MLB Power Rankings: Where All 30 Teams Stand, 2017 Mid-Spring Training Edition
Months have turned to weeks, baseball fans.
There's a light at the end of the tunnel, as we're now just a few short weeks removed from Opening Day.
Here, at what is more or less the midway point of spring training, it's time for a fresh version of our MLB power rankings, which were last updated March 1.
Since it's tough to draw significant conclusions from a handful of spring training games and there have been very few noteworthy injuries or trades so far this preseason, the rankings are relatively unchanged.
Instead, we'll focus on what is shaping up to be each team's biggest strength and biggest weakness for the upcoming season in an effort to better illustrate why each team is ranked in their current spot.
Late-spring injuries and the inevitable roster crunch could pave the way for a few spring trades, so there's still time for things to change between now and Opening Day.
As with any offseason power rankings, these are not meant to be predictions for the year ahead, but instead a look at how teams would stack up with the rosters they currently have if the season were to start today.
Note: Players listed in bold on projected rosters indicate newcomers. An (R) next to a player indicates his rookie status is intact.
30. San Diego Padres
1 of 30
Potential Strength
If Hunter Renfroe, Manuel Margot and Austin Hedges can make a smooth transition to the majors after standout seasons in Triple-A, it would go a long way in providing support for Wil Myers and Yangervis Solarte offensively for a team that ranked 28th in the majors with a .689 OPS last season.
Potential Weakness
The patchwork starting rotation could wind up putting a lot of pressure on an otherwise solid relief corps, leaving the entire pitching staff as the team's biggest weakness. That's the risk you run when you go bargain hunting for rotation pieces.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| LF Travis Jankowski | RHP Jered Weaver |
| CF Manuel Margot (R) | RHP Jhoulys Chacin |
| 1B Wil Myers | LHP Clayton Richard |
| 3B Yangervis Solarte | RHP Trevor Cahill |
| RF Hunter Renfroe (R) | LHP Christian Friedrich |
| 2B Ryan Schimpf | |
| C Austin Hedges | RHP Paul Clemens |
| SS Luis Sardinas | RHP Jarred Cosart |
| RHP Miguel Diaz (R) | |
| C Luis Torrens (R) | RHP Kevin Quackenbush |
| C/OF Christian Bethancourt | LHP Ryan Buchter |
| IF Erick Aybar | LHP Brad Hand |
| IF Cory Spangenberg | RHP Brandon Maurer |
| OF Jabari Blash |
Projected DL: RP Carter Capps (Tommy John surgery), SP Colin Rea (Tommy John surgery), SP Robbie Erlin (Tommy John surgery), 1B/OF Alex Dickerson (back)
29. Cincinnati Reds
2 of 30
Potential Strength
The one-two punch of Billy Hamilton and Jose Peraza atop the lineup could wreak havoc on the basepaths and provide Joey Votto with plenty of RBI opportunities. Votto hit a ridiculous .408/.490/.668 in the second half last season and could be primed for a career year.
Potential Weakness
With Homer Bailey and Anthony DeSclafani already slated for the Opening Day disabled list, the starting rotation will be banking on a trio of inexperienced arms behind Brandon Finnegan and Scott Feldman. While it will provide those up-and-coming starters with some valuable experience, there will inevitably be some bumps along the way.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| CF Billy Hamilton | LHP Brandon Finnegan |
| 2B Jose Peraza | RHP Scott Feldman |
| 1B Joey Votto | RHP Robert Stephenson (R) |
| LF Adam Duvall | LHP Cody Reed |
| RF Scott Schebler | LHP Amir Garrett (R) |
| SS Zack Cozart | |
| 3B Eugenio Suarez | RHP Lisalverto Bonilla |
| C Devin Mesoraco | LHP Wandy Peralta |
| RHP Blake Wood | |
| C Tucker Barnhart | RHP Drew Storen |
| 1B/OF Patrick Kivlehan (R) | LHP Tony Cingrani |
| IF/OF Arismendy Alcantara | RHP Michael Lorenzen |
| IF/OF Tony Renda | RHP Raisel Iglesias |
| OF Ryan Raburn |
Projected DL: SP Homer Bailey (elbow surgery, bone spurs), SP Anthony DeSclafani (elbow sprain)
28. Minnesota Twins
3 of 30
Potential Strength
Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano have failed to live up to expectations so far, but with Buxton coming off a dynamite month of September and Sano settling back in at his natural third base position, they could both be primed for a breakout season. That would be a huge boon for the offense.
Potential Weakness
Brandon Kintzler did an admirable job stepping into the closer's role out of necessity last season, but he's far better served in a setup role. While Craig Breslow and Matt Belisle are nice low-cost additions to the relief corps, this year's pen doesn't look all that much different than the group that ranked 26th in the majors with a 4.63 ERA last season.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| 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 Jose Berrios |
| DH Kennys Vargas | |
| C Jason Castro | RHP Justin Haley (R) |
| LF Eddie Rosario | LHP Craig Breslow |
| CF Byron Buxton | RHP Michael Tonkin |
| LHP Taylor Rogers | |
| C John Ryan Murphy | RHP Matt Belisle |
| IF Ehire Adrianza | RHP Ryan Pressly |
| IF Eduardo Escobar | RHP Brandon Kintzler |
| OF Robbie Grossman |
Projected DL: RP Glen Perkins (shoulder), SP Trevor May (torn UCL)
27. Chicago White Sox
4 of 30
Potential Strength
The Chicago White Sox finally have a clearly defined direction as rebuilding efforts have begun. The veterans know their time with the club is likely limited, and the young players know they'll get their chance in short order. They may not win a ton of games this year, but there's legitimate excitement surrounding this team for the first time in years and that can be contagious in the clubhouse.
Potential Weakness
A clear direction and fan excitement are nice, but this is a team in the early stages of a rebuild. They're going to ship off a fair amount more talent in the months to come, and their success this year won't be measured in wins and losses. That will likely result in plenty of the latter, and fans will need to be patient in trusting the process.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| SS Tim Anderson | LHP Jose Quintana |
| LF Melky Cabrera | RHP Miguel Gonzalez |
| 1B Jose Abreu | LHP Carlos Rodon |
| 3B Todd Frazier | RHP James Shields |
| RF Avisail Garcia | LHP Derek Holland |
| DH Cody Asche | |
| C Geovany Soto | RHP Dylan Covey (R) |
| 2B Tyler Saladino | RHP Michael Ynoa |
| CF Peter Bourjos | LHP Cory Luebke |
| RHP Jake Petricka | |
| C Omar Narvaez (R) | LHP Dan Jennings |
| 1B/3B Matt Davidson | RHP Nate Jones |
| IF Yolmer Sanchez | RHP David Robertson |
| IF/OF Leury Garcia |
Projected DL: CF Charlie Tilson (foot)
26. Oakland Athletics
5 of 30
Potential Strength
The additions of Rajai Davis, Matt Joyce and Trevor Plouffe and a strong spring from Yonder Alonso (8-for-19, two home runs) leaves the Oakland Athletics without any glaring holes in the lineup. There are also a number of prospects poised to break through this season—including Matt Chapman, Renato Nunez, Chad Pinder and Joey Wendle—that could provide further support to a quietly improved lineup.
Potential Weakness
The comeback push for ace Sonny Gray is not off to a strong start as he'll start the season on the disabled list with a lat strain. That leaves the young duo of Kendall Graveman and Sean Manaea to front a starting rotation with plenty of young depth, but limited MLB experience. The offense might be improved, but it won't be good enough to single-handedly carry the team.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| CF Rajai Davis | RHP Kendall Graveman |
| C Stephen Vogt | LHP Sean Manaea |
| DH Ryon Healy | RHP Jesse Hahn |
| LF Khris Davis | RHP Jharel Cotton (R) |
| RF Matt Joyce | RHP Andrew Triggs |
| SS Marcus Semien | |
| 3B Trevor Plouffe | RHP Simon Castro (R) |
| 1B Yonder Alonso | RHP Liam Hendriks |
| 2B Jed Lowrie | RHP John Axford |
| RHP Ryan Dull | |
| C Josh Phegley | RHP Santiago Casilla |
| 1B/OF Mark Canha | LHP Sean Doolittle |
| IF Adam Rosales | RHP Ryan Madson |
| OF Jaff Decker |
Projected DL: SP Sonny Gray (lat strain), SP Chris Bassitt (Tommy John surgery), SP Daniel Mengden (foot surgery), OF Jake Smolinski (shoulder surgery)
25. Milwaukee Brewers
6 of 30
Potential Strength
There are a lot of "ifs" with the offense, but there's also a ton of potential. If Keon Broxton plays like he did down the stretch last season, Jonathan Villar comes anywhere close to duplicating his breakout season and both Eric Thames and Travis Shaw can provide solid run production support for Ryan Braun, this lineup could score a lot more runs than expected.
Potential Weakness
The Brewers have no fewer than seven pitchers vying for a spot in the starting rotation. The trouble is, none of them even remotely resemble a staff ace. Junior Guerra and Zach Davies appear to be the two guys locked into starting jobs, and while they both had their moments last season, neither is anywhere close to a sure thing to anchor the rotation.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| 2B Jonathan Villar | RHP Junior Guerra |
| CF Keon Broxton | RHP Zach Davies |
| LF Ryan Braun | RHP Matt Garza |
| 1B Eric Thames | RHP Jimmy Nelson |
| 3B Travis Shaw | RHP Wily Peralta |
| RF Domingo Santana | |
| SS Orlando Arcia | RHP Chase Anderson |
| C Andrew Susac | LHP Tommy Milone |
| RHP Jacob Barnes | |
| C Manny Pina (R) | RHP Jhan Marinez |
| 1B Jesus Aguilar | RHP Carlos Torres |
| IF Scooter Gennett | RHP Corey Knebel |
| IF/OF Hernan Perez | RHP Neftali Feliz |
| OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis |
24. Philadelphia Phillies
7 of 30
Potential Strength
The return of Jeremy Hellickson and the addition of Clay Buchholz gives the Philadelphia Phillies a starting rotation with an interesting mix of veteran upside and intriguing youth. A repeat performance from Hellickson and a similar resurrection from Buchholz would give the team a pair of valuable trade chips, and their presence on the staff will only help in the young guys' development.
Potential Weakness
The additions of Michael Saunders and Howie Kendrick are nice, but how much of an overall difference are they going to make for a team that finished last in the majors in runs scored? Tommy Joseph, Cameron Rupp and Freddy Galvis all exceeded expectations last season and Maikel Franco is still looking to take that next step, so they could be scraping to score once again.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| 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 Luis Garcia |
| SS Freddy Galvis | RHP Edubray Ramos |
| LHP Joely Rodriguez (R) | |
| C Ryan Hanigan | RHP Pat Neshek |
| 1B/OF Daniel Nava | RHP Hector Neris |
| IF Andres Blanco | RHP Joaquin Benoit |
| IF/OF Chris Coghlan | RHP Jeanmar Gomez |
| OF Aaron Altherr |
23. Atlanta Braves
8 of 30
Potential Strength
Full seasons of Ender Inciarte, Matt Kemp and Dansby Swanson, along with the addition of Brandon Phillips, gives the Atlanta Braves a lineup that could make some legitimate noise in the NL East. Their starting rotation won't be confused with a stable of aces, but it should eat plenty of innings, and that's exactly what the team needs at this point. After a 12-2 finish to the 2016 season, a push toward .500 is not out of the question.
Potential Weakness
While Bartolo Colon, Jaime Garcia and R.A. Dickey should eat a ton of innings, whether they're quality innings remains to be seen. Having three guys combined for 540 innings and a 4.75 ERA isn't necessarily a good thing as far as the team's outlook is concerned. It's a more experienced rotation, but it's not a given it will be a vastly improved one.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| 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 |
| 2B Brandon Phillips | |
| 3B Adonis Garcia | RHP Josh Collmenter |
| C Tyler Flowers | LHP Kevin Chapman |
| RHP Chaz Roe | |
| C Kurt Suzuki | RHP Jose Ramirez |
| IF Jace Peterson | LHP Ian Krol |
| IF/OF Emilio Bonifacio | RHP Mauricio Cabrera |
| IF/OF Chase d'Arnaud | RHP Arodys Vizcaino |
| RHP Jim Johnson |
Projected DL: IF Sean Rodriguez (shoulder surgery), RP Paco Rodriguez (Tommy John surgery), RP Jacob Lindgren (Tommy John surgery), RP Dan Winkler (fractured elbow), RP Armando Rivero (shoulder soreness)
22. Los Angeles Angels
9 of 30
Potential Strength
The Los Angeles Angels may not have made any splashy additions, but the supporting cast around Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and Kole Calhoun is vastly improved. Danny Espinosa, Luis Valbuena, Ben Revere and Cameron Maybin will all be welcome additions and could be enough to push the offensive attack from below average to above average.
Potential Weakness
The starting rotation has a chance to be solid if Garrett Richards' arm holds up and Tyler Skaggs can stay healthy. It also has a chance to be an absolute disaster if one or both of those guys misses time, as there's little in the way of viable depth while Andrew Heaney and Nick Tropeano continue to recover from Tommy John surgery. The back end of the bullpen is also far from a sure thing.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| LF Ben Revere | RHP Garrett Richards |
| RF Kole Calhoun | RHP Matt Shoemaker |
| CF Mike Trout | LHP Tyler Skaggs |
| DH Albert Pujols | RHP Ricky Nolasco |
| 1B Luis Valbuena | RHP Jesse Chavez |
| 3B Yunel Escobar | |
| 2B Danny Espinosa | RHP Yusmeiro Petit |
| SS Andrelton Simmons | LHP Cody Ege (R) |
| C Martin Maldonado | RHP Austin Adams |
| LHP Jose Alvarez | |
| C Carlos Perez | RHP J.C. Ramirez |
| 1B C.J. Cron | RHP Andrew Bailey |
| IF Cliff Pennington | RHP Cam Bedrosian |
| OF Cameron Maybin |
Projected DL: RP Huston Street (lat strain), SP Andrew Heaney (Tommy John surgery), SP Nick Tropeano (Tommy John surgery)
21. Tampa Bay Rays
10 of 30
Potential Strength
It might sound crazy after the team traded Matt Moore in July and Drew Smyly this offseason, but this year's starting rotation could once again emerge as one of the best in baseball. A potential bounce-back season from Chris Archer, a healthy campaign from Alex Cobb, another step forward from Blake Snell and the impending arrivals of Jose De Leon and Brent Honeywell leave plenty of room for optimism.
Potential Weakness
The offense will once again need to be propped up by the pitching staff. Wilson Ramos and Colby Rasmus were nice low-cost additions and prospect Casey Gillaspie could be along to help at some point, but this is still a lineup that could struggle to score runs at times, especially if Brad Miller levels off after a surprising power surge.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| CF Kevin Kiermaier | RHP Chris Archer |
| SS Matt Duffy | RHP Jake Odorizzi |
| 3B Evan Longoria | RHP Alex Cobb |
| 2B Brad Miller | LHP Blake Snell |
| DH Corey Dickerson | RHP Matt Andriese |
| LF Colby Rasmus | |
| RF Steven Souza | RHP Erasmo Ramirez |
| 1B Logan Morrison | LHP Justin Marks (R) |
| C Curt Casali | RHP Jumbo Diaz |
| RHP Danny Farquhar | |
| C Luke Maile | LHP Xavier Cedeno |
| 1B/OF Rickie Weeks Jr. | RHP Brad Boxberger |
| IF Tim Beckham | RHP Alex Colome |
| IF/OF Nick Franklin |
Projected DL: C Wilson Ramos (knee surgery), SP Nathan Eovaldi (Tommy John surgery), RP Shawn Tolleson (lat soreness)
20. Arizona Diamondbacks
11 of 30
Potential Strength
Healthy seasons from A.J. Pollock and David Peralta will be huge for an offense that was already 10th in the majors in runs scored without them last year. Assuming Zack Greinke has no lingering issues with his velocity, the trio of Greinke, Robbie Ray and Taijuan Walker could surprise a lot of people fronting a rotation with plenty of depth.
Potential Weakness
Does anyone really trust Fernando Rodney to close out games for an entire season? After a brilliant start to last year, he imploded down the stretch and he'll turn 40 Saturday. Yet, the D-backs signed him to close and really didn't line up a fallback plan if he falters.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| 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 | RHP J.J. Hoover |
| RHP Tom Wilhelmsen | |
| C Jeff Mathis | LHP Andrew Chafin |
| C/OF Chris Herrmann | RHP Randall Delgado |
| IF Nick Ahmed | RHP Jake Barrett |
| IF/OF Daniel Descalso | RHP Fernando Rodney |
| OF Jeremy Hazelbaker |
19. Baltimore Orioles
12 of 30
Potential Strength
The offense is going to hit a ton of home runs again, and the bullpen will continue to shorten games behind the late-inning arms of Mychal Givens, Darren O'Day, Brad Brach and Zach Britton. Basically, the same things the Baltimore Orioles hung their hat on a year ago.
Potential Weakness
Making no significant additions to a starting rotation that ranked 24th in the majors with a 4.72 ERA was a risky move, to say the least. Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy are both still capable of taking another step forward, but even that might not be enough for them to have even a league-average staff. The complete lack of speed on the bases (19 SB in 2016) also went unaddressed.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| LF Hyun Soo Kim | RHP Kevin Gausman |
| CF Adam Jones | RHP Dylan Bundy |
| 3B Manny Machado | RHP Ubaldo Jimenez |
| 1B Chris Davis | LHP Wade Miley |
| DH Mark Trumbo | RHP Mike Wright |
| 2B Jonathan Schoop | |
| RF Seth Smith | LHP Vidal Nuno |
| C Welington Castillo | RHP Oliver Drake |
| SS J.J. Hardy | LHP Donnie Hart |
| RHP Mychal Givens | |
| C Caleb Joseph | RHP Darren O'Day |
| IF/OF Ryan Flaherty | RHP Brad Brach |
| OF Craig Gentry | LHP Zach Britton |
| OF Joey Rickard |
Projected DL: Chris Tillman (platlet-rich plasma injection in shoulder), OF Anthony Santander (elbow)
18. Kansas City Royals
13 of 30
Potential Strength
With Danny Duffy opening the season as the clear ace and the additions of Jason Hammel and Travis Wood, the starting rotation could be improved over last year's group. A healthy Mike Moustakas and a bounce-back season from Lorenzo Cain would also go a long way toward improving the offense, while Brandon Moss and Jorge Soler add some intriguing pop.
Potential Weakness
The bullpen has been a focal point for the Royals during their recent run of success, but after trading Wade Davis to the Chicago Cubs, it no longer looks like a clear strength. Kelvin Herrera is more than capable of closing and Joakim Soria has a long track record of success, but this isn't the lights-out pen it's been in years past.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| SS Alcides Escobar | LHP Danny Duffy |
| 3B Mike Moustakas | RHP Ian Kennedy |
| CF Lorenzo Cain | LHP Jason Vargas |
| 1B Eric Hosmer | RHP Jason Hammel |
| C Salvador Perez | LHP Travis Wood |
| LF Alex Gordon | |
| RF Jorge Soler | LHP Mike Minor |
| DH Brandon Moss | RHP Chris Young |
| 2B Raul Mondesi | LHP Scott Alexander |
| RHP Peter Moylan | |
| C Drew Butera | LHP Matt Strahm (R) |
| IF Christian Colon | RHP Joakim Soria |
| IF Cheslor Cuthbert | RHP Kelvin Herrera |
| OF Paulo Orlando |
Projected DL: RP Brian Flynn (fractured rib)
17. Miami Marlins
14 of 30
Potential Strength
The bullpen! Adding Junichi Tazawa and Brad Ziegler to a relief corps that already included a valuable swingman (David Phelps), strikeout machine (Kyle Barraclough) and standout closer (A.J. Ramos) gives the Miami Marlins a pen that rivals any in baseball.
Potential Weakness
Credit the front office for thinking outside the box when they opted to make building up the relief corps the top priority as opposed to overpaying for mid-level starting pitching. The additions of Edinson Volquez, Dan Straily and Jeff Locke give the team some warm bodies to round out the staff, but don't be surprised if the Miami bullpen leads all relief corps in innings pitched.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| 2B Dee Gordon | LHP Wei-Yin Chen |
| 3B Martin Prado | RHP Edinson Volquez |
| CF Christian Yelich | LHP Adam Conley |
| RF Giancarlo Stanton | RHP Dan Straily |
| LF Marcell Ozuna | RHP Tom Koehler |
| 1B Justin Bour | |
| C J.T. Realmuto | RHP Jose Urena |
| SS Adeiny Hechavarria | RHP David Phelps |
| LHP Hunter Cervenka | |
| C A.J. Ellis | RHP Dustin McGowan |
| IF Miguel Rojas | RHP Junichi Tazawa |
| IF/OF Derek Dietrich | RHP Brad Ziegler |
| OF Ichiro Suzuki | RHP Kyle Barraclough |
| RHP A.J. Ramos |
Projected DL: SP Jeff Locke (biceps tendinitis)
16. Colorado Rockies
15 of 30
Potential Strength
It has to be the offense, right? Even with Ian Desmond, David Dahl and Tom Murphy projected to start the season on the disabled list, this still looks like a dangerous group that should have no trouble scoring runs. The trio of Jon Gray, Tyler Anderson and Tyler Chatwood atop the staff also has a chance to be better than expected, and the young duo of Jeff Hoffman and German Marquez certainly offers intriguing upside.
Potential Weakness
The Rockies bullpen was worst in the majors with a 5.13 ERA last season, undermining a vastly improved starting rotation and accounting for 29 losses and 28 blown saves. Greg Holland and Mike Dunn are nice additions and a healthy season from Adam Ottavino will also help, but is this year's group good enough for the team to contend?
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| CF Charlie Blackmon | RHP Jon Gray |
| 2B DJ LeMahieu | LHP Tyler Anderson |
| 3B Nolan Arenado | RHP Tyler Chatwood |
| RF Carlos Gonzalez | RHP Jeff Hoffman (R) |
| SS Trevor Story | RHP German Marquez (R) |
| LF Gerardo Parra | |
| 1B Mark Reynolds | RHP Jordan Lyles |
| C Tony Wolters | LHP Chris Rusin |
| RHP Scott Oberg | |
| C Dustin Garneau | LHP Mike Dunn |
| IF Cristhian Adames | RHP Jason Motte |
| IF/OF Alexi Amarista | LHP Jake McGee |
| OF Stephen Cardullo (R) | RHP Greg Holland |
| RHP Adam Ottavino |
Projected DL: SP Chad Bettis (chemotherapy), 1B Ian Desmond (hand fracture), LF David Dahl (stress reaction/rib), C Tom Murphy (forearm fracture), RP Chad Qualls (elbow soreness), RP Jairo Diaz (Tommy John surgery)
15. Pittsburgh Pirates
16 of 30
Potential Strength
The Pittsburgh Pirates finished sixth in the NL in runs scored last year while Andrew McCutchen suffered through the worst season of his career. If he can return to All-Star form and Josh Bell makes a smooth transition into the everyday first base role, this year's lineup could be even more dangerous.
Potential Weakness
There's a ton of uncertainty surrounding the starting rotation. Gerrit Cole needs to pitch like an ace, and Ivan Nova needs to prove his two-month stint with the team was the real deal. Behind that duo, the team is relying on some combination of Jameson Taillon, Chad Kuhl, Drew Hutchison, Tyler Glasnow and Steven Brault. There's upside, but there's also an enormous spread between ceiling and floor for that group.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| 2B Josh Harrison | RHP Gerrit Cole |
| 1B Josh Bell (R) | RHP Ivan Nova |
| RF Andrew McCutchen | RHP Jameson Taillon |
| CF Starling Marte | RHP Chad Kuhl |
| LF Gregory Polanco | RHP Drew Hutchison |
| 3B David Freese | |
| 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 |
| IF Alen Hanson (R) | RHP Daniel Hudson |
| IF/OF Adam Frazier | LHP Tony Watson |
| IF/OF Phil Gosselin |
Restricted List: 3B Jung Ho Kang
14. Detroit Tigers
17 of 30
Potential Strength
Even without an established center fielder and with defensive-minded players at the catcher and shortstop positions, the Detroit Tigers are going to score a ton of runs. That's especially true if Justin Upton can avoid another disastrously slow start and Nick Castellanos can stay healthy long enough to truly break out.
Potential Weakness
Pitching. One or both of Jordan Zimmermann and Anibal Sanchez living up to their hefty salary would go a long way in the starting rotation, but at some point, the team might need to realize that Matt Boyd is a better option. The relief corps also made no significant additions after ranking 24th in the majors with a 4.22 ERA and tallying 19 blown saves a year ago.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| 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
18 of 30
Potential Strength
Bringing back Aroldis Chapman and quietly trading for Tyler Clippard at the deadline gives the New York Yankees a new Big Three at the back of the bullpen, and they should again have a reliable stable of relief arms. A full season of Gary Sanchez, a healthy Greg Bird and the addition of Matt Holliday should also make for an improved offense.
Potential Weakness
Masahiro Tanaka is really the only sure thing in the starting rotation. CC Sabathia and Michael Pineda are locked into spots behind him, but consistent and reliable are not words that will be used to describe that duo anytime soon. Then there's the four-man battle for the final two spots between Luis Severino, Bryan Mitchell, Chad Green and Luis Cessa—a group short on MLB experience, to say the least.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| 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 Chad Green |
| 2B Starlin Castro | |
| SS Didi Gregorius | LHP Jon Niese |
| 3B Chase Headley | RHP Bryan Mitchell |
| RF Aaron Judge (R) | RHP Adam Warren |
| LHP Tommy Layne | |
| C Austin Romine | RHP Tyler Clippard |
| 1B Chris Carter | RHP Dellin Betances |
| IF Ronald Torreyes | LHP Aroldis Chapman |
| OF Aaron Hicks |
Projected DL: 1B/OF Tyler Austin (fractured foot)
12. New York Mets
19 of 30
Potential Strength
Remember last offseason when the New York Mets rotation was being billed as a juggernaut and the team's ticket for a return trip to the World Series? Aside from Bartolo Colon, all of those guys are still around and with healthier, there's no reason they can't at least approach those lofty expectations.
Potential Weakness
Re-signing Yoenis Cespedes was huge, but the Mets made zero outside additions to an offense that finished 25th in the majors in runs scored. A full season of Jay Bruce, a bounce-back performance from Michael Conforto and a healthy Lucas Duda could help, but that's putting an awful lot of eggs in the pitching basket when the window to contend is open right now.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| 3B Jose Reyes | RHP Noah Syndergaard |
| CF Curtis Granderson | RHP Jacob deGrom |
| LF Yoenis Cespedes | RHP Matt Harvey |
| RF Jay Bruce | LHP Steven Matz |
| 2B Neil Walker | RHP Robert Gsellman |
| SS Asdrubal Cabrera | |
| 1B Lucas Duda | RHP Rafael Montero |
| C Travis d'Arnaud | LHP Josh Edgin |
| RHP Fernando Salas | |
| C Rene Rivera | LHP Jerry Blevins |
| IF Wilmer Flores | RHP Hansel Robles |
| IF/OF T.J. Rivera (R) | RHP Addison Reed |
| OF Michael Conforto | RHP Jeurys Familia |
| OF Juan Lagares |
Projected DL: 3B David Wright (shoulder impingement), SP Zack Wheeler (Tommy John recovery)
11. Seattle Mariners
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Potential Strength
Even with a pair of unproven rookies (Mitch Haniger and Dan Vogelbach), a question mark at catcher (Mike Zunino) and a defensive-minded center fielder (Leonys Martin), the Seattle Mariners have one of the best offenses in baseball. Speedy newcomers Jarrod Dyson and Jean Segura setting the table ahead of a trio of 30-homer sluggers will be fun to watch.
Potential Weakness
It's hard to decide what to make of the Mariners' starting rotation. On the one hand, if Felix Hernandez returns to ace form, James Paxton delivers on his breakout potential and newcomers Yovani Gallardo and Drew Smyly put mediocre 2016 seasons behind them, this could be a great staff. On the other hand, none of that is guaranteed and the rotation could wind up being what holds this team back.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| LF 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 |
| RF Mitch Haniger (R) | |
| 1B Dan Vogelbach (R) | RHP Chris Heston |
| C Mike Zunino | 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)
10. Texas Rangers
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Potential Strength
Bold declaration: This year's Texas Rangers will score even more runs than the team that finished seventh in the majors in that category last year. The Carlos Gomez renaissance is for real, Jurickson Profar is finally ready to deliver on his potential after a big World Baseball Classic, Mike Napoli is back (again) and Jonathan Lucroy will be around for a full season. Look out, American League.
Potential Weakness
Not-so-bold declaration: They're going to need every single one of those runs on days when Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish are not pitching. Martin Perez is a solid middle-of-the-rotation arm, but Andrew Cashner is already sidelined, leaving some combination of A.J. Griffin, Dillon Gee, Chi Chi Gonzalez and Nick Martinez to round out the staff until Tyson Ross is cleared for action.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| CF Carlos Gomez | LHP Cole Hamels |
| DH Shin-Soo Choo | RHP Yu Darvish |
| 3B Adrian Beltre | LHP Martin Perez |
| 1B Mike Napoli | RHP A.J. Griffin |
| 2B Rougned Odor | RHP Dillon Gee |
| C Jonathan Lucroy | |
| RF Nomar Mazara | RHP Mike Hauschild (R) |
| SS Elvis Andrus | LHP Alex Claudio |
| LF 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), SP Andrew Cashner (biceps tendinitis), RP Jake Diekman (ulcerative colitis surgery)
9. St. Louis Cardinals
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Potential Strength
The St. Louis Cardinals improved their overall defense this offseason by signing a natural center fielder in Dexter Fowler and committing to Kolten Wong as the everyday second baseman, and that should have a positive effect on the pitching staff. As always, they have as much depth as any team in baseball on both sides of the ball.
Potential Weakness
The starting rotation could be a top-10 group when all is said and done, but it could also prove to be the team's undoing. Lance Lynn will be shaking off the rust of a season missed to Tommy John surgery, Michael Wacha has had a hard time staying healthy, Adam Wainwright is another year older, and X-factor Alex Reyes was lost for the season to his own Tommy John surgery. Luke Weaver provides some nice depth, but this staff is far from a sure thing.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| CF Dexter Fowler | RHP Carlos Martinez |
| SS Aledmys Diaz | RHP Adam Wainwright |
| 1B Matt Carpenter | RHP Lance Lynn |
| RF Stephen Piscotty | RHP Mike Leake |
| C Yadier Molina | RHP Michael Wacha |
| 3B Jedd Gyorko | |
| LF Randal Grichuk | RHP Matt Bowman |
| 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 Jhonny Peralta | RHP Seung Hwan Oh |
| OF Jose Martinez (R) |
Projected DL: SP Alex Reyes (Tommy John surgery), SP Marco Gonzales (Tommy John surgery), RP Zach Duke (Tommy John surgery), RP Tyler Lyons (knee surgery)
8. San Francisco Giants
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Potential Strength
After leaning a bit more heavily on the offense in recent years, it looks like the pitching staff could once again be the driving force for the San Francisco Giants. Full seasons of Matt Moore and Will Smith along with the addition of a proven closer in Mark Melancon has the staff looking formidable; the only question mark is Matt Cain in the No. 5 starter role.
Potential Weakness
With some expected regression from Eduardo Nunez and a potential revolving door in left field, the bottom of the lineup could turn into an issue as the season progresses. And while there are some fun names in camp as non-roster invitees, this really isn't the deepest team on the position-player side of things. One key injury could prove costly.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| CF Denard Span | LHP Madison Bumgarner |
| 1B Brandon Belt | RHP Johnny Cueto |
| C Buster Posey | RHP Jeff Samardzija |
| RF Hunter Pence | LHP Matt Moore |
| SS Brandon Crawford | RHP Matt Cain |
| 3B Eduardo Nunez | |
| 2B Joe Panik | RHP Cory Gearrin |
| LF Jarrett Parker | RHP George Kontos |
| LHP Steven Okert (R) | |
| C Nick Hundley | RHP Hunter Strickland |
| 1B/3B Conor Gillaspie | LHP Will Smith |
| IF Jae-gyun Hwang (R) | RHP Derek Law |
| OF Gorkys Hernandez | RHP Mark Melancon |
| OF Mac Williamson |
7. Toronto Blue Jays
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Potential Strength
The team's starting rotation clearly surpassed the offense as its greatest strength last season, and that should hold true once again in 2017. Aaron Sanchez has the stuff to emerge as one of the game's truly elite starters, and Marcus Stroman is capable of considerably more than he showed last season. So even if J.A. Happ takes a step back and Marco Estrada proves to be a bit more hittable, the rotation still looks strong.
Potential Weakness
Joe Smith and J.P. Howell were nice late-offseason signings to round out the bullpen, replacing departed veterans Joaquin Benoit and Brett Cecil. That's the thing, though: They didn't necessarily improve on last year's unit but instead tried their best to replicate it. That's maybe not the best strategy when we're talking about a relief corps that ranked 22nd in the majors with a 4.11 ERA and blew 23 saves.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| CF Kevin Pillar | 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 |
| LF Ezequiel Carrera | LHP Aaron Loup |
| 2B Darwin Barney | RHP Joe Smith |
| LHP J.P. Howell | |
| C Jarrod Saltalamacchia | RHP Joe Biagini |
| IF Ryan Goins | RHP Jason Grilli |
| IF/OF Steve Pearce | RHP Roberto Osuna |
| OF Melvin Upton Jr. |
Projected DL: 2B Devon Travis (knee surgery)
6. Los Angeles Dodgers
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Potential Strength
A healthy Clayton Kershaw and Brandon McCarthy, as well as a full season of Rich Hill, puts the starting rotation in significantly better position. The experience gained by guys like Ross Stripling and Brock Stewart last season also provides the team with viable depth if the injury bug does strike again, and playing it safe with Julio Urias by leaving him at extended spring training seems like a smart move as well.
Potential Weakness
Will the addition of right-handed hitting Logan Forsythe and lefty masher Franklin Gutierrez be enough to solve the team's struggles against left-handed pitching? They hit just .214/.291/.333 against southpaws last season. There's also the very real question of whether they did enough to build out the bullpen after spending big to bring back Kenley Jansen.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| 2B Logan Forsythe | LHP Clayton Kershaw |
| SS Corey Seager | LHP Rich Hill |
| 3B Justin Turner | RHP Kenta Maeda |
| 1B Adrian Gonzalez | LHP Scott Kazmir |
| C Yasmani Grandal | RHP Brandon McCarthy |
| CF Joc Pederson | |
| RF Yasiel Puig | LHP Alex Wood |
| LF Andrew Toles | RHP Chris Hatcher |
| LHP Luis Avilan | |
| C/IF Austin Barnes (R) | RHP Sergio Romo |
| IF Chase Utley | LHP Grant Dayton |
| IF/OF Kike Hernandez | RHP Pedro Baez |
| OF Andre Ethier | RHP Kenley Jansen |
| OF Franklin Gutierrez |
Projected DL: SP Hyun-Jin Ryu (elbow surgery), RP Yimi Garcia (Tommy John surgery)
5. Houston Astros
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Potential Strength
Adding a significant veteran presence to an exciting young lineup gives the Houston Astros one of the more balanced offensive attacks in baseball. Carlos Correa, Alex Bregman and George Springer are both capable of taking things up another notch, and don't underestimate what Yulieski Gurriel could provide now that he's had a chance to settle in.
Potential Weakness
It's all going to boil down to starting pitching for the Astros. If Dallas Keuchel can land somewhere between his 2015 and 2016 numbers, Lance McCullers can stay healthy and someone like Joe Musgrove or Charlie Morton can step up, they should be fine. Otherwise, they'll be counting on the midseason arrival of top prospect Francis Martes or a blockbuster trade to solidify the staff.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| 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 |
| IF/OF Marwin Gonzalez | RHP Will Harris |
| OF Teoscar Hernandez (R) | RHP Ken Giles |
| OF Jake Marisnick |
4. Washington Nationals
27 of 30
Potential Strength
The Washington Nationals lineup has a chance to be downright scary. There might not be a better table-setting duo in the league than Trea Turner and Adam Eaton, and if Bryce Harper can return to his MVP form, their No. 1-5 hitters stack up to any in baseball. Oh, and that starting rotation should be pretty good too, especially if Stephen Strasburg can make 30 starts.
Potential Weakness
Can Shawn Kelley handle closer duties on a team with legitimate World Series aspirations? That's been the big question all offseason and it will continue to be asked on into the regular season. There are some intriguing fallback options in groundball machine Blake Treinen and flame-throwing rookie Koda Glover, but the last thing a contender needs is uncertainty in the ninth.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| 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 | |
| C Matt Wieters | LHP Enny Romero |
| 1B Ryan Zimmerman | RHP Koda Glover (R) |
| LHP Oliver Perez | |
| C Jose Lobaton | RHP Blake Treinen |
| 1B Adam Lind | LHP Sammy Solis |
| 1B/OF Clint Robinson | RHP Joe Blanton |
| IF Stephen Drew | RHP Shawn Kelley |
| OF Chris Heisey |
3. Boston Red Sox
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Potential Strength
Pick one. The offense is still stacked even after the retirement of David Ortiz. The starting rotation could be a juggernaut if David Price gets healthy and Eduardo Rodriguez climbs closer to his potential. The bullpen added an elite setup man in Tyler Thornburg—something they didn't have a year ago.
Potential Weakness
Bullpen depth is probably the one area that can be pointed to as a potential area of concern for the Boston Red Sox. Thornburg and Craig Kimbrel in the late innings should be lights out and Joe Kelly has a chance to be a major weapon, but the rest of the relief corps is average at best and there's not a ton of viable options waiting in the wings.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| 2B Dustin Pedroia | LHP Chris Sale |
| LF Andrew Benintendi (R) | RHP Rick Porcello |
| SS Xander Bogaerts | LHP Drew Pomeranz |
| RF Mookie Betts | RHP Steven Wright |
| DH Hanley Ramirez | LHP Eduardo Rodriguez |
| 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 Deven Marrero | RHP Tyler Thornburg |
| IF/OF Brock Holt | RHP Craig Kimbrel |
| OF Chris Young |
Projected DL: SP David Price (elbow discomfort), RP Carson Smith (Tommy John surgery)
2. Cleveland Indians
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Potential Strength
If everyone is healthy and pitching up to their potential, the Cleveland Indians have the best starting rotation in baseball. That being said, injuries down the stretch last season also created some valuable depth the team didn't have in the past, as Michael Clevinger and postseason hero Ryan Merritt gained experience. This also has a chance to be a top-five offense if all goes according to plan, but it's the rotation that will drive the ship.
Potential Weakness
The injury to Jason Kipnis is kind of a bummer; does that qualify as a weakness? He's expected to start the season on the disabled list with a strained rotator cuff, and the team doesn't have a clear in-house replacement. The ongoing health concerns of Michael Brantley and potential regression of Tyler Naquin could also create some question marks in the outfield, but that's about it.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| 3B Jose Ramirez | RHP Corey Kluber |
| SS Francisco Lindor | RHP Carlos Carrasco |
| LF Michael Brantley | RHP Danny Salazar |
| 1B Edwin Encarnacion | RHP Trevor Bauer |
| 1B Carlos Santana | RHP Josh Tomlin |
| RF Lonnie Chisenhall | |
| C Yan Gomes | RHP Shawn Armstrong (R) |
| CF Tyler Naquin | RHP Zach McAllister |
| 2B Erik Gonzalez (R) | RHP Dan Otero |
| LHP Boone Logan | |
| C Roberto Perez | RHP Bryan Shaw |
| IF Michael Martinez | LHP Andrew Miller |
| OF Abraham Almonte | RHP Cody Allen |
| OF Brandon Guyer |
Projected DL: 2B Jason Kipnis (strained rotator cuff)
1. Chicago Cubs
30 of 30
Potential Strength
Close your eyes and point. The offense could be the best in baseball with a full season of Kyle Schwarber and more of Willson Contreras behind the plate, the starting rotation was the best in baseball a year ago and returns all the big guns, and the bullpen starts the season with far more stability than it had at this time a year ago after adding Wade Davis and Koji Uehara in the offseason. This is no one-year wonder, folks.
Potential Weakness
The No. 5 starter spot is a bit sketchy as the oft-injured Brett Anderson will open the season rounding out the rotation. If he finds his way to the disabled list once again, that would likely force Mike Montgomery into the rotation, leaving the team without a lockdown lefty reliever. However, the fact that it takes a few dominoes falling to get us to what could potentially be a weakness for this Cubs team speaks volumes to just how complete a roster they have.
Projected Opening Day Roster (as of March 16)
| 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 Brett Anderson |
| RF Jason Heyward | |
| C Willson Contreras | LHP Brian Duensing |
| CF Jon Jay | RHP Justin Grimm |
| LHP Mike Montgomery | |
| 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 regular season stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs, while spring stats come via MLB.com.
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