Out of the Park Baseball (OOTP) 23 differs from MLB The Show, in the sense that players won’t be able to play the games. Instead, users must simulate their way to greatness, by assembling the best possible squad possible and put it up against the randomness of OOTP’s simulation engine. In order to do as well as possible, it’s important to put out the best team possible. But which teams should you rebuild in OOTP 23? Here are our five picks for the best rebuilding projects.
Orioles
Let’s start off with arguably the worst team over the last four MLB regular seasons: the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles have a ton of young prospects, making this job somewhat easier than some of the other teams listed after the O’s. Catcher Adley Rutschman figures to be a cornerstone of the Orioles lineup, as do former first-round picks Heston Kjerstad and Colton Cowser. On the pitching side, D.L. Hall and Grayson Rodriguez are poised to become building blocks on the pitching side.
The downside with the Orioles is that Baltimore does not have many pieces that can be moved from the MLB side of things. Austin Hays and Ryan Mountcastle are good hitters that should be considered untouchable. Outside of those two, very few players will yield much value on the open market. If you plan on working with the O’s, target pitching and try to get what you can for some of those veterans that might not be considered blocks for the future.
Pirates
Much like the Orioles, the Pirates are a team that has a strong farm system at the top. 2021 top pick Henry Davis, Nick Gonzales, Anthony Solameto, and Quinn Priester will be key pieces of Pittsburgh’s future. However, Pittsburgh does run into much of the same issues that the Orioles currently have.
Not much on the main roster can be moved for significant rosters, unless you want to gut it whole and move star outfielder Bryan Reynolds out of western Pennsylvania. This team does have building blocks, but you will have to push the Pirates to the finish line.
Related: How to scout prospects and MLB players in Out of the Park Baseball 23
Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a very interesting team. The Rockies have several talented hitters, including Ryan McMahon, Brendon Rodgers, Charlie Blackmon, and new signee Kris Bryant. However, pitching will be the grind. It always is in real-life, thanks to the fact that Coors Field is a porch park. Add in a work-in-progress pitching staff led by Kyle Freeland, and it might be tough to win those duels where the offense doesn’t get much.
Colorado do have a number of hitting prospects and pieces to move, but the challenge will be to assemble a solid rotation to compete with the powers of the NL West. That, coupled with the trepidations of dealing with assembling a team in the Rocky Mountains, make the Rockies a unique challenge.
Diamondbacks
Arizona was a miserable team last year, but there are glimmers of hope. The Diamondbacks do have some pieces to work around, including catcher/outfielder Daulton Varsho and All-Star infielder Ketel Marte. However, the pitching staff needs a ton of work, in order for Arizona to get back to a good level of consistency.
The Diamondbacks do have a deep farm system, led by outfielders Corbin Carroll and Alek Thomas. But, pitching will be pivotal. Arizona do have Tommy Henry, Ryne Nelson, Drey Jamison, and Blake Walston as pitching prospects to watch. However, the sim can be a bit merciless, so make sure to have as much depth in the pitching ranks as possible.
Cubs
Out of all the teams listed here, the Chicago Cubs might be the most interesting one. The Cubs don’t much in the way of standout prospects. In fact, a lot of Chicago’s future is concentrated at the moment at the MLB level. Nick Madrigal, Adbert Alzolay, Nico Hoerner, and newcomer Seiya Suzuki all could be everyday players for the present and future. Plus, veterans Patrick Wisdom, Kyle Hendricks, and Frank Schwindel could provide some decent returns.
However, the Cubs do need the most work out of the five teams listed here, from a farm system point of view. The good news, though, is that the Cubs have a ton of monetary resources.
