It’s almost time to put 2025 in the rearview mirror.
For several of the game’s stars, that’s a good thing. The new year offers a number of players the opportunity to rebound from underwhelming performances last season, and a chance to look like themselves again.
With an assist from all 30 MLB.com beat writers, here’s a look at one bounceback candidate from each team.
Blue Jays: OF Anthony Santander
The good news? The bar is low. Santander’s Blue Jays debut was a mess, unfortunately, as his slow start eventually snowballed with a left shoulder injury he couldn’t shake. The end result was a .175 average and .565 OPS over just 54 games. The Blue Jays need Santander to rebound, though, and show them flashes of the hitter who signed a five-year, $92.5 million deal last offseason. That’s still in there, of course, but he’ll need to stay healthy and find a way to soften the slow starts he’s become known for in his career. — Keegan Matheson
Orioles: C Adley Rutschman
Rutschman’s tough second half of the 2024 season carried over into ‘25, which also brought his first two stints on the injured list during his four-year MLB career. The 27-year-old catcher was limited to 90 games due to a pair of oblique strains (one on each side) and hit .220 with nine home runs and a .673 OPS. The O’s are counting on Rutschman returning to the form he showed in ‘23 and the first half of ‘24, his two All-Star seasons. If the 2019 No. 1 overall Draft pick can do so, it would make Baltimore’s lineup — which appears poised for success following the additions of Pete Alonso and Taylor Ward — even more dangerous. — Jake Rill
Rays: OF Josh Lowe
This is the second straight offseason that Lowe has led a long list of bounceback candidates for the Rays. Injuries derailed his 2024 season, and he missed time amid another step back this past season. Lowe hit just .220/.283/.366 (81 OPS+) with 0.1 bWAR in 108 games, a far cry from the outstanding 2023 campaign in which he hit .292/.335/.500 with 20 homers, 32 steals and 83 RBIs. The Rays will use their outfield surplus to create Spring Training competition, and as president of baseball operations Erik Neander said at the Winter Meetings, Lowe “just appreciates the urgency” of his situation. — Adam Berry
Red Sox: INF/OF Kristian Campbell
After winning the second-base job out of Spring Training, agreeing to an eight-year contract extension less than a week into his MLB career and being named American League Rookie of the Month in April, things went rapidly downhill for Campbell, who spent over half of the season in Triple-A. But he has the work ethic and talent to make the adjustments necessary to succeed at the highest level. Campbell is playing Winter Ball in Puerto Rico this offseason, working on a new setup in his stance and focusing on playing left field rather than moving around like he did last year. — Ian Browne
Yankees: SS Anthony Volpe
Volpe played through a left labrum tear that required offseason surgery, limiting him both offensively and defensively after a solid start to the season. Even so, Volpe has been a constant presence, logging at least 153 games in each of his three Major League seasons while providing value on the bases and in the field. Manager Aaron Boone acknowledges he’d like to see Volpe get on base more consistently, but the Yankees point to his age, work ethic and postseason résumé — including a World Series grand slam in 2024 — as indicators that brighter days are still ahead. — Bryan Hoch
Guardians: C/DH David Fry
Fry had a tough 2025 at the plate, albeit amid some unique circumstances. He was limited to DH and pinch-hitting duties coming off offseason Tommy John surgery and slashed .171/.229/.363 with eight homers in 157 plate appearances over 66 games. His season ended after a frightening moment in which he was struck in the face by a Tarik Skubal pitch on Sept. 21, which later required surgery. He’s set to have a normal Spring Training, and a rebound offensively could be in store for the 2024 All-Star, whom the Guardians can envision helping at catcher and around the diamond defensively. — Tim Stebbins
Royals: 2B Jonathan India
India had a tough first season with the Royals after they acquired him to be their leadoff man in a trade with the Reds following the 2024 season. His stats across the board were down, slashing .233/.323/.346 with an 89 wRC+. However, his strikeout rate decreased a bit, from 19.6% to 18.7%, and his chase, whiff and overall swing decisions were consistent with his performance in Cincinnati. That gives the Royals optimism that India might perform more like the player they were hoping to acquire, now that he’s settled in Kansas City and understands the bigger ballpark that is Kauffman Stadium. — Anne Rogers
Tigers: CF Parker Meadows
Meadows entered 2025 riding the momentum of an impressive postseason performance, until a nerve issue in his upper right arm ended his Spring Training after his first exhibition game. He made it back in June, but then a right quad strain cost him all of August. When he did play, he struggled to produce, posting a .215 average and .621 OPS while experiencing a slight drop in his defensive metrics. With prospect Max Clark potentially knocking on the door by next season’s end, this could be a big year for Meadows to prove he can put it all together. — Jason Beck
Twins: 3B Royce Lewis
Very little has gone right for Lewis since early in 2024, with injuries marring the past season and a half for one of the game’s most talented players. Lewis mostly stayed healthy in the second half of ‘25, and defensively he looked athletic and natural at the hot corner again. Now, he just needs to find his confidence and his stroke at the plate. The Twins hope that new manager Derek Shelton and hitting coach Keith Beauregard can unlock Lewis’ immense potential and restore him to the middle-of-the-order slugger he’s shown the ability to be. — Matthew Leach
White Sox: RHP Jonathan Cannon
The right-hander’s struggles throughout the 2025 season will make him a better pitcher for a longer period of time, or so Cannon believes. He was the team’s second-most effective starter during the ‘24 campaign, and then took the roughest hits on the mound last year and still came out ready to go for ‘26. He made some adjustments to his mechanics and pitch sequencing within the season, talking to coaches and teammates alike about things needing to change. Manager Will Venable strongly backed Cannon as a starter when asked at the Winter Meetings, and Cannon feels the same. — Scott Merkin
Angels: C Logan O’Hoppe
O’Hoppe had a solid year in his first full season as the club’s regular catcher in 2024 but couldn’t build on it in ’25. He got off to a hot start but struggled the rest of the way both offensively — hitting .213/.258/.371 with a 30.8% strikeout rate — and defensively (-12 catching runs). But the Angels hired two of his former teammates this offseason, with Kurt Suzuki taking over as manager and Max Stassi as catching coach. The hope is the two former catchers will help the 25-year-old bounce back. — Rhett Bollinger
Astros: DH Yordan Alvarez
Alvarez missed 100 games in 2025 with a right hand injury and then suffered a freak left ankle injury that cost him the final 11 games of the regular season. He played in only 48 games and slashed .273/.367/.430 with six home runs and 27 RBIs in 199 plate appearances. Astros manager Joe Espada said he plans to DH Alvarez more this season to limit his chances of getting injured. He remains one of the most feared sluggers in the game and the Astros need a strong 2026 campaign, which begins with him staying healthy. — Brian McTaggart
Athletics: 2B Zack Gelof
What the A’s hoped would be a bounceback campaign for Gelof in 2025 ended up as an injury-riddled year, with a late start after getting hit on the right hand by a pitch over the final days of Spring Training and a premature end after he dislocated his left shoulder while diving for a ball in mid-September. When he did play, Gelof hit just .174 with a .502 OPS in 30 games for the A’s. The A’s still believe he can recapture the form he showed as an exciting breakout rookie in ‘23, but he’ll enter this spring likely having to earn a starting spot in a competition. — Martín Gallegos
Mariners: RF Victor Robles
Seattle’s spark plug was thought to be lost for the season when he fractured his left shoulder when making an incredible diving catch into the foul-territory netting in San Francisco on April 7. That he returned by Aug. 23 was also remarkable, and he somehow one-upped himself when making a game-sealing catch in Houston on Sept. 20 that helped Seattle later lock up the division in what was their biggest win of the season. It was also an incredibly difficult year for Robles off the field, who revealed on Instagram in the wake of his seven-game suspension for throwing a bat in the direction of a pitcher during a Minor League rehab assignment that he unexpectedly lost his mother during the summer. — Daniel Kramer
Rangers: 3B Josh Jung
Jung has long been seen as a cornerstone of the organization. But injuries have plagued much of his career before a mostly healthy 2025 led to a career-high 131 games. However, in those games, he hit just .251/.294/.390 with all career lows if you exclude his cup of coffee in September 2022 (26 games). His ‘25 also included an option back to Triple-A Round Rock for the first time since his MLB debut. New manager Skip Schumaker has challenged all his players to come into camp attempting to win a job and not just expecting to have one. Jung should respond well to that challenge and prove he’s still a key player for the Rangers. — Kennedi Landry
Braves: Michael Harris II
The baseball world was introduced to Harris when he was named the National League’s Rookie of the Year in 2022. But we’re still waiting to see his full potential. The 24-year-old center fielder entered this year’s All-Star break with MLB’s lowest OPS and still finished with a 20-20 season. This could be the year he finally gets off to a good start and shows why his Braves teammates believe he’ll one day be an MVP candidate. — Mark Bowman
Marlins: INF Connor Norby
Leading up to the 2025 season, the Marlins saw Norby as a potential building block. After all, it was Norby and not Kyle Stowers who showed promise during his initial stint with the club in late 2024 following the Trevor Rogers trade. In a disappointing 2025 campaign, left oblique, left wrist and left quad injuries limited Norby to just 88 games and a 90 OPS+. While Stowers’ breakout performance has since generated extension discussions, Norby’s struggles have drawn questions about his role with the team. That will suit Norby, who already plays with a chip on his shoulder, just fine. — Christina De Nicola
Mets: LHP Sean Manaea
In retrospect, the three-year, $75 million contract the Mets gave Manaea last offseason doesn’t look so rosy. Manaea strained his right oblique muscle in Spring Training, then discovered during his rehab that he was also dealing with loose bodies in his left elbow. It took Manaea until July to make his season debut, and he mostly struggled the rest of the way, finishing with a 5.64 ERA. It’s a tough spot for the Mets, who have an overcrowded rotation but are financially committed to Manaea in a significant way. This offseason, at least, Manaea has called his elbow a non-issue, giving him reason to believe he can bounce back closer to the career-year form he showed in 2024. — Anthony DiComo
Nationals: 2B Luis García Jr.
García is the Nationals’ longest-tenured player at just 25 years old, and he has been through up-and-down seasons in Washington. He is coming off a 2025 performance in which his production dipped and he posted a .252/.289/.412 slash line with a .701 OPS, 16 home runs, 66 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. His bWAR last season was 0.4 compared to 2.2 in 2024. In 2026, García will play for a new manager for the first time in his career. Blake Butera could give García some looks at first base, where he gained experience last season and has been getting reps in during the Dominican Winter League. — Jessica Camerato
Phillies: 3B Alec Bohm
The Phillies had Kyle Schwarber protect Bryce Harper in the lineup early last season. At the end, Harper protected Schwarber. It means one of them will need somebody else to protect them in 2026. Bohm could be the guy. The Phillies think he is going to be much better next season. He batted .287 with 11 home runs, 59 RBIs and a .741 OPS in 2025. It was his lowest slugging percentage (.409) and OPS since 2021. But he also missed time because of a fractured left rib and inflammation in his left shoulder. The Phillies think a healthy Bohm will put up numbers like he did in 2024: .280 with 15 home runs, 97 RBIs, a .779 OPS and a 117 OPS+. — Todd Zolecki
Brewers: SS Joey Ortiz
The Ortiz era began so well for the Brewers, who picked him up from the Orioles in the Corbin Burnes trade in February 2024. Ortiz thrived in his first few months with Milwaukee, winning the NL Rookie of the Month Award in May 2024 and finishing the first half with an OPS north of .800. One especially enthusiastic teammate went so far as to call Ortiz “a generational player.” But since then, he’s mostly been a struggling player — at least at the plate. Since the ‘24 All-Star break, Ortiz’s .609 OPS ranks 228th of MLB’s 232 hitters with at least 500 plate appearances during that span. The Brewers, however, still see offensive upside. And Ortiz’s elite defense will keep him in the lineup. — Adam McCalvy
Cardinals: C Jimmy Crooks III
As is often the case with highly touted rookies who get promoted to the big leagues in the middle of a season, Crooks — the Cards’ No. 6-ranked prospect — struggled mightily in 15 MLB games in 2025. However, the Cardinals love his poise combined with his exceptional defensive skills. In 15 games, Crooks went just 6-for-45 (.133) and his first MLB hit was a homer on Aug. 31. He showed off a big-time arm in the Minor Leagues and he impressed the Cards with his command of scouting reports and handling pitchers. The strong belief among the coaching staff is that he can be the club’s everyday catcher. — John Denton
Cubs: RHP Porter Hodge
The Cubs headed into this winter with multiple bullpen vacancies, but one key for ‘26 will be having in-house arms step up, too. That includes the 24-year-old Hodge, who emerged as a closing option as a rookie two seasons ago. In 39 games, the hard-throwing righty spun a 1.88 ERA with nine saves, 52 strikeouts, 19 walks and only 19 hits allowed (two homers) in 43 innings. In ‘25, Hodge dealt with injuries and command woes, posting a 6.27 ERA in 33 innings between stints on the IL and at Triple-A Iowa. A bounceback from Hodge would go a long way toward shoring up the relief corps. — Jordan Bastian
Pirates: CF Oneil Cruz
Expectations were high for Cruz after a 20-20 season in 2024 and him being another year removed from his 2023 left ankle injury. While he was able to put together another 20-20 campaign last season, his OPS dropped nearly 100 points to .676. He acknowledged at the end of the season that he can produce more, and the Pirates are going to need a bounceback campaign if they want to drastically improve their offense, which finished last in far too many categories in 2025. At the very least, manager Don Kelly has been encouraged by the work Cruz has done in the Dominican Republic and stateside this offseason. — Alex Stumpf
Reds: 2B Matt McLain
After a strong rookie year in 2023, McLain’s entire sophomore season was wiped out by left shoulder surgery after a Spring Training injury. Bouncing back proved difficult in 2025 as the 26-year-old batted .220 with a .643 OPS, 15 home runs and 50 RBIs in 147 games. That’s compared to his .290 average with an .864 OPS over 89 games in ’23. Manager Terry Francona believes being another year removed from shoulder surgery will be a big help in getting McLain going again at the plate. He will be counted on to boost a Cincinnati lineup that lacked impact offense last season. — Mark Sheldon
D-backs: RHP Brandon Pfaadt
After signing a contract extension in the spring, Pfaadt suffered through an inconsistent season, but the same characteristics that prompted the Diamondbacks to sign him to the deal — work ethic, mental toughness and stuff — are the same ones that make them feel he will bounce back in a big way in 2026. Pfaadt had trouble finding consistency with the sweeper, his best pitch, in 2025, so tightening that up will be a focus for him this offseason and throughout Spring Training. The development of a cutter last year should also help him going forward as he gets more and more comfortable with it. — Steve Gilbert
Dodgers: LHP Tanner Scott
The Dodgers uncharacteristically splurged on a reliever in the 2024-25 offseason, signing Scott to a four-year, $72 million deal. For the most part, that move did not particularly pay off in Scott’s first season in L.A., in which he recorded a 4.74 ERA with an MLB-worst 10 blown saves and did not pitch in the postseason due to an abscess in his lower body. The Dodgers are optimistic that Scott can rebound moving forward and be a force in the back end of the bullpen once more, rather than the question mark he was for much of 2025. — Sonja Chen
Giants: RHP Ryan Walker
Walker opened the 2025 campaign as the Giants’ closer, but he lost the job to Camilo Doval after struggling to maintain the same level of dominance he showed the previous year. He got another shot at pitching the ninth after Doval was traded to the Yankees and Randy Rodríguez underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery, but he still ended the year with a career-high 4.11 ERA and seven blown saves. Despite the down year, the Giants believe Walker will be able to return to form and re-establish himself as a trusted back-end arm in 2026. — Maria Guardado
Padres: CF Jackson Merrill
It’s probably unfair to characterize Merrill’s 2025 season as a disappointment. He was solid defensively and above league average on offense. It’s just that … after his brilliant rookie campaign in 2024, this wasn’t quite up to those standards. It was all a bit too stop-start as Merrill dealt with multiple injuries, and he never seemed to find a rhythm. Toward the end of the season, he finally did. And he was one of the Padres’ best hitters down the stretch and into the playoffs. They’re expecting that version of Merrill in 2026. — AJ Cassavell
Rockies: SS Ezequiel Tovar
Given his performance in 2024, when he earned his first Gold Glove Award and knocked 45 doubles and 26 home runs, Tovar is a safe bet to shake off a 2025 that saw him miss extended time early with a left hip injury and a large chunk later with a left oblique strain. Tovar, 24, will begin the year by representing Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic and will be counted upon as a quiet leader for the Rockies, too. — Thomas Harding
