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The story of the Cubs has changed quite a bit in the last 365 days. A year ago at this time, projectors estimated the club would make great strides in 2015, improving from an 89-loss 2014 and perhaps even challenging Cincinnati and Milwaukee for third place in the competitive NL Central. Many believed 2016 would be the year the up-and-coming major league squad would arrive. But one season—and an NLCS berth—later, it’s harder to find anyone not picking the Cubs to make the postseason.

ESPN’s David Schoenfield unveiled the top portion of his team rankings heading into the 2016 season Tuesday. The publication’s senior writer stuck to the script and picked the Cubs as his No. 1 team.

Most intriguing player: Jason Heyward’s big contract and move to center field puts him in the spotlight. Heyward seems to have grown comfortable with the kind of player he is, so the fear that he may try to do much and struggle is probably overblown. In fact, I wonder if Joe Maddon puts him in the leadoff spot since there isn’t another obvious candidate. Maddon could run out a lineup of Heyward, [Ben] Zobrist, Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber, Jorge Soler, Miguel Montero and Addison Russell. There’s power, there’s OBP, there’s left-right balance, there’s youth, there are MVP candidates, there are no easy at-bats for opposing pitchers. Good luck, National League.

The final word: Barring a long list of injuries, the Cubs look like a powerhouse. They’re loaded with depth and versatility in both position players and starting pitching. Unlike the 2015 Nationals, they also have the right manager to make sure there’s no coasting on hype or clubhouse issues that incinerate the team. Considering I think the Pirates and Cardinals fall back a bit this year, the Cubs win the tough NL Central pretty easily. Then comes the postseason …

Many of the shortcomings of the 2015 squad were addressed this offseason, as the club improved its outfield defense with the acquisition of Heyward and added necessary pitching depth with John Lackey, Adam Warren and a slew of bullpen arms. The hope entering this season has shifted from surpassing the division’s bottom dwellers to being the last team standing.

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In the last week, Buster Olney and ESPN have broken down their top 10 unit rankings for major league clubs. The Cubs found themselves in the top five in five of the six lists, and were ranked the best infield in baseball. On Tuesday, the publication released its top 10 clubs heading into the season. Given the lofty spots the organization earned on previous lists, it should come as no surprise that ESPN ranked the North Siders as the best team in the game. Here’s what they had to say:

The addition of Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist makes the Cubs even better and deeper, both at the plate and in the field, and they also added a reliable rotation plow horse in John Lackey. Their greatest challenge might be doing everything they can to win the National League Central over the course of the long season, because they’ve witnessed first-hand how a great team like the Pittsburgh Pirates can be reduced to a one-night-stand wild-card game and subsequently eliminated.

The Cubs are the early pick here to take another step forward this year and do something they haven’t done since 1908: win the World Series.

In 2016, the Cubs return some of the best players in baseball, including NL Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta, NL Rookie of the Year Kris Bryant and two-time All-Star Anthony Rizzo. The club will also open up the campaign expecting a full season of action out of Addison Russell, Kyle Schwarber and Jorge Soler—a trio of 2015 rookies. Add defending NL Manager of the Year Joe Maddon to the mix, coupled with a 2015 NLCS run, and there are plenty reasons to expect the Cubs to be playing meaningful October baseball in 2016.

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With a bevy of young superstars and a strong group of valuable backups to spell the starters or play the matchups, the Cubs outfield looks like one of the game’s best on paper. Buster Olney and ESPN agree, as they placed the Cubs second overall in their outfield team unit rankings, revealed Thursday. Here’s some of what they had to say:

The Cubs felt sure enough about Jason Heyward — particularly his defense — to agree to spend $184 million to sign him, and they’re confident left fielder Kyle Schwarber will continue to be a high-impact hitter, with his short swing, power and intense approach.

They’re not quite sure what to make of Jorge Soler, which is why they’ve been reluctant to move him to date for less than what could turn out to be equal value. After playing well in a small sample in 2014, Soler struggled in 2015, especially in chilly conditions and on defense. Chris Coghlan provides depth in the outfield, and starting second baseman Ben Zobrist could always move out there as well.

As of right now, it appears Schwarber, Heyward and Soler will go left to right across the outfield, as well as make some noise in the top half of the batting order. Schwarber debuted as a rookie in 2015 and proved to be a big bat, hitting 16 homers in 232 at-bats. Newcomer Heyward is one of the game’s best defensive outfielders, and though he has made his living in right field for the majority of his six-year MLB career, his athleticism could make for a seamless transition to center. Soler is a bit more of a wild card, but the 23-year-old has never given anyone a reason to think his raw power won’t translate into game action.

Of course, the knock on the group is defense, especially in the corners. But the hard working Schwarber informed the media Wednesday that he has spent a lot of time working on his outfield defense this offseason. And Soler demonstrated that runners should think twice before trying to take an extra base on his arm in right.