Ranking All 30 MLB Teams on Their Current 3-Year Plan
Weekly MLB power rankings provide a snapshot of where things currently stand across the baseball landscape, weighting recent performance against a foundation of season long performance.
What if we zoom out further?
Ahead we've ranked all 30 teams on their three-year plan, focusing on how each club stacks up for the 2029 season.
A projected starting lineup, rotation and closer was selected for each team made up of players with in-house control through at least 2029, whether it's a veteran on a long-term contract, a young big leaguer with arbitration control or a top prospect who has not yet debuted.
This provides a snapshot of what each team has to build around, and what holes might need to be addressed. Also included is one notable free agency decision, each club's projected top prospect in 2029 and a few sentences on their overall outlook.
30. Houston Astros
1 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $38.0 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Walker Janek
1B Will Bush
2B Brice Matthews
3B Xavier Neyens
SS Carlos Correa
LF Cam Smith
CF Lucas Spence
RF Zach Cole
DH Jose Altuve
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Spencer Arrighetti
SP Ethan Pecko
SP Bryce Mayer
SP Mike Burrows
SP James Hicks
CL Miguel Ullola
Top Extension Candidate: RHP Hunter Brown (free agent after 2028)
2029 Top Prospect: OF Kevin Alvarez (Age: 18)
Future Outlook: The door is closing on the Astros current core, and the pipeline has run dry as far as future impact talent. Hunter Brown, Jeremy Peña and Yordan Alvarez are also extension candidates, but they could also opt for a rebuilding period that includes selling off some of those established pieces to restock the system.
29. Colorado Rockies
2 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $14.2 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Hunter Goodman
1B Charlie Condon
2B Roc Riggio
3B Kyle Karros
SS Ezequiel Tovar
LF Jared Thomas
CF Roldy Brito
RF Cole Carrigg
DH Troy Johnston
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Chase Dollander
SP Brody Brecht
SP Jackson Cox
SP JB Middleton
SP Eiberson Castellano
CL Seth Halvorsen
Top Extension Candidate: RHP Ryan Feltner (free agent after 2028)
2029 Top Prospect: SS Ethan Holliday (Age: 19)
Future Outlook: The Rockies have some exciting young offensive talent in the minors, headlined by Charlie Condon, Cole Carrigg and Roldy Brito, but pitching remains the great equalizer for this organization. Flame-thrower Brody Brecht has 31 strikeouts in 20.2 innings and a .189 opponents' batting average at High-A this season, and he could join Chase Dollander as impact arms to build around.
28. San Diego Padres
3 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $128.9 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Ethan Salas
1B Romeo Sanabria
2B Jake Cronenworth
3B Manny Machado
SS Xander Bogaerts
LF Ryan Wideman
CF Jackson Merrill
RF Fernando Tatis Jr.
DH Jake Cunningham
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Randy Vásquez
SP Miguel Mendez
SP Kash Mayfield
SP Jagger Haynes
SP Jhony Brito
CL Mason Miller
Top Extension Candidate: RHP Michael King (opt out after 2026)
2029 Top Prospect: LHP Kruz Schoolcraft (Age: 19)
Future Outlook: AJ Preller's penchant for trading away top prospects at the deadline has left San Diego with arguably the thinnest farm system in baseball outside of catcher Ethan Salas. They have several established stars on the position player side, but no one aside from Randy Vásquez and closer Mason Miller as far as arms that can count on looking three years into the future.
27. Los Angeles Angels
4 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $37.1 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Juan Flores
1B Nolan Schanuel
2B Oswald Peraza
3B Christian Moore
SS Zach Neto
LF Raudi Rodriguez
CF Nelson Rada
RF Mike Trout
DH Vaughn Grissom
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Tyler Bremner
SP Walbert Ureña
SP Grayson Rodriguez
SP George Klassen
SP Chase Shores
CL Ben Joyce
Top Extension Candidate: RHP José Soriano (free agent after 2028)
2029 Top Prospect: RHP Trey Gregory-Alford (Age: 20)
Future Outlook: The Angels appear to have uncovered a pair of long-term pieces in Walbert Ureña and Oswald Peraza in the early going this year, and more will need to emerge if they want to finally put more than a decade of losing seasons in the rearview. Mike Trout will have two years and $74.2 million remaining on his contract entering 2029, and a move away from center field could make sense again.
26. Washington Nationals
5 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $9.4 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Harry Ford
1B Abimelec Ortiz
2B Devin Fitz-Gerald
3B Seaver King
SS Eli Willits
LF Daylen Lile
CF Jacob Young
RF Dylan Crews
DH James Wood
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Cade Cavalli
SP Travis Sykora
SP Luis Perales
SP Alex Clemmey
SP Jackson Kent
CL Jarlin Susana
Top Extension Candidate: SS CJ Abrams (free agent after 2028)
2029 Top Prospect: RHP Miguel Sime Jr. (Age: 19)
Future Outlook: Few teams require more projection looking three years into the future than the Nationals, as this projected roster is essentially James Wood, Daylen Lile, Cade Cavalli and a lot of unproven young talent. That's what rebuilds look like, but it's also difficult to put too much stock in the names on the page until they prove it on the field.
25. San Francisco Giants
6 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $105.3 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Daniel Susac
1B Rafael Devers
2B Casey Schmitt
3B Matt Chapman
SS Willy Adames
LF Heliot Ramos
CF Bo Davidson
RF Jung Hoo Lee
DH Bryce Eldridge
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Landen Roupp
SP Trevor McDonald
SP Jacob Bresnahan
SP Carson Whisenhunt
SP Blade Tidwell
CL Randy Rodríguez
Top Extension Candidate: RHP Logan Webb (free agent after 2028)
2029 Top Prospect: SS Josuar Gonzalez (Age: 18)
Future Outlook: The Giants will be paying Rafael Devers, Willy Adames, Matt Chapman and Jung Hoo Lee a combined $99.2 million in 2029, and there could be some serious sunk costs among that group three years from now. Landen Roupp and Trevor McDonald look like potential long-term pieces in the rotation, but extending Logan Webb or finding a top-of-the-rotation replacement will be a top priority.
24. Texas Rangers
7 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $52.0 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Malcolm Moore
1B Rafe Perich
2B Cameron Cauley
3B Sebastian Walcott
SS Corey Seager
LF Wyatt Langford
CF Evan Carter
RF Brandon Nimmo
DH Dylan Dreiling
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Jack Leiter
SP Kumar Rocker
SP Caden Scarborough
SP David Davalillo
SP AJ Russell
CL Jacob Latz
Top Extension Candidate: LHP MacKenzie Gore (free agent after 2027)
2029 Top Prospect: SS/RHP Josh Owens (Age: 19)
Future Outlook: The Rangers gave up so much to acquire MacKenzie Gore that it would be surprising if they don't make a serious run at re-signing him, especially with Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi coming down the homestretch of their respective careers. They also need Wyatt Langford and Sebastian Walcott to deliver on their franchise cornerstone upside for this group to be a serious contender.
23. Arizona Diamondbacks
8 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $115.5 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Carlos Virahonda
1B Ketel Marte
2B Demetrio Crisantes
3B LuJames Groover
SS Geraldo Perdomo
LF Tommy Troy
CF Ryan Waldschmidt
RF Corbin Carroll
DH Jordan Lawlar
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Corbin Burnes
SP Brandon Pfaadt
SP Daniel Eagen
SP Mitch Bratt
SP David Hagaman
CL Justin Martínez
Top Extension Candidate: C Gabriel Moreno (free agent after 2028)
2029 Top Prospect: 2B Kayson Cunningham (Age: 19)
Future Outlook: Even with his salary nearly doubling from 2028 to 2029, the D-backs will still only be paying Corbin Carroll a $28.6 million salary, giving them a reasonably-priced superstar to build around. However, the starting rotation needs Corbin Burnes to start earning his six-year, $210 million contract in the role of staff ace, as he fronts a projected rotation full of uncertainty.
22. Kansas City Royals
9 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $49.4 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Blake Mitchell
1B Carter Jensen
2B Nick Loftin
3B Maikel Garcia
SS Bobby Witt Jr.
LF Isaac Collins
CF Carson Roccaforte
RF Jac Caglianone|
DH Ramón Ramírez
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Noah Cameron
SP Kendry Chourio
SP Justin Lamkin
SP Stephen Kolek
SP Drew Beam
CL Lucas Erceg
Top Extension Candidate: LHP Cole Ragans (free agent after 2028)
2029 Top Prospect: SS/3B Josh Hammond (Age: 19)
Future Outlook: The Royals have their franchise cornerstone locked up with Bobby Witt Jr. signed through the 2030 with player and club options potentially taking his deal all the way through 2037. The development of Jac Caglianone, Carter Jensen and Blake Mitchell will determine if they find the offense needed to support their star.
21. Detroit Tigers
10 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $63.1 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Dillon Dingler
1B Josue Briceño
2B Max Anderson
3B Hao-Yu Lee
SS Kevin McGonigle
LF Brett Callahan
CF Max Clark
RF Wenceel Pérez
DH Colt Keith
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Jackson Jobe
SP Troy Melton
SP Keider Montero
SP Andrew Sears
SP Ben Jacobs
CL Malachi Witherspoon
Top Extension Candidate: OF Riley Greene (free agent after 2028)
2029 Top Prospect: OF Cris Rodriguez (Age: 18)
Future Outlook: The Tigers have pieces to build around offensively, most notably rookie shortstop Kevin McGonigle and standout catcher Dillon Dingler, but the pitching staff is poised for significant turnover. Jackson Jobe looked like a future ace in the minors, but will need to show that same stuff on the other side of Tommy John surgery.
20. Minnesota Twins
11 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $0
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Eduardo Tait
1B Luke Keaschall
2B Brooks Lee
3B Kaelen Culpepper
SS Marek Houston
LF Gabriel Gonzalez
CF Walker Jenkins
RF Emmanuel Rodríguez
DH Hendry Mendez
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Taj Bradley
SP Connor Prielipp
SP Zebby Matthews
SP Mick Abel
SP Dasan Hill
CL Yoendrys Gómez
Top Extension Candidate: RHP Joe Ryan (free agent after 2027)
2029 Top Prospect: RHP Charlee Soto (Age: 20)
Future Outlook: The Twins have a lot of former and present top prospect talent on the roster, but it remains to be seen if many of those players will live up to their pedigree. Byron Buxton and Joe Ryan are the clear faces of the franchise right now, and there's a good chance both will be gone in the near future, leaving an impact void that will need to be filled.
19. Miami Marlins
12 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $0
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Joe Mack
1B Liam Hicks
2B Xavier Edwards
3B Aiva Arquette
SS Otto Lopez
LF Kyle Stowers
CF Jakob Marsee
RF Owen Caissie
DH Agustín Ramírez
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Max Meyer
SP Eury Pérez
SP Thomas White
SP Robby Snelling
SP Karson Milbrandt
CL Ronny Henriquez
Top Extension Candidate: RHP Sandy Alcantara (free agent after 2027)
2029 Top Prospect: RHP Kevin Defrank (Age: 17)
Future Outlook: Starter Sandy Alcantara and closer Pete Fairbanks are the only key pieces of the Marlins roster that are not under club control through at least 2029, yet they also have zero dollars on the books for that year. That's a great position to be in, now it's up to the front office to fill in the gaps with player development and free agency spending, as the current roster has promising pieces but is not a legitimate contender.
18. St. Louis Cardinals
13 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $0
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Leo Bernal
1B Rainiel Rodriguez
2B JJ Wetherholt
3B José Fermin
SS Masyn Winn
LF Joshua Baez
CF Victor Scott II
RF Jordan Walker
DH Iván Herrera
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Matthew Liberatore
SP Michael McGreevy
SP Quinn Mathews
SP Tanner Franklin
SP Jurrangelo Cijntje
CL Liam Doyle
Top Extension Candidate: 1B Alec Burleson (free agent after 2028)
2029 Top Prospect: RHP Yhoiker Fajardo (Age: 19)
Future Outlook: The Cardinals are in a weird spot right now where they are accidentally contending in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year, but the front office likely still has one eye on the future. Figuring out how to deploy their wealth of catching talent is a great problem to have, while they also have an abundance of quality arms, albeit with limited proven MLB impact.
17. Philadelphia Phillies
14 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $150.4 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Alirio Ferrebus
1B Bryce Harper
2B Aroon Escobar
3B Aidan Miller
SS Trea Turner
LF Justin Crawford
CF Dante Nori
RF Gabriel Rincones Jr.
DH Kyle Schwarber
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Cristopher Sánchez
SP Jesús Luzardo
SP Andrew Painter
SP Gage Wood
SP Aaron Nola
CL Orion Kerkering
Top Extension Candidate: OF Brandon Marsh (free agent after 2027)
2029 Top Prospect: OF Francisco Renteria (Age: 17)
Future Outlook: There are a lot of familiar names on the Phillies projected roster, but Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner and Aaron Nola will all be in their age-36 season in 2029 while earning a combined $107.2 million. That could make building a competitive roster around them difficult to navigate, and there's a lot riding on Andrew Painter and Gage Wood developing into impact starters.
16. Tampa Bay Rays
15 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $25.5 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Nathan Flewelling
1B Jonathan Aranda
2B Ben Williamson
3B Junior Caminero
SS Carson Williams
LF Chandler Simpson
CF Theo Gillen
RF Jacob Melton
DH Xavier Isaac
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Brody Hopkins
SP Michael Forret
SP TJ Nichols
SP Santiago Suarez
SP Gary Gill Hill
CL Anderson Brito
Top Extension Candidate: RHP Drew Rasmussen (free agent after 2027)
2029 Top Prospect: SS Cooper Flemming (Age: 19)
Future Outlook: For almost any other team, the lack of proven MLB talent on the pitching side of things would drag down the ranking, but the Rays have such a long track record of developing arms that it's easier to bank on them assembling a quality staff. Junior Caminero and Jonathan Aranda are a nice one-two punch to build the lineup around, and Theo Gillen has legitimate star potential.
15. Baltimore Orioles
16 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $59.9 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Samuel Basallo
1B Pete Alonso
2B Jackson Holliday
3B Jordan Westburg
SS Wehiwa Aloy
LF Colton Cowser
CF Nate George
RF Dylan Beavers
DH Coby Mayo
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Shane Baz
SP Trey Gibson
SP Joseph Dzierwa
SP Luis De León
SP Nestor German
CL Juaron Watts-Brown
Top Extension Candidate: SS Gunnar Henderson (free agent after 2028)
2029 Top Prospect: RHP Esteban Mejia (Age: 20)
Future Outlook: The Orioles have struggled to develop pitching talent in recent years, and with only Shane Baz controllable through 2029, they will need to spend on outside arms or reverse that trend. Will they be able to come to terms on a long-term deal with Gunnar Henderson before he hits the open market?
14. New York Mets
17 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $94.4 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Francisco Alvarez
1B Jacob Reimer
2B Mitch Voit
3B Brett Baty
SS Francisco Lindor
LF Juan Soto
CF A.J. Ewing
RF Carson Benge
DH Ryan Clifford
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Nolan McLean
SP Jonah Tong
SP Jack Wenninger
SP Jonathan Santucci
SP Zach Thornton
CL Huascar Brazobán
Top Extension Candidate: RHP Freddy Peralta (free agent after 2026)
2029 Top Prospect: SS Elian Peña (Age: 18)
Future Outlook: At some point, the Mets will have to stop throwing hundreds of millions of dollars at high-profile free agents and focus on developing a foundation for their roster. Nolan McLean, Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing are a step in the right direction, and they have a bona fide superstar in Juan Soto, but they need to keep finding more roster balance between aging veterans and rising prospects.
13. Chicago Cubs
18 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $76.8 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Miguel Amaya
1B Michael Busch
2B Nico Hoerner
3B Alex Bregman
SS Dansby Swanson
LF Pedro Ramírez
CF Pete Crow-Armstrong
RF Ethan Conrad
DH Moisés Ballesteros
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Cade Horton
SP Ben Brown
SP Jaxon Wiggins
SP Brooks Caple
SP Dominick Reid
CL Daniel Palencia
Top Extension Candidate: LHP Justin Steele (free agent after 2027)
2029 Top Prospect: OF Josiah Hartshorn (Age: 19)
Future Outlook: The Cubs have a significant portion of their starting lineup either under contract or under arbitration control, but pitching will determine their trajectory going forward. A healthy Cade Horton and rising Ben Brown give them pieces to build around, but their financial flexibility will need to go to shoring up the rest of the staff.
12. Athletics
19 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $51.3 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Davis Diaz
1B Nick Kurtz
2B Joshua Kuroda-Grauer
3B Leo De Vries
SS Jacob Wilson
LF Devin Taylor
CF Lawrence Butler
RF Tyler Soderstrom
DH Brent Rooker
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP J.T. Ginn
SP Gage Jump
SP Jamie Arnold
SP Wei-En Lin
SP Kade Morris
CL Braden Nett
Top Extension Candidate: C Shea Langeliers (free agent after 2028)
2029 Top Prospect: SS Johenssy Colome (Age: 17)
Future Outlook: The Athletics have done a great job locking up their offensive core, though a Shea Langeliers extension would still be a nice next domino to knock over in that process. The emergence of J.T. Ginn and some quality pitching talent in the pipeline also provides hope the rotation could be vastly improved by the time they are officially the Las Vegas Athletics.
11. Chicago White Sox
20 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $0
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Kyle Teel
1B Miguel Vargas
2B Chase Meidroth
3B Caleb Bonemer
SS Colson Montgomery
LF Sam Antonacci
CF Tristan Peters
RF Braden Montgomery
DH Jacob Gonzalez
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Davis Martin
SP Noah Schultz
SP Grant Taylor
SP Hagen Smith
SP Sean Burke
CL Tanner McDougal
Top Extension Candidate: 1B Munetaka Murakami (free agent after 2027)
2029 Top Prospect: OF Jaden Fauske (Age: 19)
Future Outlook: The White Sox should take a page out of the Athletics book and start locking up young core pieces like Colson Montgomery, Miguel Vargas and perhaps even top prospect Caleb Bonemer. The development of former first-round picks Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith will shape the future rotation.
10. Cincinnati Reds
21 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $29.0 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Alfredo Duno
1B Sal Stewart
2B Matt McLain
3B Ke'Bryan Hayes
SS Edwin Arroyo
LF Héctor Rodríguez
CF Elly De La Cruz
RF Noelvi Marte
DH Cam Collier
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Chase Burns
SP Hunter Greene
SP Andrew Abbott
SP Rhett Lowder
SP Sheng-En Lin
CL Jose Franco
Top Extension Candidate: LHP Nick Lodolo (free agent after 2027)
2029 Top Prospect: SS Steele Hall (Age: 18)
Future Outlook: Elly De La Cruz will be in a contract year in 2029, and the Scott Boras client will be tough to lock up long-term before he hits the open market. A breakout performance from Chase Burns has further strengthened their rotation outlook, while Alfredo Duno, Edwin Arroyo and Cam Collier represent the next wave of young bats.
9. Toronto Blue Jays
22 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $138.9 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Alejandro Kirk
1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
2B Andrés Giménez
3B Kazuma Okamoto
SS Arjun Nimmala
LF Yohendrick Piñango
CF Nathan Lukes
RF Addison Barger
DH Sean Keys
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Dylan Cease
SP Trey Yesavage
SP Johnny King
SP Gage Stanifer
SP Jake Bloss
CL Louis Varland
Top Extension Candidate: IF Ernie Clement (free agent after 2028)
2029 Top Prospect: SS JoJo Parker (Age: 19)
Future Outlook: The Blue Jays have their face of the franchise in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. locked up long-term, they have a rising star in the rotation in Trey Yesavage alongside high-priced free agent Dylan Cease, and they have plenty more talent on the way. The starting rotation requires projection and the outfield is up in the air, but there's enough talent to buy their contention window staying open.
8. New York Yankees
23 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $101.3 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Austin Wells
1B Ben Rice
2B Dax Kilby
3B José Caballero
SS George Lombard Jr.
LF Cody Bellinger
CF Spencer Jones
RF Aaron Judge
DH Marco Luciano
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Cam Schlittler
SP Max Fried
SP Elmer Rodríguez
SP Will Warren
SP Ben Hess
CL Carlos Lagrange
Top Extension Candidate: LHP Ryan Weathers (free agent after 2028)
2029 Top Prospect: SS Stiven Marinez (Age: 18)
Future Outlook: The Yankees have a ton of pitching talent in their pipeline right now, a budding ace in Cam Schlittler and a veteran anchor in Max Fried signed through 2032. The offensive side of things provides less certainty beyond Aaron Judge, Ben Rice and Cody Bellinger, though George Lombard Jr. looks like a future star at shortstop.
7. Atlanta Braves
24 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $91.0 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Drake Baldwin
1B Matt Olson
2B John Gil
3B Austin Riley
SS Alex Lodise
LF Tate Southisene
CF Michael Harris II
RF Eric Hartman
DH David McCabe
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Spencer Strider
SP Spencer Schwellenbach
SP Hurston Waldrep
SP Cam Caminiti
SP JR Ritchie
CL Didier Fuentes
Top Extension Candidate: OF Ronald Acuña Jr. (free agent after 2028)
2029 Top Prospect: OF Diego Tornes (Age: 17)
Future Outlook: The Braves have no issue developing pitching talent, and it will be interesting to see what Cam Caminiti, JR Ritchie and Didier Fuentes have become three years from now. The bigger question is whether rising prospects like Eric Hartman, Tate Southisene and John Gil can backfill what was once a dynamic homegrown offensive core.
6. Boston Red Sox
25 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $108.2 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Carlos Narváez
1B Justin Gonzales
2B Henry Godbout
3B Marcelo Mayer
SS Franklin Arias
LF Kristian Campbell
CF Ceddanne Rafaela
RF Wilyer Abreu
DH Roman Anthony
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Garrett Crochet
SP Ranger Suárez
SP Payton Tolle
SP Connelly Early
SP Anthony Eyanson
CL Brayan Bello
Top Extension Candidate: OF Jarren Duran (free agent after 2028)
2029 Top Prospect: SS Dorian Soto (Age: 18)
Future Outlook: The Red Sox are loaded with controllable pitching talent, thanks in part to the emergence of Payton Tolle and Connelly Early this season as rotation standouts. Kyson Witherspoon, Jake Bennett and Juan Valera are also long-term rotation candidates, and they could use that pitching depth to address their lineup needs.
5. Cleveland Guardians
26 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $46.4 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Cooper Ingle
1B Ralphy Velazquez
2B Travis Bazzana
3B José Ramírez
SS Angel Genao
LF Chase DeLauter
CF Jaison Chourio
RF George Valera
DH Kyle Manzardo
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Gavin Williams
SP Tanner Bibee
SP Parker Messick
SP Khal Stephen
SP Braylon Doughty
CL Cade Smith
Top Extension Candidate: OF Steven Kwan (free agent after 2027)
2029 Top Prospect: OF Juneiker Caceres (Age: 18)
Future Outlook: The Guardians lean heavily on controllable, homegrown talent, and they have welcomed Travis Bazzana, Parker Messick and Chase DeLauter into key roles in 2026. Their ability to develop pitching goes a long way, though the front office's unwillingness to spend waters down what looks like financial flexibility.
4. Pittsburgh Pirates
27 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $22.6 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Rafael Flores Jr.
1B Spencer Horwitz
2B Nick Gonzales
3B Murf Gray
SS Konnor Griffin
LF Bryan Reynolds
CF Edward Florentino
RF Jhostynxon García
DH Esmerlyn Valdez
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Paul Skenes
SP Seth Hernandez
SP Braxton Ashcraft
SP Bubba Chandler
SP Jared Jones
CL Mason Montgomery
Top Extension Candidate: OF Oneil Cruz (free agent after 2028)
2029 Top Prospect: SS Wyatt Sanford (Age: 20)
Future Outlook: There might be no team with a more promising starting pitching outlook for 2029 than the Pirates, especially if Seth Hernandez continues dominating MLB hitters and claims a spot alongside Paul Skenes at the top of the staff. The offense is another story, with no true long-term building block outside of rookie Konnor Griffin who still has a lot to prove, though there are plenty of promising pieces down on the farm.
3. Seattle Mariners
28 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $79.2 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Cal Raleigh
1B Josh Naylor
2B Cole Young
3B Felnin Celesten
SS Colt Emerson
LF Michael Arroyo
CF Julio Rodríguez
RF Jonny Farmelo
DH Lazaro Montes
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Bryan Woo
SP Emerson Hancock
SP Kade Anderson
SP Bryce Miller
SP Ryan Sloan
CL Eduard Bazardo
Top Extension Candidate: RHP Logan Gilbert (free agent after 2027)
2029 Top Prospect: SS Nick Becker (Age: 19)
Future Outlook: The emergence of Emerson Hancock and an elite debut from 2025 first-round pick Kade Anderson has put the Mariners in a position where they could conceivably let Logan Gilbert and George Kirby walk in free agency and still have a top-tier rotation. Offensively, the pieces are there for this to be a more potent lineup than they have right now, with a good mix of established stars, young big leaguers and top prospects.
2. Milwaukee Brewers
29 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $48.3 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Marco Dinges
1B Andrew Fischer
2B Brice Turang
3B Jesús Made
SS Cooper Pratt
LF Jackson Chourio
CF Luis Lara
RF Sal Frelick
DH Josh Adamczewski
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Jacob Misiorowski
SP Kyle Harrison
SP Logan Henderson
SP Aaron Ashby
SP Chad Patrick
CL Abner Uribe
Top Extension Candidate: C William Contreras (free agent after 2027)
2029 Top Prospect: IF Luis Peña (Age: 19)
Future Outlook: The Brewers already had an exciting young offensive core headlined by Jackson Chourio and Brice Turang, and the emergence of Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison this year gives them a well-rounded talent core. They rarely pay up to keep their own free agents, but William Contreras might be a worthy exception to that strategy given his importance offensively and anchoring the staff.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
30 of 30
2029 Payroll Commitments: $215.8 million
Projected 2029 Lineup
C Will Smith
1B Kyle Tucker
2B Tommy Edman
3B Chase Harlan
SS Mookie Betts
LF Josue De Paula
CF Andy Pages
RF Mike Sirota
DH Shohei Ohtani
Projected 2029 Pitching Staff
SP Yoshinobu Yamamoto
SP Blake Snell
SP River Ryan
SP Roki Sasaki
SP Emmet Sheehan
CL Kyle Hurt
Top Extension Candidate: 1B Freddie Freeman (free agent after 2027)
2029 Top Prospect: SS Emil Morales (Age: 19)
Future Outlook: The Dodgers have six outfielders—Josue De Paula (1), Mike Sirota (2), Zyhir Hope (3), Eduardo Quintero (5), Charles Davalan (6) and James Tibbs III (10)—ranked among their top 10 prospects in B/R's latest organizational rankings. How they choose to utilize that talent will help reshape the roster, but the superstar core provides an elite foundation.
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