2016 MLB Power Rankings Before Pitchers and Catchers Report

By Jacob Kornhauser

It’s almost time to begin a new MLB season and the power struggle is already underway. Based on what they did this offseason and what it looks like they’ll be able to do in 2016, here is how every team stacks up heading into spring training.

2016 MLB Power Rankings Before Pitchers and Catchers Report

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Cincinnati Reds — With so much youth in the starting rotation, the Reds are going to take their lumps this season. They still have a couple nice bats in the middle of the order, but Joey Votto won't be able to keep them from losing close to 100 games in 2016.

Philadelphia Phillies — Philadelphia is squarely in a rebuild and has no plans to compete this year. Maikel Franco and J.P. Crawford will be youngsters to watch, but their bats won't be enough for the Phillies to be competitive this season.

Miami Marlins — Miami has a lot of potential, but when your best hitter and pitcher are constantly injured, it's hard to bet on you. If Jose Fernandez and Giancarlo Stanton are both healthy all season long, the Marlins could surprise some people.

Colorado Rockies — As usual, the Rockies lack the pitching they need to compete in the NL West. Especially with multiple teams in the division getting better, the chances the Rockies contend for the playoffs are almost zero.

San Diego Padres — After going crazy last offseason, the Padres played it cool this year. After screwing up their long-term future with a plethora of moves last winter, San Diego might be in for a down period for the next couple years.

Milwaukee Brewers — Milwaukee has a decent lineup power-wise, but not many of their middle-of-the-order hitters hit for average. Jimmy Nelson and Taylor Jungmann could prove to be a nice one-two punch in the rotation, but both are relatively unproven.

Atlanta Braves — The Braves are in the middle of retooling and they're doing a great job. They now have the No. 1 farm system in the league, according to ESPN's Keith Law. That won't help them this year, though, and they're going to face a bumpy road.

Oakland Athletics — Oakland got great pitching and virtually no offense last season. After very little change this offseason, that can be expected again in 2016. This could result in a decent season if the A's can manage to win close games.

Chicago White Sox — On paper, the White Sox are a pretty good team, but that was the case last year as well. The addition of Todd Frazier gives their offense a little pop, but until Robin Ventura's squad proves it can live up to expectations, they can't be trusted.

Tampa Bay Rays — Tampa Bay has a very bright, young rotation to rely upon, but the lineup has some serious question marks. Even if Evan Longoria can return to form, they're going to need some young sluggers to step up if they hope to compete.

Minnesota Twins — The Twins opened a lot of eyes in 2015 as they contended for most of the season, but they may take a step back in 2016. A healthy Byron Buxton would help them contend, but ultimately, a lack of top-of-the-rotation starting pitching will do them in.

Los Angeles Angels — The Angels have a ton of offensive talent, but once again, they failed to address their lack of starting pitching this offseason. In a really tough AL West, the Halos are far from the favorites.

Baltimore Orioles — Re-signing Chris Davis was huge for Baltimore, but as of now, they haven't added pitching. It looks like they may sign Yovani Gallardo, who would provide a boost, but he still wouldn't make them a surefire contender.

Seattle Mariners — Seattle was one of MLB's most disappointing teams last season, but new GM Jerry Dipoto has gotten to work. Whether or not he did enough remains to be seen, but the Mariners should be much improved from a year ago.

Detroit Tigers — After having a surprising down year in 2015, the Tigers will look to get back atop the AL Central this season. They have a strong, but injury-prone lineup. If Justin Verlander regains his old form, Detroit could be a playoff team again this season.

New York Yankees — Who would've thought the Yankees would go an entire offseason without making a major move? They're waiting for veteran contracts to come off the books, but that justification isn't going to make them any better this season.

Cleveland Indians — Cleveland has one of the deepest rotations in baseball, but they have major holes in their lineup, especially with Michael Brantley set to miss the beginning of the season. If things come together, though, the Indians could reach the postseason.

Arizona Diamondbacks — There were few teams more active this offseason than the D'Backs. After adding Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller to the starting rotation, they should be competitive in the NL West. However, they still don't have the pitching depth of the Giants.

Washington Nationals — Washington was a major letdown last season, even though Bryce Harper had his long-awaited breakout year. They're the clear No. 2 team in the NL East and could sneak up on the Mets if they stay healthy in 2016.

Los Angeles Dodgers — L.A. gained pitching depth this offseason, but they also lost 2015 NL Cy Young runner-up Zack Greinke. With their hitting depth, the Dodgers should once again contend for the NL West title, though.

St. Louis Cardinals — It seems like the Cardinals always find ways to win, but it's going to get a lot tougher this season. They did little to cover up their weaknesses this offseason aside from adding Mike Leake. In a tough NL Central, they're the third-best team.

Toronto Blue Jays — Toronto has one of the best lineups in the past decade, but the pitching staff has serious question marks with the departures of David Price and Mark Buehrle. Marcus Stroman could be an ace, but there aren't many options behind him.

Boston Red Sox — The Red Sox appear to be one of the most improved teams in the league following an offseason which saw them add ace David Price. Boston's young core provides the depth they need to make another run at a title in 2016.

San Francisco Giants — San Francisco was hit by the injury bug early and often last season. They added pitching depth this offseason with Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija, which should help offset any potential injuries this season.

Texas Rangers — The Rangers surprised a lot of people last season, but they're not going to be sneaking up on anyone in 2016. With Yu Darvish and Cole Hamels at the top of the rotation, the team has the pitching to now go with its high-powered offense.

Pittsburgh Pirates — Pittsburgh has been one of the best teams in baseball over the last several years, but they can never seem to get out of the NL Wild Card game. They should be contending for a playoff spot once again in 2016.

Houston Astros — After arriving a year early, the Astros now look like one of the teams to beat in the American League. Carlos Correa is ready to become the best shortstop in the game, and the team's bullpen is one of the best in baseball. Look out for Houston.

New York Mets — No team has as deep a starting rotation as the Mets. The lineup is average; nobody can expect Yoenis Cespedes to stay as hot as he was last season. New York will play plenty of low-scoring games and will win a great deal of them.

Kansas City Royals — It's hard to call anyone but the Royals the best team in the American League at this point. They lost Johnny Cueto but not much else and showed they have a championship resolve in 2015. Don't plan on that going away this season.

Chicago Cubs — Being the best on paper doesn't matter for much, but at this point, the Cubs have the most complete roster in baseball. A nice mix of veterans and young stars make up a very good lineup to go along with one of the league's best rotations.

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