Tier 1: Clear Cut Contenders

1. Houston Astros

Ceiling- Win it all

Floor- 90 wins

Breakout Player- SP Hunter Brown

The champs will look to repeat and they have a good chance of doing so. You could argue they are better than last season. They will miss Jose Altuve for the first few months but they should still have a good record when they get him back. 

2. Atlanta Braves

Ceiling- Win it all

Floor- 90 wins

Breakout Player- OF Sam Hilliard

The Braves have the best top half of the lineup in baseball. They are out for revenge this year. 

3. Los Angeles Dodgers

Ceiling- Win it all

Floor- 90 wins

Breakout Player- OF James Outman

The Dodgers have a lot of studs, but below the surface, they have depth and prospects who can play. They will win a lot.

4. San Diego Padres

Ceiling- Win it all

Floor- 88-90 wins

Breakout Player- RP Adrian Morejon

The Padres have 3 MVP candidates but the starting pitching remains an issue. Pitch well, and they win 100 games.

5. New York Mets

Ceiling- Win it all

Floor- 88-90 wins

Breakout Player- 3B Brett Baty

Edwin Diaz being out for the season is a huge blow but they have other arms. They brought in Justin Verlander which is great but he needs to stay healthy. If so, they can go all the way. 

6. St. Louis Cardinals

Ceiling- Win it all

Floor- 88-90 wins

Breakout Player- RF Jordan Walker

The Cardinals offense might be the best in the league. They have two MVP candidates, good pitching, and an up and coming star in Jordan Walker.

7. New York Yankees

Ceiling- Win it all

Floor- 88-90 wins

Breakout Player- SS Anthony Volpe

The Yankees are still the Yankees. They need Luis Severino and Carlos Rodon to get healthy. Anthony Volpe can be a star. 

8. Philadelphia Phillies

Ceiling- Win it all

Floor- 85 wins

Breakout Player- 1B Darick Hall

Rhys Hoskins being out for the season isn’t good but Darick Hall can easily step in and make up for Hoskins’ bat. The Phillies have added more depth everywhere and they are poised to make another run for a championship.

Tier 2: Could Make A World Series Run

9. Seattle Mariners

Ceiling- Win it all

Floor- 85 wins

Breakout Player- SP Logan Gilbert

Julio Rodriguez could very well be in the MVP race at the end of the season. The starting rotation is still loaded. Maybe Jarred Kelenic can finally show something.

10. Toronto Blue Jays

Ceiling- Win it all

Floor- 85 wins

Breakout Player- OF Daulton Varsho

Everyone knows they will rake at the plate. A big part of that will be Daulton Varsho, who has the potential to do big things as a possible cleanup hitter. They need Jose Berrios to be better.

11. Tampa Bay Rays

Ceiling- ALCS Appearance

Floor- 85 wins

Breakout Player- INF Jonathan Aranda

This may be a low ranking, but I just don’t believe in their lineup. The bottom of the lineup will have to come through if they want to go deep in the playoffs.

12. Milwaukee Brewers

Ceiling- NLCS Appearance

Floor- 80 wins

Breakout Player- INF Luis Urias

Obviously the Brewers may have the best pitching in the league. Do they have the offense? Well, they added Jesse Winker and William Contreras, as well as the possible emergence of Luis Urias.

13. Chicago White Sox

Ceiling- Win it all

Floor- 80 wins

Breakout Player- CF Luis Robert

I believe in the White Sox. No more Tony La Russa. This team is incredibly talented. Luis Robert can win MVP.

14. Cleveland Guardians

Ceiling- Win AL Central

Floor- 80 wins

Breakout Player- RF Will Brennan

I almost had them in Tier 3. But with the addition of Josh Bell and some young guys possibly breaking out, this team could be very good. Combine that with good pitching, and this team could find themselves in the World Series.

Tier 3: Could Get Into Playoffs, World Series Run Not Likely

15. Minnesota Twins

Ceiling- Win AL Central

Floor- 80 wins

Breakout Player- LF Trevor Larnach

The Twins have an above average pitching staff and an above average lineup in my opinion. The bullpen management was questionable last season. If they get that situated, they will be fine.

16. Los Angeles Angels

Ceiling- Wild Card team

Floor- 75 wins

Breakout Player- SP Reid Detmers

Pitching. If they pitch good enough, they could be a playoff team.

17. Miami Marlins

Ceiling- Wild Card team

Floor- 75 wins

Breakout Player- SP Edward Cabrera

This could be too high of a ranking but the Marlins are dangerous. I think Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera are going to be very good. They made moves to improve the lineup so I think this team could get into the postseason.

18. San Francisco Giants

Ceiling- Wild Card team

Floor- 75 wins

Breakout Player- C Joey Bart

The Giants have experience and depth to make it to the playoffs. Mitch Haniger will be huge for them when he comes back.

19. Texas Rangers

Ceiling- Wild Card team

Floor- 75 wins

Breakout Player- 3B Josh Jung

This Rangers team has a lot of stars worth a lot of money. They added arms including Jacob deGrom which will help. Is the lineup deep enough and can the bullpen improve?

20. Boston Red Sox

Ceiling- Wild Card team

Floor- 70 wins

Breakout Player- 1B Triston Casas

Rafael Devers can carry this team to the postseason. They have veteran experience as well as young arms who have potential.

21. Chicago Cubs

Ceiling- Wild Card team

Floor- 70 wins

Breakout Player- RF Seiya Suzuki

The Cubs signed Dansby Swanson to go with Nico Hoerner in the middle infield. They really need Seiya Suzuki to stay healthy. 

22. Arizona Diamondbacks

Ceiling- Wild Card team

Floor- 70 wins

Breakout Player- OF Corbin Carroll

I really like the potential of the D-Backs. Their lineup is underrated and they added a few veteran bullpen arms in the offseason to go along with their great starters.

23. Baltimore Orioles

Ceiling- Wild Card team

Floor- 70 wins

Breakout Player- C Adley Rutschman

The Orioles didn’t make a ton of moves in the offseason which concerns me. But maybe they didn’t need to. They have a very good lineup top to bottom led by future superstar Adley Rutschman. This team can definitely make the playoffs but they are young. 

Tier 4: Better Luck Next Season

24. Detroit Tigers

Ceiling- 80 wins

Floor- 65 wins

Breakout Player- CF Riley Greene 

I think the Tigers could be a sneaky good team. Their rotation is actually good and they added some good depth in Nick Maton and Matt Vierling in the Gregory Soto trade. Riley Greene will be at the top of the lineup and plays excellent defense in center.

25. Kansas City Royals

Ceiling- 75 wins

Floor- 65 wins

Breakout Player- 1B/DH Vinnie Pasquantino

The Royals have a very dangerous lineup led by young stars Vinnie Pasquantino and Bobby Witt Jr. At the end of last season, they didn’t look too bad. Can they keep it up?

26. Colorado Rockies

Ceiling- 80 wins

Floor- 60 wins

Breakout Player- 1B/OF Michael Toglia

If the Rockies can win on the road, they might be able to be in the playoff picture at the end of the season. Toglia is starting at AAA, but he will be up in no time. He really impressed at the plate in Spring Training.

27. Pittsburgh Pirates

Ceiling- 75 wins

Floor- 60 wins

Breakout Player- SS Oneil Cruz

The Pirates added some good veterans in Andrew McCutchen and Carlos Santana to lead this young team. I could see this offense putting up some numbers this season led by Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds, but the pitching on this team might be the worst in the league.

28. Cincinnati Reds

Ceiling- 70 wins

Floor- 60 wins

Breakout Player- SP Hunter Greene

If the Reds young starting rotation comes to play this year, they could turn some heads. It all starts with young righty Hunter Greene, who is a flamethrower. Their lineup is nothing to marvel about but they do play in a hitter friendly ballpark.

29. Washington Nationals

Ceiling- 65 wins

Floor- 55 wins

Breakout Player- C Keibert Ruiz

Patrick Corbin is their Opening Day starter. That’s all you need to know. 

30. Oakland Athletics

Ceiling- 65 wins

Floor- 55 wins

Breakout Player- C Shea Langeliers

The A’s will once again be at the bottom. Watch out for young catcher Shea Langeliers. He will start right away. His defense is his biggest strength and has some pop at the plate.