Call to the pen
Fansided

10 Major League Baseball teams that are looking ahead to next year or beyond

By Michael Cahill

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Hunter Greene (79) returns tot he dugout after the third out of the top of the first inning of the MLB Cactus League Spring Training game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Angels at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Ariz., on Tuesday, March 2, 2021.Los Angeles Angels At Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Hunter Greene (79) returns tot he dugout after the third out of the top of the first inning of the MLB Cactus League Spring Training game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Angels at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Ariz., on Tuesday, March 2, 2021.Los Angeles Angels At Cincinnati Reds /
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There’s always going to be some Major League Baseball teams that don’t compete during a given year. With 30 teams and only 12 playoff spots, some teams just don’t make the cut.

Let’s take a look at 10 Major League Baseball teams that are looking ahead to next year or beyond.

Washington Nationals

There’s really only one player that Nats fans are excited about this year, and it’s the obvious one: Juan Soto.

He hasn’t been as good as he typically is, but that’s because there’s nobody else in that lineup to protect him. He still excels at controlling the strike zone, but his power numbers are down since teams aren’t pitching to him. With an aging Nelson Cruz or an inconsistent-at-best Josh Bell behind him, I’d pitch around him too. Keibert Ruiz deserves a shout out as well, as the promising young catcher has started to hit recently.

They’ve got a few high-end pitching prospects that should be ready this year or next. Cade Cavalli is the one who is supposed to be up this year, but he’s struggled in Triple-A with a 5.58 ERA, so there’s no guarantee. Cole Henry and Jackson Rutledge are the two who should be up next year. Those three guys could form one of the more dominant rotations in Major League Baseball, especially when you add in Josiah Gray. Brady House, their #11 overall pick last year, is projected to arrive in 2024.

Miami Marlins

Miami’s time is coming, but it’s not quite here yet.

The talent this team has in young Major Leaguers and high-end prospects is pretty insane. They’ve gotten a taste of what Jesus Sanchez, Trevor Rogers, Edward Cabrera, Jesus Luzardo, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Sixto Sanchez can do over the last few seasons, and they form a high-ceiling core that this team can build around.

As I mentioned above, this team has more young talent on the way. Max Meyer, Eury Perez, and JJ Bleday are all expected to get the call this year or next. They’re top prospect, Kahlil Watson, was their first round pick last year, and his projected ETA is 2024. As if all that isn’t enough, they’ve got the sixth overall pick in this year’s draft. If this team can spend some money on star players, they’ll be a Major League Baseball juggernaut for the foreseeable future.

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