AL Central power rankings as KC Royals players report to spring training

It might not feel like spring training weather in Kansas City, but the Royals are gearing up for their annual trek to Surprise, Arizona. Pitchers and catchers are already making their way south for their first official workout on February 12, and the rest of the squad will follow for their first full-team workout on February 17.

Once the Super Bowl buzz fades, baseball will be waiting in the wings, so with Opening Day just around the corner, where do the Royals currently rank amongs their division rivals in the AL Central?

Where do KC Royals fit in AL Central picture ahead of spring training?

The AL Central remains wide open, with four teams having realistic paths to a division title. One club, however, sits well behind the pack — not just in the division, but across MLB. As spring training action kicks off in Arizona and Florida, here’s how the AL Central stacks up.

5. Chicago White Sox

Moneyball said it best.

"The problem we're trying to solve is that there are rich teams and there are poor teams. Then there's fifty feet of crap, and then there's us."

The Chicago White Sox are well below that waterline Brad Pitt so famously described, seemingly barreling toward another 100-loss season. Their Opening Day roster looks more like a Triple-A squad than a competitive MLB team, clearly biding time until their top prospects arrive. But even when players like Noah Schultz and Kyle Teel reach the majors, the White Sox appear destined for yet another aimless season with no clear path forward.

4. Minnesota Twins

How do the Minnesota Twins go from preseason favorites to also-rans? It's simple, and AL Central fans have seen this before. Last year, FanGraphs projected the Twins as runaway favorites, with nearly a 40% gap between them and the second-place Cleveland Guardians. But when the dust settled, three AL Central teams made the playoffs — and the Twins weren’t one of them.

You’d think their September collapse would light a fire under the front office, but the Twins' offseason has been eerily quiet. Instead of adding reinforcements, rumors suggest the club is looking to shed payroll, with stars like Carlos Correa and Pablo López potentially on the trade block. Add in the Twins’ usual injury concerns, and suddenly, their grip on the division looks a lot less secure heading into 2025.

3. Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers’ window of contention finally feels open again after years of irrelevance. Lefty ace Tarik Skubal led a strong rotation in 2024, and the additions of Alex Cobb and Jack Flaherty only bolster that group. Meanwhile, Gleyber Torres could be the answer to Detroit’s long-standing infield struggles, giving the lineup much-needed stability.

If the Tigers land third baseman Alex Bregman, that move alone could push them into the AL Central’s driver’s seat. They have talent to believe in, and last season’s playoff push proved they’re capable, but that run required an improbable late-season surge after spending much of the year outside the postseason picture. Until a Bregman deal materializes — and Detroit shows it can sustain success over a full season — they remain somewhat of a wild card.

2. Kansas City Royals

The AL Central is as tight as ever, and while projection systems aren’t high on the Royals’ playoff chances, they still find themselves in an enviable position heading into 2025. Bobby Witt Jr. has the star power to carry them, and adding Jonathan India should help stabilize the top of the order — a much-needed boost to the lineup’s consistency.

Kansas City’s outfield struggles are well-documented, even beyond the fanbase. That unit could ultimately decide the Royals’ fate, but there’s at least some offseason optimism that the outfield could be league-average in 2025. Is that too much to ask? Maybe, but if the outfield holds up, this team has a real shot at exceeding expectations.

1. Cleveland Guardians

They may not be flashy, and they may not have the star power, but year after year, the Cleveland Guardians remain a force in the AL Central. They haven’t finished lower than third since 2013, winning five division titles in that span. In 2024, they overachieved again, racking up 92 wins and making a surprise run to the ALCS.

José Ramírez and Carlos Santana form an underrated but reliable duo in the lineup, and Cleveland’s strong player development pipeline ensures they always have reinforcements ready. Their rotation has some question marks, but that only highlights the strength of their elite bullpen. The Guardians aren’t a perfect team heading into 2025, but their weaknesses are few and far between. Given their consistency and track record, Cleveland remains the team to beat in the AL Central.