases over his final 169 plate appearances.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| 2B Jonathan Villar | RHP Junior Guerra |
| CF Keon Broxton | RHP Jimmy Nelson |
| LF Ryan Braun | RHP Matt Garza |
| 1B Eric Thames | RHP Zach Davies |
| 3B Travis Shaw | RHP Chase Anderson |
| RF Domingo Santana | |
| SS Orlando Arcia | RHP Wily Peralta |
| C Andrew Susac | LHP Tommy Milone |
| RHP Tyler Cravy | |
| C Jett Bandy | RHP Jacob Barnes |
| IF Scooter Gennett | RHP Jhan Martinez |
| IF Yadiel Rivera | RHP Carlos Torres |
| IF/OF Hernan Perez | RHP Corey Knebel |
| OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis |
27. Oakland Athletics (Previous: 28)
4 of 30
Offseason Update
The Oakland Athletics have been a bit more active than usual on the free-agent market, albeit while still targeting mid-level additions.
A generally cost-conscious front office has shelled out a combined $33 million to sign Rajai Davis, Matt Joyce, Trevor Plouffe and Santiago Casilla.
The addition of Plouffe on a one-year deal will keep infield prospects Joey Wendle, Chad Pinder, Renato Nunez and Matt Chapman from being rushed into action. It could also give the A's a useful trade chip come July, provided he rebounds from an injury-plagued season.
There will still be some big decisions to make this spring, namely who fills out the starting rotation behind the trio of Sonny Gray, Kendall Graveman and Sean Manaea.
Jharel Cotton, Andrew Triggs, Frankie Montas, Jesse Hahn, Daniel Mengden, Zach Neal and Dillon Overton will all have a legitimate shot at winning a spot, while prospects Grant Holmes and Daniel Gossett could also be ready to contribute by midseason.
Meanwhile, Yonder Alonso and Jed Lowrie both have tenuous holds on their starting jobs heading into the season, as a youth movement is brewing and they're not long-term pieces by any stretch of the imagination.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| CF Rajai Davis | RHP Sonny Gray |
| C Stephen Vogt | RHP Kendall Graveman |
| DH Ryon Healy | LHP Sean Manaea |
| LF Khris Davis | RHP Jharel Cotton (R) |
| RF Matt Joyce | RHP Andrew Triggs |
| SS Marcus Semien | |
| 3B Trevor Plouffe | RHP Raul Alcantara |
| 1B Yonder Alonso | RHP Liam Hendriks |
| 2B Jed Lowrie | RHP John Axford |
| RHP Ryan Dull | |
| C Bruce Maxwell | RHP Santiago Casilla |
| 1B/OF Mark Canha | LHP Sean Doolittle |
| IF Joey Wendle (R) | RHP Ryan Madson |
| OF Jake Smolinski |
Projected DL: SP Chris Bassitt (TJ surgery)
26. Chicago White Sox (Previous: 26)
5 of 30
Offseason Update
Things have been relatively quiet on the South Side since the Chicago White Sox shipped out Chris Sale and Adam Eaton during the winter meetings, setting in motion a long-overdue rebuild in the process.
Derek Holland was signed to a one-year, $6 million deal to fill the rotation spot vacated by Sale, and he'll look to rebuild some value after a run of injuries put a damper on his time with the Texas Rangers.
Other than that, the only notable additions have been catcher Geovany Soto and outfielder Cody Asche, both of whom were signed to minor league deals with spring training invites.
Soto should have a legitimate chance to win the starting catching job, while Asche is still only 26 years old and controllable through 2019, so he's worth taking a chance on as they start to rebuild.
The question on everyone's minds this spring: When will the prospects arrive?
Yoan Moncada, Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Carson Fulmer all saw time in the majors last season and figure to get the call again at some point in 2017.
Much of that will be determined by if and when the team trades the likes of Jose Quintana, David Robertson and upcoming free agents Todd Frazier, Brett Lawrie and Melky Cabrera.
At any rate, it's an exciting time to be a White Sox fan, even if contention isn't in the cards for the upcoming season.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| SS Tim Anderson | LHP Jose Quintana |
| 2B Brett Lawrie | RHP James Shields |
| LF Melky Cabrera | LHP Carlos Rodon |
| 1B Jose Abreu | RHP Miguel Gonzalez |
| 3B Todd Frazier | LHP Derek Holland |
| RF Avisail Garcia | |
| DH Cody Asche | RHP Dylan Covey (R) |
| C Geovany Soto | RHP Michael Ynoa |
| RHP Jake Petricka | |
| RHP Zach Putnam | |
| C Omar Narvaez (R) | LHP Dan Jennings |
| IF Carlos Sanchez | RHP Nate Jones |
| IF/OF Leury Garcia | RHP David Robertson |
| IF/OF Tyler Saladino |
25. Cincinnati Reds (Previous: 25)
6 of 30
Offseason Update
The Cincinnati Reds finally signed a free agent to an MLB deal!
Former closer Drew Storen was inked to a one-year, $3 million deal on Jan. 3, marking the first and thus far only MLB-level signing of the offseason.
While Storen was shelled during his brief tenure with the Toronto Blue Jays, he turned things around after joining the Seattle Mariners in July (19 G, 3.44 ERA, 0.87 WHIP), and he's just a year removed from a 29-save season.
Raisel Iglesias will likely begin the season in the closer's role, but the former starter might be more valuable in a multi-inning hybrid role, so don't be surprised if Storen winds up closing games at some point in 2017.
Reliever Louis Coleman, utility man Arismendy Alcantara and corner infielder/outfielder Richie Shaffer have also been added as non-roster invitees on minor league deals, and all three look to have a decent chance of breaking camp with the team.
The No. 5 starter job will be the position battle to watch this spring as Tim Adleman tries to hold off Cody Reed and top prospects Robert Stephenson and Amir Garrett.
All things considered, the starting staff has a chance to surprise some people, especially if Homer Bailey can return to his pre-injury form and come close to earning his $19 million salary.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| LF Jose Peraza | RHP Anthony DeSclafani |
| SS Zack Cozart | RHP Dan Straily |
| 1B Joey Votto | LHP Brandon Finnegan |
| RF Adam Duvall | RHP Homer Bailey |
| 2B Brandon Phillips | RHP Tim Adleman |
| C Devin Mesoraco | |
| 3B Eugenio Suarez | RHP Louis Coleman |
| CF Billy Hamilton | RHP Blake Wood |
| RHP Jumbo Diaz | |
| C Tucker Barnhart | RHP Drew Storen |
| IF/OF Arismendy Alcantara | LHP Tony Cingrani |
| IF/OF Richie Shaffer | RHP Michael Lorenzen |
| OF Scott Schebler | RHP Raisel Iglesias |
| OF Steve Selsky |
24. Los Angeles Angels (Previous: 22)
7 of 30
Offseason Update
Danny Espinosa, Cameron Maybin and Ben Revere may seem like modest additions on the surface, but considering the Los Angeles Angels got absolutely nothing in the way of offensive production from second base or left field last season, they'll make a significant difference in the lineup.
All three are also capable of being plus defensive options, so their impact could be felt beyond just bolstering the offense.
The catcher position is still something of a question, though.
Martin Maldonado has been a quality backup during his time with the Milwaukee Brewers and one of the league's better pitch-framers, per StatCorner, but he's a career .217/.299/.342 hitter and would be exposed with regular playing time.
The same goes for incumbent backup Carlos Perez, who has hit .229/.271/.335 over 574 plate appearances in his two big league seasons.
Free agent Matt Wieters remains an option, and the team has shown some level of interest in the four-time All-Star, according to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports.
Pitching prospects Alex Meyer and Nate Smith will get a long look this spring, though veteran Jesse Chavez will be given every chance to win the No. 5 starter job after signing a one-year, $5.75 million deal.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| 3B Yunel Escobar | RHP Garrett Richards |
| RF Kole Calhoun | RHP Ricky Nolasco |
| CF Mike Trout | RHP Matt Shoemaker |
| DH Albert Pujols | LHP Tyler Skaggs |
| 1B C.J. Cron | RHP Jesse Chavez |
| 2B Danny Espinosa | |
| LF Cameron Maybin | RHP J.C. Ramirez |
| SS Andrelton Simmons | RHP Deolis Guerra |
| C Martin Maldonado | RHP Kirby Yates |
| LHP Jose Alvarez | |
| C Carlos Perez | RHP Andrew Bailey |
| IF Cliff Pennington | RHP Cam Bedrosian |
| IF/OF Jefry Marte | RHP Huston Street |
| OF Ben Revere |
Projected DL: SP Andrew Heaney (TJ surgery), SP Nick Tropeano (TJ surgery)
23. Atlanta Braves (Previous: 23)
8 of 30
Offseason Update
The Atlanta Braves achieved their biggest offseason goal before the winter meetings even arrived, adding a trio of veteran starters on short-term deals to help mentor the young staff and eat up innings while the rebuild continues.
That new-look rotation figures to be backed by a full bullpen.
"Versatility is key for the Braves, especially since they are likely to carry eight relievers again instead of seven, at least early in the season," wrote David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Signing Sean Rodriguez to a two-year, $11.5 million deal makes a lot more sense when you consider that approach to the pitching staff, as he is the definition of versatile after playing everywhere but pitcher and catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates last season.
Locking up center fielder Ender Inciarte with a five-year, $30.5 million extension that includes a $9 million option for 2022 was a huge win, as he's bought in on the team's long-term outlook.
"Ender is one of our players I keep in contact with during the offseason and he is very excited about the direction we're going," GM John Coppolella told Mark Bowman of MLB.com. "We are very excited to have a center fielder and leadoff hitter of his caliber around to play a significant role in our future."
The No. 5 starter job will be an interesting competition to watch this spring as Mike Foltynewicz tries to hold off Matt Wisler and Aaron Blair with a ton of prospect talent on the horizon.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| CF Ender Inciarte | RHP Julio Teheran |
| SS Dansby Swanson (R) | RHP Bartolo Colon |
| 1B Freddie Freeman | LHP Jaime Garcia |
| LF Matt Kemp | RHP R.A. Dickey |
| RF Nick Markakis | RHP Mike Foltynewicz |
| 3B Adonis Garcia | |
| 2B Jace Peterson | RHP Josh Collmenter |
| C Tyler Flowers | RHP Armando Rivero (R) |
| RHP Dan Winkler (R) | |
| C Anthony Recker | RHP Jose Ramirez |
| IF/OF Emilio Bonifacio | LHP Ian Krol |
| IF/OF Chase d'Arnaud | RHP Mauricio Cabrera |
| IF/OF Sean Rodriguez | RHP Arodys Vizcaino |
| RHP Jim Johnson |
Projected DL: RP Paco Rodriguez (TJ surgery), RP Jacob Lindgren (TJ surgery)
22. Philadelphia Phillies (Previous: 24)
9 of 30
Offseason Update
It's been another fairly conservative offseason for the Philadelphia Phillies, as they continue to leave the door open for young talent to break into the big leagues and secure a starting role.
That's not to say they haven't been active, though.
Michael Saunders was the latest addition on a one-year, $9 million deal that includes an $11 million option for 2018, per Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
He'll join trade acquisition Howie Kendrick in filling out the outfield and giving the lineup a more experienced feel, while Pat Neshek and Joaquin Benoit add some much-needed stability to the relief corps.
Perhaps the most intriguing addition of the offseason has been veteran starter Clay Buchholz.
He has a chance to be this year's version of Jeremy Hellickson if he can build off a strong second half. After losing his starting spot prior to the All-Star break, he posted a 3.22 ERA and 1.11 WHIP over his final 58.2 innings, returning to the rotation in September with four quality starts in five games.
He won't be the only starter under a microscope this spring.
The health of Aaron Nola will also be watched closely after he was shut down in 2016 with minor UCL and flexor tendon strains. He says he's back to "100 percent" and will have "no limitations" when spring training begins, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| 2B Cesar Hernandez | RHP Jeremy Hellickson |
| LF Howie Kendrick | RHP Jerad Eickhoff |
| CF Odubel Herrera | RHP Aaron Nola |
| 3B Maikel Franco | RHP Vincent Velasquez |
| RF Michael Saunders | RHP Clay Buchholz |
| 1B Tommy Joseph | |
| C Cameron Rupp | RHP Severino Gonzalez |
| SS Freddy Galvis | RHP Edubray Ramos |
| LHP Joely Rodriguez (R) | |
| C Bryan Holaday | RHP Pat Neshek |
| 1B/OF Daniel Nava | RHP Hector Neris |
| IF Andres Blanco | RHP Jeanmar Gomez |
| OF Aaron Altherr | RHP Joaquin Benoit |
| OF Tyler Goeddel |
21. Kansas City Royals (Previous: 19)
10 of 30
Offseason Update
It remains to be seen what will be left of the Kansas City Royals' core by this time next year.
Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas and Alcides Escobar are all set to reach free agency next winter, and the team has already dealt one significant piece when Wade Davis was shipped to the Chicago Cubs.
One player who will be sticking around is left-hander Danny Duffy.
The 28-year-old signed a five-year, $65 million extension on Monday, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, as he too was headed for free agency.
"I'm sure everybody in this organization would like to keep the core group together—all the guys that we played with. It just doesn't happen," Duffy told reporters. "Hopefully we can. Hopefully this sparks some kind of interest."
With the payroll stretched thin, it's been a quiet offseason aside from the Davis trade and Duffy extension.
They'll be banking on bounce-back seasons from Cain, Alex Gordon and Moustakas, as well as major contributions from youngsters Raul Mondesi and Matt Strahm if they hope to have a shot at contending.
Should they fall out of the race by midseason, expect a busy summer in Kansas City.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| SS Alcides Escobar | LHP Danny Duffy |
| 3B Mike Moustakas | RHP Ian Kennedy |
| CF Lorenzo Cain | RHP Yordano Ventura |
| 1B Eric Hosmer | LHP Jason Vargas |
| C Salvador Perez | LHP Matt Strahm (R) |
| LF Alex Gordon | |
| RF Jorge Soler | LHP Mike Minor |
| DH Cheslor Cuthbert | RHP Chris Young |
| 2B Raul Mondesi | LHP Scott Alexander |
| RHP Chris Withrow | |
| C Drew Butera | LHP Brian Flynn |
| IF Christian Colon | RHP Joakim Soria |
| IF/OF Whit Merrifield | RHP Kelvin Herrera |
| OF Paulo Orlando |
20. Tampa Bay Rays (Previous: 20)
11 of 30
Offseason Update
Trading Matt Moore in July and Drew Smyly earlier this month leaves the Tampa Bay Rays with considerably less starting pitching depth.
However, a step forward from Blake Snell, a healthy season from Alex Cobb and a bounce-back year by ace Chris Archer could conceivably make for a significantly improved rotation in 2017.
Meanwhile, the offense figures to be improved as well with a full season of Matt Duffy—who came over in the Moore trade—and the additions of Wilson Ramos and Colby Rasmus in free agency.
Ramos could be an absolute steal on a two-year, $11.5 million deal, even if he starts the season on the DL and is limited to DH duties for a stretch upon returning.
As for Rasmus, he inked a one-year, $5 million deal just a year after receiving a qualifying offer. He'll be a cheap source of power and was an elite defender in left field (14 DRS, 31.8 UZR/150) last season.
While Matt Andriese will likely fill the No. 5 starter spot to begin the season, don't be surprised if top prospect Brent Honeywell makes a run for the job by midseason.
The 21-year-old went 7-3 with a 2.34 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 117 strikeouts in 115.1 innings between High-A and Double-A last season, and he was recently ranked as the No. 7 right-handed pitching prospect by MLB.com.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| 2B Logan Forsythe | RHP Chris Archer |
| CF Kevin Kiermaier | RHP Jake Odorizzi |
| 3B Evan Longoria | RHP Alex Cobb |
| 1B Brad Miller | LHP Blake Snell |
| SS Matt Duffy | RHP Matt Andriese |
| DH Corey Dickerson | |
| RF Steven Souza | RHP Erasmo Ramirez |
| LF Colby Rasmus | RHP Kevin Gadea (R) |
| C Curt Casali | LHP Enny Romero |
| RHP Danny Farquhar | |
| C Luke Maile | LHP Xavier Cedeno |
| IF Tim Beckham | RHP Brad Boxberger |
| IF/OF Nick Franklin | RHP Alex Colome |
| OF Jason Coats |
Projected DL: C Wilson Ramos (knee surgery)
19. Arizona Diamondbacks (Previous: 17)
12 of 30
Offseason Update
In terms of talent and expectations, relative to performance, the Arizona Diamondbacks were by far the biggest disappointment of the 2016 season.
There's reason for optimism, though.
Healthy seasons from A.J. Pollock and David Peralta would be a huge boon to the offense, while it's hard to envision the pitching staff being worse than the group that posted a league-worst 5.09 ERA last season.
Newcomer Taijuan Walker and 2016 standout Robbie Ray have the potential to join Zack Greinke in forming a terrific trio atop the rotation, and Ross could be one of the breakout stars of 2017 after quietly ranking fourth in the NL with 218 strikeouts in 174.1 innings.
The veteran duo of Chris Iannetta and Jeff Mathis has been signed to replace surprise non-tender Welington Castillo behind the plate, and while that figures to be a step back offensively, it could benefit the pitching staff.
It's the relief corps that still looks like a considerable question mark.
Putting a lot of eggs in the Fernando Rodney basket is a risky proposition, especially considering the 39-year-old did not end the 2016 season on a high note, posting a 5.89 ERA and 1.80 WHIP in 39 appearances after joining the Miami Marlins.
Still, it shouldn't be hard for this group to improve on the 69-93 showing from a year ago.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| CF A.J. Pollock | RHP Zack Greinke |
| SS Chris Owings | LHP Robbie Ray |
| 1B Paul Goldschmidt | RHP Taijuan Walker |
| RF David Peralta | RHP Shelby Miller |
| LF Yasmany Tomas | LHP Patrick Corbin |
| 3B Jake Lamb | |
| 2B Brandon Drury | RHP Tyler Jones (R) |
| C Chris Iannetta | LHP Jared Miller (R) |
| RHP Enrique Burgos | |
| C Jeff Mathis | LHP Andrew Chafin |
| C/OF Chris Herrmann | RHP Randall Delgado |
| IF Nick Ahmed | RHP Jake Barrett |
| IF/OF Phil Gosselin | RHP Fernando Rodney |
| OF Gregor Blanco |
18. Baltimore Orioles (Previous: 15)
13 of 30
Offseason Update
The Baltimore Orioles finally did something to address their need for a corner outfielder, flipping disappointing starter Yovani Gallardo to the Seattle Mariners for Seth Smith.
So now they have two corner outfielders who can't hit left-handed pitching.
Smith (.202 BA, .594 OPS career vs. LHP) and Hyun Soo Kim (0-for-17 vs. LHP) both need platoon partners, and at present it would appear that light-hitting Joey Rickard is the closest thing the team has to a viable option.
The starting rotation also remains unaddressed, aside from the addition by subtraction that was moving Gallardo, and now they have next to nothing in the way of depth should Ubaldo Jimenez or Wade Miley prove incapable of holding down a spot.
Welington Castillo was a nice addition to fill the void at catcher and the O's should again boast one of the best bullpens in the game.
Still, it's hard to view this team as anything but a fringe contender in the AL East with a better chance of finishing in last place than making a return trip to the postseason.
There's still plenty of time for further additions, though.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| CF Adam Jones | RHP Chris Tillman |
| RF Seth Smith | RHP Kevin Gausman |
| 3B Manny Machado | RHP Dylan Bundy |
| 1B Chris Davis | RHP Ubaldo Jimenez |
| C Welington Castillo | LHP Wade Miley |
| 2B Jonathan Schoop | |
| DH Trey Mancini (R) | LHP T.J. McFarland |
| SS J.J. Hardy | RHP Oliver Drake |
| LF Hyun Soo Kim | LHP Donnie Hart |
| RHP Mychal Givens | |
| C Caleb Joseph | RHP Darren O'Day |
| 1B/OF Christian Walker | RHP Brad Brach |
| IF/OF Ryan Flaherty | LHP Zach Britton |
| OF Joey Rickard |
17. Pittsburgh Pirates (Previous: 18)
14 of 30
Offseason Update
The Pittsburgh Pirates will still be relying on a number of young arms in the starting rotation, but bringing back Ivan Nova should help take some pressure off the staff.
Originally said to be seeking a five-year, $70 million deal, per Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Nova wound up returning on a three-year, $26 million deal that includes $6 million in incentives.
He'll now be asked to mentor a young staff, and that's something he welcomed with open arms last season, as pitching coach Ray Searage told Adam Berry of MLB.com:
"Ivan Nova was outstanding last year. Guys came up to him and asked him questions, and he was so obliging. It was really nice to see. I was privy to be in on some of the conversations that guys were having -- not that I was eavesdropping; I just happened to be there. I encouraged that. I encourage our pitchers to talk amongst themselves. Because they're out there. They can see things.
"
Setup man Daniel Hudson was also signed to a two-year, $11 million deal since we last updated these rankings.
He gives the team a right-handed setup option to replace Neftali Feliz and could be next in line for the closer's job if Tony Watson falters or is traded.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| 2B Josh Harrison | RHP Gerrit Cole |
| 1B Josh Bell (R) | RHP Ivan Nova |
| CF Andrew McCutchen | RHP Jameson Taillon |
| LF Starling Marte | RHP Chad Kuhl |
| RF Gregory Polanco | RHP Drew Hutchison |
| 3B Jung Ho Kang | |
| C Francisco Cervelli | LHP Wade LeBlanc |
| SS Jordy Mercer | RHP Juan Nicasio |
| LHP Antonio Bastardo | |
| C Chris Stewart | RHP Jared Hughes |
| 1B John Jaso | LHP Felipe Rivero |
| 1B/3B David Freese | RHP Daniel Hudson |
| IF Alen Hanson (R) | LHP Tony Watson |
| IF/OF Adam Frazier |
16. Colorado Rockies (Previous: 16)
15 of 30
Offseason Update
Looking for a dark-horse contender in 2017?
Look no further.
The Colorado Rockies offense has never been a question, and it should be terrific once again as all the key pieces return and Ian Desmond has been added to the mix—albeit on a questionable five-year, $70 million deal to play first base.
It's a steadily improving pitching staff that has them looking like a team that could make some noise.
Jon Gray projects to be a legitimate future ace, while Chad Bettis, Tyler Anderson and Tyler Chatwood all look like capable MLB starters behind him.
Then there's Jeff Hoffman, who struggled in his first taste of big league action but still has enough upside to rank as the No. 9 right-handed pitching prospect, per MLB.com.
The bullpen will benefit from the addition of Mike Dunn and a healthy season from presumptive closer Adam Ottavino, who didn't debut last season until July.
The Rockies have also shown interest in free agent Greg Holland, per Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports, and he would certainly be a welcome addition as well.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| CF Charlie Blackmon | RHP Jon Gray |
| 2B DJ LeMahieu | RHP Chad Bettis |
| 3B Nolan Arenado | LHP Tyler Anderson |
| RF Carlos Gonzalez | RHP Tyler Chatwood |
| 1B Ian Desmond | RHP Jeff Hoffman (R) |
| LF David Dahl | |
| SS Trevor Story | RHP Jordan Lyles |
| C Tony Wolters | LHP Chris Rusin |
| RHP Chad Qualls | |
| C Tom Murphy (R) | LHP Mike Dunn |
| IF Cristhian Adames | RHP Jason Motte |
| IF/OF Alexi Amarista | LHP Jake McGee |
| OF Chris Denorfia | RHP Adam Ottavino |
| OF Gerardo Parra |
Projected DL: RP Jairo Diaz (TJ surgery)
15. Miami Marlins (Previous: 21)
16 of 30
Offseason Update
After missing out on top target Kenley Jansen, the Miami Marlins moved quickly to plan B in their efforts to construct a "super bullpen" in lieu of making a significant addition to the starting rotation.
Their backup plan wound up being veterans Brad Ziegler (two years, $16 million) and Junichi Tazawa (two years, $12 million), who will join David Phelps, Kyle Barraclough and A.J. Ramos to give the team a relief corps that stacks up to any in baseball.
That should help prop up a weak rotation that was filled out with the signings of Edinson Volquez and Jeff Locke, but the starting staff will still need to exceed expectations if this team is going to have a shot at contending.
"Trying to compensate for a thin rotation with a stacked bullpen could work, but ultimately, it's going up to the rest of the roster to hand the bullpen a lead, and that's where things will get tricky for Mattingly," wrote Mike Axisa of CBSSports.com.
The lineup returns completely intact and will have a full season of Dee Gordon setting the table.
One of the bigger decisions on the position-player side will be whether to make Christian Yelich's late-season move to center field a full-time switch. Marcell Ozuna graded out horribly (-12 DRS, -3.2 UZR/150) in center last season, leading to the trial run from Yelich.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| 2B Dee Gordon | LHP Wei-Yin Chen |
| 3B Martin Prado | RHP Edinson Volquez |
| CF Christian Yelich | LHP Adam Conley |
| RF Giancarlo Stanton | RHP Tom Koehler |
| LF Marcell Ozuna | LHP Jeff Locke |
| 1B Justin Bour | |
| C J.T. Realmuto | RHP David Phelps |
| SS Adeiny Hechavarria | RHP Dustin McGowan |
| LHP Hunter Cervenka | |
| C A.J. Ellis | RHP Junichi Tazawa |
| IF Miguel Rojas | RHP Brad Ziegler |
| IF/OF Derek Dietrich | RHP Kyle Barraclough |
| OF Destin Hood (R) | RHP A.J. Ramos |
| OF Ichiro Suzuki |
14. Detroit Tigers (Previous: 14)
17 of 30
Offseason Update
At the start of the offseason, it sounded like the Detroit Tigers were ready for wheeling and dealing as they looked to trim payroll and add controllable young talent.
Now, not so much.
"And now that the calendar has flipped to 2017, it appears the team's rebuilding/retooling/reshaping must wait until July...or next winter...if even then," wrote Jon Morosi of MLB.com.
If this team is going to contend, at least one of Jordan Zimmermann and Anibal Sanchez—who will earn a combined $34.8 million in 2017—will need to return to form in support of Justin Verlander and Michael Fulmer.
To this point, the biggest offseason addition has been a reunion with veteran catcher Alex Avila, and center field remains a glaring need.
The latest rumors have linked them to such exciting names as Peter Bourjos and Gregor Blanco, per Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press, if that gives you an idea of how deep they're digging into the bargain bin.
Try to contain your excitement, Tigers fans.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| 2B Ian Kinsler | RHP Justin Verlander |
| RF J.D. Martinez | RHP Michael Fulmer |
| 1B Miguel Cabrera | RHP Jordan Zimmermann |
| DH Victor Martinez | RHP Anibal Sanchez |
| LF Justin Upton | LHP Daniel Norris |
| 3B Nick Castellanos | |
| C James McCann | RHP Mike Pelfrey |
| CF Tyler Collins | LHP Daniel Stumpf (R) |
| SS Jose Iglesias | RHP Mark Lowe |
| RHP Bruce Rondon | |
| C Alex Avila | LHP Justin Wilson |
| IF/OF Andrew Romine | RHP Alex Wilson |
| OF Mikie Mahtook | RHP Francisco Rodriguez |
| OF Steven Moya |
13. New York Yankees (Previous: 12)
18 of 30
Offseason Update
For those New York Yankees fans out there still hoping the team makes another big move or two before the offseason is over, it's probably not going to happen.
"While (GM Brian) Cashman is still making calls on free agents to assess the market, he also said he's 99.9 percent sure the Yankees are set," tweeted Jack Curry of YES Network.
That means that the quartet of Luis Severino, Bryan Mitchell, Luis Cessa and Chad Green will enter camp battling for the final two spots in the rotation, and Severino has a chance to be a real X-factor.
"It's way too early to have a verdict in on whether he can be a starter. It's something he's always been and he's always been successful at. He never really finished off his development because of our needs at the big league level. We plan on continuing it," Cashman told reporters.
The health of Greg Bird will be monitored closely this spring as he returns from shoulder surgery and gets set to step into a primary run-production role.
Aaron Judge will also need to prove he's ready for the starting right field job after striking out 42 times in 95 plate appearances last season. Don't be surprised if he heads back to Triple-A for a few months to open the year.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| LF Brett Gardner | RHP Masahiro Tanaka |
| CF Jacoby Ellsbury | LHP CC Sabathia |
| C Gary Sanchez | RHP Michael Pineda |
| DH Matt Holliday | RHP Luis Severino |
| 1B Greg Bird | RHP Bryan Mitchell |
| 2B Starlin Castro | |
| SS Didi Gregorius | RHP Luis Cessa |
| 3B Chase Headley | LHP Chasen Shreve |
| RF Aaron Hicks | RHP Adam Warren |
| LHP Tommy Layne | |
| C Austin Romine | RHP Tyler Clippard |
| 1B/OF Tyler Austin (R) | RHP Dellin Betances |
| IF Ronald Torreyes | LHP Aroldis Chapman |
| OF Mason Williams |
12. Seattle Mariners (Previous: 11)
19 of 30
Offseason Update
Seattle Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto has been a busy man once again this offseason.
As it stands, there are currently 15 newcomers on the 40-man roster, nine of which are projected to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster.
That's a considerable amount of retooling for a team that went 86-76 and missed the postseason by just three games a year ago.
Then again, when you haven't made the playoffs since 2001, a drastic approach to contending is a welcome change from the status quo.
Jarrod Dyson and Jean Segura will form an intriguing table-setting duo ahead of a trio of 30-homer sluggers in Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz and Kyle Seager, as this has a chance to be one of the best offenses in baseball.
First baseman Dan Vogelbach and outfielder Mitch Haniger, both projected for starting jobs, will be the X-factors in the lineup and offer plenty of offensive upside.
On the pitching side of things, adding Drew Smyly and Yovani Gallardo helps offset the loss of Taijuan Walker, and both pitchers are capable of better than they showed in 2016.
Should one or both of them struggle, Ariel Miranda and Chris Heston offer a pair of viable depth options for the rotation.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| RF Jarrod Dyson | RHP Felix Hernandez |
| SS Jean Segura | RHP Hisashi Iwakuma |
| 2B Robinson Cano | LHP James Paxton |
| DH Nelson Cruz | RHP Yovani Gallardo |
| 3B Kyle Seager | LHP Drew Smyly |
| C Mike Zunino | |
| 1B Dan Vogelbach (R) | LHP Ariel Miranda |
| LF Mitch Haniger (R) | RHP Dan Altavilla (R) |
| CF Leonys Martin | RHP Evan Scribner |
| RHP Casey Fien | |
| C Carlos Ruiz | LHP Marc Rzepczynski |
| IF/OF Shawn O'Malley | RHP Nick Vincent |
| IF/OF Danny Valencia | RHP Edwin Diaz |
| OF Guillermo Heredia (R) |
Projected DL: RP Steve Cishek (hip surgery)
11. New York Mets (Previous: 8)
20 of 30
Offseason Update
Who is the biggest newcomer to the New York Mets this offseason?
A look at the team's Roster Resource page reveals that they have added only one player to the roster since the start of the offseason—reliever Ben Rowen, who has a 6.94 ERA in 11.2 career MLB innings, on a minor league deal.
Re-signing Yoenis Cespedes was obviously a huge move, and Neil Walker accepting his qualifying offer was also significant, but really?
Only one new addition this entire offseason?
That just seems lazy.
Trading outfielder Jay Bruce is still a priority with a logjam in the outfield and the team could use a proven left-handed reliever with Jerry Blevins hitting free agency, but things have been quiet on both fronts this month.
Clearly, the team is banking on healthy seasons from Matt Harvey, Steven Matz, David Wright, Lucas Duda and Zack Wheeler bolstering the team without making any outside additions. We shall see if that strategy pays off.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| CF Curtis Granderson | RHP Noah Syndergaard |
| SS Asdrubal Cabrera | RHP Jacob deGrom |
| LF Yoenis Cespedes | RHP Matt Harvey |
| RF Jay Bruce | LHP Steven Matz |
| 2B Neil Walker | RHP Robert Gsellman (R) |
| 3B David Wright | |
| 1B Lucas Duda | RHP Zack Wheeler |
| C Travis d'Arnaud | LHP Josh Edgin |
| RHP Erik Goeddel | |
| C Rene Rivera | LHP Josh Smoker (R) |
| IF Wilmer Flores | RHP Hansel Robles |
| IF Jose Reyes | RHP Addison Reed |
| OF Michael Conforto | RHP Jeurys Familia |
| OF Juan Lagares |
10. Texas Rangers (Previous: 10)
21 of 30
Offseason Update
Looking to upgrade the starting rotation without mortgaging more young talent from a thinning farm system, the Texas Rangers have rolled the dice on a pair of high-upside free agents.
Andrew Cashner was signed to a one-year, $10 million deal earlier in the offseason, and he was recently joined by former San Diego Padres teammate Tyson Ross.
Ross, who was non-tendered by the Padres after making just one start last season before undergoing thoracic outlet surgery, agreed to a one-year, $6 million deal pending a physical.
"The physical is not routine, but the Rangers were well-acquainted with his health issues entering the negotiations," wrote T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com.
The Rangers also added veteran Dillon Gee on a minor league deal, per Sullivan, and he'll push A.J. Griffin for the No. 5 starter gig to start the season, helping further bridge the gap to Ross returning.
On the offensive side, the Rangers still have decisions to make at the DH and first base spots following the departures of Carlos Beltran and Mitch Moreland.
Jurickson Profar, Joey Gallo and Ryan Rua are the leading in-house candidates, though an outside addition is still a possibility.
The team has been strongly linked to Mike Napoli and has also "checked in" on Mark Trumbo, per Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| CF Carlos Gomez | LHP Cole Hamels |
| RF Shin-Soo Choo | RHP Yu Darvish |
| 3B Adrian Beltre | RHP Andrew Cashner |
| 2B Rougned Odor | LHP Martin Perez |
| C Jonathan Lucroy | RHP A.J. Griffin |
| LF Nomar Mazara | |
| SS Elvis Andrus | RHP Mike Hauschild (R) |
| DH Joey Gallo | LHP Alex Claudio |
| 1B Jurickson Profar | RHP Keone Kela |
| RHP Tony Barnette | |
| C Robinson Chirinos | RHP Matt Bush |
| IF Hanser Alberto | RHP Jeremy Jeffress |
| IF/OF Ryan Rua | RHP Sam Dyson |
| OF Delino DeShields Jr. |
Projected DL: SP Tyson Ross (thoracic outlet surgery), RP Jake Diekman (ulcerative colitis surgery)
9. Los Angeles Dodgers (Previous: 13)
22 of 30
Offseason Update
Here's what I wrote in the introductory slide last time these rankings were published:
"These rankings will be updated several more times between now and the start of the 2017 campaign, so if your favorite club is lower than you'd like, there's still time.
A perfect example of this is the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have a number of holes to fill and rank low as a result. They'll climb as the offseason progresses and they fill said holes.
"
Said holes have indeed been filled, at least most of them.
Third baseman Justin Turner, closer Kenley Jansen and starter Rich Hill were all re-signed, leaving second base as the one remaining issue to address before the start of spring training.
With efforts to acquire Brian Dozier stalled, the Dodgers are expected to "circle back" to their earlier pursuits of Ian Kinsler and Logan Forsythe, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
Veteran Chase Utley remains unsigned on the free-agent market and appears to be the fallback plan if they're unable to swing a trade, though adding a right-handed bat to the left-heavy lineup remains the preferred solution.
The bullpen could also use another arm or two to support setup man Pedro Baez and Jansen, as the departure of Joe Blanton is significant.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| LF Andrew Toles | LHP Clayton Kershaw |
| SS Corey Seager | LHP Rich Hill |
| 3B Justin Turner | RHP Kenta Maeda |
| 1B Adrian Gonzalez | LHP Scott Kazmir |
| C Yasmani Grandal | LHP Julio Urias |
| CF Joc Pederson | |
| RF Yasiel Puig | RHP Brandon McCarthy |
| 2B Kike Hernandez | LHP Alex Wood |
| LHP Luis Avilan | |
| C/IF Austin Barnes (R) | RHP Josh Fields |
| 1B/OF Darin Ruf | LHP Grant Dayton |
| IF Charlie Culberson | RHP Pedro Baez |
| OF Andre Ethier | RHP Kenley Jansen |
| OF Trayce Thompson |
Projected DL: SP Hyun-Jin Ryu (elbow surgery), RP Yimi Garcia (TJ surgery)
8. St. Louis Cardinals (Previous: 7)
23 of 30
Offseason Update
The St. Louis Cardinals were quick and decisive in filling their two biggest needs.
They signed Dexter Fowler to a five-year, $82.5 million deal to take over center field and leadoff duties, and Brett Cecil to a four-year, $30.5 million contract to serve as the primary left-handed reliever alongside Kevin Siegrist and his reverse platoon splits.
The addition of veteran backstop Eric Fryer shouldn't be overlooked, either.
The 31-year-old went 14-for-38 with a pair of doubles with the Cardinals last season before the Pirates claimed him off waivers, and bringing him back as the primary backup will allow prospect Carson Kelly more time to develop in Triple-A.
While the team has plugged the roster holes, there are still some big decisions to make this spring.
Jedd Gyorko and Jhonny Peralta will compete for the starting third base job, while the No. 5 starter spot could come down to Michael Wacha and Alex Reyes, with the loser serving as a significant weapon out of the bullpen.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| CF Dexter Fowler | RHP Carlos Martinez |
| SS Aledmys Diaz | RHP Adam Wainwright |
| 1B Matt Carpenter | RHP Lance Lynn |
| RF Stephen Piscotty | RHP Mike Leake |
| LF Randal Grichuk | RHP Alex Reyes (R) |
| C Yadier Molina | |
| 3B Jhonny Peralta | RHP Michael Wacha |
| 2B Kolten Wong | RHP Miguel Socolovich |
| RHP Jonathan Broxton | |
| C Eric Fryer | LHP Brett Cecil |
| 1B Matt Adams | RHP Trevor Rosenthal |
| IF Greg Garcia | LHP Kevin Siegrist |
| IF Jedd Gyorko | RHP Seung Hwan Oh |
| OF Tommy Pham |
Projected DL: RP Zach Duke (TJ surgery), RP Tyler Lyons (knee surgery)
7. Toronto Blue Jays (Previous: 9)
24 of 30
Offseason Update
The return of Jose Bautista gives the Toronto Blue Jays a much clearer picture for the upcoming season.
Bautista will earn $18 million in 2017 and has a chance to earn $60 million total over the life of a deal that includes a pair of mutual options, per Gregor Chisholm and Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com.
The signing not only returns a big bat to a lineup that lost Edwin Encarnacion and Michael Saunders, but it will also allow Ezequiel Carrera and Melvin Upton Jr. to platoon in left field; otherwise, they would have both been exposed as everyday players.
Fellow offseason signing Steve Pearce can also slide into a super utility role rather than being used primarily as a corner outfielder.
The terrific starting rotation should be a strength once again, and the deadline deal to acquire Francisco Liriano gave them a built-in replacement for free agent R.A. Dickey.
The bullpen could still use another veteran arm or two, and a backup catcher is also still high on the to-do list, but the Blue Jays are almost certainly done making impact deals this winter.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| 2B Devon Travis | RHP Aaron Sanchez |
| 3B Josh Donaldson | LHP J.A. Happ |
| RF Jose Bautista | RHP Marco Estrada |
| DH Kendrys Morales | RHP Marcus Stroman |
| SS Troy Tulowitzki | LHP Francisco Liriano |
| 1B Justin Smoak | |
| C Russell Martin | RHP Mike Bolsinger |
| CF Kevin Pillar | RHP Glenn Sparkman (R) |
| LF Ezequiel Carrera | RHP Ryan Tepera |
| LHP Aaron Loup | |
| C A.J. Jimenez (R) | RHP Joe Biagini |
| IF/OF Darwin Barney | RHP Jason Grilli |
| IF/OF Steve Pearce | RHP Roberto Osuna |
| OF Melvin Upton Jr. |
6. San Francisco Giants (Previous: 6)
25 of 30
Offseason Update
The San Francisco Giants made the most of their limited financial wiggle room this offseason, addressing their biggest need with the addition of closer Mark Melancon.
"It gives the club peace of mind, with so many close games that we play, that we have a lockdown guy for the ninth inning," GM Bobby Evans told Chris Haft of MLB.com.
Upgrading left field has been a popular hypothetical follow-up move, but the team has maxed out its spending room at this point, according to John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle.
That leaves the fairly unproven duo of Jarrett Parker and Mac Williamson as a likely platoon; Gorkys Hernandez is also an option.
Looking further down the line, a strong start from top prospect Christian Arroyo could put him in a position to push for playing time at third base, which could bump Eduardo Nunez into a super utility role where he could see time in the outfield as well.
While there's been only one significant addition on an MLB deal, the Giants have one of the more interesting collections of non-roster invitees.
Jimmy Rollins, Michael Morse and Justin Ruggiano will all vie for bench spots, while Bryan Morris, Jose Dominguez and Neil Ramirez are candidates for the bullpen. Former All-Star starter Josh Johnson is also in camp as he tries to get his injury-plagued career back on track at the age of 32.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| CF Denard Span | LHP Madison Bumgarner |
| 2B Joe Panik | RHP Johnny Cueto |
| C Buster Posey | RHP Jeff Samardzija |
| RF Hunter Pence | LHP Matt Moore |
| 1B Brandon Belt | RHP Matt Cain |
| SS Brandon Crawford | |
| 3B Eduardo Nunez | RHP Cory Gearrin |
| LF Jarrett Parker | RHP George Kontos |
| LHP Steven Okert (R) | |
| C Trevor Brown | RHP Hunter Strickland |
| 1B/3B Conor Gillaspie | LHP Will Smith |
| IF Ehire Adrianza | RHP Derek Law |
| OF Gorkys Hernandez | RHP Mark Melancon |
| OF Mac Williamson |
5. Houston Astros (Previous: 5)
26 of 30
Offseason Update
Things have been quiet out of the Houston Astros camp since the winter meetings.
However, that could change drastically if they decide to pull the trigger on trading for a front-line starter to anchor the rotation.
According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the team has remained in contact with the Oakland Athletics regarding Sonny Gray while failing to gain much traction on talks with the Chicago White Sox about Jose Quintana.
It will likely come down to whether they're willing to part with one or both of top prospect Francis Martes and young starter Joe Musgrove—two pitchers who could potentially anchor the future rotation if they develop as expected.
Even if they don't land a starter, the Astros have improved considerably this offseason with the additions of Carlos Beltran, Brian McCann, Josh Reddick and Nori Aoki to a lineup that already had plenty of firepower.
The continued development of Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa gives the team a pair of stars in the making, while a healthy season from Lance McCullers could see him take the next step as well.
Adding another lefty reliever appears to be the only glaring item on the to-do list, following a disappointing season from Tony Sipp.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| CF George Springer | LHP Dallas Keuchel |
| 2B Jose Altuve | RHP Lance McCullers |
| SS Carlos Correa | RHP Collin McHugh |
| DH Carlos Beltran | RHP Mike Fiers |
| C Brian McCann | RHP Charlie Morton |
| 3B Alex Bregman | |
| RF Josh Reddick | RHP Chris Devenski |
| 1B Yulieski Gurriel (R) | RHP Brad Peacock |
| LF Nori Aoki | RHP Michael Feliz |
| LHP Tony Sipp | |
| C Evan Gattis | RHP Luke Gregerson |
| 1B/OF Preston Tucker | RHP Will Harris |
| IF/OF Marwin Gonzalez | RHP Ken Giles |
| OF Jake Marisnick |
4. Washington Nationals (Previous: 4)
27 of 30
Offseason Update
Could the Adam Eaton trade prove to be one the Washington Nationals regret for a long time?
Absolutely.
Did it make them a better team in 2017?
No question.
With Eaton essentially replacing Danny Espinosa in the lineup, and Trea Turner shifting from center field to shortstop as he gets set for his first full season, the lineup will have a pair of impact table-setters who weren't there on Opening Day a year ago.
They're a bounce-back season from Bryce Harper away from being one of the most dangerous offenses in baseball.
Questions still abound in the bullpen, where the team has yet to add a proven replacement for Mark Melancon in the ninth-inning role.
However, Shawn Kelley has the stuff to close, and keep an eye on prospect Koda Glover, and his high-octane fastball, as a potential impact addition to the bullpen as well.
This team still looks like the class of the NL East and the biggest competition to the Chicago Cubs for NL supremacy.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| SS Trea Turner | RHP Max Scherzer |
| CF Adam Eaton | RHP Stephen Strasburg |
| 2B Daniel Murphy | RHP Tanner Roark |
| RF Bryce Harper | LHP Gio Gonzalez |
| 3B Anthony Rendon | RHP Joe Ross |
| LF Jayson Werth | |
| 1B Ryan Zimmerman | RHP A.J. Cole |
| C Derek Norris | RHP Koda Glover (R) |
| LHP Oliver Perez | |
| C Jose Lobaton | RHP Trevor Gott |
| 1B/OF Clint Robinson | LHP Sammy Solis |
| IF Wilmer Difo | RHP Blake Treinen |
| OF Chris Heisey | RHP Shawn Kelley |
| OF Michael Taylor |
3. Boston Red Sox (Previous: 2)
28 of 30
Offseason Update
Who will be the Opening Day starter for the Boston Red Sox?
Having three ace-caliber arms atop the rotation is a good problem to have—one the Red Sox will welcome with open arms after entering last season with plenty of questions surrounding the starting staff.
The final two spots in the Boston rotation should make for one of the more intriguing position battles around the league, as Drew Pomeranz, Steven Wright and Eduardo Rodriguez all have the potential to be far more than just back-of-the-rotation arms.
If anyone from that group is going to start the year in the minors it will probably be E-Rod, but these things have a way of sorting themselves out, and it's another good problem to have.
All eyes will be on Pablo Sandoval this spring as he looks to prove he's capable of holding down the third base job.
After trading away Travis Shaw and Yoan Moncada, the Red Sox don't have a clear backup plan, as utility man Brock Holt would likely be the next man up.
The catcher job will also carry plenty of intrigue.
Based on 2016 production, Sandy Leon should be a shoo-in for the starting gig, but there's no chance he duplicates a .392 BABIP. His crashing back to earth would open the door for defensive whiz Christian Vazquez or former top prospect Blake Swihart to seize the starting role.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| 2B Dustin Pedroia | LHP Chris Sale |
| LF Andrew Benintendi (R) | LHP David Price |
| SS Xander Bogaerts | RHP Rick Porcello |
| RF Mookie Betts | LHP Drew Pomeranz |
| DH Hanley Ramirez | RHP Steven Wright |
| CF Jackie Bradley Jr. | |
| 3B Pablo Sandoval | RHP Heath Hembree |
| 1B Mitch Moreland | LHP Fernando Abad |
| C Sandy Leon | RHP Matt Barnes |
| LHP Robbie Ross Jr. | |
| C Christian Vazquez | RHP Joe Kelly |
| IF Josh Rutledge | RHP Tyler Thornburg |
| IF/OF Brock Holt | RHP Craig Kimbrel |
| OF Chris Young |
Projected DL: Carson Smith (TJ surgery)
2. Cleveland Indians (Previous: 3)
29 of 30
Offseason Update
It was a flip of the coin between the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox for the top spot among AL teams following the winter meetings and the Chris Sale blockbuster.
Since then, the Indians have added slugger Edwin Encarnacion, shoring up the biggest hole on the roster and bolstering the lineup with one of the game's most dangerous sluggers.
So the advantage goes to Cleveland once again.
While Encarnacion is the only notable outside addition, this team will look considerably different than the one we saw last October.
Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar were both non-factors in the postseason, catcher Yan Gomes was relegated to backup duties after suffering a concussion in late August, and All-Star outfielder Michael Brantley didn't play after May 9.
That's four star-caliber players who contributed nothing during the team's postseason run to the World Series.
Throw in a full season of Andrew Miller and sprinkle on the valuable experience that guys like Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin gained in October, and this team could be a force in 2017.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| DH Carlos Santana | RHP Corey Kluber |
| 2B Jason Kipnis | RHP Carlos Carrasco |
| SS Francisco Lindor | RHP Danny Salazar |
| 1B Edwin Encarnacion | RHP Trevor Bauer |
| LF Michael Brantley | RHP Josh Tomlin |
| 3B Jose Ramirez | |
| RF Lonnie Chisenhall | RHP Hoby Milner (R) |
| C Yan Gomes | LHP Kyle Crockett |
| CF Tyler Naquin | RHP Zach McAllister |
| RHP Dan Otero | |
| C Roberto Perez | RHP Bryan Shaw |
| IF Michael Martinez | LHP Andrew Miller |
| OF Abraham Almonte | RHP Cody Allen |
| OF Brandon Guyer |
1. Chicago Cubs (Previous: 1)
30 of 30
Offseason Update
The Cleveland Indians no doubt closed the gap with the Edwin Encarnacion signing, but the Chicago Cubs are still the team to beat.
The defending champs could use a better primary lefty option for the bullpen now that Mike Montgomery is slated for a spot in the rotation, and further starting pitching depth would be welcome as well.
Aside from that, they look stacked once again from top to bottom.
A replacement for Dexter Fowler as the catalyst atop the lineup might be the biggest concern heading into spring training.
The Cubs were 52-22 (.703) in games where Fowler reached base at least twice last season, and they went 18-18 in the 36 games where he was out of the lineup altogether.
It sounds like Kyle Schwarber will get the first crack at the leadoff spot, at least against right-handed pitching, per Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com.
That should make for an interesting storyline to follow this spring, not that Cubs fans need any more reason to be excited about the potential of a full season from Schwarber.
Rule 5 pick Caleb Smith will also be an interesting one to watch.
Contenders aren't generally in a position to eat up a roster spot on a flier, so the Cubs obviously see something in him. With eight pitchers likely breaking camp with the team, he'll get every chance to win a spot.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Jan. 17)
| LF Kyle Schwarber | LHP Jon Lester |
| 3B Kris Bryant | RHP Jake Arrieta |
| 1B Anthony Rizzo | RHP Kyle Hendricks |
| 2B Ben Zobrist | RHP John Lackey |
| SS Addison Russell | LHP Mike Montgomery |
| C Willson Contreras | |
| RF Jason Heyward | LHP Caleb Smith (R) |
| CF Jon Jay | RHP Justin Grimm |
| LHP Brian Duensing | |
| C Miguel Montero | RHP Carl Edwards Jr. |
| IF Javier Baez | RHP Pedro Strop |
| OF Albert Almora Jr. | RHP Koji Uehara |
| OF Matt Szczur | RHP Hector Rondon |
| RHP Wade Davis |
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted. Contract information via Spotrac unless otherwise noted.
