The biggest X-factors on every MLB team for the 2023 season

Arguably baseball's best prospect, Carroll can do anything on the field at an elite level. He totaled 28 home runs and 33 stolen bases between the minors and majors last season, and the door is open for him to see regular playing time after Arizona traded Daulton Varsho. Carroll is among the young stars who could provide a spark for the Diamondbacks this season.

Anderson is a former first-round pick with an excellent rookie campaign in 2021, going 9-5 with a 3.58 ERA in 24 starts. Unfortunately, he saw major regression last year, as his command left him, and he posted a 5.00 ERA in 22 starts with the Braves. He's battling for a rotation spot with Bryce Elder and Mike Soroka and could be a difference-maker if he can regain his old form.

To the chagrin of Orioles fans, the team had another quiet offseason after making strides last season. If they are going to make further improvement this year, it will be top prospects that carry the team. No prospect is more exciting than Rodriguez, who posted a 2.62 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 75.2 innings between three minor league levels last season. The team has already said the former first-round pick will be in the starting rotation to start the year, but Baltimore will likely be careful with his innings after he missed time late last season.

If the pressure of a five-year, $90 million contract wasn't enough for Yoshida, he's also being counted on by the Red Sox to help offset the offensive losses of Xander Bogaerts and Trevor Story this season. If his Japanese League stats are any indication, Yoshida should be up to the challenge. He's coming off a career year, hitting .336/.449/.559 with 21 home runs in 515 plate appearances.

Morel was a spark plug when he was first promoted by Chicago last season before wearing down late in the year. The athletic 23-year-old still finished his rookie season with 15 home runs and 10 stolen bases in 113 games, and he should see plenty of playing time all over the diamond. His versatility could be a great asset to the Cubs offensively and defensively.

A much-hyped Cuban prospect, Colas has an opportunity to win a starting job in Spring Training. He would effectively replace Jose Abreu in the lineup, meaning he has huge shoes to fill. Colas hit .314-23-79 in 526 plate appearances between three minor league levels last season and could be the difference for Chicago's offense in 2023.

Another year, another rebuild in Cincinnati. The team was mostly quiet in the offseason, but they have several high-profile prospect arrivals on the horizon. The most notable is top shortstop prospect Elly De La Cruz, who hit .304-28-86 with 47 steals between High-A and Double-A last year. Other prospects fans could see in 2023 include Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Matt McLain, and Brandon Williamson.

Cleveland's pitching formula of homegrown talent continues, with Shane Bieber and Triston McKenzie leading the way. The starting five looks set entering the season, but waiting in the wings are high-upside arms like Cody Morris, Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams, and Logan Allen. Once again, the team's pitching development looks like a major competitive advantage.

Rockies fans don't have much to look forward to with an on-field product that appears stale, but Tovar is an exception. He flashed with the team in nine games during September and is expected to be the starting shortstop after hitting .319-14-49 with 17 stolen bases in 71 games between Double- and Triple-A last season.

Meadows was coming off a 27 home run season when the Tigers acquired him from Tampa Bay last season. He played only 36 games in 2022, missing significant time with health issues, and failed to hit a home run. Meadows is in a better place now and could be set for a rebound season.

Brown was almost unhittable between starting and relief late last season with a nasty sinker. He will play a much bigger role in 2023 after the team lost Justin Verlander and could be without Lance McCullers Jr. entering the season. A consistent starting five will be critical for Houston, as it was last season, and Brown's projection has the most variance of any starter.

The lack of development of Kansas City's young players, particularly their pitchers, was a big story in recent seasons. The organization cleaned house with the old coaching staff and hired more new school coaches, led by manager Matt Quatraro. The development of Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino, MJ Melendez, Daniel Lynch, Kris Bubic, and others will be key to the team's long-term success, and the track records of the coaching staff are impressive from successful organizations like the Rays and Guardians.

The Angels have long had plenty of star power with players like Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, and Anthony Rendon. However, they've lacked roster depth, an area they finally addressed in the offseason. The front office was busy filling out the roster with Hunter Renfroe, Brandon Drury, Gio Urshela, Tyler Anderson, and others. A deeper 40-man roster could finally get the Angels over the hump.

For all the credit the Dodgers front office gets for adding high-profile players, their success in finding lesser players to fill the roster has also been terrific. Last year's top find was Tyler Anderson, who posted a 2.57 ERA in 178.2 innings. Syndergaard appears to be one of the team's big projects this season after signing a one-year deal. The former star with the Mets has struggled with injuries and velocity, but the team believes the velocity will return this year. If it happens, the Dodgers might have found another Cy Young Award candidate.

Miami finished last in the NL in runs scored last season. They've shown effort to fix the offense by adding Jean Segura and Luis Arraez, though one difference maker was already on their roster. Bryan De La Cruz hit 13 home runs in 355 plate appearances last season, and six of those homers came in September after adjusting his swing. The Marlins hope the hot finish is a sign of things to come for an offense that desperately needs help.

Former MVP Christian Yelich is the most well-known player in the Brewers outfield, but he might not be the most productive by the end of 2023. The team called up top prospect Garrett Mitchell to play center field late last season, and right behind him are Sal Frelick, Joey Wiemer, and Jackson Chourio. Milwaukee has an extremely bright future in the outfield, with several players ready to make their mark this season.

Kirilloff arrived in the majors with great fanfare in 2021, but wrist problems have plagued him over the last two seasons. The wrist is finally in a good spot this year after surgery, and Kirilloff is set to be Minnesota's starting first baseman. He could be a significant middle-of-the-order hitter if he can stay on the field.

After an aggressive offseason, the Mets roster has gotten better on paper. A very good lineup has the potential to be great if top prospect Francisco Alvarez can win the catcher job over Omar Narvaez. Alvarez made his MLB debut late last season after hitting .260-27-78 between Double- and Triple-A, but the team is most concerned with his defense behind the plate.

Cabrera made a surprising contribution when he was promoted late last season, hitting .247-6-19 in 171 plate appearances while playing multiple positions. He has a chance to win the starting left field job this spring, but Cabrera's versatility also puts him in the conversation at shortstop and third base. Cabrera's plus power and defense could help the Yankees lineup build on last year.

Oakland's rebuilding roster doesn't leave much hope for a playing spot this season, but there are some exciting young players. Langeliers was the centerpiece of the team's return for Matt Olson last year and is now the clear starting catcher after the A's traded Sean Murphy. He brings big power and plus defense.

It's rare we can refer to a franchise player as a team's X-factor, but Harper's situation coming into 2023 is unique. He's expected to return around the All-Star break following elbow surgery. At this point, it's unclear if Harper will be able to play the field, but he's certainly capable of being an elite offensive force when he's in the lineup. If Philly can get Harper back sooner than later, Philly could challenge the Braves and Mets for the NL East crown.

There might not be a player with more upside than Cruz, who regularly demolishes the baseball and hit 17 home runs in 87 games last season. Still, Cruz has some major issues with strikeouts and hitting left-handed pitching, which should temper expectations. His development over a full MLB season in 2023 will be fun to watch.

The Padres made the playoffs last year despite Tatis Jr. missing the entire season due to a fractured wrist and PEDs suspension. Since the last time Tatis Jr. took the field in San Diego, the team has added Juan Soto and Xander Bogaerts, putting him on notice as the face of the franchise. The Padres lineup looks very good without Tatis Jr., but the 2021 NL home run leader could take the team to another level if he returns to form.

San Francisco's two-year contract with Cobb already paid off last season, and there are signs of even greater success ahead. The former Rays ace showed increased velocity and groundball rate last season, and he's posted a sub-3.00 FIP in consecutive seasons. Cobb shows the potential to fill the giant void left by Carlos Rodon if he can stay healthy.

Wong is now with his third organization in four years after getting traded to Seattle. He had another solid year in 2022, but there is some concern about Wong's slipping defense in his early 30s. If he's able to maintain his solid play, Wong could make a major difference for the talented Mariners pitching staff.

St. Louis failed to make a notable addition to their starting pitching during the offense, instead counting on what they have in-house. The most important pitcher on their staff could be Flaherty, who showed ace ability early in his career but has thrown a total of 154.2 innings over the last three seasons due to injuries. The Cardinals need Flaherty to regain his form if they hope to challenge the top teams in the NL.

The talented Rays pitching staff is set for a major boost with the return of Glasnow from Tommy John surgery. The right-hander has a 3.05 ERA in 50 starts since joining the Rays in 2018 and looked back to normal when he got an opportunity late last season. The one-two punch of Glasnow and Shane McClanahan could be unstoppable if the starters can stay healthy into October, though Glasnow will miss the start of the season with an oblique injury.

Texas caused a stir with starting rotation additions like Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, and Andrew Heaney. They remained relatively quiet in the bullpen and are hoping Burke can take another step forward. He had a breakout 2022 season returning from injury with a 1.97 ERA in 82.1 innings and could be set for more high-leverage innings this season.

It was clear Toronto wanted to improve their outfield defense in the offseason, based on the additions of Kevin Kiermaier and Daulton Varsho. Adding to George Springer, the Jays have arguably the best outfield defense in baseball, adding support for their pitchers looking to rebound like Jose Berrios and Yusei Kikuchi.

Washington's rebuild continues this season, and there is reason for hope with some of the team's young pitching. Josiah Gray, Cade Cavalli, and MacKenzie Gore have each shown flashes during their MLB time. With the struggles of Patrick Corbin and Stephen Strasburg, the team is hoping their young trio can take a step forward this year.