Mets: Ranking the top players at every position in the NL East

The New York Mets have their work cut out for them in 2019 in a much tougher National League East. Where do their players rank at each position and who is the cream of the crop in the division?

The National League East has seen a plethora of talent enter the division during the 2018 offseason. With names like Jean Segura and Edwin Diaz (thanks Seattle) switching leagues, nearly every NL East team has made upgrades this offseason. Fortunately, the New York Mets are included in this group.

While some of this includes players shuffling around the division (such as Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto), the NL East has still upgraded and will be one of the most competitive divisions in baseball as four teams could potentially win the division. Sorry Miami Marlins; the rebuild is far from complete.

This slideshow will break down every team at each position around the diamond and rank the number one team based upon their strength at each position. Versatility and depth at the major and minor league levels played a large role in determining the position rankings. New acquisitions shifted the rankings drastically and the strongest team’s starter (at their position) was a new player more often than not. Without further ado, here are the rankings at each position.

And yes, there is a final 25 man roster at the end.

C: Philadelphia Phillies, Starter: J.T. Realmuto

Catcher is by far the scarcest position in baseball. There was only one 4 win catcher during the 2018 season; that player was J.T. Realmuto.

Realmuto is the consensus for the best catcher in Major League Baseball. After a 2018 season where he earned his first All-Star berth with the Miami Marlins, the Marlins flipped him to the division-rival Phillies for a trio of prospects: Sixto Sanchez, Jorge Alfaro, and Will Stewart. Alfaro will enter the 2019 season as the Marlins starting catcher. Alfaro projects to be a league average bat with a powerful arm behind the dish and 25-30 home run pop. Alfaro is still only 25 and is an unknown at this point in his career.

Realmuto, on the other hand, will help the revamped Phillies chase a 2019 World Series; he is the most well-rounded catchers in the league.  In addition to his glove and power in the middle of the new Phillies lineup, Realmuto is a very good base runner with above average speed for a catcher.

The Phillies aren’t the only NL East team to upgrade at catcher. Travis d’Arnaud hasn’t lived up to the hype and former first-round pick Kevin Plawecki has been far from spectacular. Mets catchers ranked 24th in slugging percentage and 29th in dWar during the 2018 season. The signing of Wilson Ramos gives the Mets their most formidable catcher since the days of Paul Lo Duca and instantly puts the Mets in the top 10 at the catching position.

The Mets will gladly take his occasionally below average defense behind the plate to go along with his impact bat in the middle of the order. Travis d’Arnaud currently looks to be the backup catcher assuming he is healthy.

The Nationals re-signed their own slugger Kurt Suzuki. Suzuki doesn’t have the strongest throwing arm, gunning down only 19% of base stealers. He still managed to hit .270 which should not be taken lightly in this razor-thin catching market.

Tyler Flowers and Brian McCann and Tyler Flowers will likely split time at the catching position for the Braves in 2019. Expect the Braves to seek an upgrade behind the plate if they are still in contention come July.

1B: Atlanta Braves, Starter: Freddie Freeman

This one was close. While the argument could be made for Rhys Hoskins and by the end of the year Pete Alonso could hold the title, Freddie Freeman is still the best first baseman in the NL East and maybe in all of baseball.

Freeman made his third All-Star team and finished fourth in the MVP voting in 2018. His efforts led a young Braves squad to a 90 win season (18 games better than the previous season) and first place in the NL East.

Freeman played Gold Glove-caliber defense at first and reached the 90 RBI mark for the fourth time in his career. Freeman will likely go toe to toe with Paul Goldschmidt and Anthony Rizzo for the title of best first baseman in baseball and will likely contend for MVP once again.

Now it is time to address the curious case of Pete Alonso and the New York Mets. Initially, Todd Frazier was expected to be the opening day first baseman; that changed with an oblique injury suffered during spring training. Pair this with an injury to Jed Lowrie and the Mets are out two corner infield positions before the season even begins.

While it seems clear that Jeff McNeil will fill in at third, first base remains a question. Dominic Smith was once considered the first baseman of the future. That torch seems to have been passed to minor league slugger Pete Alonso, who was first in home runs and RBIs among all minor league levels. Spring training has been no different for Alonso; he is currently second in baseball in OPS (spring training 2019) and third in batting average. Ironically, Smith is number one.

This has been a classic spring training battle and while most people wrote off Smith in the winter, he has made the Mets decision even tougher and could ultimately force the hand of GM Brodie Van Wagenen. While Alonso’s play is deserving of a starting job at the major league level, he may ultimately fall victim to the Super Two deadline and in this case, would remain in AAA until May.

The Phillies made an important trade after the 2018 season, sending Carlos Santana along with J.P. Crawford to the Seattle Mariners for shortstop Jean Segura. While Segura will improve the Phillies on both sides of the ball, this trade has more importance than simply acquiring Segura.

This trade shifts the abysmal outfield glove of Rhys Hoskins to first base where he is more suited to play. This trade also opened up an outfield spot which the Phillies eventually used to sign Bryce Harper. Hoskins slugged 34 home runs in 2018 and his steady approach at the plate helped him draw 87 walks.

Hoskins still needs to cut down on the strikeouts and hold off on pitches below the strike zone, where he was most vulnerable last season. Hoskins will likely slug his way to an All-Star appearance and fits in perfectly between Harper and Realmuto in the Phillies lineup.

Miami plans to use Neil Walker at first base every day. The 33-year-old is coming off a down year with the Yankees in which he hit .219 in 113 games. Walker has battled neck, back, knee and hamstring injuries in recent years and should he be absent from the lineup, journeyman Martin Prado would likely back up at first. That is, until he is traded.

While it once looked like Ryan Zimmerman’s career was coming to an end, the two-time All-Star came back rejuvenated in 2017 hitting .303 after a .218 season the season prior. While Zimmerman’s 2018 campaign wasn’t as strong, he still managed to slash .264/.337/.486 in an injury-shortened season.

Zimmerman’s arm strength is not what it once was and the move across the diamond to first base allows Zimmerman to continue to produce offensively without the liability of his defense at third. Zimmerman owns a .993 fielding percentage for his career at first base.

2B: New York Mets, Starter: Robinson Cano

After the departure of Daniel Murphy in 2015, the Mets future at second base seemed all but certain. The Mets have used a variety of players at second to fill the void of Murphy, mostly Asdrubal Cabrera and Neil Walker among others. They were serviceable for a time but eventually, injuries and decline from both veterans led to an unstable second base situation.

After trading away Asdrubal Cabrera last July, the Mets finally promoted their smooth-hitting second baseman Jeff McNeil who thrived at every minor league level. The 26-year-old hit .329 over 248 plate appearances in his rookie season.

Just when it appeared that Mets were set with their new second baseman heading into the 2019 season, GM Brodie Van Wagenen has since traded for eigh-time All-Star Robinson Canó and signed 2018 All-Star utility man Jed Lowrie, both of whom are ranked second and fourth respectively at their position by MLB Network. The Mets have plenty of minor league depth as well at the position as this offseason alone they have added Adeiny Hechavarria, Danny Espinosa, Dilson Herrera, and J.D. Davis. In the event of an injury, this squad is versatile enough to move around the diamond and play outside their comfort zones.

One must keep an eye on Ozzie Albies of the Atlanta Braves. The 22-year-old phenom slashed .261/305/.452 in his first major league season. The Nationals have acquired Brian Dozier to compensate for the loss of Daniel Murphy. The 31-year-old hit a mere .215 in 2018 despite putting up decent power numbers. Expect Howie Kendrick and Wilmer Difo to fill in at second from time to time.

The Marlins have a pair of former Bronx Bombers in their infield with Starlin Castro and Neil Walker expected to split time in a rebuilding year for Miami (although Walker will most likely play the bulk of his games at first). Cesar Hernandez will look to build on a solid 2018 season while 24-year-old Scott Kingery will try to force the hand of Phillies manager Gabe Kapler with steady play in a backup role.

3B: Washington Nationals, Starter: Anthony Rendon

Third base is not what it once was in the NL East. The days of David Wright, Chipper Jones, and Ryan Zimmerman manning the hot corner have come to an end. There is still talent at third in the division despite the departure of franchise third baseman.

Anthony Rendon remains the best third baseman in the division. Once viewed as a utility player, Rendon has made the transition to third base in 2016 and hasn’t looked back since. Rendon was an All-Star snub in 2018, finishing the year with a .308 average, good for fourth in the National League and his 92 RBIs was 2nd highest on the Nationals and 3rd highest among third baseman.

Entering the final year of his contract, many teams will be interested in the services for the 28-year-old as he looks to replicate his successful 2018 campaign. Expect the Mets to be in the running for Rendon.

Jed Lowrie and Todd Frazier who were once penciled in for opening day could potentially both start the season on the DL. In this event, Jeff McNeil would likely step into the starting third base role and split time with J.D. Davis. Lowrie (who is blocked at second base by Robinson Canó) has appeared in 145 career games at third base owning a .967 fielding percentage at the hot corner.

While Atlanta may have made the flashiest move signing 2015 AL MVP Josh Donaldson, the third baseman missed most of the 2018 season due to multiple calf injuries. After Donaldson, the depth starts to thin with Johan Camargo and Charlie Culberson expected to fill in when he is absent from the lineup.

Franco, who is 26 years old, has had mixed success in the majors thus far. One significant stride he made in 2018 was cutting down on strikeouts. Franco improved his defense at third base and raised his batting average by 50 points from the previous season (.270 in 2018). With the added protection of a plethora of All-Star additions, most notably Bryce Harper, Franco will continue to make strides and contribute in a crowded Phillies lineup penciled in as the everyday third baseman.

SS: Philadelphia Phillies, Starter: Jean Segura

On the same day in which the Mets acquired Robinson Canó and Edwin Díaz from the Seattle Mariners, Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto pulled the trigger on another deal, sending Jean Segura to the Phillies for J.P. Crawford and Carlos Santana. Crawford is just 24 but he only holds a career .214 batting average through parts of two seasons. The former top prospect hasn’t lived up to the hype thus far and perhaps a change of scenery will jumpstart his career.

The Phillies, on the other hand, acquired a top 5 shortstop and have likely found their new leadoff hitter. Segura finished sixth in the AL in hits and led a shorthanded Mariners team to 89 wins, narrowly missing the playoffs. Segura will be backed up by Scott Kingery, who can play a steady defense at shortstop.

The other star shortstop in the NL East resides in Washington D.C. Trea Turner is one of the most productive shortstops in baseball at just 25 years old. Turner played all 162 games for the Nationals last season making significant strides in his fourth season. Turner has a cannon for an arm and has displayed quick hands and smooth footwork at short. Turner’s power numbers improve every season and the Nationals should have little concern at short.

When the season is over, there are two other shortstops who could climb the ranks. Mets shortstop Amed Rosario and former Vanderbilt Commodore Dansby Swanson could battle it out throughout the season. Rosario was named the opening day shortstop in 2018; his first full season showed flashes of potential. However, scouts feel that Rosario only scratched the surface of his potential.

Rosario led the Mets in stolen bases and displayed a strong throwing arm at short. Despite this, Rosario looked overmatched at times both at the plate and in the infield. Rosario looked unnatural at times in the field and hit bat only produced a .348 OPS with runners in scoring position.

Another season of experience will likely work out the kinks in Rosario’s defensive play and he will need to adjust to major league pitching and focus on a more steady approach at the plate, chasing fewer pitches outside the strike zone. Another free-swinging shortstop, Javier Baez, nearly won MVP this past season and Rosario is certainly capable of making those adjustments.

The Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson has had a rocky start to his major league career so far. Swanson aims to use his newly gained major league experience to improve his play and potentially reach the lofty expectations that come with being a former number one pick.

The Marlins will experiment with J.T. Riddle at shortstop this season after a below-average season from him offensively in 2018. This is clearly a rebuilding year for Miami.

LF: Atlanta Braves, Starter: Ronald Acuña Jr.

Left field is one of the most powerful positions in the NL East. 2019 NL East starting outfielders slugged a total of 109 homers in 2018. This is another position that could be up for grabs in 2019. The way things currently stand, Ronald Acuña Jr. holds the title of the best left fielder. The 21-year-old from Venezuela slugged his way to the 2018 NL Rookie of the Year award and his efforts helped the Braves win the division. Acuña has displayed all 5 tools early on. In order to avoid a sophomore slump, Acuña must realize that the league will make adjustments to his approach at the plate and he will likely see a steady diet of fastballs low and away.

Another player to watch in left is Mets slugger Michael Conforto. The former Oregon State Beaver had a rollercoaster season his first year back from torn capsule surgery. Despite a rough start to the season, Conforto’s play picked up after the All-Star break, driving in the second most runs in the NL (trailing only MVP Christian Yelich) and hitting the fifth-most home runs in that span.

Conforto’s defense has been better than advertised and his strong arm and athleticism make up for his occasionally slow first step. Conforto needs to improve his plate discipline: he swung at 27.6% of pitches outside of the strike zone and was among the league leaders in strikeouts. When Conforto’s on, he sprays the ball to all fields with power. The Mets can expect Conforto to make bigger strides this year and provide protection in the lineup behind Robinson Canó.

The Nationals have moved on from Bryce Harper and perhaps another homegrown teenager could help minimize the absence of Harper from the lineup. 20-year-old Juan Soto mashed 22 home runs for the Nationals after a midseason call-up. His .923 OPS during those 116 games is an impressive mark for any player, not to mention a 20-year-old. Soto needs to cut down on strikeouts significantly in order to take the next step. He has an adept eye at the plate and his raw power paired with veteran-like plate discipline have scouts drooling. Soto should excite Nationals fans for years to come.

The 2013 NL MVP will likely start in left field in his first season with the Phillies. McCutchen has shown signs of decline the past few seasons and his defensive rating has dropped drastically since his Pittsburgh days. In a season split between the Giants and Yankees, Cutch’s batting average dropped 24 points and he struck out a career-high 145 times. McCutchen’s defense warranted a move to left in 2018.

The former MVP is still a serviceable player is far better than the league average left fielder. McCutchen may have lost a step or two; this doesn’t make him a defensive liability. It could be expected of McCutchen to play steady outfield defense and crank 25 homers, making him a valuable player to have. Nick Williams will likely back him up in left. 25-year-old Roman Quinn will fight for a roster spot in 2019.

A familiar face has moved on to Miami. Curtis Granderson will open the 2019 season at Miami’s starting outfielder. The Grandy Man will be an important veteran presence in the Marlins locker room. Granderson will serve more as a teacher role to the younger players and if he is productive, will likely be moved by the trade deadline to a contender. The 15 year veteran posted the worst WAR (0.9) since his rookie season in 20014. Granderson will enter his age 37 season.

CF: Atlanta Braves, Starter: Ender Inciarte

Center field is not nearly as deep as either corner position. Center field consists of the younger players in the division, with the average age of the starters being 25.8. This collection of outfielders shows promise but so far they have shown little offensive production.

The most productive center fielder in the NL East would be Ender Inciarte of the Atlanta Braves. Inciarte has won 3 consecutive Gold Glove awards with his stellar play in the outfield, making some of the most memorable outfield catches in that time span. Inciarte also compiled 6 outfield assists in 2018 while committing only 5 errors. Offensively, Inciarte is the division’s best offensive center fielder. scoring 83 runs to go with 158 hits. He struck out only 86 times in close to 600 at bats.

It would be an injustice to mention outfield defense without mentioning the play of Juan Lagares. Unfortunately, Lagares has been battling the injury bug for most of his career and his absence for most of the 2018 season significantly altered the Mets’ outfield plans. Lagares has made strides hitting against left-handed pitching and has shown that he can be aggressive on the basepaths. Lagares must remain patient at the plate and refrain from chasing low breaking pitches. as long as he improves his plate discipline and stays healthy, the power will start to come for Lagares as will the offensive consistency. Defensively, the Mets may have the best center field defense in baseball. Lagares paired with platoon partner Keon Broxton will leave Mets pitching far from worried when a ball is hit to center. Both outfielders must find their stride offensively if they want consistent playing time. With neither outfielder in the lineup, expect Brandon Nimmo to step into center on occasion.

With the absence of Bryce Harper in the outfield, Victor Robles will have to step in and contribute offensively. Michael A. Taylor hasn’t shown the ability to hit major league pitching and with Adam Eaton shifting over to right field, the starting job belongs to Robles. Robles has played parts of two seasons with the Nationals and is one of the youngest players in the league at age 21.

Robles does not project as a much of a power hitter; that being said, scouts rave about his all-around game. Robles hits the ball to all fields and works deep into the count; these qualities are rarely seen of a player of this age. His plus arm strength, defensive instincts, and speed draw comparisons to Andrew Mccutchen. Robles will have big shoes to fill in 2019. Nationals fans should be excited to see the young duo of Soto-Robles blossom into an All-Star outfield.

Odubel Herrera made great strides in 2018, posting a career best in home runs and RBIs. Herrera has always been a player who doesn’t get on base that often and in order to stay in a talented Philadelphia lineup, he will need to find new ways to create runs. Lewis Brinson had a less-than-stellar rookie season, batting only .199 for the Marlins after the trade from Milwaukee. Brinson will try to be one of the lone bright spots for the Marlins in 2019 and will try to build upon a strong spring start in spring training.

RF: Philadelphia Phillies, Starter: Bryce Harper

After a four-month-long standoff between Bryce Harper and Major League Baseball, the slugger finally received the payday he was searching for when the Philadelphia Phillies signed him to a 13 year $130 contract. This deal makes the Scott Boras client the highest paid player in baseball history and the second largest in sports history (only trailing Mexican boxer Canelo Álvarez). Harper to Philadelphia has been rumored for quite some time and now he finally has the chance to bring a World Series title to the City Brotherly love.

Harper will hit third in a lineup that now features 5 MLB All-Stars, not to mention likely breakout candidate Rhys Hoskins. Although it seems unlikely that Harper will return to 9 WAR form, he should be expected to contribute greatly to the Phillies offense and he remains the NL East’s best right fielder. Behind Harper, the Phillies have the ability to shift a number of players to right field including Andrew McCutchen, Nick Williams, and Roman Quinn if he were to make the big league roster.

Right field has no shortage of talent in the division. Queens faithful should be excited to see another season of Brandon Nimmo roaming the outfield. The 2011 first round pick broke out in his first season as a starting outfielder, finishing 11th in baseball in OPS (trailing Harper by one place) and 9th in walks drawn. Nimmo’s 149 wRC+ was 6th in baseball and trailed the likes of Mike Trout and Mookie Betts. Nimmo has a knack for getting on base and his .404 OPS should have the opposing pitchers scratching their heads.

Nimmo is no easy out; he has a very patient approach at the plate and even led baseball in HBP with 22. Brandon Nimmo is the perfect table-setter for the Mets offense and fits nicely ahead of Jeff McNeil and Robinson Canó in the lineup. Defensively, Nimmo covers a ton of ground and while he may not look comfortable in center field at times, he is certainly capable of playing plus defense in right. I would like to see Nimmo be more aggressive on the basepaths as aside from Rosario, the Mets lack a true stolen base threat. Nimmo should also focus on taking everything up the middle and stray away from getting pull-happy in order to be successful throughout the season.

The Nationals will be filling the Bryce Harper hole by plugging in one of their own. Adam Eaton will shift from center to right and while he is a capable player, doesn’t have nearly the same upside as Harper. In Eaton, the Nationals have a player who strikes out far less than Harper and is capable of playing all 3 outfield positions. Eaton has only committed 5 errors over 194 career games in right field. Eaton will be the veteran in the outfield as he will guide the likes of Victor Robles and Juan Soto who are penciled in as the other nationals outfield.

This is a talented group of outfielders and while they may not possess the same power as Harper, the Nationals should not be worried about the state of their outfield in 2019. The one area the Nationals could upgrade is signing a veteran outfielder for their bench. Eaton is the oldest outfielder on the roster at age 30 and Michael A. Taylor has not proven to be a reliable option off the bench at this point in his career.

Nick Markakis resigned with the Braves on a 1-year deal. Markakis has always been a very productive player and in 2018, made the first All-Star game of his career at age 35. It has been a long time coming for Markakis who is currently 5th among active players in hits for his career. Markakis has quietly been very solid throughout his career; he has produced at least 160 hits in 11 seasons and hit below .270 only once. Markakis is a 3-time Gold Glove winner and while it is reasonable to expect a decline in play, Markakis remains a steady option for the Braves who will be one of four teams competing for the NL East in 2019.

There is a theme here for the Miami Marlins. Although they aren’t in the NBA and can’t “Tank For Zion”, they can trade away all of their players in hopes to acquire young assets and find more talent through the First-Year Player Draft. This process has left Peter O’Brien as the starting right fielder for the Marlins for the 2019 season. O’Brien is 28 and should be seen as a placeholder for the next young outfielder who will eventually surface for the Marlins.

Miami has a tendency of trading their All-Star outfielders, dealing Giancarlo Stanton, Marcell Ozuna, and Christian Yelich in the same season. It should be noted that two of the three have won MVPs since moving on from Miami. O’Brien currently has 31 career hits and has bounced around the minor league levels of 7 teams since the Yankees selected him in the 2nd round of the 2012 MLB Draft.  O’Brien will look to accrue MLB experience and will begin the season as an everyday outfielder for the first time in his career.

Starting rotation: New York Mets

Starting 5: Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Zack Wheeler, Steven Matz, Jason Vargas

Sorry Washingon, this one belongs to the Mets. Anchored by 2018 NL Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom, the Mets may have the most talented trio in baseball. deGrom along with Noah Syndergaard give the Mets a 1A, 1B, and 1C trio of aces at the top of the rotation. The three pitched to a combined 2.88 ERA in 2018 while striking out 603 batters. Wheeler was a top 3 pitcher post-All-Star break and led the majors with a 1.68 ERA in the time frame. The Mets knew they were getting a future ace in Wheeler when they traded Carlos Beltran to acquire him in 2011 and while it may have taken time, Wheeler has learned to attack the strike zone and has finally stayed healthy.

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The patience has certainly paid off with Wheeler and Sandy Alderson’s genius should be appreciated now more than ever. Alderson has either drafted or acquired all 5 of the Mets starting pitchers and the Wheeler/Syndergaard trades could go down as two of the best in Mets history when it’s all said and done.

Steven Matz is the biggest X-Factor for the pitching staff in 2019. The southpaw only pitched in 71 starts over four seasons due to various injuries. Matz seemed home run-prone at times and has often been the week link in the rotation. Matz occasionally shows flashes of ace-potential. If he could stay healthy and pitch more consistently then the Mets are a significantly better team.

Mickey Callaway has stuck with Jason Vargas as his 5th starter. The right-hander pitched to a 3.27 ERA while striking out 23 in four September starts and will look to build off his late-season success after a trainwreck start to the season.

Max Scherzer is arguably the best pitcher in baseball. In 2018, he struck out 300 batters and finished 2nd in the Cy Young voting. Scherzer has won the award three times in the last six seasons. Stephen Strasburg is a formidable two behind him if healthy. However, injuries held him to just 130 innings pitched in 2018.

The Nationals made the biggest splash in the free agent pitching market by signing Patrick Corbin to a 6 year $140 million contract. The lefty’s 2.47 FIP was third in baseball ahead of teammate Max Scherzer. Corbin was able to command the strike zone and overpowered hitters with his slider/sinker combo. In 2018, Corbin threw his slider 41.3% of the time, more than he ever had in his career. The increasing usage of his slider paid off for Corbin as he enjoyed the highest K/9 (11.07) of his career and made his first All-Star team since 2013.

After these three, their depth drops off. Joe Ross can be an effective number four in his return from Tommy John Surgery but the road to recovery is different from everyone. It took Zack Wheeler three seasons to breakout post-surgery. Aníbal Sánchez is 34 years old and should not be seen a somebody who can pitch deep into games, despite a 2.83 ERA in 2018. Erick Fedde could see himself inserted into the rotation if things go south in the Nation’s Capital. The Nats will try to patch up their rotation after trading away Tanner Roark and losing Gio González to the Yankees.

The Phillies rotation should be seen as a top 10 at the least. Aaron Nola is coming off of a 10 WAR season and could have been in the discussion for MVP. Jake Arrieta will aim to bounce back to Cy Young form after an up-and-down 2018 season. Further down in the rotation, the Phillies have a couple of young right-handers in Zach Eflin and Nick Pivetta; both of whom have the potential to be consistent starting pitchers for a team that looks to contend to for a World Series. Vince Velasquez has displayed the stuff to strikeout 200 batters in a season. He needs to lower his pitch count and attack the strike zone early. Jerad Eickhoff was held to just 5.1 innings pitched in 2018.

The Atlanta Braves rotation took a major hit when the injury to Mike Foltynewicz was announced. Folty is coming off of the best season of his career. He threw a career-high 183 innings and struck out 202 while only walking 68. Foltynewicz will hopefully return to the Braves rotation within the opening month of the season. 28-year-old Julio Teheran would likely make his 6th opening day start. Tehran had mixed success in 2018 but struggles with control and giving up the long ball. Aside from them, the rotation will likely feature Sean Newcomb, Kevin Gausman, and 22-year-old Touki Toussaint. Atlanta is position player heavy and their lack of pitching depth is their apparent weakness which could ultimately hold them back from the playoffs.

Miami’s pitcher of the future will likely begin the year in AA. 20-year-old Sixto Sanchez is ranked the number 7 RHP prospect in the majors and was part of the haul Miami sent over for J.T Realmuto. Sanchez has a 75 grade fastball (on the scouting 20-80 scale) and can throw hard deep into games. He will work on developing his secondary pitches at the minor league level. José Ureña will anchor the major league staff; he led the Marlins in most pitching categories in 2018. Dan Straily and Wei-Yin Chen are the Marlins’ only other starters with significant major league experience on the roster. Miami had the highest team ERA in the National League and gave up the second most home runs in the National League last season.