2023 Pre-Season Profile: Kansas City Royals

 #25

The Kansas City Royals are getting close to being able to compete again after tearing down the roster following their World Series win in 2015.  Is 2023 the year they break out an be relevant again?

2022 Predictions

#21 - 4th in AL Central

MIH - Salvador Perez

MIP - Zack Greinke

PTW - Bobby Witt Jr.

2022 Results

#26 - 65-97, 5th in AL Central

Highest WAR (Position) - Michael A. Taylor

Highest WAR (Pitcher) - Brady Singer

The 2022 Royals was all about the youth movement.  It saw the debut of phenom Bobby Witt Jr., who played 150 and showed he truly is the budding superstar everyone thought he would be.  Brady Singer had a breakout season and showed he can be the ace everyone thought he would be.  Veterans Salvador Perez and Zack Greinke anchored the team and provided the necessary veteran leadership.  The problem is the rest of the roster wasn't up to par.  However, there were promising signs for the future for sure.

Additions / Subtractions

After selling off several veterans at the Trade Deadline last year like Whit Merrifield, Carlos Santana, and Andrew Benintendi, the Royals had a typical Royals offseason by not paying their own veterans hitting free agency and instead signing some interesting veterans with tons of upside.  So their best player (in terms of WAR) in Michael A. Taylor signed elsewhere, and Adalberto Mondesi was traded to Boston.  Coming in are starter Jordan Lyles and reliever Aroldis Chapman.  The one exception was ageless wonder Zack Greinke who is still going strong and should definitely finish his career in Kansas City.  The other major change for the Royals was the change at manager, with Matt Quatraro taking over for Mike Matheny.

Most Important Hitter

Vinnie Pasquatino

Although everyone entered the season fascinated by Bobby Witt Jr., the most popular player by the end of the season might have been fellow rookie Vinnie Pasquatino.  Nicknamed "The Italian Nightmare," Pasquatino showed his pure hitting skills could translate to the big leagues, batting .295 with 10 homers, 26 RBI's with a 135 OPS+ over 72 games.  This year, he will be counted on as a middle of the order bat despite not even having half a season of big league experience under his belt.  Witt Jr. will impact the game no matter what because of his athleticism.  If the Royals are going to take a step forward this year, it is going to be because of Vinnie Pasquatino.

Most Important Pitcher

Daniel Lynch

With Brady Singer emerging as the ace of the Royals, the focus goes to who will be providing the depth behind him.  Enter Daniel Lynch.  Entering his age 26 season (just like Singer), Lynch will be starting his 2nd full season in the big leagues.  Last season was not necessarily successful, as he posted a 4-13 record with a 5.13 ERA and an 80 ERA+ in 27 starts.  The Royals will be looking for him to take a step forward similar to what Singer did last year.  If he does, the Royals have a formidable right/left, 1/2 punch at the top of their rotation for the foreseeable future.

Prospect to Watch

Drew Waters

The Royals overall farm system took a hit last year with players like Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquatino graduating from the list.  Now they only boast one Top 100 prospect, and he is still probably a couple years away from the big leagues.  With that said, the Royals do have some fascinating prospects that could provide real impact at the big league level this season.  One of those in Drew Waters.  A former 2nd round pick of the Braves, the Royals traded for Waters mid-season for a draft pick.  Playing 32 games for the Royals in 2022, Waters barely maintained his prospect status but also showed some good production, with a 124 OPS+.  Now the Royals will go into Opening Day 2023 with Waters as their centerfielder, and he will be given every opportunity this season to show he is their centerfielder of the future.

2023 Prediction

4th in AL Central

The Royals are the start of a section on these power rankings of teams that are still rebuilding but are very close to breaking out in a big way.  The AL Central is not as strong as other divisions, their youth movement is really starting to show it's worth paying attention to, and it shouldn't shock anyone if the Royals end up close to .500 by the end of the season.

Fearless Prediction

Bobby Witt Jr. will be the starting shortstop for the AL in the All Star Game in 2023.

He has all the potential to be one of the game's next superstars.  He is dynamic young player that can do it all.  Last year he just scratched the surface.  If he takes the next step, look for him to be the talk of the league and win a fan vote for the best shortstop in the American League.  The Royals fans have shown in the past that they will come out in droves to vote for their stars when they have one to vote for.  It could make the Mid-Summer Classic a coming-out party for Bobby Witt Jr. in a similar way it was for Julio Rodriguez in 2022.

2023 Pre-Season Profile: Detroit Tigers

 #26

The Detroit Tigers have felt primed for a breakout season for several years now.  Now, as they prepare to celebrate the final season of their future Hall of Famer, has the window for their possible breakout closed?

2022 Predictions

#15 - 2nd in AL Central

MIH - Javier Baez

MIP - Casey Mize

PTW - Spencer Torkelson

2022 Results

#25 - 66-96, 4th in AL Central

Highest WAR (Position) - Javier Baez

Highest WAR (Pitcher) - Tarik Skubal

The 2022 Tigers showed a lot of promise.  They had their brand new star signed to a huge deal, they had their former #1 overall pick ready to make debut and take baseball by storm, they had stable of young pitchers all ready to be future aces.  Everything was looking up, but nothing seemed to work out.  Javy Baez had only a 93 OPS+, Spencer Torkelson bounced between AAA and the big leagues while barely hitting .200, and their other former #1 overall pick in Casey Mize only started 2 games before getting injured.  The only thing that seemed to go right was Miguel Cabrera was able to celebrate his 3000th hit.

Additions / Subtractions

The Tigers had a fairly quiet offseason with some potentially sneaky good moves.  The main moves they made brought in veteran starters Matthew Boyd and Michael Lorenzen to round out the rotation and replace other veterans like Drew Hutchison.  The main departures were catcher Tucker Barnhart, third baseman Jeimer Candelario, and reliever Gregory Soto.

Most Important Hitter

Spencer Torkelson

When you take a player with the #1 overall draft pick, you expect an All Star pretty soon after he takes the field for the first time at the big league level.  Although it's still early, so far the Tigers have whiffed on two recent top picks.  Casey Mize, the #1 overall pick in 2018 has yet to do much in 3 seasons (and will probably miss most, if not all, of 2023 with Tommy John).  Then there's Spencer Torkelson.  The top overall pick in 2020 out of Arizona State, Torkelson was supposed to be ready to hit at the big league level the second he arrived.  Instead, he struggled to adjust to big league pitching with only a 77 OPS+ in 110 games.  If the Tigers are going to take a step forward, Torkelson needs to be an All Star caliber hitter.

Most Important Pitcher

Matt Manning

The Tigers went from having a potential core of young aces to a starting rotation of mostly veterans.  They need at least one of their young starters to take a huge step forward in 2023.  The most likely to break out is Matt Manning.  In 2022, Manning only started 12 games but pitched well with a 3.43 ERA and a 111 ERA+.  This season is set up perfectly for Manning to have a big year.

Prospect to Watch

Wilmer Flores

If the name sounds familiar, there's a reason.  His brother has the same name and has been an infielder in the big leagues for years.  This version of Wilmer Flores is a big 6'4" right hander that looks about ready to make an impact in a big league rotation and be the latest Tigers pitching phenom to try and be their next ace.  Ranked #95 on MLB's Top 100 prospects, Flores is the last of 3 to make the list.  Although they don't have anyone in the top 50, the Tigers have a pretty deep farm system (which is pretty easy to have when they have this bad for this long).

2023 Prediction

5th in AL Central

I've given up hope on the Tigers.  Too many times over the last few seasons I have predicted the Tigers to make the big leap forward and be a breakout team (last year, I pick them 2nd in the division ... 2ND!!!).  Every year they disappoint me.  I'm done picking them.  No matter what top tier talent they have breaking out this year, they can never figure it out, even in one of the least competitive divisions in baseball.  Now with the balanced schedule, it's going to be even harder for a team like the Tigers to be good.  I hope they surprise me, but I'm not picking the breakout season again until I see signs they are even going to get better.

Fearless Prediction

A.J. Hinch will be fired mid-season.

Before the 2021 season, A.J. Hinch was hired after his year long suspension from the Astros sign stealing scandal to do for the Tigers what he did for the Astros (not the sign stealing, the winning of a World Series).  However, since he arrived, the Tigers have been going backwards.  If 2023 goes the way I see it going, it's obvious the Hinch hire isn't working.

2023 Pre-Season Profile: Colorado Rockies

 #27

The Colorado Rockies were about as irrelevant as could be in 2022 trying to split the difference between rebuilding and contending.  Could they start to turn things around in 2023?

2022 Predictions

#28 - 5th in NL West

MIH - Kris Bryant

MIP - German Marquez

PTW - Elehuris Montero

2022 Results

#23 - 68-94, 5th in NL West

Highest WAR (Position) - Brendan Rodgers

Highest WAR (Pitcher) - Daniel Bard

The Rockies were in a weird spot in 2022.  They are a few years removed from selling off the face of their franchise (Nolan Arenado), and they watched their star shortstop leave in free agency (Trevor Story).  They looked like they were a prime candidate for a teardown and rebuild.  Then they signed Kris Bryant to a megadeal.  They didn't have a ton of young talent contributing, while their lineup was a random combination of journeyman veterans (C.J. Cron, Jose Iglesias, Randal Grichuk, Daniel Bard) and the remnants of the "glory days" of the Rockies (Charlie Blackmon).  The one exception might be Brendan Rodgers, who is finally establishing himself as an everyday big leaguer.  For the most part though, the Rockies were stuck in the middle with nowhere to go.

Additions / Subtractions

The Rockies might have had the least active offseason of any team.  They let a few veterans leave in free agency like Jose Iglesias, Sam Hilliard, and Alex Colome.  They took some fliers on a few guys like pitchers Brent Suter and Ty Blach, and shortstop Cole Tucker.  That's about it.

Most Important Hitter

Kris Bryant

Part of what hijacked any promise and potential of the 2022 season is the fact that their big investment, Kris Bryant, only played 42 games in the first season of his 7 year deal.  The former Rookie of the Year, MVP, and World Series champion was productive when he actually played, earning an OPS+ of 127.  Now he's entering his age 31 season, and the biggest question the Rockies face entering this season revolves around Bryant's health.  Was 2022 an anomaly, or was it a sign of a body breaking down?  The Rockies are invested in his health, and their success for the foreseeable future depends on him being in the lineup every day.

Most Important Pitcher

German Marquez

The perpetual question surrounding the Rockies every season is if they can pitch.  All their starters right now are fairly established, but none of them have emerged as stars.  They also have a pretty bare farm system in terms of pitchers if they are looking for immediate help this season too.  One of the most interesting pitchers they have that needs to have a big year is German Marquez.  After an All Star season in 2021, he had the worst season of his career in 2022.  Now he needs to bounce back and get back to being a solid starter behind Kyle Freeland at the top of the rotation.

Prospect to Watch

Ezequiel Tovar

One difference between 2022 and 2023 for the Rockies is they have a top tier prospect ready to make an impact at the big league level.  Ezequiel Tovar is the gem of the Rockies' system (which is average at best).  Ranked the #25 prospect in all of baseball, Tovar is slated to be the Opening Day starting shortstop for the Rockies this year after making his debut at the end of last season.  He is a Gold Glove caliber shortstop that is starting to show he can be an impact bat in the lineup.

2023 Prediction

5th in NL West

The Rockies still feel stuck.  They are in one of the most competitive divisions in baseball so they can't contend, they don't have a farm system full of big league ready talent so they can't hand it over to the young guys, they don't have any stars left to trade to replenish their farm system (unless they already try to flip Kris Bryant) so they can't reset.  They are stuck.  They might take some steps forward, but I don't see them leaving the cellar of the NL West this season.

Fearless Prediction

Charlie Blackmon will not end the season in a Rockies uniform.

The last pillar of the Rockies glory years is Charlie Blackmon.  He has had an amazing career in Colorado, winning a batting title, 2 Silver Sluggers, and making 4 All Star Games.  However, his numbers have taken a nose dive the last 2 or 3 seasons.  He is entering his age 36 season and the last year of his contract with the Rockies.  Look for him being a possible trade candidate down the stretch or maybe even a DFA candidate if his production doesn't rebound in 2023.  I hope that's not the case for one of the best Rockies to ever put on the jersey.

2023 Pre-Season Profile: Cincinnati Reds

 #28

The Cincinnati Reds have been selling off big league talent over the last few years and building up a strong farm system in the process.  Will 2023 be the year the big league roster starts to see some impact from all this young talent?

2022 Predictions

#26 - 4th in NL Central

MIH - Jonathan India

MIP - Luis Castillo

PTW - Hunter Greene

2022 Results

#27 - 62-100 - 4th in NL Central

Highest WAR (Position) - Brandon Drury

Highest WAR (Pitcher) - Luis Castillo

The Reds went from over .500 in 2021 to a 100 loss season in 2022.  They saw their ace traded mid-season (Luis Castillo), as well as their best hitter (Brandon Drury).  The offense struggled to score, but their young pitching showed some real bright spots, with phenom starters Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo having strong rookie seasons.  Also, rookie Alexis Diaz emerged as their closer of the future.  So amid a disappointing season, there was some hope.

Additions / Subtractions

As with many teams in rebuild mode, the offseason was about seeing if any of their veterans had value on the trade market while bringing in other veterans to be placeholders until the kids are ready.  Much of the Reds' work was done mid-season in shedding big league talent, but the offseason also saw the departure of Mike Moustakas, Kyle Farmer, Donovan Solano, and Mike Minor.  The new crop of veterans include starter Luke Weaver, shortstop Kevin Newman, and corner outfielder / first baseman Wil Myers.

Most Important Hitter

Nick Senzel

Not every prospect works out, and so far in his big league career, Nick Senzel is one of those prospects that just hasn't.  The former #2 overall pick is now entering his age 28 season and 5th full season in the big leagues.  So far, his rookie season (2019) was the most successful, where he posted a measly 87 OPS+ with 12 home runs.  In 2022, he had a 64 OPS+ with only 5 home runs and 25 RBI's in 110 games.  The good part about being on a rebuilding team is you are given more opportunities for playing time and development.  Senzel is once again slated to be the Reds' everyday centerfielder, but with the youth movement moving through the minors, Senzel needs to start showing some progress, or he will no longer have a job in Cincinnati.

Most Important Pitcher

Hunter Greene

No one meant more to the future success of the Reds in 2022 than Hunter Greene.  The flame-throwing phenom had a solid rookie campaign in his age 22 season, showing why everyone had been waiting for his debut since he was picked 2nd overall in the 2017 draft.  Now it's his time to take the next step and show he is ready to be the new ace of the Reds.  If Greene can solidify himself at the top of the Reds' rotation, then the Reds will be ready to contend sooner than anticipated.  It would also mean they have a true superstar on their hands too.

Prospect to Watch

Elly De La Cruz

The Reds have a strong farm system, boasting 4 players in the Top 100 Prospects.  Their system has a unique makeup though, with 7 of their top 8 prospects playing either shortstop or third base.  However, the class of the group, and the player most ready to make a splash in 2023, is Elly De La Cruz.  This 21 year old shortstop is ranked as the 10th prospect in baseball, and it's easy to see why.  At 6'5", he's a towering presence with special speed and some real pop in his bat.  In 2022, between Single-A and Double-A, De La Cruz hit 28 home runs and had 47 steals.  I don't think the Reds can keep him out of Cincinnati much longer, and he has an outside shot at making the Opening Day roster.

2023 Prediction

5th in NL Central

The Reds are definitely headed in the right direction, but they are not ready to turn that corner yet.  As some of these top prospects like Elly De La Cruz, Noelvi Marte, and Brandon Williamson join the big leagues throughout the year, the team will improve and become more and more fun to watch.  Look for next year to be a big jump year in Cincinnati, but for now, the record won't be great.

Fearless Prediction

This will be Joey Votto's last season.

It feels like it is time.  Joey Votto has been the face of the Reds almost since the moment he arrived in 2007.  He's a 6 time All Star, won a Gold Glove and an MVP.  He has a chance at being a Hall of Famer.  He's also entering his age 39 season, last year was the worst year of his career, and he's in the last year of his 10 year megadeal (which is the only reason he hasn't been traded like the rest of the team's veteran assets).  He has a team option for next year, but there's no way it gets picked up.  The production doesn't warrant a $20mil+ contract for his age 40 season.  I could see Votto opting to retire than wear another jersey besides the Reds.

2023 MLB Pre-Season Profile: Washington Nationals

 #29

The Washington Nationals may have won the World Series just 4 short years ago, but only a select few players are even left from that championship run.  Is the rebuild just starting, or can the Nats compete in 2023?

2022 Predictions

#24 - 5th in NL East

MIH - Josh Bell

MIP - Josiah Gray

PTW - Cade Cavalli

2022 Results

#30 - 55-107 - 5th in NL East

Highest WAR (Position) - Juan Soto

Highest WAR (Pitching) - Erasmo Ramirez

In just 3 years, the Nationals went from the top of the mountain to the bottom, earning the worst record in baseball.  They aren't even getting rewarded with the top draft pick thanks to the new draft lottery.  They also watched their once-in-a-generation superstar, Juan Soto, be traded mid-season to San Diego.  To show how bad they were last year, their top two players in WAR, Soto and Josh Bell, didn't even play for the Nats the last two months of the season.  Their top pitcher in terms of WAR was a swingman reliever.  The season went wrong in pretty much every way possible.

Additions / Subtractions

When the season goes that badly the year before, there is only one place left to go, and that's up.  There were not a ton of moves this offseason for the Nationals.  The main thing we saw is several veterans leave in free agency, like Nelson Cruz, Luke Voit, Cesar Hernandez, Anibal Sanchez, and Steve Cishek.  Basically, all the placeholders for younger players were sent out.  Brought in were a couple veterans looking for playing time and a fresh start in first baseman Dominic Smith, third baseman Jeimer Candelario, and outfielder Corey Dickerson.

Most Important Hitter

Joey Meneses

The Nationals have fully committed to the youth movement, with loads of highly-touted talent all over the field (much of which has been acquired recently in their blockbuster trades of Soto, Bell, Scherzer, and Turner).  However, every team needs surprises, and one of the few bright spots for the 2021 Nationals was Joey Meneses.  This 30 year old rookie seized an opportunity when the club cleaned house around the trade deadline and finished the season hitting .324 with 13 home runs and a 165 OPS+ in just 56 games.  Now, was this a fluke or a true diamond in the rough?  If Meneses can produce like this again in 2023, it will take a lot of pressure off the phenoms like Keibert Ruiz, C.J. Abrams, and Luis Garcia.

Most Important Pitcher

MacKenzie Gore

The Nationals still have some stars in their rotation like Patrick Corbin and Stephen Strasburg, who only pitched one game in 2022.  However, possibly the most important pitcher to the future of the Nationals is MacKenzie Gore.  Gore was one of the many gems brought back in the Juan Soto / Josh Bell deal.  This former top prospect had trouble getting opportunities in San Diego while also battling injuries.  Now, Gore finds himself with a fresh start and a team committed to giving guys like him every chance to thrive.  If he takes off this year, the Nats are a lot closer to making their way back to contending than originally thought.

Prospect to Watch

Cade Cavalli

The Nationals boast a strong farm system, with 4 prospects in the top 100 with Cade Cavalli the most big league ready at #58.  I try not to highlight the same prospect multiple years in a row, but the Nats have very few top prospects that have a chance to impact the big league club this season.  Cavalli is a 6'4" righty that made his big league debut in 2022, but an injury shut him down after just the one start.  He should make the Opening Day roster in the rotation and might be the next big ace for the Nats.

2023 Prediction

5th in NL East

Yes, the Nationals are in full rebuild mode.  They also play in possibly the toughest division in all of baseball.  The balanced schedule will help them out this season so they don't get beat up so much by the likes of the Mets, Braves, and Phillies.  It's still not going to be good though.  With that said, they have enough exciting talent that they will be a fun watch win or lose.

Fearless Prediction

The last of the remaining players from the 2019 World Series run will play their last games in a Nationals jersey in 2023.

This is a bit of a stretch, but not insane.  Strasburg and Corbin need to show they have the value to trade for them and their contracts.  The most unlikely to move is centerfielder Victor Robles, who is entering his age 26 season, however with only a few years left before free agency, a trade to make way for the next wave of kids isn't out of the question.  It could happen!

2023 MLB Pre-Season Profile: Oakland Athletics

 #30

It's that magical time of year!  As I look out my window and see a foot of snow on the ground, it's hard to believe that today is also the first day of Spring Training games.  Baseball season is just around the corner, and I can't wait!  Every year as we lead up to the season starting, I preview each team and how I think they will do over the next 8 months of baseball.  We start at the bottom and work our way to my World Series prediction.  So let's get at it!

First up, the Oakland Athletics.  This organization is constantly reinventing itself out of necessity due to a horrible ballpark and a need for an extremely low budget.  They peaked a few years ago and started the tear down before last season.  Are they ready to start taking steps forward again, or will the downward spiral continue?

2022 Predictions

#30 - 5th in AL West

MIH - Sean Murphy

MIP - Frankie Montas

PTW - Cristian Pache

2022 Results

#29 - 60-102, 5th in AL West

Highest WAR (Position) - Sean Murphy

Highest WAR (Pitching) - Cole Irvin

The Oakland A's made the predictable tumble to the bottom of the league in 2022 after trading away many of their best players before they were going to need to pay them.  They even let their manager walk away instead of rebuilding the roster again.  Their most interesting players last year were the only established veterans that hadn't been traded yet.  The important word there is ... yet.

Additions / Subtractions

The offseason spoke loud and clear that the A's were not done tearing down their roster.  Of their top 12 players last year in terms of WAR, 5 of them are no longer on the roster.  Frankie Montas and Elvis Andrus were traded mid-season last year, Sean Murphy became the second A's star in as many offseasons to be traded to Atlanta, Cole Irvin was traded to Baltimore, and A.J. Puk was traded to Miami.  Very little big league talent was brought in through the offseason.  The most notable addition might be J.J. Bleday, a young outfielder with huge promise still trying to figure out how to be a big leaguer.  He was acquired from Miami in the A.J. Puk trade.  The rest of the additions were established veterans on one-year deals trying to have a strong first half so they can be a trade target for contenders.  These include catcher Manny Piña, first baseman Jesús Aguilar, utility man Aledmys Díaz, and reliever Trevor May.

Most Important Hitter

Shea Langeliers

Along with Cristian Pache, Shea Langeliers was the other centerpiece of the Matt Olson trade last offseason.  Now, with catcher Sean Murphy also getting traded to Atlanta, it is time for Langeliers to take a big step forward and become the everyday catcher for the A's.  Having veteran Manny Piña to learn from will help him learn for sure.  This is one of many opportunities around the diamond in Oakland for once highly-touted prospects to prove they can be the new nucleus of the A's.  What makes Langeliers so intriguing, the A's top prospect is Tyler Soderstrom, another catcher that should be ready to make his big league debut this season.  If Langeliers doesn't seize this opportunity early, he could lose his job to the next prospect coming up.

Most Important Pitcher

Shintaro Fujinami

None, I repeat NONE, of the A's projected starting rotation were above average in 2022 according to ERA+.  Although some up-and-coming prospects might have some top-of-the-rotation potential, the likes of Paul Blackburn and James Kaprielian are probably not going to wow you.  The only new arm in the rotation mix is the Japanese import Shintaro Fujinami.  The 28 year old comes over as a relative unknown as most Japanese players do, but he is one of the few in the rotation that has some intrigue and could become a fun watch every five days.

Prospect to Watch

Ken Waldichuk

The A's have two top 100 prospects: the first being the aforementioned Soderstrom, and the second is starting pitcher Ken Waldichuk at 76.  Waldichuk got 7 starts at the big league level last season with little success, but he has a lot of promise, and the A's are hoping a guy like him will emerge as their new ace moving forward.

2023 Prediction

5th in AL West

The Oakland A's have now accomplished what they sought out to accomplish a year ago.  They have reached rock bottom.  A successful season in Oakland will be seeing progress from names like Pache, Bleday, Langeliers, and Waldichuk that shows they can be part of the next contending version of the A's.

Fearless Prediction

In the next 12 months, it will be announced that the A's are moving to Las Vegas.

It has been rumored for awhile.  Their stadium is a mess, and the city of Oakland refuses to cooperate in any efforts to get a new stadium and keep them in town.  It seems inevitable that they move at this point, and it seems most likely they follow the NFL's Raiders to the bright lights of Las Vegas.  If they move to Vegas, maybe they can finally compete consistently instead of trading away all their best players before they have to pay them significant money.