Welcome to the early 2025 prediction series! This is not for the division winners, but just a bold prediction for every team in each division for the 2025 season. There is still more time in the winter, but for now let’s take a swan dive into these predictions. First up; the AL East!

New York Yankees

Prediction: Yankees return to the ALCS

The empire will return. The landscape of the entire American League is wide open for the taking. For the Yankees, they will find their way back to the ALCS.

Juan Soto was their plan A, but after he decided to take his talents over to Queens, the Yankees plan B was more than sufficient in terms of competing. They went out and added Max Fried to give the Yankees a dynamic 1-2 punch at the front of their rotation. Trading Nestor Cortes (who fell out of favor) for closer Devin Williams gives the Yankees a great back end of the bullpen. Cody Bellinger could give them a legit bat and Paul Goldschmidt gives them a reliable first baseman.

The conference is open for the taking and after getting a taste at the World Series, Cashman is ready to get back.

Boston Red Sox

Prediction: Garrett Crochet is a CY Young finalist

Here we go. The Red Sox finally got their ace with the filthiest pig of them all. Garrett Crochet now becomes the ace of the rotation and is the pitcher they’ve been looking for.

Crochet delivered on the mound for the lowly White Sox and showed his true potential in his first season as a starter. Yes, Crochet pitched the most innings he’s ever pitched in his career during the 2024 season, but there is enormous upside with Crochet.

Garrett Crochet’s new Sinker is gonna be a problem.

99mph with 19 inches of run. pic.twitter.com/ewpXnGgR3E

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 21, 2024

Crochet finished the season with a 3.58 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. He gets players to chase and is very prone to getting the swing and miss. He is a strikeout machine and insides top five in strikeout percentage among qualified pitchers.

Crochet has the second best odds on Draftkings (+600) to win the AL CY Young. The last pitcher for the Red Sox to win the award was Rick Porcello (2016). Crochet is going to prove he was worth the acquisition and performs like the ace the front office believes that he is.

Baltimore Orioles

Prediction: Jackson Holliday Shows Why he was the Top Prospect in Baseball

Being the top ranked prospect in baseball is a true testament to the players success and how good he is. However, the expectations to put on a young player can become a lot and the pressure is real. For Jackson Holliday that was the case. Holliday had just two hits in his first stint with the Orioles and eventually got sent down to Triple A.

Holliday came back up and was a completely different player. He still only hit .218 and a .650 OPS, while also hitting five home runs. His 87 wRC+ was lower than you’d like to see, but he was a rookie after all.

2025 you’ll see why Jackson Holliday was at one point the best prospect in the sport. He’s got experience under his belt and with the pressure off of him, he will put together quite the season. To see Holliday have a type of season Jackson Merrill just had or even Jackson Chourio would be outstanding.

Toronto Blue Jays

Prediction: One of Bichette and Guerrero Jr. Get Traded

There is a world where the Toronto Blue Jays trade both of these players. Both players are free agents after the 2025 season and both sit in the primes of their career. Vladimir Guerrero Jr has already rejected a long term contract that was valued at $340 million and Bichette has heard his name thrown around in the trade rumor mill.

The Blue Jays missed the playoffs in the 2024 season and have not won a playoff game with this core group. It’s not for a lack of trying for this front office, but the job isn’t getting done. Do they fire John Schneider? That should’ve happened a season ago if we’re being honest. The offseason has been tough, as nobody has taken their money despite being aggressive in negotiations. If the Blue Jays are on the outside looking in by the trade deadline, the two core players could see themselves in another teams uniform.

Tampa Bay Rays

Prediction: Junior Caminero Becomes A Star

We got a glimpse of Junior Caminero, but the Rays top prospect will become a star in the Sunshine State. Caminero makes hard contact and gives the Rays a legit threat in the lineup.

Junior Caminero 3-run shot gives the Rays the lead!

(via @RaysBaseball)pic.twitter.com/G9GuybpNPZ

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) August 31, 2024

You saw a glimpse of what he could do and with a full season, he could legitimately become a star. Caminero slashed .248/.299/.424 with a .724 OPS. His 105 wRC+ is good for the 43 game sample size, so anything north of that will be phenomenal. He will likely assume his middle of the order role and give the Rays a jolt offensively, which they need.

The Rays may have begun their fire sale, but Caminero will be something worth watching for 2025.

Up Next: The AL West