Predicting every 2020 Opening Day roster

November 6th, 2019

There's a whole offseason ahead of us. But don't worry -- it'll be Opening Day 2020 before you know it.

With Hot Stove season just beginning, MLB.com's beat reporters looked to the future and projected what each team's roster will look like at the start of next season.

Here are the Opening Day roster predictions for all 30 teams. Teams are listed by division and in alphabetical order.

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

Blue Jays: All eyes are going to be on the legacies: Vlad Jr., Bo Bichette and Cavan Biggio. But who's going to fill in the roster around them? The Jays have a lot of openings. More >

Orioles: The rebuild continues in Baltimore, and 2020 will show whether players like John Means, Chance Sisco and Rio Ruiz can continue to take steps forward. One big question is whether the O's will trade star second baseman Jonathan Villar. More >

Rays: The 2020 Rays should look a whole lot like the 2019 team that made the playoffs and nearly upset the Astros. So where will they add? Catcher will be one priority. More >

Red Sox: The giant question looming over the Red Sox is whether they'll keep both Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez in 2020. New chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom comes from a Rays team known for its innovation, so maybe he'll work some roster magic. More >

Yankees: Last year's AL East powerhouse looks like a 2020 powerhouse, too. But it's been a full decade since the last Yankees championship, so look for them to add frontline starting pitching and maybe outfield help with Aaron Hicks having Tommy John surgery. More >

AL CENTRAL

Indians: Would the Indians trade Francisco Lindor? That would obviously have a huge impact on the entire team, so it's a burning question facing Cleveland entering 2020. More >

Royals: The Royals like their position player core, with players like Whit Merrifield, Jorge Soler, Adalberto Mondesi, Hunter Dozier and the returning Salvador Perez. Look for them to target cost-efficient free-agent starters and relievers. More >

Tigers: There are going to be some changes as the Tigers try to rebound from a 114-loss season. Aside from Miguel Cabrera, there are few locks in the lineup. Detroit will get a look at some prospects and maybe bring in a few stopgap-type free agents. More >

Twins: The big bat of the Bomba Squad, Nelson Cruz, is back after the Twins picked up his option. So are most of the others. That leaves the starting rotation as the target area for the offseason. If Jake Odorizzi accepts the qualifying offer, that would be a start. More >

White Sox: The White Sox lineup could look pretty scary in 2020, if a couple of things happen. One big one is José Abreu returning, via the qualifying offer or a new deal. Another is Chicago bringing in a big bat in free agency to fill the DH role, and maybe another for the outfield. More >

AL WEST

Angels: With Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, and most of the lineup filled in around them, the big offseason priority for the Angels is adding starting pitching. They'll probably have at least two new starters entering 2020 … maybe one of them will even be Gerrit Cole. More >

Astros: The Astros fell a game short of winning the World Series in 2019. They'll have championship expectations again in 2020 with a star-studded roster. But how will they replace Gerrit Cole? More >

Athletics: The A's roster is in pretty good shape after back-to-back playoff seasons, and with their top pitching prospects ready to step into the rotation. Oakland's biggest question is who's going to play second base in 2020. The A's could make some bullpen changes, too. More >

Mariners: The Mariners want to get a good look at their young prospects in 2020, like Kyle Lewis, Shed Long, Justin Dunn and Evan White. Jerry Dipoto could make moves with the pitching staff, both the rotation and bullpen. More >

Rangers: A team that got closer to contention than people expected in 2019 might make a big splash in free agency to set up a 2020 postseason push. Third base is the Rangers' No. 1 need, so they could target Anthony Rendon or Josh Donaldson, and they also might try to land one of the high-end starting pitchers. More >

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

Braves: The Braves already made small moves bringing back corner outfielder Nick Markakis and catcher Tyler Flowers. Now for their major areas of focus: re-signing Josh Donaldson and adding a front-line starter. More >

Marlins: The spotlight will be on Miami's young players and trade acquisitions -- Jorge Alfaro, Isan Díaz, Lewis Brinson, and maybe even prospects like Lewin Diaz and Jazz Chisholm -- as they get the chance to prove themselves. More >

Mets: Behind the front line of Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil and Co., there are some big questions facing the 2020 Mets. Will they make a play for Donaldson or Anthony Rendon? Who will replace Zack Wheeler if he leaves? And who's going to be the closer? More >

Nationals: The Nationals are World Series champions. But their roster might look a lot different next season, now that Anthony Rendon is a free agent and Stephen Strasburg opted out of his contract. More >

Phillies: Even after landing Bryce Harper and more last year, the Phillies found themselves on the outside looking in come October. So what to do entering next season? Look for them to upgrade the rotation first, and maybe a third baseman too. More >

NL CENTRAL

Brewers: The Brewers' outfield is pretty much a lock: Yelich, Cain, Braun. The infield? Well, it's the opposite. Milwaukee has to figure out how it's going to fill in the diamond around rising star second baseman Keston Hiura. More >

Cardinals: The NL Central champs have most of their core locked in for 2020. Keep an eye on their efforts to bring back Marcell Ozuna and elder statesman Adam Wainwright, as well as where Carlos Martínez fits into the pitching staff. More >

Cubs: Theo Epstein says "real change" is coming to the Cubs, and that includes the 2020 roster. Namely, at second base (Ben Zobrist is a free agent), in the outfield (rental Nicholas Castellanos is, too) and for the pitching staff (starting and relief help). More >

Pirates: There's an all-new leadership group in Pittsburgh. How will that shape next year's roster? More >

Reds: With an All-Star starting rotation, an up-and-coming outfield and cornerstones at the infield corners in Cincinnati, the Reds' attention this offseason will be up the middle -- catcher, second base and shortstop could all go multiple directions. More >

NL WEST

D-backs: The look of the D-backs' roster will depend on where versatile stars Ketel Marte and Eduardo Escobar play. For example, signing a center fielder like Japanese free agent Shogo Akiyama would free up Marte to return to second base. More >

Dodgers: For a 106-win juggernaut, the Dodgers actually have some interesting questions as they continue to seek that elusive World Series title. Will Hyun-Jin Ryu come back? Can Kenley Jansen rebound? Will Justin Turner move off third base? And will they trade for Francisco Lindor or sign Anthony Rendon? More >

Giants: There could be a Madison Bumgarner-sized hole in the Giants' rotation if the longtime ace leaves in free agency, so starting pitching is going to be a priority this offseason. The bullpen could look a lot different too if closer Will Smith signs elsewhere. More >

Padres: The Padres have young talent and blue-chip prospects everywhere you look. But their outfield and starting rotation are still wide open entering a season where there's going to be some pressure on this team to start realizing its potential. More >

Rockies: The Rockies will be looking for better performance from their pitching staff after key starters and relievers had down seasons in 2019. They're also looking for more offense out of the supporting cast around Nolan Arenado, Trevor Story and Charlie Blackmon. More >