MLB Looking Forward To Great Next Season

Noah Sedmak, Staff Writer

This past Tuesday pitchers and catchers reported for their first official workout of spring training. Position players will join their teams for workouts in about a week; depending on the dates their respective teams have set up for the start of work outs. The start of spring training is when teams set goals for the upcoming season and when they reassess what they need to do to compete for the division title and the World Series.

The reigning World Series champs, Chicago Cubs are reviewing what they need to do to get back to the World Series. The Cubs won the national league central division by 17 ½ games in 2016. Teams in the national league central are trying to close the gap in the 2017 season and compete for the division or the wild card. The St. Louis Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Pirates are the main competitors that challenge the Cubs for the division crown. The St. Louis Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Pirates both have young teams with highly rated prospects that could make both their teams good in the years to come. The Pirates have top prospects Tyler Glasnow (RHP), Austin Meadows (OF), and Josh Bell (1B). While the Cardinals have the number six prospect in the MLB, Alex Reyes (RHP).

The Cleveland Indians lost in the 2016 World Series to the Cubs in seven games and are aiming to get back to the World Series. The Indians added a much needed super star bat Edwin Encarnacion to their lineup this past offseason. Encarnacion will add depth to the Indians lineup that lacked power in the World Series. The Chicago White Sox are rebuilding this year and are looking to challenge for the division in a couple years. They traded star pitcher Chris Sale to the Red Sox for top prospects Yoan Moncada and Michael Kopech. They also traded right fielder Adam Eaton to the Washington Nationals for top prospect Lucas Giolito.

Many teams this year are going to be competitive this year and spring training is the time to reassess their goals and get ready for the upcoming season.