This is the third annual version of my ranking of all 30 MLB teams by their core of talent. The idea is to rank teams based on who they have under team control through the next two full seasons.
For this exercise, salaries don't matter and age isn't a factor -- but I'll round up on projecting young players (and vice versa against older players) since I'm projecting/ranking teams for a two-plus year period.
To make it easier to see which team has more talent when comparing them, I split players into three tiers: elite (5+ WAR talent, or MVP candidates), plus (3-5 WAR types) and solid (1.5-3 WAR, or lower-end starters and valuable role players). I opted to include players who have easy-to-hit vesting options or club/player options that are likely to be picked up, but I left out players with likely-to-be-exercised opt-outs. There's some subjectivity in this area; I call out any star players who don't qualify below.
Players are listed in order of my preference within each tier, so you can easily argue for a player who's on the top/bottom of a tier to move up or down. And the overall ranking isn't coming from an algorithm judging the teams or their numbers of players in each tier -- I'm still comparing each list one by one. It's often hard to compare the next 2.5 years of value of a prospect in Double-A versus a proven veteran having a down season.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2023 rank: 2
2022 rank: 3
Elite: Shohei Ohtani/DH, Mookie Betts/SS, Freddie Freeman/1B
Plus: Tyler Glasnow/RHS, Yoshinobu Yamamoto/RHS, Will Smith/C, Max Muncy/3B
Solid: Gavin Lux/SS, Dalton Rushing/C, Gavin Stone, RHS, Bobby Miller/RHS, Emmet Sheehan/RHS, Andy Pages/CF, Tony Gonsolin/RHS, Alex Vesia/LHR, Evan Phillips/RHR, Brusdar Graterol/RHR, Josue De Paula/RF, Alex Freeland/SS, James Outman/CF, Justin Wrobleski/LHS, Anthony Banda/LHR, Michael Grove/RHS, Jackson Ferris/LHS, River Ryan/RHS, Nick Frasso/RHS, Kyle Hurt/RHR
Adding Ohtani, Glasnow and Yamamoto made up for what could have been a tumultuous year for the Dodgers. Pitching injuries and regression have struck at a time when the team also has traded away some prospects to help the major league roster.
Despite those moves, the farm system is again one of the best in the sport with Rushing and De Paula looking like potential middle-of-the-order forces as they make their way to Los Angeles. The franchise's pitching depth has shown up as well with 11 core big league-caliber starters currently at Triple-A or in the majors -- and that's not including Walker Buehler, Jack Flaherty and Clayton Kershaw, who all are set to become free agents after the season. If the Dodgers can magically get pitcher health in order (Ohtani is coming back, too) it would be scary.
2. Atlanta Braves
2023 rank: 1
2022 rank: 1
Elite: Ronald Acuna Jr./RF, Chris Sale/LHS, Spencer Strider/RHS
Plus: Austin Riley/3B, Michael Harris/CF, Spencer Schwellenbach/RHS, Ozzie Albies/2B, Matt Olson/1B
Solid: Reynaldo Lopez/RHS, Sean Murphy/C, Jorge Soler/RF, Orlando Arcia/SS, Aaron Bummer/LHR, Joe Jimenez/RHR, Drake Baldwin/C, Jarred Kelenic/LF, Pierce Johnson/RHR, Nacho Alvarez Jr./SS, Hurston Waldrep/RHS, A.J. Smith-Shawver/RHS
After running away with this exercise the first two years, the Braves have hit some bumpy ground outside of the heist and extension of Sale that has been nothing short of amazing, and the addition of Lopez to a lesser degree.
Injuries to Acuna, Strider, Riley, Harris, and Albies don't affect their long-term projection much, but most of them have had slightly down years around those injuries so there were a few downgrades to account for that. In atypical fashion for Atlanta, there also hasn't been a prospect with a Harris or Strider-level breakthrough this season -- but keep an eye on Baldwin in 2025.
The potential departures of Charlie Morton, Max Fried and A.J. Minter will stress Alex Anthopolous to find replacements, but it is also reasonable to expect some of returning veterans will have bounce-back seasons next year.
3. Baltimore Orioles
2023 rank: 6
2022 rank: 13
Elite: Gunnar Henderson/SS, Adley Rutschman/C
Plus: Kyle Bradish/RHS, Jordan Westburg/3B, Colton Cowser/LF
Solid: Jackson Holliday/SS, Coby Mayo/3B, Grayson Rodriguez/RHS, Samuel Basallo/C, Felix Bautista/RHR, Cade Povich/LHS, Heston Kjerstad/LF, Enrique Bradfield Jr./CF, Keegan Akin/LHR, Ryan Mountcastle/1B, Ramon Urias/3B, Trevor Rogers/LHS, Chayce McDermott/RHS, Albert Suarez/RHS, Dean Kremer/RHS, Tyler Wells/RHS, Yennier Cano/RHR, Dylan Beavers, RF, Jud Fabian/CF, Luis De Leon/LHS
The slew of prospects we've been waiting to see become the Orioles' major league core has arrived and Baltimore has jumped into the top tier as a result. Henderson and Rutschman are legitimate stars while Westburg and Cowser have made the leap into becoming strong regulars as Holliday, Mayo and Basallo all arrive.
The Orioles do have some real threats to depart via free agency this winter in Anthony Santander and Corbin Burnes, which could make things a bit harder given the team is unlikely to make a huge jump in payroll in a single offseason.
One big question that will shape the franchise remains: Can the Orioles develop internal front-line starters -- Bradish and Rodriguez have shown glimpses -- or will the O's look to the Theo Epstein-era Cubs model of grabbing aces on the free agent market and via trades for their surplus of young position players?
4. Seattle Mariners
2023 rank: 3
2022 rank: 10
Elite: Julio Rodriguez/CF
Plus: Cal Raleigh/C, Logan Gilbert/RHS, George Kirby/RHS, J.P. Crawford/SS, Randy Arozarena/LF, Luis Castillo/RHS
Solid: Bryce Miller/RHS, Victor Robles/CF, Bryan Woo/RHS, Colt Emerson/SS, Cole Young/SS, Harry Ford/C, Andres Munoz/RHR, Lazaro Montes/RF, Josh Rojas/3B, Luke Raley/LF, Troy Taylor/RHR, Collin Snider/RHR, Gregory Santos/RHR, Matt Brash/RHR, Tyler Locklear/1B, Michael Arroyo/2B, Ryan Bliss/2B, Logan Evans/RHS, Jurrangelo Cijntje/RHS
The Mariners have locked up a truly outstanding core -- Dylan Moore might be the best player on the team who isn't eligible for this exercise -- and they have a top-10 farm system flush with high-upside position players. They're also confusing to evaluate as the major league team is currently under .500, just fired the manager, and are in the bottom third of most offensive stats.
Because most of the Mariners' top hitting prospects are not yet in the upper minors, the franchise will need a bridge in their major league lineup (preferably one that doesn't require trading away those young players) to compete next season, or else they risk wasting another season with a pitching staff that currently leads the league in ERA and is stuffed with young, controllable arms.
5. Philadelphia Phillies
2023 rank: 15
2022 rank: 8
Elite: Zack Wheeler/RHS, Bryce Harper/1B
Plus: Trea Turner/SS, Aaron Nola/RHS, Alec Bohm/3B, Cristopher Sanchez/LHS
Solid: Andrew Painter/RHS, Brandon Marsh/CF, Aidan Miller/SS, Matt Strahm/LHR, Bryson Stott/2B, Orion Kerkering/RHR, Johan Rojas/CF, Justin Crawford/CF, Tanner Banks/RHR, Edmundo Sosa/SS, Jose Alvarado/LHR, Seth Johnson/RHS
This group is the definition of a steady core, even if it's not how you might typically think of one because it comprises mostly players over 30 years old. For the purpose of these rankings, the Phillies added two front-line arms by keeping Wheeler and Nola on long-term deals. Combining those two aces with jumps from Bohm and Sanchez make up for J.T. Realmuto falling out as he nears the end of his contract.
Painter and Miller could be true impact prospects who show up for the big league team as soon as next season, and Bohm is the only player from the top two tiers who will fall off the list next year.
6. Cleveland Guardians
2023 rank: 9
2022 rank: 9
Elite: Jose Ramirez/3B
Plus: Steven Kwan/LF, Andres Gimenez/2B, Tanner Bibee/RHS, Emmanuel Clase/RHR
Solid: Travis Bazzana/2B, Jhonkensy Noel/1B, Gavin Williams/RHS, Chase DeLauter/RF, Cade Smith/RHR, Hunter Gaddis/RHR, Bo Naylor/C, Ben Lively/RHS, Sam Hentges/LHR, Brayan Rocchio/SS, Eli Morgan/RHR, Kyle Manzardo/1B, David Fry/DH, Angel Genao/2B
The top two tiers look a lot like they did last year, outside of Triston McKenzie falling off, and the Guardians added theNo. 1 pick in the draft to the next tier in Bazzana. Cleveland still has the depth of a top-10 farm system, highlighted by breakout prospect Noel, and also has most of its best young talent locked up (only Shane Bieber and Josh Naylor don't qualify due to contractual control). Surprisingly, the starting pitching in this core is a little light, but creating solid starting pitching out of a low investment is the one thing the Guardians do better than anyone.
7. Houston Astros
2023 rank: 5
2022 rank: 3
Elite: Yordan Alvarez/DH
Plus: Jose Altuve/2B, Hunter Brown/RHS, Yanier Diaz/C, Jeremy Pena/SS, Josh Hader/LHR
Solid: Ronel Blanco/RHS, Spencer Arrighetti/RHS, Jacob Melton/CF, Lance McCullers/RHS, Bryan Abreu/RHR, Chas McCormick/LF, Cristian Javier/RHS, Luis Garcia/RHS, Brice Matthews/SS, Zach Dezenzo/1B, Shay Whitcomb/3B
This is the Astros' third straight year near the top of this list, but you can see the horizon coming with Alex Bregman set to hit free agency this winter and Kyle Tucker and Framber Valdez scheduled after next season. Altuve is 34, Justin Verlander is 41, McCullers is out for a second straight season -- and the Astros have the lowest-rated farm system in baseball. Houston's star players are still really good, but this situation is making me wonder how long age-related decline, health issues and owner Jim Crane's payroll can keep this team at the division-winning level.
8. Chicago Cubs
2023 rank: 16
2022 rank: 22
Elite: None
Plus: Dansby Swanson/SS, Justin Steele/LHS, Ian Happ/LF, Nico Hoerner/2B, Shota Imanaga/LHS, Seiya Suzuki/RF, Isaac Paredes/3B
Solid: Pete Crow-Armstrong/CF, Jordan Wicks/LHS, Jameson Taillon/RHS, Michael Busch/1B, Porter Hodge/RHR, Moises Ballesteros/C, Kevin Alcantara/CF, Matt Shaw/3B, Owen Caissie/RF, Miguel Amaya/C, Jefferson Rojas/SS, James Triantos/2B, Cade Horton/RHS, Cam Smith/3B, Javier Assad/RHS, Brandon Birdsell/RHS, Jaxon Wiggins/RHS, Mike Tauchman/RF, Tyson Miller/RHR, Ben Brown/RHS, Luke Little/LHR
The current major league team is almost playoff quality, but it's the young players who have Chicago in the top 10. Crow-Armstrong and Wicks are two players I think will move up a level with another half a season or so of their current performance. Among the prospects listed, Ballesteros and Caissie are in Triple-A, and Smith had been red-hot since going in the first round of this summer's draft.
Imanaga's contract is extremely convoluted but, essentially, if he keeps doing what he's doing, the Cubs can and will have him under contract through 2028. I expect Cody Bellinger to opt out of his contract this winter, so he wasn't included here.
9. New York Mets
2023 rank: 10
2022 rank: 7
Elite: Francisco Lindor/SS
Plus: Brandon Nimmo/LF
Solid: Mark Vientos/3B, Kodai Senga/RHS, Christian Scott/RHS, Francisco Alvarez/C, Jett Williams/SS, Ronny Mauricio/SS, Brandon Sproat/RHS, Edwin Diaz/RHR, Drew Gilbert/CF, Ryan Clifford/1B, Jeff McNeil/2B, Tylor Megill/RHS, Brett Baty/3B, Jose Butto/RHS, Dedniel Nunez/LHR, Sean Reid-Foley/RHR, David Peterson/LHS, Blade Tidwell/RHS, Huascar Brazoban/RHR
The Mets have had breakouts both in the majors -- Vientos and Scott -- and throughout the minors -- highlighted by Sproat -- and should have most of their top prospects in the majors by next season.
By the second half of 2025, the lineup could include Alvarez, Vientos, Lindor, Williams, Mauricio, Nimmo, Gilbert and Clifford for less than $60 million in salary. If that group clicks as a core, then team building will get much easier. If those young players generally take a year or two to break in, things will become much more challenging.
The Mets have a lot of upcoming free agents (including Pete Alonso, Luis Severino, Sean Manaea and J.D. Martinez) so it will be very interesting to see how aggressive David Stearns will be in surrounding that group for 2025 vs. waiting on big additions until he sees what he has in his young players.
10. San Diego Padres
2023 rank: 11
2022 rank: 6
Elite: Jackson Merrill/CF
Plus: Manny Machado/3B, Fernando Tatis Jr./RF, Xander Bogaerts/2B, Yu Darvish/RHS
Solid: Joe Musgrove/RHS, Jeremiah Estrada/RHR, Robert Suarez/RHR, Jake Cronenworth/1B, Yuki Matsui/LHR, Jason Adam/RHR, Adrian Morejon/LHR, Matt Waldron/RHS, Leodalis de Vries/SS, Ethan Salas/C, Luis Campusano/C
Merrill has arrived in San Diego as a rookie sensation a year earlier than expected, at a position he'd never played, and has shown why the Padres refused to include him in their trade for Juan Soto.
The next five players on the list are all established veteran stars, and then the final tier consists largely of dominating relievers -- which makes sense given the bullpen-focused, team-building concept of this year's roster. The Padres have cleared out their upper minors to acquire major league players who don't qualify for this exercise -- Dylan Cease, Tanner Scott, Luis Arraez -- but Salas and de Vries have the ability to show up with a splash the way Merrill did if things click and that gives hope for sustaining this approach into the future.
11. Minnesota Twins
2023 rank: 19
2022 rank: 17
Elite: None
Plus: Carlos Correa/SS, Byron Buxton/CF, Pablo Lopez/RHS, Royce Lewis/3B
Solid: Matt Wallner/LF, Edouard Julien/2B, Brooks Lee/SS, Walker Jenkins/CF, Emmanuel Rodriguez/CF, Trevor Larnach/LF, Jhoan Duran/RHR, Bailey Ober/RHS, Ryan Jeffers/C, Luke Keaschall/2B, Joe Ryan/RHS, Zebby Matthews/RHS, Jose Miranda/3B, David Festa/RHS, Simeon Woods Richardson/RHS, Griffin Jax/RHR, Justin Topa/RHR, Andrew Morris/RHS, Cole Sands/RHR, Connor Prielipp/LHS
The Twins are a team that comes up in my industry discussions about both the deepest farms systems and the best top-to-bottom organizations in the sport.
On the major league side, Lewis and Buxton probably would be in the elite category if they could stay on the field a little more frequently while Correa and Lopez are more reliable but come with a lower ceiling. The Twins also have some true star potential in their minor league pipeline -- Jenkins and Rodriguez both rank among the top 15 prospects in the sport -- along with a lot of pitching depth.
If everything breaks right (crosses fingers on health and development luck), the Twins could put together a lineup for the 2025 stretch run featuring Correa, Buxton, Lewis, Wallner, Julien, Lee, Jenkins and Rodriguez that would make the Twins' top-tier contenders.
12. New York Yankees
2023 rank: 12
2022 rank: 12
Elite: Aaron Judge/RF
Plus: Gerrit Cole/RHS, Anthony Volpe/SS, Jazz Chisholm Jr./3B, Austin Wells/C
Solid: Jasson Dominguez/CF, Clarke Schmidt/RHS, Luis Gil/RHS, Carlos Rodon/LHS, Will Warren/RHS, Chase Hampton/RHS, Giancarlo Stanton/DH, Oswaldo Cabrera/3B, D.J. LeMahieu/3B, Mark Leiter Jr./RHR, Jake Cousins/RHR, Oswald Peraza/SS, Ben Rice/1B, Spencer Jones/CF, Jorbit Vivas/2B, Everson Pereira/CF, Clayton Beeter/RHS
Beyond Judge, there are lots of questions about the Yankees' future both among the players on this list and a group of looming free agents headlined by Juan Soto.
Cole's velocity has been slipping for two years, so it's time to start wondering if he is past his peak. The returns for the rest of the pitching staff have been mostly positive: Schmidt, Gil, and Rodon have improved, Warren looks solid and I think Hampton will join them once healthy.
As for the lineup, Volpe hasn't hit as much as I thought he would so far, but his glove has been better than expected. Chisholm and Wells have both been added as regulars this season and Dominguez probably will join them next season.
That said, re-signing Soto and a closer (whether its bringing back Holmes or finding a strong replacement) seems almost required this offseason and will eat up almost all of the money coming off the books this winter while the Yankees still pay big bucks to nonstars (Rodon and Stanton).
13. Boston Red Sox
2023 rank: 24
2022 rank: 24
Elite: None
Plus: Rafael Devers/3B, Jarren Duran/CF, Marcelo Mayer/SS, Roman Anthony/RF
Solid: Tanner Houck/RHS, Wilyer Abreu/RF, Triston Casas/1B, Kyle Teel/C, Brayan Bello/RHS, Kutter Crawford/RHS, Kristian Campbell/SS, Ceddanne Rafaela/CF, Cooper Criswell/RHS, Justin Slaten/RHR, Garrett Whitlock/RHS, David Hamilton/2B, Jhostynxon Garcia/CF, Vaughn Grissom/2B
Boston made a huge jump this season. Devers and Duran are both on the border of elite and plus and should be joined in the majors by top prospects Anthony and Mayer next season. When you add Abreu, Casas, Teel, Campbell and Rafaela to them, the Red Sox have a full lineup with an extra hitter for the DH spot with the other listed players as role players.
The pitching has also taken a leap forward with Houck, Bello and Crawford all solidifying their status as quality young starting pitchers. With about $60 million coming off the books after this season, the Red Sox could go a variety of ways to augment the staff in hopes of becoming a legitimate threat for a deep run next season.
14. Arizona Diamondbacks
2023 rank: 13
2022 rank: 20
Elite: Ketel Marte/2B
Plus: Corbin Carroll/CF, Brandon Pfaadt/RHS, A.J. Puk/LHR
Solid: Gabriel Moreno/C, Geraldo Perdomo/SS, Jake McCarthy/RF, Ryne Nelson/RHS, Lourdes Gurriel Jr./LF, Jordan Lawlar/SS, Justin Martinez/RHR, Kevin Ginkel/RHR, Yilber Diaz/RHS, Eduardo Rodriguez/LHS, Joe Mantiply/LHR, Ryan Thompson/RHR, Adrian Del Castillo/C, Jorge Barrosa/CF, Cristian Mena/RHS, Yu-Min Lin/LHS
There are a lot of positive developments. Marte has taken a step forward and Carroll has righted the ship after a terrible start to the season. Pfaadt has turned into what Arizona hoped he would, Puk has taken a step forward since coming to Arizona at the trade deadline and Nelson seems to be turning into a reliable starter.
The farm system will be in the bottom third once Lawlar is healthy enough to graduate next season, but much of that is because of players graduating to the majors. Given the D-backs' payroll is 14th in baseball and doesn't seem to have much room to rise, there isn't much margin for error -- but this is a nice group around which to build.
15. Texas Rangers
2023 rank: 4
2022 rank: 14
Elite: Corey Seager/SS
Plus: Marcus Semien/2B, Jacob deGrom/RHS
Solid: Wyatt Langford/LF, Evan Carter/CF, Adolis Garcia/RF, Kumar Rocker/RHS, Josh Jung/3B, Josh Smith/3B, Cody Bradford/LHS, Nathaniel Lowe/1B, Jonah Heim/C, Leodys Tavaras/CF, Jack Leiter/RHS, Sebastian Walcott/SS, Alejandro Rosario/RHS, Justin Foscue/2B, Emiliano Teodo/RHR
It has been a tough year for the defending champs. Carter and Jung have struggled because of injuries, Garcia and Heim have had down years and the Max Scherzer deal didn't go as expected. Langford hasn't quite figured it out yet after being rushed to the majors, but I think he'll be fine.
On the bright side, Rocker and Leiter are showing signs they both could reach their potential as former top-five picks and could possibly be in the big league rotation together next season.
16. Kansas City Royals
2023 rank: 26
2022 rank: 27
Elite: Bobby Witt Jr./SS
Plus: Cole Ragans/LHS, Salvador Perez/C
Solid: Brady Singer/RHS, Jac Caglianone/1B, Blake Mitchell/C, Maikel Garcia/3B, Vinnie Pasquantino/1B, Michael Massey/2B, Freddy Fermin/C, Lucas Erceg/RHR, Kris Bubic/LHR, M.J. Melendez/LF, Carter Jensen/C, Kyle Isbel/CF, Dairon Blanco/CF, Ben Kudrna/RHS
The Royals have made a lot of progress this season, from causing me to retract a tweet three months later to getting the steal of the top of the MLB draft in Caglianone.
Witt has turned into arguably the best player in baseball and the rest of the roster collectively jumped forward to make K.C. a division title contender out of nowhere. The next challenge is to weather the storm with even more depth when injuries/regression/expiring contracts hit, so this will be a crucial offseason to create margin for error.
17. Milwaukee Brewers
2023 rank: 21
2022 rank: 12
Elite: William Contreras/C
Plus: Christian Yelich/LF, Jackson Chourio/LF, Freddy Peralta/RHS
Solid: Joey Ortiz/3B, Brice Turang/2B, Tobias Myers/RHS, Sal Frelick/RF, Blake Perkins/CF, Garrett Mitchell/CF, Robert Gasser/LHS, Jeferson Quero/C, Jacob Misiorowski/RHS, Aaron Ashby/LHS, Brock Wilken/3B, Bryan Hudson/LHR, Luke Adams/3B, Nick Mears/RHR, Tyler Black/1B, Mike Boeve/2B, D.L. Hall/LHS, Jared Koenig/LHR, Trevor Megill/RHR, Abner Uribe/RHR
Though the Rays have the reputation of being the best pound-for-pound organization in baseball for good reason, the Brewers should be in the conversation. It's shocking how good Milwaukee is at turning various versions of castoffs into good players, allowing them to contend year after year with a bottom-third payroll. Even this list of players could make you underrate how many good young players the Brewers have because there are more top 100-150 prospects still in the lower minors who don't make this list but will be next season.
18. Detroit Tigers
2023 rank: 25
2022 rank: 25
Elite: Tarik Skubal/LHS
Plus: Riley Greene/LF, Jackson Jobe/RHS
Solid: Kerry Carpenter/RF, Reese Olson/RHS, Colt Keith/2B, Parker Meadows/CF, Spencer Torkelson/1B, Matt Vierling/RF, Max Clark/CF, Kevin McGonigle/SS, Jake Rogers/C, Casey Mize/RHS, Jace Jung/3B, Trey Sweeney/SS, Dillon Dingler/C, Ty Madden/RHS, Brant Hurter/LHS, Thayron Liranzo/C, Tyler Holton/LHR, Troy Melton/RHS, Jaden Hamm/RHS
I noted last winter that Detroit's pitching development was yielding sneaky-good outcomes, even before former GM Al Avila was ousted. The list across levels is impressive: Skubal is one of the top players in the sport right now, Jobe is the top pitching prospect in baseball, Olson has had a breakthrough season, Mize is healthy and contributing, and the next wave has either arrived (Madden, Hurter) or is about to (Melton, Hamm). The hitters have also been doing well with Greene and Carpenter continuing to stand out in the majors, Torkelson beginning to turn things around and Clark and McGonigle looking like potential impact prospects.
19. Tampa Bay Rays
2023 rank: 7
2022 rank: 11
Elite: None
Plus: Junior Caminero/3B, Shane McClanahan/LHS
Solid: Carson Williams/SS, Yandy Diaz/1B, Brandon Lowe/2B, Jeffrey Springs/LHS, Edwin Uceta/RHR, Josh Lowe/RF, Xavier Isaac/1B, Ryan Pepiot/RHS, Taj Bradley/RHS, Shane Baz/RHS, Christopher Morel/3B, Jose Siri/CF, Jose Caballero/SS, Brayden Taylor/3B, Richie Palacios/2B, Drew Rasmussen/RHS, Ben Rortvedt/C, Manuel Rodriguez/RHR, Jonathan Aranda/1B, Curtis Mead/3B, Kevin Kelly/RHR, Hunter Bigge/RHR, Aidan Smith/CF, Yoniel Curet/RHS
The Rays could finish under .500 for the first time since 2017 and used their down season to fill a vacuum at the trade deadline that was short on teams looking to trade veterans for younger players. Almost the entire 40-man roster is under control through 2026 and the Rays' currently have the top farm system in baseball after Jackson Holliday's graduation, though Tampa Bay's ranking will take a hit in about a week when Caminero graduates.
Tampa Bay is counting on Caminero, Williams, and Isaac to become their next impact bats and hoping McClanahan and Springs can return to the front of the rotation when they come back from elbow surgeries. By the end of next season, we'll see what the next version of the Rays can turn into because they have so many high variance players who either need big league experience or to get healthy.
20. Cincinnati Reds
2023 rank: 20
2022 rank: 19
Elite: Elly De La Cruz/SS
Plus: Hunter Greene/RHS
Solid: Jonathan India/2B, Chase Burns/RHS, Matt McLain/2B, Tyler Stephenson/C, Nick Lodolo/LHS, Sal Stewart/3B, Rhett Lowder/RHS, Andrew Abbott/LHS, Edwin Arroyo/SS, Spencer Steer/LF, Noelvi Marte/3B, Chase Petty/RHS, Cam Collier/3B, Alexis Diaz/RHR, Tony Santillan/RHR, T.J. Friedl/CF, Sam Moll/LHR
De La Cruz and Greene have turned into stars. Burns could join them in the big leagues next year following the Greene blueprint to front-line starter status. Beyond that, it's still unclear what Cincinnati's core will produce.
Marte's 2024 has been a disappointment, McLain hasn't played a game in 2024 after a big rookie season and Abbott's second year has been more in line with prospect expectations than his strong rookie year.
Lowder just made his major league debut, and Petty should get a big league look next season. Stewart's advanced bat has been a bright spot and he will be in the upper minors next season.
Lowder and Burns emerging as legitimate rotation options in the big leagues next year and a couple of bounce-back seasons from the core hitters who have struggled could turn the ship toward playoff contention again after a bumpy 2024.
21. Pittsburgh Pirates
2023 rank: 17
2022 rank: 22
Elite: Paul Skenes/RHS
Plus: Oneil Cruz/CF
Solid: Bryan Reynolds/LF, Mitch Keller/RHS, Jared Jones/RHS, Ke'Bryan Hayes/3B, Bubba Chandler/RHS, Joey Bart/C, Endy Rodriguez/C, David Bednar/RHR, Thomas Harrington/RHS, Termarr Johnson/2B, Johan Oviedo/RHS, Nick Gonzales/2B, Nick Yorke/2B, Michael Burrows/RHS, Hunter Barco/LHS, Luis L. Ortiz/RHS, Jared Triolo/3B, Henry Davis/C, Braxton Ashcraft/RHS, Kyle Nicolas/RHR, Dauri Moreta/RHR, Hunter Stratton/RHR
Skenes has done what a team can only dream its first overall pick will do: go straight to the big leagues, dominate, and make the team nationally relevant. Jones' and Chandler's breakthrough years -- particularly after Keller's step forward two years ago -- show how the organization's pitching development can turn balls of clay into starting pitchers. Cruz, Reynolds and Hayes look like solid pieces of the lineup. I loved the Pirates jumped on Bart when the Giants bungled the situation, and I think Rodriguez, Yorke and Harrington will be big league factors next season. I think some health luck, natural growth and more prospects showing up get this to a .500 team next year. There's $40 million or so coming off the books, so this would seem to be the offseason to supplement a competitive core to turn it into a playoff contender.
22. San Francisco Giants
2023 rank: 22
2022 rank: 28
Elite: Logan Webb/RHS
Plus: Patrick Bailey/C, Ryan Walker/RHR
Solid: Tyler Fitzgerald/SS, Heliot Ramos/LF, Jung Hoo Lee/CF, Kyle Harrison/LHS, Jordan Hicks/RHS, Robbie Ray/LHS, Carson Whisenhunt/LHS, Bryce Eldridge/1B, Camilo Doval/RHR, Erik Miller/LHR, Randy Rodriguez/RHR, Hayden Birdsong/RHS, James Tibbs/RF, Grant McCray/CF, Marco Luciano/2B, Joe Whitman/LHS, Sean Hjelle/RHR
The first half a dozen players here, led by Webb, look like solid keepers around which to build, but the rest are either role players or at least a year away, with a number of guys not under control through 2026 (if you're wondering why someone on the big league team isn't listed here).
That said, the farm system has some upside position players too far away to consider for this (Rayner Arias, Walker Martin, Dakota Jordan), an injury question (Reggie Crawford), some stalled-out graduates that I'm not sure how to rank (Luciano, Birdsong, Luis Matos, Mason Black), and a development failure lost for nothing who is finding success elsewhere (Joey Bart).
There has been some progress made here, but the same fundamental issue is there isn't a fully formed homegrown core, so they have to keep nailing free agency or trades to supplement what is here. The heady times of 2021 seem long ago.
23. St. Louis Cardinals
2023 rank: 8
2022 rank: 4
Elite: None
Plus: Masyn Winn/SS, Nolan Arenado/3B, Sonny Gray/RHS, Willson Contreras/C
Solid: Lars Nootbaar/RF, Brendan Donovan/LF, J.J. Wetherholt/SS, Quinn Matthews/LHS, Erick Fedde/RHS, Jordan Walker/RF, Alec Burleson/RF, Tink Hence/RHS, Victor Scott/CF, Ivan Herrera/C, Nolan Gorman/2B, Mike Siani/CF, Andre Pallante/RHS, Tekoah Roby/RHS, Cooper Hjerpe/LHS, Thomas Saggese/SS, Matthew Liberatore/LHS
After two top-10 finishes on this list, things have gone a bit sideways in St. Louis. Paul Goldschmidt is a pending free agent coming off a down year; Arenado seems clearly past his prime. Ryan Helsley continues to dominate but is a free agent after next year, so he doesn't qualify. Gray has been good, but the other free agent starting pitchers have been just fine and the prospect starters are still prospects. Matthews and Hence look to be the best of the bunch, hopefully third starters, but beyond them are a bunch of what look like back-end or reliever types -- Liberatore, Pallante, Roby, Hjerpe, Gordon Graceffo, Michael McGreevy, and a few more. That's useful, cheap depth, but this organization needs a front-line starter since it doesn't seem likely to pay for one in free agency. (I loved the Fedde deadline deal, but he doesn't qualify for this list as he's under control for only one more year.)
On the hitter side, Winn has been very solid, Contreras continues hitting, and I loved the Wetherholt pick (he could move fast). The rest have held serve or regressed. Scott, Gorman and Walker are the most notable down arrows, though all are still young with upside and places to grow. What looked a year or two ago to be a solid veteran core with more than a dozen promising young players on the way has turned into a decent core surrounded by role players or those who need a bounce-back year.
24. Toronto Blue Jays
2023 rank: 14
2022 rank: 5
Elite: None
Plus: Kevin Gausman/RHS
Solid: Daulton Varsho/CF, Alejandro Kirk/C, George Springer/RF, Jose Berrios/RHS, Bowden Francis/RHS, Orelvis Martinez/3B, Ricky Tiedemann/LHS, Yariel Rodriguez/RHS, Jake Bloss/RHS, Ernie Clement/3B, Spencer Horwitz/1B, Joey Loperfido/CF, Addison Barger/3B, Alek Manoah/RHS, Davis Schneider/LF, Will Wagner/2B, Leo Jimenez/SS, Jordan Romano/RHR
This hasn't been a good season in Toronto, though not as bad as this ranking makes it look. Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. aren't eligible for this list at the moment, but both could sign extensions and jump back on, or be traded for multiple young players who would go on the list. Gausman regressed, no one took a giant step forward (other than Francis for the last few starts), so this is a grim-looking core for a supposed contender, even if it might be deceptive.
25. Washington Nationals
2023 rank: 28
2022 rank: 29
Elite: None
Plus: James Wood/LF
Solid: MacKenzie Gore/LHS, Luis Garcia Jr./2B, C.J. Abrams/SS, Dylan Crews/CF, Jarlin Susana/RHS, Jacob Young/CF, D.J. Herz/LHS, Mitchell Parker/LHS, Brady House/3B, Cade Cavalli/RHS, Keibert Ruiz/C, Jake Irvin/RHS, Robert Garcia/LHR, Seaver King/SS, Travis Sykora/RHS
Under GM Mike Rizzo, the Nats have focused on acquiring and developing star players. That has been the focus again in this rebuild, starting with Wood, Crews, Gore, and Abrams, and with others with potential such as House and Susana still in the minors. Abrams had a great first half but has been awful for the last month-plus; he might not be a long-term shortstop. Gore has turned into more of a solid fourth starter than the front-line starter some envisioned, but Parker, Irvin and Herz have grown from lesser prospects to solid elements of the rotation. Garcia and Young also have had breakout seasons, helping turn a star-reliant organization into one that's more well-rounded. If two of Woods, Crews and Abrams can turn into stars next season, this looks a lot better.
26. Oakland Athletics
2023 rank: 29
2022 rank: 26
Elite: None
Plus: Mason Miller/RHR, Lawrence Butler/RF, Brent Rooker/DH
Solid: Jacob Wilson/SS, Shea Langeliers/C, Nick Kurtz/1B, J.J. Bleday/CF, Colby Thomas/LF, Max Muncy/SS, Luis Morales/RHP, Zack Gelof/2B, Max Schuemann/3B, Joey Estes/RHS, Osvaldo Bido/RHS, Darrel Hernaiz/SS, Mitch Spence/RHS, J.P. Sears/LHS, Luis Medina/RHS, Ken Waldichuk/LHS, Esteury Ruiz/CF, Tyler Soderstrom/1B, J.T. Ginn/RHS, Denzel Clarke/CF
Miller, Butler, Rooker, Wilson and Bleday have all been great stories and look like core pieces of a solid team. Thomas was the biggest riser on the prospect side and Kurtz -- a controversial first-round pick -- is a solid prospect nonetheless. We could see a critical mass of young players with upside in the big leagues for the A's next season, giving us a look at what this group could turn into. That could someday give the organization a chance to prompt people like me to dream about the playoff version of this group. We aren't quite there yet.
27. Miami Marlins
2023 rank: 23
2022 rank: 18
Elite: None
Plus: Sandy Alcantara/RHS, Eury Perez/RHS
Solid: Jesus Luzardo/LHS, Ryan Weathers/LHS, Thomas White/LHS, Noble Meyer/RHS, Jake Burger/3B, Agustin Ramirez/C, Connor Norby/2B, Jesus Sanchez/LF, Otto Lopez/2B, Xavier Edwards/2B, Edward Cabrera/RHS, Braxton Garrett/LHS, Max Meyer/RHS, Andrew Nardi/LHR, Deyvison De Los Santos/1B, Jakob Marsee/CF, Robby Snelling/LHS, Adam Mazur/RHS, Jared Serna/2B, Joe Mack/C, Dax Fulton/LHS, Anthony Bender/RHR, Javier Sanoja/2B, Jacob Berry/RF
The Marlins made putting this together easy on me: There isn't anyone on the 40-man who isn't under team control through the 2026 season. After a deadline in which they traded almost every veteran they had, it's a deep group of big league and upper minors young players, with plenty of playing time to hand out. You can dream about the upside with all the pitching at the top of this list, but the first four are currently injured and the next two are in A-ball. Like Oakland, this is a high leverage list that could shoot up the rankings with health and/or good big league debuts next year.
28. Los Angeles Angels
2023 rank: 27
2022 rank: 21
Elite: None
Plus: Mike Trout/CF, Zach Neto/SS
Solid: Logan O'Hoppe/C, Taylor Ward/LF, Nolan Schanuel/1B, Jose Soriano/RHS, Reid Detmers/LHS, George Klassen/RHS, Nelson Rada/CF, Christian Moore/2B, Patrick Sandoval/LHS, Caden Dana/RHS, Ben Joyce/RHR, Robert Stephenson/RHR, Samuel Aldegheri/LHS, Jo Adell/RF, Brock Burke/LHR
It hurts to not put Trout in the Elite category, but his health has forced my hand. He's joined by Neto, who has grown into a core part of the organization. Other strong performers for Los Angeles: Schanuel, another recent first-round pick, has broken out in the second half, and Soriano is a nice find for the rotation. I loved the Carlos Estevez trade that landed Klassen and Aldegheri, Dana and Aldegheri just made his big league debuts, and Moore doesn't seem far behind while Joyce is now doing what many expected after he dominated at Tennessee. Despite a number of good stories here, though, the Angels simply need to add more talent.
29. Chicago White Sox
2023 rank: 18
2022 rank: 15
Elite: None
Plus: Garrett Crochet/LHS, Luis Robert Jr./CF
Solid: Colson Montgomery/SS, Noah Schultz/LHS, Hagen Smith/LHS, Edgar Quero/C, Drew Thorpe/RHS, Jonathan Cannon/RHS, Davis Martin/RHS, Jairo Iriarte/RHS, Bryan Ramos/3B, Jacob Gonzalez/SS, Grant Taylor/RHS, Jake Eder/LHS, Miguel Vargas/3B, Prelander Berroa/RHR
This was almost a tie for the last spot, but I slightly prefer the White Sox's highest performers (Crochet is the best player on either list, and I think Robert bounces back in 2025). The trade return/health of Crochet and Robert are paramount; those are the last two methods to beef up this young core beyond waiting for home runs in the amateur markets or waiver wire. I haven't been a fan of really any of GM Chris Getz's moves at the big league level (the preseason trades with San Diego, Arizona and Seattle, the deadline deal with St. Louis) and I also would've taken Jac Caglianone instead of Hagen Smith in the draft, so I think this group could've been stronger even in a tear down with different decisions. That said, the first half a dozen players listed could be impact guys or traded for impact guys, so there's a chance to turn the narrative around with a big winter and 2025 season.
30. Colorado Rockies
2023 rank: 30
2022 rank: 30
Elite: None
Plus: Brenton Doyle/CF
Solid: Ezequiel Tovar/SS, Ryan McMahon/3B, Charlie Condon/3B, Chase Dollander/RHS, Nolan Jones/LF, Adael Amador/SS, Jordan Beck/RF, Drew Romo/C, Yanquiel Fernandez/LF, Zac Veen/LF, Cole Carrigg/CF, Ryan Feltner/RHS, Sterlin Thompson/LF, Kyle Freeland/LHS, Brendan Rodgers/2B, Luis Peralta/LHR
The Rockies couldn't climb out of the basement despite breakout seasons from Doyle, Tovar and Dollander. There are some solid young players here -- and mostly position players, which is a nice start -- but there just aren't enough. There's very little pitching, and their highest-paid player (Kris Bryant) isn't even good enough to qualify for this list. Their second-highest paid, Freeland, barely did.