Projecting MLB's 10 Most Lethal Offenses in 2020

Predicting the league's top offensive teams for the upcoming season is not all that difficult.

The Boston Red Sox, Colorado Rockies, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians and Seattle Mariners checked in as the highest-scoring teams in the league a year ago, and they all look poised to pile up the runs once again.

But predicting the league's top offensive teams for the 2020 season?

That's a bit trickier and that's what we've set out to do in the following article.

The following factors were taken into account when narrowing down our list:

• Controllable MLB Talent: Players who are either locked up on long-term deals or still arbitration-eligible were first taken into account, as they're all a safe bet to be part of the 2020 lineup.

• Potential Impact Prospects: Any prospects expected to arrive on the scene in the years to come that could push for a starting role also had to be counted as safe bets for a spot in the 2020 lineup.

• Free Agency: Not only did the players a team is expected to lose need to be factored in, but also their spending power when it comes to adding outside talent. The Philadelphia Phillies are the perfect example of a team that could make a splash on the free-agent market in the years to come thanks to their current payroll flexibility.

With all of that in mind, ahead you'll find our best guess at the league's top 10 offenses in 2020, but first, let's start with a few honorable mentions.

Honorable Mentions

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Does Bryce Harper have a long-term future in Washington?

Chicago White Sox

The White Sox have quickly built one of the deeper farm systems in baseball, but it's a pitching-heavy group at the moment. That's not to say there's no high-end position-player talent—Yoan Moncada and Zack Collins certainly qualify—but with no real long-term building blocks already at the MLB level, there's still significant work to do, even if they will have plenty of spending power.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco are both locked into team-friendly deals, and there is a promising core on the rise led by Austin Meadows, Josh Bell and Kevin Newman. The franchise's spending limitations and the reliance that will be placed on those young guys realizing their potential are enough to keep them just outside the top 10, though.

San Francisco Giants

Buster Posey, Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford are all signed through 2020, and Joe Panik will still be arbitration eligible, but that won't exactly be a group of spring chickens four years from now. The farm system is thin on true impact talent aside from infielder Christian Arroyo, but they have been known to uncover a diamond in the rough or two.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers should have plenty of money to spend in free agency with a number of big contracts coming off the books between now and 2020. However, they'll need to find a way to replace Adrian Beltre in the middle of the lineup, and much of their potential as an offense still hinges on the development of guys like Joey Gallo and Jurickson Profar as complements to Rougned Odor and Nomar Mazara.

Washington Nationals

Trea Turner and Adam Eaton will still be setting the table for the Nationals, but their chances of being a top-10 offense depend on whether the team can find a way to retain Bryce Harper beyond the 2018 season, when he's set to reach free agency for the first time.

10. Colorado Rockies

Bart Young/Getty Images

Trevor Story /

Controllable Talent

SS Trevor Story, OF David Dahl, 1B Ian Desmond, C Tom Murphy

Potential Impact Prospects

OF Raimel Tapia (ETA: 2017), SS Brendan Rodgers (ETA: 2018), 3B Ryan McMahon (ETA: 2018)

Notable Free Agents

OF Carlos Gonzalez (2018), CF Charlie Blackmon (2019), 2B DJ LeMahieu (2019), 3B Nolan Arenado (2020), OF Gerardo Parra (2020)

Outlook

Death, taxes and the Colorado Rockies having one of the league's highest-scoring offenses.

Each of the past eight seasons, the Rockies have finished in the top 10 in the majors in runs scored, so it's hard to bet against their earning a place on this list in 2020.

There are some questions, though, chief among them being whether the team can hammer out a long-term extension for superstar third baseman Nolan Arenado.

It will also be interesting to see how freely they are willing to spend in the years to come, and Jonathan Bernhardt of FanRag Sports provided an interesting take on this winter's Ian Desmond signing:

"

Most optimistically, Desmond might be the Rockies version of what Jayson Werth was to the Nationals in 2011: a sort of coming-out signing, an announcement that Colorado is a team that’s willing to spend commensurate with the lofty economical state of baseball and commit to a yearly budget for players in the Top 10 to Top 15 teams of the league.

"

If the Rockies can lock up Arenado, add a few more impact pieces between now and 2020 and former No. 3 overall pick Brendan Rodgers develops as expected, there's reason to believe this will continue to be a top-10 offensive attack.

9. Atlanta Braves

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Dansby Swanson and Ender Inciarte /

Controllable Talent

1B Freddie Freeman, SS Dansby Swanson, CF Ender Inciarte

Potential Impact Prospects

2B Ozzie Albies (ETA: 2017), 2B Travis Demeritte (ETA: 2018), OF Ronald Acuna (ETA: 2019), 3B Austin Riley (ETA: 2019)

Notable Free Agents

2B Brandon Phillips (2018), RF Nick Markakis (2019), C Tyler Flowers (2019), RF Matt Kemp (2020)

Outlook

This prediction is as much about the young talent the Atlanta Braves have to build around as it is about the money they'll have available to spend on the free-agent market.

A future middle infield of Ozzie Albies and Dansby Swanson, star first baseman Freddie Freeman signed through 2021 and underrated center fielder Ender Inciarte locked up as well with a team-friendly deal give the club a good core to build around in the years to come.

The Braves payroll maxed out at roughly $112 million in 2014, according to Cot's Baseball Contracts.

However, with six of the team's seven highest-paid players coming off the books between now and 2020, they have just over $31 million committed for the 2020 season at this point.

That gives them plenty of money to add a big bat or two in the outfield or at third base to complement that core, and a run at someone like Manny Machado is not out of the question.

The X-factors here are teenage top prospects Ronald Acuna (19) and Kevin Maitan (17), as both have superstar potential and could conceivably be ready by 2020 as well.

8. St. Louis Cardinals

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Stephen Piscotty and Matt Carpenter /

Controllable Talent

CF Dexter Fowler, 1B Matt Carpenter, RF Stephen Piscotty, SS Aledmys Diaz, LF Randal Grichuk, 2B Kolten Wong, IF Jedd Gyorko

Potential Impact Prospects

IF Paul DeJong (ETA: 2017), C Carson Kelly (ETA:2018), OF Harrison Bader (ETA: 2018), OF Magneuris Sierra (ETA: 2019), 2B Eliezer Alvarez (ETA: 2019)

Notable Free Agents

3B Jhonny Peralta (2018), C Yadier Molina (2019), 1B Matt Adams (2019)

Outlook

The St. Louis Cardinals finished fourth in the majors in runs scored a year ago, and the bulk of that offensive core will still be around four years from now.

The biggest question regarding incumbent talent is whether the team will look to extend Yadier Molina and for how long, and much of that will hinge on the continued development of Carson Kelly as his potential replacement.

With a potentially low-cost starting rotation fronted by Carlos Martinez, Alex Reyes and Luke Weaver, the team will have the payroll flexibility to address any needs that might arise between now and 2020.

Adam Wainwright ($19.5 million) is currently the highest-paid player on the team, and his contract is up following the 2018 season, so that alone gives the team significant wiggle room.

There may not be a true superstar talent on this offense, but the Cardinals should continue to have a well-balanced attack with no glaring holes.

Their uncanny ability to develop homegrown talent and find diamonds in the rough could also produce an unexpected impact player or two along the way.

7. Cleveland Indians

Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Francisco Lindor and Jason Kipnis /

Controllable Talent

SS Francisco Lindor, DH Edwin Encarnacion, 2B Jason Kipnis, 3B Jose Ramirez, CF Tyler Naquin, C Yan Gomes, IF Erik Gonzalez

Potential Impact Prospects

CF Bradley Zimmer (ETA: 2017), 3B Yandy Diaz (ETA: 2017), OF Greg Allen (ETA: 2017), C Francisco Mejia (ETA: 2018), SS Yu-Cheng Chang (ETA: 2018), 1B Bobby Bradley (ETA: 2019)

Notable Free Agents

1B Carlos Santana (2018), LF Michael Brantley (2019), RF Lonnie Chisenhall (2019), OF Brandon Guyer (2020)

Outlook

The Cleveland Indians have a nice combination of control and flexibility when it comes to the players that will still be under contract in 2020.

Edwin Encarnacion ($20 million), Jason Kipnis ($16.5 million) and Yan Gomes ($9 million) each have team options for the 2020 season, and the same goes for pitchers Corey Kluber ($13.5 million) and Carlos Carrasco ($9.5 million).

Those five players could potentially eat up a good chunk of the team's payroll, but only if they're still worth it, and that's the kind of freedom a mid-market team needs.

Jose Ramirez will be in his final year of arbitration in 2020 and Francisco Lindor will be in his second year, so they'll both come with a significant price tag as well.

While the Indians might not have a ton of money to spend four years from now, they might not need it.

If Francisco Mejia can develop into the franchise catcher he's expected to become, Bobby Bradley emerges as the long-term answer at first base and some combination of Tyler Naquin, Bradley Zimmer and the team's other outfield prospects can settle into the three outfield spots, all the pieces will be in place.

Lindor gives them a superstar anchor and they should have a nice mix of established veteran talent and up-and-coming young players if everything goes according to plan.

6. Philadelphia Phillies

Denis Poroy/Getty Images

Odubel Herrera and Maikel Franco /

Controllable Talent

CF Odubel Herrera, 3B Maikel Franco, 1B Tommy Joseph, C Cameron Rupp

Potential Impact Prospects

SS J.P. Crawford (ETA: 2017), C Jorge Alfaro (ETA: 2017), OF Nick Williams (ETA: 2017), OF Roman Quinn (ETA: 2017), OF Dylan Cozens (ETA: 2018), 1B Rhys Hoskins (ETA: 2018), 2B Scott Kingery (ETA: 2018), OF Mickey Moniak (ETA: 2020)

Notable Free Agents

OF Howie Kendrick (2018), OF Michael Saunders (2019), SS Freddy Galvis (2019), 2B Cesar Hernandez (2020)

Outlook

For the Philadelphia Phillies, it's all about financial freedom and long-term potential.

At their peak, the Phillies boasted a $177.7 million payroll, according to Cot's Baseball Contracts, and they regularly checked in with one of the league's highest payrolls during the earlier part of this decade.

Now that number has been whittled down to $111.1 million for the 2017 season, and $61.9 million of that is committed to players who are set to reach free agency next offseason.

The five-year, $30.5 million extension Odubel Herrera received this winter is really the only long-term money on the books.

Over the next few seasons, they'll take a long look at what they have with guys like Maikel Franco, Tommy Joseph and Cameron Rupp while continuing to filter in more young talent from down on the farm.

Shortstop prospect J.P. Crawford is still expected to be a franchise cornerstone, even after a disappointing 2016 season in the upper levels of the minors, and there's no shortage of intriguing prospect talent behind him.

In fact, it's not out of the question to think that last June's No. 1 overall pick Mickey Moniak could be a fixture in the outfield by 2020.

It's a numbers game for the Phillies; with a ton of money to spend and a stable of young talent likely to develop at least a few impact bats, the future looks bright.

5. Los Angeles Dodgers

Michael Zagaris/Getty Images

Joc Pederson, Justin Tuner and Corey Seager /

Controllable Talent

SS Corey Seager, 3B Justin Turner, CF Joc Pederson

Potential Impact Prospects

1B Cody Bellinger (ETA: 2017), OF Alex Verdugo (ETA: 2018), 2B Willie Calhoun (ETA: 2018), OF Yusniel Diaz (ETA: 2019), SS Gavin Lux (ETA: 2020)

Notable Free Agents

OF Andre Ethier (2019), 1B Adrian Gonzalez (2019), C Yasmani Grandal (2019), 2B Logan Forsythe (2019), RF Yasiel Puig (2019)

Outlook

It's going to be a very different-looking Los Angeles Dodgers team when the 2020 season rolls around, that's for sure.

Lineup staples Andre Ethier and Adrian Gonzalez are both expected to be cut loose once their current contracts expire, and the great Yasiel Puig experiment could come to an end following the 2018 season—if trade talks aren't revisited first.

That leaves Corey Seager, Joc Pederson and the recently re-signed Justin Turner as the last men standing as core pieces of the offense.

Luckily, help is on the way in the form of top prospects Cody Bellinger, Alex Verdugo and Willie Calhoun, who could all carve out a regular spot in the lineup by the end of the 2018 season.

Bellinger is more than capable of replacing Gonzalez as a middle-of-the-order force, Verdugo profiles as something similar to Nick Markakis and Calhoun has a bat that will play regardless of where he winds up defensively.

And then, of course, there's the free-agent money.

Even amid talks that the Dodgers might need to rein in their spending this winter, they still shelled out $192 million to bring back Turner, Kenley Jansen and Rich Hill.

The free-spending isn't going to stop anytime soon, and that should allow them to fill out the lineup around an impressive young core.

4. Houston Astros

Scott Halleran/Getty Images

Carlos Correa and George Springer /

Controllable Talent

SS Carlos Correa, CF George Springer, 3B Alex Bregman, RF Josh Reddick, 1B Yulieski Gurriel

Potential Impact Prospects

OF Derek Fisher (ETA: 2017), 1B A.J. Reed (ETA: 2017), C Garrett Stubbs (ETA: 2018), OF Kyle Tucker (ETA: 2019)

Notable Free Agents

DH Carlos Beltran (2018), C Evan Gattis (2019), 2B Jose Altuve (2020), C Brian McCann (2020)

Outlook

Assuming the Houston Astros don't lose Jose Altuve following the 2019 season, they should have an offense to rival any in baseball by the time 2020 arrives.

Carlos Correa and Alex Bregman have only scratched the surface of their long-term potential, and Kyle Tucker could emerge as a star in his own right in the years to come.

The biggest question is how much money the team will commit to building up the pitching staff.

If guys like Francis Martes, David Paulino and Joe Musgrove develop as hoped and Lance McCullers takes the next step, they could have a terrific starting rotation that takes a minimal bite out of the payroll.

Otherwise, they could look to spend big on a free-agent starter or two, and that could limit their spending on the offensive side of things.

Regardless, the core pieces are in place for this to be a high-scoring club, and their current reliance on young homegrown talent will give them a number of top-tier players just entering their respective primes when the 2020 season rolls around.

3. Boston Red Sox

Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images

Andrew Benintendi, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts /

Controllable Talent

RF Mookie Betts, 2B Dustin Pedroia, LF Andrew Benintendi, CF Jackie Bradley Jr., C Sandy Leon

Potential Impact Prospects

1B Sam Travis (ETA: 2017), 3B Rafael Devers (ETA: 2018), 3B Bobby Dalbec (ETA: 2019)

Notable Free Agents

1B Mitch Moreland (2018), DH Hanley Ramirez (2020), SS Xander Bogaerts (2020), UT Brock Holt (2020), 3B Pablo Sandoval (2021)

Outlook

Even after surrendering a dynamic young talent in Yoan Moncada to pry Chris Sale away from the Chicago White Sox, the Boston Red Sox still have an exciting future offensively.

Mookie Betts has already emerged as a bona fide superstar at the age of 24, and Andrew Benintendi has the tools to do the same as he takes aim at AL Rookie of the Year honors.

Veteran Dustin Pedroia will still be around, and the same goes for two-way standout Jackie Bradley Jr. in center field and whoever wins out at the catcher position.

Extending both Betts and shortstop Xander Bogaerts—who will hit free agency after the 2019 season—should become a priority in the near future, and assuming they can lock up the Scott Boras-represented Bogaerts, all the key pieces will still be in place in 2020.

The club will also be out from under the ill-advised Hanley Ramirez/Pablo Sandoval offseason spending spree, which will free up a good chunk of change to spend on another bat.

The current assumption is that Rafael Devers will supplant Sandoval at third base, perhaps as early as next season, so targeting a middle-of-the-order bat to play at the other infield corner is a possibility.

Any way you slice it, the Red Sox have an enviable crop of controllable young talent and as much spending power as any team in baseball, so don't expect their offensive firepower to wane.

2. New York Yankees

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Gary Sanchez and Aaron Judge /

Controllable Talent

C Gary Sanchez, 1B Greg Bird, CF Jacoby Ellsbury, 2B Starlin Castro, 1B/OF Tyler Austin

Potential Impact Prospects

OF Clint Frazier (ETA: 2017), OF Aaron Judge (ETA: 2017), SS Gleyber Torres (ETA: 2018), 3B Miguel Andujar (ETA: 2018), IF Jorge Mateo (ETA: 2018), OF Dustin Fowler (ETA: 2018), OF Blake Rutherford (ETA: 2020)

Notable Free Agents

DH Matt Holliday (2018), 3B Chase Headley (2019), SS Didi Gregorius (2020), LF Brett Gardner (2020)

Outlook

Everything has seemingly been leading up to the 2018-19 free-agent class for the New York Yankees.

Can they find a way to sign both Bryce Harper and Manny Machado?

It's almost been written off as a foregone conclusion that they'll get at least one of those guys, and considering the wealth of young talent they've assembled in what is the league's No. 1 farm system, it might only take one for them to emerge as an elite offense.

Clint Frazier and Aaron Judge both have huge power potential, and they could join the young duo of Gary Sanchez and Greg Bird in leading the offensive charge by the second half of the upcoming season.

Gleyber Torres has emerged as the team's No. 1 prospect since being acquired from the Chicago Cubs last summer, and he's now being talked about as a generational talent.

Miguel Andujar has all the tools to replace Chase Headley at the hot corner, speedy Jorge Mateo could arrive before Torres in the push for a middle infield spot and even "lesser" prospects like Dustin Fowler and Tyler Wade have a chance to make an impact.

No one will be in a better position to spend big leading up to the 2020 season than the Yankees, but it will ultimately come down to the development of their prospects to determine if they can make a run at the No. 1 spot on this list.

1. Chicago Cubs

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Addison Russell, Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez /

Controllable Talent: 

3B Kris Bryant, 1B Anthony Rizzo, SS Addison Russell, LF Kyle Schwarber, 2B Javier Baez, RF Jason Heyward, C Willson Contreras, CF Albert Almora Jr.

Potential Impact Prospects

IF Jeimer Candelario (ETA: 2017), 2B Ian Happ (ETA: 2018), OF Eloy Jimenez (ETA: 2019)

Notable Free Agents

2B Ben Zobrist (2020)

Outlook

The sky is the limit for the New York Yankees offense given their payroll situation and collection of prospect talent, but the Chicago Cubs get the edge due to the fact their offensive core has already proved itself at the MLB level.

Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant are established superstars, while shortstop Addison Russell and left fielder Kyle Schwarber could join them in short order.

Willson Contreras is ready to step in as the everyday catcher, and he has the tools to immediately be one of the league's best offensive weapons at the position, while Javier Baez will return to the super utility role where he thrived last season before a breakout October.

Jason Heyward and Albert Almora Jr. could very well round out the starting lineup in 2020 with the team trotting out the same starting lineup we'll see this coming season, but those two could also be pushed by a pair of exciting prospects.

Slugger Eloy Jimenez has rapidly emerged as one of the game's elite offensive prospects, and Ian Happ has moved quickly after going No. 9 overall in the 2015 draft.

Both guys have been impressive this spring, and they should present the Cubs with a good problem to have once they're MLB-ready.

The bulk of the team's spending in the years to come figures to be on the pitching side of things, where the farm system is a bit shallower and they could potentially lose Jake Arrieta next offseason.

Still, with an entire lineup already in place and locked up through 2020 and more help on the way in the minors, it's hard to argue anyone else is truly deserving of the No. 1 spot.

All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, while contract information comes courtesy of Spotrac and Roster Resource.