Ranking Every MLB Team's Projected Starting 9 Ahead of 2024 Season

Nothing is final yet, but it's that time of year when each passing day gives every team in MLB a better idea of what its starting lineup will look like.

Which, in turn, makes it a perfect time to rank said lineups.

I deferred to RosterResource's projections of what each team's starting nine will be on Opening Day. These consist of everyday regulars and hitters with platoon roles against right-handed pitchers, of whom there are a lot more than left-handed pitchers.

What they don't consist of, mind you, are unsigned free agents (i.e., J.D. Martinez) and future prospect promotions (i.e., Dylan Crews). Such matters are for tomorrow. This is about today.

From there, ZiPS was used for each player's projected WAR and wRC+. Totaling the former allowed for a general sense of each lineup's potential value, while averaging the latter allowed for a sense of each lineup's general hitting prowess.

Yet neither of those figures was a magic bullet for actually forming the rankings. That came down to what it always comes down to: gut feeling.

In any case, let's go four at a time in counting down the bottom 20 and then one at a top in counting down the top 10.

30. Colorado Rockies

Projected Starting Lineup

1. DH Charlie Blackmon
2. 1B Kris Bryant
3. LF Nolan Jones
4. 2B Brendan Rodgers
5. 3B Ryan McMahon
6. C Elias Díaz
7. RF Sean Bouchard
8. SS Ezequiel Tovar
9. CF Brenton Doyle

Total WAR: 10.8

Average wRC+: 90

What I Like: Jones looked the part of a cornerstone in putting up a .931 OPS and 20 home runs in only 106 games last season.

What I Don't Like: The Rockies are set to lead with two 30-something has-beens, one of whom seemingly wants to be anywhere else.

29. Washington Nationals

Projected Starting Lineup

1. SS CJ Abrams
2. RF Lane Thomas
3. 1B Joey Gallo
4. DH Joey Meneses
5. LF Eddie Rosario
6. C Keibert Ruiz
7. 3B Nick Senzel
8. 2B Luis García Jr.
9. CF Victor Robles

Total WAR: 8.9

Average wRC+: 91

What I Like: Abrams proved by going 47-for-51 last year that he's an efficient base stealer, and hats off to Thomas for hitting 28 homers and for Ruiz to batting .300 in the second half.

What I Don't Like: This lineup largely reads like a who's-who of names that were fun and/or interesting, like, five years ago.

28. Oakland Athletics

Projected Starting Lineup

1. 1B Ryan Noda
2. 2B Zack Gelof
3. DH Brent Rooker
4. RF Seth Brown
5. C Shea Langeliers
6. LF JJ Bleday
7. CF Esteury Ruiz
8. 3B Abraham Toro
9. SS Nick Allen

Total WAR: 13.4

Average wRC+: 99

What I Like: The Noda-Gelof-Rooker trio up top isn't bad, and there are worse things than having Langeliers' power and Ruiz's speed (67 stolen bases!) in the back half.

What I Don't Like: The A's finished last in the majors in scoring, batting average, slugging and OPS in 2023, so...yeah, that simple.

27. Chicago White Sox

Projected Starting Lineup

1. LF Andrew Benintendi
2. 3B Yoán Moncada
3. CF Luis Robert Jr.
4. DH Eloy Jiménez
5. 1B Andrew Vaughn
6. RF Dominic Fletcher
7. SS Paul DeJong
8. 2B Nicky Lopez
9. C Martín Maldonado

Total WAR: 13.4

Average wRC+: 94

What I Like: I don't like how closely Robert's OBP is tethered to the .300 threshold, but another 38 homers and 20 stolen bases would go a long way toward making up for that.

What I Don't Like: Even if this lineup improves in 2024, it'll still only be an upgraded version of one that ranked 29th in OPS last year.

26. Miami Marlins

Projected Starting Lineup

1. 2B Luis Arraez
2. 1B Josh Bell
3. 3B Jake Burger
4. CF Jazz Chisholm Jr.
5. SS Tim Anderson
6. RF Jesús Sánchez
7. DH Avisaíl García
8. LF Bryan De La Cruz
9. C Christian Bethancourt

Total WAR: 13.6

Average wRC+: 100

What I Like: Arraez is the best pure hitter in baseball, and he's but one part of a front five that contains a fun mix of bat-to-ball skills, power and a little speed as well.

What I Don't Like: Even still, a lot will have to go right for the Marlins to finish somewhere above the bottom five in scoring again.

25. Kansas City Royals

Projected Starting Lineup

1. 3B Maikel Garcia
2. SS Bobby Witt Jr.
3. 1B Vinnie Pasquantino
4. C Salvador Perez
5. LF MJ Melendez
6. RF Hunter Renfroe
7. 2B Michael Massey
8. DH Nelson Velázquez
9. CF Kyle Isbel

Total WAR: 14.5

Average wRC+: 100

What I Like: Witt still wasn't a finished product last season, yet he still went off for 69 extra-base hits and 49 stolen bases. Let's also not forget that a healthy Pasquantino hits and that Melendez finished last year with an .836 OPS in the second half.

What I Don't Like: The other six spots in this lineup (yes, even the one occupied by Perez) froze my brain and had me staring at a blinking cursor for about half an hour.

24. Pittsburgh Pirates

Projected Starting Lineup

1. SS Oneil Cruz
2. LF Bryan Reynolds
3. 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes
4. DH Andrew McCutchen
5. CF Jack Suwinski
6. C Henry Davis
7. 1B Rowdy Tellez
8. RF Edward Olivares
9. 2B Liover Peguero

Total WAR: 13.4

Average wRC+: 99

What I Like: That front three is going to be a lot of fun if Cruz stays healthy and Hayes picks up where he left off. He hit .299 with 10 of his 15 home runs after the All-Star break last year.

What I Don't Like: The other six spots in this lineup are basically a Larry David meme. Pick a meme. Any meme. It applies.

23. Los Angeles Angels

Projected Starting Lineup

1. RF Mickey Moniak
2. 1B Nolan Schanuel
3. CF Mike Trout
4. 3B Anthony Rendon
5. LF Taylor Ward
6. DH Brandon Drury
7. 2B Luis Rengifo
8. C Logan O'Hoppe
9. SS Zach Neto

Total WAR: 15.0

Average wRC+: 112

What I Like: This lineup reads well enough, particularly where Trout and Rendon are concerned. We know what they can do when healthy.

What I Don't Like: Then again, the Madame Web script also read well for all we know. And there's just no getting around the absence of Shohei Ohtani, who's kind of good at baseball.

22. Detroit Tigers

Projected Starting Lineup

1. CF Parker Meadows
2. RF Riley Greene
3. 1B Spencer Torkelson
4. DH Kerry Carpenter
5. LF Mark Canha
6. 2B Colt Keith
7. SS Javier Báez
8. 3B Gio Urshela
9. C Jake Rogers

Total WAR: 15.6

Average wRC+: 100

What I Like: The Greene-Torkelson-Carpenter trio should carry this lineup for years to come. There's also every reason to be high on Keith after he torched the high minors for a .932 OPS last year.

What I Don't Like: It's hard to be high on anyone else here, and expectations for Báez in particular are practically subterranean amid a spring in which he's 1-for-18 so far.

21. Cleveland Guardians

Projected Starting Lineup

1. LF Steven Kwan
2. 2B Andrés Giménez
3. 3B José Ramírez
4. DH Josh Naylor
5. RF Ramón Laureano
6. C Bo Naylor
7. 1B Kyle Manzardo
8. SS Gabriel Arias
9. CF Myles Straw

Total WAR: 22.8

Average wRC+: 104

What I Like: Lest anyone be shocked by those numbers, J-Ram is J-Ram and don't sleep on the Naylor brothers after they combined for an .883 OPS after the All-Star break last season.

What I Don't Like: It's still hard to see where the power is going to come from after the Guardians hit 27 fewer home runs than any other team in 2023.

20. Milwaukee Brewers

Projected Starting Lineup

1. RF Sal Frelick
2. C William Contreras
3. DH Christian Yelich
4. 1B Rhys Hoskins
5. SS Willy Adames
6. LF Garrett Mitchell
7. CF Jackson Chourio
8. 2B Brice Turang
9. 3B Joey Ortiz

Total WAR: 19.2

Average wRC+: 99

What I Like: There's loads of past, present and future talent in the top seven spots of this lineup, with Chourio (22 HR, 44 SB in the minors last year) being a prime example of the latter.

What I Don't Like: Alas, one can only be so bullish about an offense that posted the lowest OPS of any playoff team last year.

19. San Francisco Giants

Projected Starting Lineup

1. CF Jung Hoo Lee
2. 2B Thairo Estrada
3. 1B LaMonte Wade Jr.
4. DH Jorge Soler
5. LF Michael Conforto
6. 3B Matt Chapman
7. RF Mike Yastrzemski
8. C Patrick Bailey
9. SS Marco Luciano

Total WAR: 16.8

Average wRC+: 102

What I Like: Out of the Giants' investments in Lee, Soler and Chapman, the Lee one already looks like a winner. He's raked with a .375 average this spring.

What I Don't Like: New additions aside, this lineup isn't leaps and bounds better than the one that bore responsibility for the Giants finishing last in the National League in slugging in 2023.

18. Cincinnati Reds

Projected Starting Lineup

1. CF TJ Friedl
2. 2B Matt McLain
3. LF Spencer Steer
4. 3B Jeimer Candelario
5. SS Elly De La Cruz
6. C Tyler Stephenson
7. DH Jake Fraley
8. 1B Christian Encarnacion-Strand
9. RF Will Benson

Total WAR: 18.4

Average wRC+: 104

What I Like: There's just so much upside here, especially if De La Cruz carries over a spring training performance that's seen him bat .400 and slug .700 so far.

What I Don't Like: There are also a ton of potential outcomes for this lineup, one of which involves De La Cruz, McLain, Steer and Encarnacion-Strand suffering sophomore slumps.

17. Boston Red Sox

Projected Starting Lineup

1. CF Jarren Duran
2. 3B Rafael Devers
3. SS Trevor Story
4. 1B Triston Casas
5. DH Masataka Yoshida
6. LF Tyler O'Neill
7. RF Wilyer Abreu
8. C Connor Wong
9. 2B Enmanuel Valdez

Total WAR: 18.5

Average wRC+: 108

What I Like: Let's pencil in Devers and Casas for 60 total home runs, and Duran and Story should be ample supplies of both extra-base hits and stolen bases if healthy.

What I Don't Like: It's a bummer that Vaughn Grissom is likely to start on the injured list, and also that Justin Turner or someone else isn't in the space he occupied last season.

16. San Diego Padres

Projected Starting Lineup

1. RF Fernando Tatis Jr.
2. 2B Xander Bogaerts
3. 1B Jake Cronenworth
4. 3B Manny Machado
5. SS Ha-Seong Kim
6. C Luis Campusano
7. LF Jurickson Profar
8. DH Graham Pauley
9. CF Jackson Merrill

Total WAR: 22.6

Average wRC+: 106

What I Like: Trios don't come much better than Tatis, Bogaerts and Machado, and Merrill shoulder further boost this lineup no matter where he eventually fits in. He's the No. 11 prospect in MLB for several reasons, including a plus hit tool.

What I Don't Like: Just a reminder that the Padres ended up having a mediocre lineup in 2023 even with Juan Soto in the thick of it.

15. Toronto Blue Jays

Projected Starting Lineup

1. RF George Springer
2. SS Bo Bichette
3. 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
4. DH Justin Turner
5. LF Daulton Varsho
6. C Alejandro Kirk
7. CF Kevin Kiermaier
8. 3B Isiah Kiner-Falefa
9. 2B Cavan Biggio

Total WAR: 21.6

Average wRC: 106

What I Like: Bichette is awesome, and that will also be true of this lineup if Springer, Guerrero, Turner and Varsho live up to their previously established ceilings.

What I Don't Like: It's hard to take that scenario for granted given that A) Springer and Turner are old and B) Guerrero and Varsho are both coming off hugely disappointing seasons.

14. Seattle Mariners

Projected Starting Lineup

1. SS J.P. Crawford
2. CF Julio Rodríguez
3. 2B Jorge Polanco
4. DH Mitch Garver
5. C Cal Raleigh
6. 1B Ty France
7. LF Luke Raley
8. RF Mitch Haniger
9. 3B Josh Rojas

Total WAR: 21.4

Average wRC+: 107

What I Like: It's between J-Rod and Witt as the AL's most dynamic offensive player, and you otherwise have to hand it to Seattle for not leaving good enough alone after a disappointing 2023 season. Polanco, Garver, Raley and technically Haniger are all newcomers.

What I Don't Like: Then again, this lineup is missing Eugenio Suárez, Teoscar Hernández and Jarred Kelenic. Whether it's better for it is debatable.

13. Chicago Cubs

Projected Starting Lineup

1. 2B Nico Hoerner
2. SS Dansby Swanson
3. LF Ian Happ
4. 1B Cody Bellinger
5. RF Seiya Suzuki
6. 3B Christopher Morel
7. DH Michael Busch
8. C Yan Gomes
9. CF Mike Tauchman

Total WAR: 24.0

Average wRC+: 105

What I Like: Five of these guys topped 20 home runs last season, and Busch could make it six if he carries over the power that produced 59 long balls over the last two minor league seasons.

What I Don't Like: Sheer defensive prowess is part of the reason this lineup has such a high WAR projection, and that's not really what we're talking about today.

12. St. Louis Cardinals

Projected Starting Lineup

1. DH Brendan Donovan
2. 1B Paul Goldschmidt
3. 2B Nolan Gorman
4. 3B Nolan Arenado
5. C Willson Contreras
6. LF Alec Burleson
7. RF Jordan Walker
8. CF Dylan Carlson
9. SS Masyn Winn

Total WAR: 20.9

Average wRC+: 109

What I Like: Goldschmidt and Arenado need no introduction, while Donovan, Gorman and Walker all fit the mold of talented young hitters.

What I Don't Like: Neither Goldschmidt nor Arenado had an especially good year in 2023, thus making it possible to wonder if their primes have passed them by.

11. Tampa Bay Rays

Projected Starting Lineup

1. 1B Yandy Díaz
2. 2B Brandon Lowe
3. LF Randy Arozarena
4. RF Josh Lowe
5. 3B Isaac Paredes
6. DH Jonathan Aranda
7. CF Jose Siri
8. SS José Caballero
9. C René Pinto

Total WAR: 21.5

Average wRC+: 111

What I Like: Only three teams outscored the Rays last season, and the depth that made that possible is still there. One can count at least six safely above average bats.

What I Don't Like: Díaz and Arozarena might beg to differ, but nobody in this lineup stands out as a game-changing sort of star.

Projected Starting Lineup

1. 2B Marcus Semien
2. LF Evan Carter
3. RF Adolis García
4. C Jonah Heim
5. 3B Josh Jung
6. DH Wyatt Langford
7. CF Leody Taveras
8. 1B Justin Foscue
9. SS Ezequiel Duran

Total WAR: 25.1

Average wRC+: 106

What I Like

The Rangers led the American League in home runs and runs last season, so their lineup gets a spot in the top 10 pretty much by default. The outset will see them revolve around Semien and García, both of whom topped 100 runs batted in last year.

Let's also not overlook Carter and Langford, who rank as MLB's No. 3 and No. 14 prospects. Last October showed that Carter is the real deal as a well-rounded star in the making. Albeit in just 44 games, Langford raked with a 1.157 OPS in the minors last year.

What I Don't Like

Alas, not pictured here are Corey Seager and Nathaniel Lowe because of injuries that are likely to sideline them on Opening Day. Until they return, Texas' lineup will basically be operating at half capacity.

Projected Starting Lineup

1. 2B Edouard Julien
2. CF Byron Buxton
3. 3B Royce Lewis
4. SS Carlos Correa
5. RF Max Kepler
6. 1B Carlos Santana
7. LF Matt Wallner
8. C Ryan Jeffers
9. DH Alex Kirilloff

Total WAR: 20.8

Average wRC+: 111

What I Like

The Twins co-led the American League with 233 home runs last year and eventually finished behind only two other teams in wRC+ after the All-Star break. Not bad, considering that both Correa and Buxton were either MIA or on the fritz all year.

Those two finding their strokes again would be huge, yet even then it might still be the young guys carrying the freight. Julien and Lewis both raked last year, and we all know about the latter's penchant for grand slams. It's enough to make the ghost of Lou Gehrig blush.

What I Don't Like

The upside here only goes so high if Correa and Buxton can't rediscover the form they had in 2022, not to mention if Lewis can't shake his injury history. Since 2020, he's played in a total of 118 regular season games between the minors and majors.

Projected Starting Lineup

1. RF Corbin Carroll
2. 2B Ketel Marte
3. C Gabriel Moreno
4. 1B Christian Walker
5. DH Joc Pederson
6. 3B Eugenio Suárez
7. CF Alek Thomas
8. LF Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
9. SS Geraldo Perdomo

Total WAR: 21.6

Average wRC+: 106

What I Like

It'll mostly be Carroll, granted, but you can bank on the Diamondbacks continuing to run a ton in 2024. In 2023, they ranked second with 166 stolen bases and otherwise had a huge advantage in overall baserunning value.

With Suárez at third base and Pederson at DH, the Snakes have fortified two huge weaknesses since then. This is also a good time to buy stock in Moreno. He's a .290 hitter in 136 regular season games and is coming off a strong turn in the playoffs.

What I Don't Like

I'd prefer to see top prospect Jordan Lawlar starting at shortstop instead of Perdomo, but the real concern here is if there's enough power even with Suárez and Pederson. This is an offense that only hit as many home runs as the Marlins last year, after all.

Projected Starting Lineup

1. CF Cedric Mullins
2. C Adley Rutschman
3. SS Gunnar Henderson
4. RF Anthony Santander
5. 1B Ryan O'Hearn
6. DH Ryan Mountcastle
7. LF Austin Hays
8. 2B Jackson Holliday
9. 3B Jordan Westburg

Total WAR: 26.0

Average wRC+: 112

What I Like

The Orioles did a little bit of everything in scoring a shade under (4.98, to be exact) five runs per game in 2023. They showed decent power in collecting 183 home runs and otherwise racked up baserunning value and hits with runners in scoring position.

Of course, what goes up in the RISP department tends to come down. But the O's will make up for any such losses in the aggregate if Holliday lives up to the hype of being MLB's No. 1 prospect. He's mostly looked equal to the task as he's hit .292 this spring.

What I Don't Like

I'd like it if there was more reliable power here, and it's hard to make the case for anyone in particular. Plus, the left-field wall at Oriole Park at Camden Yards is no help for those who take swings from the right side: Rutschman, Santander, Mountcastle, Hays and Westburg.

Projected Starting Lineup

1. LF Brandon Nimmo
2. 2B Jeff McNeil
3. SS Francisco Lindor
4. 1B Pete Alonso
5. C Francisco Alvarez
6. RF Starling Marte
7. DH Ji-Man Choi
8. CF Harrison Bader
9. 3B Brett Baty

Total WAR: 22.5

Average wC+: 107

What I Like

In the middle of this lineup are a 40-to-50-homer slugger (Alonso) and a guy fresh off a 30-30 season (Lindor). The top, meanwhile, consists of an on-base machine (Nimmo) and a guy who led the majors in batting average as recently as 2022 (McNeil).

It's a darn good top half, in other words, and I don't know if anyone is a bigger post-hype breakout candidate than Alvarez. He was oddly quiet in hitting 25 homers after beginning 2023 as the No. 1 prospect in MLB, and he's now red-hot with a 1.071 OPS this spring.

What I Don't Like

Five good hitters is better than none, but it's hard to be optimistic about the other four slots in this lineup. And while it's no fault of Choi's, it really should be J.D. Martinez in his spot by now.

Projected Starting Lineup

1. DH Kyle Schwarber
2. SS Trea Turner
3. 1B Bryce Harper
4. C J.T. Realmuto
5. 2B Bryson Stott
6. 3B Alec Bohm
7. RF Nick Castellanos
8. LF Brandon Marsh
9. CF Johan Rojas

Total WAR: 21.1

Average wRC+: 104

What I Like

Some offenses just plain look good, and this one is both that and one that was last seen operating on all cylinders at the end of the 2023 regular season. Once Turner got going last August, only Atlanta ended up outscoring the Phillies.

If Turner is hot out of the gate this time, then that front seven will have a little something for everyone. And I, for one, am feeling pretty good about a third MVP run for Harper now that he's fully healthy and in a good spot at first base.

What I Don't Like

It's less than ideal that five of the guys in that front seven are older than 30. And as much as I feel like I might be underrating Marsh after he posted a 125 wRC+ in 2023, his career strikeout rate of 32.9 percent is a bit high for a guy with limited power.

Projected Starting Lineup

1. 3B DJ LeMahieu
2. RF Juan Soto
3. CF Aaron Judge
4. 1B Anthony Rizzo
5. 2B Gleyber Torres
6. LF Alex Verdugo
7. DH Giancarlo Stanton
8. SS Anthony Volpe
9. C Austin Wells

Total WAR: 26.3

Average wRC+: 117

What I Like

So, about Soto and Judge. High on-base guys with power are hard to find, and here's two in one lineup. And if Yankee Stadium boosts Soto's power, we could be looking at only the fifth pair of teammates to top a .400 OBP and 40 homers in the same year.

It's otherwise easy to pencil in Torres and Volpe for 20-plus homers and, if healthy, Rizzo for exactly 32 homers. It's sort of his lucky number.

What I Don't Like

Honestly? Soto is the only sure thing in this lineup. Judge playing center field at his age and size is a scary thought, and neither Rizzo nor Stanton is a spring chicken anymore. And if his .243 OPS this spring is any indication, skinny might not be the right shape for the latter.

Projected Starting Lineup

1. 2B Jose Altuve
2. DH Yordan Álvarez
3. 3B Alex Bregman
4. RF Kyle Tucker
5. 1B José Abreu
6. C Yainer Diaz
7. LF Chas McCormick
8. SS Jeremy Peña
9. CF Jake Meyers

Total WAR: 27.6

Average wRC+: 119

What I Like

Those aren't household names in the No. 6 and No. 7 slots, but those two guys each had a wRC+ in the 130 range and north of 20 home runs last season. And the guy in the No. 8 slot? He was the MVP of the ALCS and the World Series just two years ago.

Which is to say that the bottom of this lineup is pretty stacked. That the top half is even more stacked perhaps requires no justification except for on Abreu's account, yet even he's a former MVP who slugged .547 after Aug. 23 of last year.

What I Don't Like

Of course, Abreu was ice-cold before he finally got hot, and neither he nor his fellow MVP (Altuve) is young anymore. And as awesome as Álvarez is when he's healthy, he too often hasn't been that throughout his five-year major league career.

Projected Starting Lineup

1. SS Mookie Betts
2. DH Shohei Ohtani
3. 1B Freddie Freeman
4. C Will Smith
5. 3B Max Muncy
6. CF James Outman
7. LF Teoscar Hernández
8. RF Jason Heyward
9. 2B Gavin Lux

Total WAR: 28.1

Average wRC+: 119

What I Like

If Betts, Ohtani and Freeman had been teammates in 2023, they would have combined for a 1.006 OPS, 112 home runs and 57 stolen bases. Those are the marks for them to beat as a trio in 2024, and I might be inclined to take the over on all three.

Otherwise, all we have here is an elite offensive catcher (Smith), a 35-homer guy (Muncy) and a couple other guys who should be good for at least 20 long ones (Outman and Hernández).

What I Don't Like

It's possible to get a little pessimistic right around Muncy's spot. He's an all-or-nothing hitter, and after him come are four guys who aren't liable to really scare anyone. Maybe Hernández if he turns the clock back a couple years, but "maybe" is the operative word there.

Projected Starting Lineup

1. RF Ronald Acuña Jr.
2. 2B Ozzie Albies
3. 3B Austin Riley
4. 1B Matt Olson
5. DH Marcell Ozuna
6. CF Michael Harris II
7. C Sean Murphy
8. LF Jarred Kelenic
9. SS Orlando Arcia

Total WAR: 31.3

Average wRC+: 118

What I Like

Save for the new guy in left field, this is the same starting nine that paced an offense that finished 2023 with a record-tying 307 home runs and the same wRC+ as the 1927 Yankees. If that's not a thing to like, I don't know what is.

Oh, and that new guy in left field? He's a former top-10 prospect who managed a solid .746 OPS last year even though his season went sideways after April. If he finally puts it all together, this lineup will be beyond overpowered.

What I Don't Like

Then again, it's not the best omen that Kelenic only has a .190 OPS this spring. Or that Acuña has been slowed by irritation in the same knee that needed season-ending surgery in 2021. But in the scheme of things, even these are nit-picks.

Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.