With the playoffs right around the corner, you may find yourself looking to jump back into Franchise mode with a new challenge. This list is working on the assumption that you are using the RidinRosters Full Minors V2 released in early August. You can find them by accessing the roster vault under the ‘create’ section in the top right of the main menu.
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You should learn early on that not all rebuilding teams are created equal. Important things to keep in mind are prospects, budget, and the division teams play in. This list can help point you in the right direction no matter what you are looking for. Here are the best rebuild teams inMLB the Show 22.
10Chicago Cubs
Overall Rank: 18th
Budget: $176.50 Million
Chicago is almost too good to be considered a rebuilding team. Their rotation has depth, but it’s one of the oldest in the league. They have a surprisingly great lineup for a rebuilding team, but some of these ratings are slightly inflated with Hoerner’s lack of power and Happ’s struggles against lefties. Seiya Suzuki’s well-rounded stats and ‘A’ potential make him a reliable right field option for a few years. His positional flexibility means he should be in your lineup for a number of years. Like Washington, they also have seven ‘A’ potential prospects. Chicago is placed pretty firmly in the middle of the NL Central. St. Louis and Milwaukee are both perennial playoff contenders, while Pittsburgh and Cincinnati are both two of the worst teams in the league.
9Baltimore Orioles
Overall Rank: 26th
Budget: $69.05 Million
Baltimore has a surprisingly well-rounded rotation. John Means is a reliable former all-star who you have under control for three years. The Orioles are capable from top to bottom for a team with low expectations. They also have one of the youngest rosters in the majors. With so many cost-controlled players, the flexibility you have as a general manager helps relieve some pressure of having one of the lowest payrolls in the game.
Adley Rutschman (82 overall) starts off as a top caliber Catcher in the game. Baltimore also has two top pitching prospects in Grayson Rodriguez (71 overall) and D.L. Hall (69 Overall) that should be up before long. Past them, they have four more ‘A’ potential prospects.
Both Boston and New York will have two of the highest payrolls in the league, and both have top prospects coming up in the next two or so years. Toronto has all but cashed in their prospects and are ready to compete in a big way in the first few years. Tampa is flush with prospects and are above you as well.
8Detroit Tigers
Overall Rank: 25th
Budget: $173.50 Million
Detroit has their two former top prospects ready to go in Skubal and Mize, with veteran signings like Eduardo Rodriguez to round them out. Skubal will be an ace level pitcher long term, though Mize is more of a question mark. Mixed in with their young pitchers are a good collection of established veteran hitters. None of them are too old, which should give you time to find long-term answers at every position. Prospects Riley Greene (74 Overall) and Spencer Torkelson (69 Overall) should start on your major league roster. Beyond that, you will need to find your own blue-chip prospects.
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The upside with both Kansas City and Detroit is their relatively easy division compared to others on this list. Kansas City should be in the basement with you. Minnesota is a borderline playoff team with young talent and a superstar in Byron Buxton – assuming they re-sign him. Both the White Sox and Guardians are good teams that are missing that last push to make them contenders.
7Kansas City Royals
Overall Rank: 24th
Budget: $111.50 Million
Both Greinke and Brad Keller are your only real major league caliber starters, and Greinke almost always retires after the first season. You’ll have to look elsewhere to improve this rotation. The only established veteran hitter who can contribute is Salvy Perez, and he’s closer to dropping in overall than helping you contend. Your staples are all aging and need to be replaced quickly. Fortunately, Perez' replacement is already on the roster in MJ Melendez. Same as Detroit, Kansas City is expected to be a basement dweller, but it has the fortune of no real blow-away number one team in the AL Central.
6Oakland Athletics
Overall Rank: 28th
Budget: $78.00 Million
While Oakland doesn’t have the worst staff, they lack a real ace at the top of the rotation or the pitching prospect to become one. With their small budget, you will need to get creative to make them a contender. Their only recurring position players that have not been traded, Murphy and Laureano, are both 27 and can man their positions for several years still. The team is not as fortunate in any other position. Trading most of their major league talent last offseason for prospects like Christian Pache and Shea Langeliers has been unkind to them in the show. Both typically struggle to develop in Franchise, and the onus will fall on you to improve things.
The A’s division situation is about as difficult as their rebuild. Houston is a powerhouse, while the Angels still have star power for years to come with Trout and Ohtani. Seattle is about to turn the corner, and the Rangers aren’t great but continually spend big money.
5Washington Nationals
Overall Rank: 29th
Budget: $161.50
Washington does have a true ace with Strasburg, but he is a little past his prime and is owed an insane max deal (at least in the show) with 35 million a year every year until his age 38 season. The team’s respectable budget will counter this somewhat, as well as young pitcher Mackenzie Gore who should eventually replace him. Aside from the two veteran power hitters, Cruz and Voit, Washington lacks any real major league talent. You will rely heavily on developing your top prospects acquired from San Diego and spending budget on free agency. Seven ‘A’ potential prospects in the minors will make a big dent in losing Juan Soto to San Diego.
Washington has to deal with four potential playoff teams. Atlanta and the Mets are both top tier contenders in the NL, while Philadelphia is not too far behind them. Miami has a lot of blossoming young talent and is ready to make a move. Washington, on the other hand, is just at the beginning of a major rebuilding effort.
4Cincinnati Reds
Overall Rank: 30th (last)
Budget: $123.00 Million
Minor is the Reds' only capable starter, and he is 34 years old. Both Greene and Lodolo should develop and replace him after the first year, but their current arrangement will make it difficult to compete early. Two budding young stars with India and Stephenson are a big help. Former MVP Joey Votto is just slightly past it. His maxed out discipline stat will carry his last year or so with his on-base percentage, but it’s time to find his replacement.
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Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo should both anchor your rotation for the next few years. Elly De La Cruz is an Uber prospect IRL, but sadly the show does not show him much respect. His 91 potential makes him a borderline ‘A’ potential, and just okay hitting stats mean his major league status is anything but certain.
The division is the same as mentioned with the Cubs; the Reds are slightly worse than the Pirates but are a long way off from Milwaukee and St. Louis.
3Pittsburgh Pirates
Overall Rank: 27th
Budget: $78.50 Million
Bednar is one of the better relievers in the league, and Thompson is an okay middle of the rotation starter. Pittsburgh has decent pitching prospects, but be ready to look for improvements early. Perez is a solid catcher but is long in the tooth at 33. Both Reynolds and Hayes are All-Star level talents and are still young. Oneil Cruz (78 Overall) will be a great long-term shortstop next to Hayes.
The Pirates also have five ‘A’ potential prospects behind him, but they are largely two years away still. Pittsburgh’s bigger prospects are closer to being ready, which makes them closer to Chicago than they are with Cincinnati.
2Arizona Diamondbacks
Overall Rank: 23rd
Budget: $117.50 Million
Arizona has two of the best at their respective positions with Gallen and Marte. They also don’t have much else right now. They have a fairly old roster as well. Marte will be a reliable top-of-the-order hitter for the next few years as you bring up future stars like Carroll and Thomas. Corbin Carroll (69 Overall) and Alek Thomas (77 Overall) are both capable of starting day one. Druw Jones and Jordan Lawler are two of the highest rated prospects in the game and are also two of the youngest at 18 and 19 years old, respectively. The team’s other ‘A’ prospect, Blake Walston (64 Overall), should also be a solid pitcher after a few years.
What makes both Colorado and Arizona such difficult rebuilds is their division. They are about on par with one another but have to deal with the NL powerhouse Dodgers and a young and ready-to-emerge Padres. The Giants are somewhere in the middle but always find a way to overachieve and have a higher budget than either Arizona or Colorado.
1Colorado Rockies
Overall Rank: 22nd
Budget: $177.00 Million
Colorado’s pitching situation has been dire for a few years now. Reclamation project Daniel Bard has looked great, but when your best pitcher is a 36-year-old reliever, it’s time to make some changes. One of the benefits of playing in such a hitter friendly stadium is a plethora of power-hitting talents. Cron and McMahon are great All-Star level hitters. Bryant is a decent signing, but his benefit is mostly against left-handed pitchers, and he has a big contract for someone the show feels is already looking past his prime.
They have eight ‘A’ potential prospects in the minors – none of which are standouts – but most are 20 or younger, which gives you time to either let them pan out or trade them for pitching help right away. The most top-heavy division in baseball will be an unattainable high unless you can completely revamp Colorado’s pitching staff, which, given the environment of Coors field, is no easy task.
