MLB Power Rankings: Where All 30 Teams Stand Entering 2026

It’s early March, and that’s way too early to put together 2026 MLB Power Rankings. Well, we’re going to do it anyway, because we are so ready for baseball.

Spring Training and the World Baseball Classic are both underway, but we still have enough of an idea of the Opening Day rosters to make some predictions about how the 2026 MLB season could play out.

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1. Los Angeles Dodgers

The back-to-back World Series champs felt that bringing a World Series to seven games made things a little too close for comfort. So, they added the best free agent available in outfielder Kyle Tucker on a four-year, $240 million deal, and then signed former Mets closer Edwin Díaz. As tempting as it was to simply roll Yoshinobu Yamamoto out to close every game, that was never going to be tenable long-term.

So yes, on top of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Yamamoto, they get one of the best hitters in the game. As long as they’re healthy, they’re the team everyone else is chasing.

2. Toronto Blue Jays

Things instantly get muddy after the Dodgers. There’s a case for Seattle, Philadelphia, the Yankees and even the Mets to hold this number two spot, but Toronto earns it. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was exceptional during the 2025 playoff run, and the Blue Jays have depth around the field, a legitimate big-game pitcher in Trey Savage and a versatile roster built to compete deep into October.

They added Dylan Cease, who has struck out 200 batters in five straight seasons, and signed Kazuma Okamoto from the NPB’s Yomiuri Giants, a powerful bat in the middle of the lineup who helps make up for the loss of Bo Bichette.

3. Seattle Mariners

The Mariners won the AL Wild Card last season and pushed Toronto to seven games in the ALCS. Julio Rodríguez is still getting better. Cal Raleigh felt just short of an MVP. Josh Naylor looks like a burgeoning star.

But for the Mariners, their success will ultimately come down to pitching. Logan Gilbert, George Kirby and Bryce Miller all missed vast stretches of time last season. If they can stay healthy, this is one of the best rotations in baseball.

4. Philadelphia Phillies

It was a disappointing end to the Phillies’ season. They won the NL East then lost in the NLDS for the second straight year. In Philly, it has the feeling of a final hurrah.

They brought back Kyle Schwarber, the engine of this offense, and added Adolis García to play right. And though they’ll miss Zack Wheeler for the first few months of the season, Christopher Sánchez was one of the Cy Young finalists last season, and Andrew Painter, the 6’7″ right-hander, has star potential. If Aaron Nola can bounce back after a disastrous 2025, this is one of the league’s best teams.

5. New York Yankees

The Yankees have every right to be ranked higher entering this season. They have the two-time defending AL MVP in Aaron Judge coming off yet another historic season and brought back Cody Bellinger to add to the middle of their lineup.

But it’s their pitching that presents is the biggest question mark. Max Fried opens the season as the Opening Day starter, but two of their other potential aces are on the shelf. Gerrit Cole isn’t expected back from Tommy John surgery until May or June, and Carlos Rodón isn’t due back from his own elbow surgery until April or May.

There’s no telling how well either pitcher will perform so fresh off surgery, which puts more pressure on the Yankees offense to compensate for a short-staffed rotation for the first few months of the season.

6. Boston Red Sox

After falling to the Yankees in the AL Wild Card Series, Boston fans expected some offseason fireworks. It was more like one of those sparklers they let kids hold: There were some flashes, sure, but no big bang to speak of.

They added Sonny Gray, who provides veteran depth in the middle of the rotation and is already becoming buds with Garret Crochet. They also added Ranger Suárez who is coming off consecutive 12-8 seasons with the Phillies and an All-Star appearance in 2024.

The Red Sox are a decidedly young team trying to bridge two generations at once. The youth movement is headlined by Roman Anthony, one of baseball’s best prospects for the last several years. He’ll get a full-time opportunity to emerge as one of the best all-around hitters in baseball.

Marcelo Mayer will start the season in the majors. Caleb Durbin, acquired in a trade with Milwaukee, finished third in Rookie of the Year voting. He will take over third base. And the signing of Wilson Contreras at first base gives them a reliable 20-home-run threat in the lineup.

7. New York Mets

If the Red Sox didn’t put on a fireworks display in Boston, the Mets sure did in over Queens. The Mets payroll is through the roof, and they made sweeping changes to their lineup this offseason. Bo Bichette was signed on a three-year deal to play third. They brought in Jorge Polanco, who had a solid season with the Mariners a year ago. They made a trade for Luis Robert Jr., who had yet to reach his potential in Chicago. And they added Marcus Semien to play second, hoping a change of scenery brings back the elite talent he showed in prior seasons.

The Mets also have top prospect Carson Benge potentially pushing for an Opening Day roster spot. In 116 games in the minors last year, he hit 15 home runs, 25 doubles, drove in 73 runs and got on base at a .400 clip.

Most importantly, they traded for Freddy Peralta to provide this rotation with a bona fide ace. Behind him, Nolan McLean went 5-1 down the stretch with a 2.06 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 48 innings last season. If that’s a sign of things to come, that is a devastating one-two punch in New York.

8. Chicago Cubs

The Cubs major signing was Alex Bregman who is fresh off a year with the Red Sox, having made his first All-Star appearance since 2019, and he’ll add pop and elite defense at third base. Pete Crow-Armstrong looks like a perennial All-Star and borderline MVP candidate. And Michael Busch had his breakout season last year, hitting 34 home runs.

A lot of their questions come through the pitching staff. Cade Horton had a tremendous rookie season and will likely get the Opening Day nod, but is he the ace? Can Shota Imanaga have a bounce-back season? And Jameson Taillon had a strong end to the year, was that a blip? Of course, all eyes are on Justin Steele, who’s coming back from left elbow surgery and may be looking at a first-half return.

9. Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers were the surprise of the 2025 season, finishing as the MLB’s top overall seed and leading the league in wins. Then, they flamed out in spectacular fashion in the postseason, getting swept by the Dodgers in the NLCS.

Even still, this team is loaded with talent. Jackson Chourio headlines the lineup and looks every bit the All-Star the Brewers hoped he’d be. Brice Turang is coming off an excellent 2025. Christian Yelich showed there’s still something left in the tank. William Contreras is one of the best offensive catchers in baseball.

Though they lost Freddy Peralta, there’s still plenty to be excited about in the rotation. Brandon Woodruff has been an elite pitcher before and the Brewers hope he can return to that form. Quinn Priester put together a solid 2025. And Jacob Misiorowski rocketed out of the gate before coming back down to earth and then rocketing up again in the playoffs. He looks like a future Cy Young candidate.

10. Baltimore Orioles

It was a disappointing season in Baltimore as the Orioles failed to make the playoffs and fired their manager in the process. And yet, they might be one of this season’s most underrated teams.

Gunnar Henderson is one of the league’s best shortstops, and after an injury-plagued 2025, he’s a bounce back candidate. Their big signing was Pete Alonso, who will man first base and bring plenty of pop that will play well at Camden Yards. Jackson Holliday will start the season on the IL but should return in the first few months.

Their pitching is a bit suspect, though. Trevor Rogers was great down the stretch, going 9-3 with a 1.81 ERA. If that’s a sign of the pitcher he can be consistently, now we’re talking. They have five solid arms, especially with the signing of Chris Bassitt, but no standalone ace.

11. Atlanta Braves

Another prime bounce-back team, the Braves’ top players simply could not stay healthy at the same time for any stretch last season. With a little luck in the health department, they could overtake not just their division rivals in the Phillies and Mets, but also pose a real threat to the Dodgers at the top of baseball.

Ronald Acuña Jr. is an MVP candidate. Drake Baldwin is fresh off a surprise Rookie of the Year in 2025. Matt Olson is a Silver Slugger at first base. And Austin Riley is an excellent two-way player at third.

If Chris Sale and Spencer Strider can stay healthy, they are one of the best one-two punches in all of baseball. Reynaldo López is coming back from shoulder surgery and Spencer Schwellenbach is on the 60-day IL to start the season. If they come back, this is quickly a top-5 pitching staff.

12. Houston Astros

Houston was one of the best teams in the American League for most of last season. Then, they lost Yordan Álvarez and with him, their grip on the AL Wild Card spot.

But in 2026, there’s plenty of reason for optimism. Jeremý Peña had a career season, Isaac Paredes slugged .458 and they’re really looking to Zach Cole, their number one outfield prospect. He hit four home runs and drove in 11 in just 47 at-bats a year ago.

Hunter Brown established himself as a bona fide ace last season. And in losing Framber Valdez, Houston signed Tetsuya Imai, who went 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA and 177-178 strikeouts in 163 innings in the Japanese baseball league last year.

13. Detroit Tigers

Tarik Skubal won his second straight Cy Young Award, and they added Framber Valdez to make this pitching rotation even scarier. But Detroit enters this season with a bitter taste in their mouth. They lost their grip on the AL Central in the second half of 2025 and were ultimately knocked out in the Division Series.

Still, the Tigers enter as favorites in the AL Central. They brought back Justin Verlander to shore up the back half of the rotation and provide a veteran presence. Their offense lacks star power, but are a clutch bunch. Riley Greene hit 36 home runs. Spencer Torkelson hit 31. Gleyber Torres bounced back after a few down years. Kerry Carpenter put together a solid season after missing much of 2024.

They could also look to elevate MLB’s number two overall prospect, Kevin McGonigle, at shortstop. He has the ceiling of a repeat batting champion, with power and speed from the middle infield. In three seasons in the minors, he’s walked more than he’s struck out.

14. San Diego Padres

Always the bridesmaid to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Padres have a new manager and much of the same roster minus Dylan Cease.

Jackson Merrill, Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. will form a dynamic trio in the middle of this order. The Padres are hoping for a bounce-back season from Xander Bogaerts, and that Ramón Laureano can carry the magic he found in the second half of 2025 into 2026. They also added Nick Castellanos, who will likely serve as DH and provide another big-game bat in the lineup.

The pitching is a different story. They don’t have a single left-hander in the rotation, and it’s headlined by Nick Pivetta, coming off a career season. Michael King and Joe Musgrove both had injury-shortened campaigns a year ago. But even if they may not have the star power of the Dodgers on paper, this is a team that is not spooked by their LA rivals.

15. Kansas City Royals

Bobby Witt Jr. remains the star and focal point of the Royals offense. He’s put together two straight All-Star seasons where he has won a Gold Glove at shortstop, finished top five in the MVP race, won a Silver Slugger and led all of Major League Baseball in hits. Entering 2026, he gets some more protection in the lineup.

They traded for Isaac Collins from Milwaukee. Vinnie Pasquantino is coming off a 30-home-run season. Jac Caglianone still has plenty of promise.

Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo headline the pitching staff, though both are coming off disappointing 2025 seasons. Ragans was limited to just 13 starts, and Lugo posted his highest ERA in five seasons. To compete in the AL Central, they’ll not only need their arms to stay healthy, but will need pitchers like Kris Bubic and Noah Cameron to fully establish themselves as front-end starters.

16. Texas Rangers

Like the Phillies, the Rangers could be reaching an impasse with their current roster. With Corey Seager, Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi, they have elite talent at multiple spots on the field, but they’ve been injured and inconsistent since their 2023 World Series win. And though they flirted with a playoff appearance a year ago, they ultimately couldn’t even win their own division.

They traded Marcus Semien for Brandon Nimmo, who will try to replace Adolis García. But the Rangers face an uphill battle in the AL West. If the stars align, they are a World Series contender, if they don’t this team could be in fire sale mode come July.

17. Cincinnati Reds

The Reds snuck into the playoffs before anyone could figure out what happened. They snatched a postseason berth from the Mets, only to be quickly dispatched by the Dodgers.

But there’s plenty to be excited about in Cincinnati. Elly De La Cruz is one of the most electrifying players in the game. Eugenio Suárez is back to provide some protection and power in the middle of a lineup that ranked in the bottom third of the league in home runs last year.

Hunter Greene and Andrew Abbott both have the makings of an ace on just about any pitching staff and are both looking to make another leap. Rhett Lowder is a sneaky impact player. The right hander missed all of 2025 due to injury but showed flashes in 2024.

18. Arizona Diamondbacks

Like the Rangers, Arizona made the World Series in 2023 and has fallen short of expectations ever since. Staring up at the Dodgers and Padres, it feels like an uphill battle to win the division. But they still have the talent to sneak into a Wild Card spot.

Geraldo Perdomo put together a 20-home-run, 100-RBI breakout season in 2025. Corbin Carroll remains an elite talent in left field. They brought in Nolan Arenado, who could hopefully recapture some magic in a new location.

The pitching rotation, if all the stars align, is pretty solid. Zach Gallen is just two years removed from a 17-9 season, Merrill Kelly is back after being traded at the deadline is just a few years removed from back-to-back 3.00-ish ERA seasons and Corbin Burnes could return in the latter half of the year.

19. Cleveland Guardians

Cleveland rode a second-half surge in 2025 to rip the AL Central out of the Tigers’ hands, only to be eliminated by the Tigers in the Wild Card Series.

José Ramírez is an MVP-caliber bat in the middle of the lineup. They’re hoping for a bounce-back season from Steven Kwan in center field, and maybe Kyle Manzardo can string together a second consecutive impressive season. But overall, they did very little to address their offensive woes this offseason.

Maybe their pitching staff can compensate. Gavin Williams emerged as a potential ace last season, and it’s a genuine toss-up between him and Tanner Bibbee as to who is the true ace of this staff. Not a bad problem to have.

20. Tampa Bay Rays

It’s hard to imagine a world in which the Rays would ever be considered favorites, but they should never be underestimated. Junior Caminero, after a breakout 2025 season, has the look of a potential MVP candidate. Jonathan Aranda was a great all-around producer at the plate, as was Yandy Díaz. And Chandler Simpson is the fastest man alive. There’s a lot of damage that could be done with the top of their order.

Shane McClanahan is an ace when he can stay healthy. He’s missed essentially the last two-and-a-half seasons due to injury. Drew Rasmussen went 10-5 with a 2.76 ERA a year ago and is a great number two. And this is always going to be a well-managed team, at bare minimum.

21. Athletics

The Athletics have long been at the bottom of the baseball world, but that’s changing. That’s in large part thanks to first baseman Nick Kurtz. In just 117 games last year, Kurtz hit 36 home runs and 26 doubles to win the AL Rookie of the Year, take home a Silver Slugger and peripherally enter the MVP conversation.

Before he was injured, Jacob Wilson was having a Rookie of the Year-caliber season as well. He finished the season hitting .311 with 13 home runs, 63 RBIs and just 39 strikeouts. He had as many extra-base hits as strikeouts. If he can return fully healthy, alongside Brent Rooker, who has hit 30 home runs in three straight seasons, this is an Athletics team that feels like it’s on the brink of a resurgence.

22. San Francisco Giants

The Giants’ most notable addition was manager Tony Vitello, the first manager ever hired directly from the college ranks. He inherits a team with talent that has been difficult to harness, especially under the pressures of playing in the NL West.

The new season gives Rafael Devers a chance at a full year in San Francisco with hopes he can regain his Silver Slugger form. Willie Adames and Matt Chapman each provide 20-to-30 home run power. On their staff, Logan Webb is Mr. Durable and Tyler Mahle finished last year on a strong note, going 6-4 with a 2.12 ERA in his final 15 starts.

23. Pittsburgh Pirates

Paul Skenes won his first Cy Young Award in what will surely be the first of many. They just need a team around him. They traded for Brandon Lowe and signed Ryan O’Hearn and Marcelo Zuñiga to provide a little more offensive firepower. If nothing else, it should help make Skenes’ win-loss record look more in line with how dominant he actually is.

They also have baseball’s 11th-ranked overall prospect in Bubba Chandler, who will see extended looks in the rotation. The NL Central is a competitive division, but when you have one of the best pitchers in baseball, it’s enough to make people pay attention.

24. Minnesota Twins

Byron Buxton finally put together a fully healthy year in 2025 and delivered the elite season Twins fans have been hoping to see from him for years. He’ll look to make it two in a row in 2026. Luke Keaschall looks like an All-Star-caliber second baseman. And Royce Lewis has now joined Buxton in the “incredibly productive when healthy, but often injured” category.

Joe Ryan firmly established himself as an ace last year, and they’ll be looking to young pitchers to fill in for Pablo López, who is lost for the season.

25. Miami Marlins

Kyle Stowers had a breakout season in Miami, hitting 25 home runs in 117 games. Xavier Edwards is a reliable hitter at the top of the lineup. And Jakob Marsee impressed in limited action, collecting 61 hits in just 55 games.

This is likely not a postseason team, but they’re putting together a solid core. The name to keep an eye on will be Sandy Alcántara, who could be a deadline trade piece if the season goes sideways.

26. St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals are in full rebuild mode. Masyn Winn is a Gold Glove shortstop in just his third season. Alec Burleson and Iván Herrera add some power to the middle of the lineup. And with the Brandon Donovan trade, JJ Wetherholt, MLB’s #5 prospect, has an opening at second base.

The Cardinals will also hope that Victor Scott II, who played Gold Glove center field and was a threat on the basepaths, can be more of an offensive threat. And they’re forever hoping Jordan Walker finally unlocks the 30-30 potential they saw in him.

27. Chicago White Sox

The White Sox have lost 100 games in three straight seasons, and this has all the makings of yet another one. But if there’s any consolation, it’s that they signed Munetaka Murakami from the Japanese baseball league. Murakami was a consistent 30+ home run threat and set a career high of 56 in 2022. Colson Montgomery had a solid rookie season, as did Shane Smith, who will be their Opening Day starter.

28. Washington Nationals

The Nationals have a new front office, a new manager and no new expectations. But here’s what they do have: young talent. CJ Abrams and James Wood in particular have the makings of stars. Dylan Crews, a top two pick a few years ago, now gets a full-time role to shine. The Nationals are in it for the long haul, and there’s genuine excitement around the core players who will define their future.

29. Los Angeles Angels

It’s hard to watch any part of Mike Trout’s career playing out at the bottom of the Major League Baseball standings. But it does look like the Angels are headed there again. Zach Neto put together another 20-20 season. Jo Adell posted 37 home runs. There is star power beyond Trout, but it’s sparse. And a wildly inexperienced pitching staff doesn’t help in an already competitive division.

30. Colorado Rockies

The Rockies are fresh off being the worst team in baseball and look headed there again.

The problem for the Rockies is that they simply don’t have a team ready to compete yet. Hunter Goodman is really the only MLB-ready bat right now. The best hope is that one of their young players breaks out, whether that’s Ezequiel Tovar, who slugged .400 last year, Zac Veen, who slugged .518, or even top prospect Charlie Condon, the 6’6″ right-hander who hit 62 home runs in two seasons at Georgia. And the rest of the time will be spent tracking the development of Ethan Holliday.

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