Baseball America AL Central

1. Cleveland

2. Twins

3. White Sox

4. Detroit

5. Kansas City

"Minnesota is one of the few American League teams that clearly improved over the offseason, with a big addition (Nelson Cruz) and a solid, buy-low option (Jonathan Schoop). Getting Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano back on the field and productive is just as important as any free agent signing. … Minnesota is a sleeper playoff candidate."

Baseball Prospectus AL Central

1. Cleveland 97-65

2. Twins 82-80

3. Kansas City 73-89

4. Chicago 70-92

5. Detroit 66-96

PECOTA projections have the Twins with a run differential of 739-729, batting average of .252, on-base percentage of .321 and slugging percentage of .426. The projected percentage to make the playoffs is .364.

Sports Illustrated AL Central

1. Twins 90-72

2. Cleveland 89-73

3. Chicago 75-87

4. Kansas City 68-94

5. Detroit 66-96

Power rankings: Fifth in AL

"With three rebuilding teams below them and one (maybe) above, the Twins have a chance to steal the AL Central from the defending champion Indians. But that chance hinges on a healthy Byron Buxton. …The wins will pile up for them in the worst division in baseball."

mlb.com AL Central

1. Cleveland 90-72

2. Twins 83-79

3. Kansas City 77-85

4. Chicago 69-93

5. Detroit 62-100

"They are in the scary middle ground of being better than the rebuilding teams yet not good enough to quite challenge for a postseason spot, which is precisely where you don't want to be. The disappointments of Buxton and Miguel Sano — who were supposed to be stars, and still could be — have lowered the ceiling on this team. The problem with being an 82-win team is that teams below you are building to be a lot more than that."

CBS Sports

The Twins got one of five votes to win the division, one vote to be a wild-card. Rocco Baldelli got three of five votes for American League manager of the year. Byron Buxton got three of five votes for AL comeback player of the year. Comment: "If the Twins get bounce-back seasons from Sano and Buxton, this team has the chance to contend for the postseason."

Star Tribune

Seventh in La Velle E. Neal III's American League power rankings. Record prediction: Sid Hartman 90-72, Jim Souhan 88-74, Chip Scoggins 85-77, La Velle E. Neal III 85-77, Patrick Reusse 85-77, Phil Miller 83-79.

Fangraphs AL Central

1. Cleveland 92-79

2. Twins 82-80

3. Chicago 71-91

4. Kansas City 70-92

5. Detroit 68-94

Yahoo! Sports AL Central

1. Cleveland

2. Twins

3. Chicago

4. Kansas City

5. Detroit

Bleacher Report AL Central

1. Cleveland 95-67

2. Twins 87-75

3. Chicago 74-88

4. Kansas City 63-99

5. Detroit 62-100

Vegas Insider

50-1 Odds to win World Series

20-1 Odds to win American League

27-10 Odds to win American League Central