With the NFL season all wrapped up, and sunnier days just around the corner, anticipation builds for baseball fans around the world. The 2024-2025 offseason, headlined by the monstrous $765 million signing of Juan Soto to the Mets, redistributed star power around the league in a major way. The competitive landscape of the MLB has evolved into an unpredictable mix of contenders, setting the stage for an exciting season. As MLB teams begin to report for spring training, the race to October has officially begun. With that being said, here are the way-too-early 2025 MLB power rankings.
#1: Los Angeles Dodgers – 2024 Record: 98-64
Coming off their first full-season World Series title since 1988, the Dodgers enter 2025 as the clear number-one team in baseball. During the offseason, their biggest move was signing the top international prospect in this year’s class, RHP Roki Sasaki, who bolsters a rotation that suffered heavily from injuries in 2024. After spending last season as a designated hitter, Shohei Ohtani will finally get back on the mound, with an undetermined workload at the moment, which ultimately gives the Dodgers an even bigger edge. With Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and one of the deepest lineups in baseball, the Dodgers remain the team to beat.
#2: New York Yankees- 2024 Record: 94-68
With Soto jumping on the New York subway and heading to Queens, leaving for the Mets, the New York Yankees are now dealing with the outcome of losing a generational superstar. In most cases, losing a player of Soto’s caliber to a booming free agent market would typically leave a franchise bitter while their expectations plummeted. For the Yankees, however, this is not the case. Fresh off of a historical MVP season, Aaron Judge has both the talent and experience to carry this team deep into the postseason, now supplemented with talents like Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt. With the addition of LHP Max Fried and the continued veteran presence of Gerrit Cole, the Yankees pitching staff is in a great position to round out an extremely talented ball club. Losing Soto may have been tough to stomach, but expect this Yankees squad to find themselves playing meaningful baseball in late October once again.
#3: Atlanta Braves – 2024 Record: 89-73
Despite a tough ending to 2024, the Braves are still one of the most dominant and well-run teams in baseball. Former MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. is back healthy, and his combination of power, speed, and elite defense makes him one of the most electrifying players in the game. Atlanta’s rotation, led by Spencer Strider, who is expected to return in April, and reigning Cy Young award winner Chris Sale, remains among the best in the league. If Acuña stays healthy and the young core continues to produce, the Braves will be a top contender once again.
#4: Philadelphia Phillies – 2024 Record: 95-67
The Phillies are built to win now, and 2025 could be their best shot yet. Offensively, the Phillies will continue to lean heavily on Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and Trea Turner. Not only are the Phillies incredibly dangerous on offense, but their pitching staff possesses arguably the most talent in the league, anchored by Aaron Nola and Zach Wheeler. The acquisitions of closer pitcher and former Blue Jay Jordan Romano and RF Max Kepler flew under the radar during Philadelphia’s quiet 2025 offseason. Nevertheless, they have the potential to be key pieces as the Phillies attempt a deep postseason run.
#5: Baltimore Orioles – 2024 Record: 91-71
Choosing a team to fill this fifth spot was incredibly difficult, but the nod ultimately has to go to the Orioles. This squad only showed a fraction of their true potential last year, but now, in 2025, this team filled with young studs has even more room to grow as well as the chance to build on and bounce back from 2024. The addition of former Braves RHP Charlie Morton fills a much-needed veteran role on this pitching staff, one that will now be led by emerging star Grayson Rodriguez following the loss of Corbin Burnes. The Orioles have the best young core in the game and will look to find elite production from the likes of Adley Rutchsman, Gunnar Henderson, and others as they hope to take back the AL East from the Yankees.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS:
- New York Mets – 2024 Record: 89-73
- San Diego Padres – 2024 Record: 93-69
- Texas Rangers – 2024 Record: 78-84