In March 2018, spring training gave us a good look at what to expect this upcoming MLB season. If you’re a die-hard baseball fan then it’s time to get on top of your game and check out the latest power rankings, team highlights, and predictions. For now, let’s explore the top four MLB teams you need to keep on your radar this upcoming season.
White Sox
Image via Flickr by Geoff Livingston
There’s no denying that most baseball fans believe the White Sox are a bunch of kids, and when you’re playing with a bunch of kids, you’re sure to encounter a lot of uncertainty. One thing that’s not uncertain, however, is that the White Sox are a team of hope.
All of the young guys playing on the team have a lot of valuable experience, including Yoan Moncada (age 22), Lucas Giolito (age 23), and Tim Anderson (age 24). As for when these kiddos will settle in and showcase everything they have to bring to the game of baseball, that’s something we must be patient about. Once they settle in, there’s no doubt they are going to stir up a large fan base.
Braves
The development of several Braves players is going to greatly impact how well this team finishes, especially when talking about infielder Ozzie Albies. There’s also the ever-looming timetable for the franchise-revolutionizing player, Ronald Acuna, that will depict how well this team comes together. One thing that’s for sure, though, is putting Alex Anthopoulos in charge of baseball operations was an impeccable move that can and will take this team to the next level of success. To put it simply, there’s never been a better time to be a fan of the Braves.
Phillies
A lot of baseball fans look at the Phillies and see growing pains, but it’s clear to see that the pieces are perfectly in place to have a successful season. Not only does the team have Jorge Alfaro behind the plate and Rhys Hoskins in left, but they also have newly-signed Carlos Santana protecting first. To sweeten the deal, the Phillies have Nick Williams in right and Cesar Hernandez in the middle infield along with J.P. Crawford.
Padres
This is another team that’s boasting young players at their finest. As a catcher, we have Austin Hedges (age 25) and out in center field is Manual Margot (age 23). Even though this is a team of young ones, it does feature a couple of veteran arms. Tyson Ross and Chris Young are both bringing valuable experience to the field, and they have no doubt put the practice in during the training sessions that could potentially see them use something like these batting nets for baseball practice to help improve all aspects of their game. And they will soon be ready to drive their team to glory amongst the best of the best. All in all, it’s going to be a good year to be a fan of the Padres.
You can’t predict how it’s all going to play out, but you can use this year’s spring training and pre-season power rankings to get a good idea of which teams are going to make a name for themselves throughout the season. With a bit of baseball knowledge and insight combined with this year’s spring training and power rankings, it’s easy to see that the Phillies, Padres, Braves, and White Sox are four teams that are sure to make their fans happy.
