Major League Baseball's Midsummer Classic needs a makeover, and commissioner Rob Manfred could look to the National Hockey League for inspiration.

The NHL hosts its annual All-Star Game this weekend, and adopted a new format in 2016 in which All-Star teams are made up from each of the league's four divisions. The teams play in a single-elimination tournament that decides the winner. While a miniature baseball tournament would be difficult to pull off logistically, the NHL model inspired us to assemble a projected roster for all six of MLB's divisions, and see how the teams stack up against one another. Rosters include eight position players, a designed hitter, five starters, and seven relievers. All teams must have at least one representative.

1. American League East

Position Players

Position Player Team C Gary Sanchez Yankees 1B Justin Smoak Blue Jays 2B Jonathan Schoop Orioles 3B Josh Donaldson Blue Jays SS Manny Machado Orioles LF Andrew Benintendi Red Sox CF Mookie Betts Red Sox RF Aaron Judge Yankees DH Giancarlo Stanton Yankees

There's no better combination of youth and skill than in the AL East. Sanchez, Machado, Benintendi, Betts, and Judge are all 25 or under and among the game's elite. This group of position players is arguably the best from any division. They hit 324 total home runs last season - only Betts and Benintendi failed to reach 30 homers in 2017 (but they did steal 46 bases between them).

Pitchers

Role Pitcher Team SP Chris Sale Red Sox SP Luis Severino Yankees SP Marcus Stroman Blue Jays SP Chris Archer Rays SP David Price Red Sox CL Craig Kimbrel Red Sox RP Aroldis Chapman Yankees RP Roberto Osuna Blue Jays RP Chad Green Yankees RP David Robertson Yankees RP Brad Brach Orioles RP Mychal Givens Orioles

Keeping up with the AL East's offense will be hard enough, but scoring off its pitching staff might be even more difficult. Sale, Severino, and Archer were three of the top four strikeout leaders among AL starters last season, while Price has five 200-plus strikeout seasons on his resume. The bullpen consists of three of baseball's top closers, and four other arms that could close on a majority of teams. The seven relievers combined to strike out 637 over 437 2/3 innings, while allowing just 39 home runs.

2. National League West

Position Players

Position Player Team C Buster Posey Giants 1B Paul Goldschmidt D-Backs 2B Joe Panik Giants 3B Nolan Arenado Rockies SS Corey Seager Dodgers LF Cody Bellinger Dodgers CF Charlie Blackmon Rockies RF Andrew McCutchen Giants DH Justin Turner Dodgers

The NL West is loaded with veteran talent, including two former MVPs and three Rookie of the Year winners. There's a nice blend of power and speed - this lineup collected 242 home runs and 77 stolen bases last season. The team's greatest strength, however, could be defense: Posey, Goldschmidt, Panik, Arenado, and McCutchen have all won at least one Gold Glove.

Pitchers

Role Pitcher Team SP Clayton Kershaw Dodgers SP Madison Bumgarner Giants SP Zack Greinke D-Backs SP Robbie Ray D-Backs SP Rich Hill Dodgers CL Kenley Jansen Dodgers RP Wade Davis Rockies RP Brad Hand Padres RP Mark Melancon Giants RP Archie Bradley D-Backs RP Jake McGee Rockies RP Kirby Yates Padres

Kershaw, Bumgarner, and Greinke are all future Hall of Famers, but don't sleep on Ray and Hill, who finished second and sixth, respectively, in strikeouts per nine innings last season. From there, good luck with the bullpen. Jansen and Davis are elite closers, Hand is the NL's version of Andrew Miller, and Bradley-McGee-Yates combined for a 1.08 WHIP a season ago.

3. American League West

Position Players

Position Player Team C Mike Zunino Mariners 1B Joey Gallo Rangers 2B Jose Altuve Astros 3B Adrian Beltre Rangers SS Carlos Correa Astros LF Justin Upton Angels CF Mike Trout Angels RF Nelson Cruz Mariners DH Khris Davis Athletics

Being able to put the last two MVP winners in the same lineup is pretty special, and that's what the AL West boasts with Altuve and Trout. There's enormous power within this division: Zunino, Gallo, Cruz, Trout, and Davis are all capable 40-homer bats, and Beltre's the only player who didn't go deep at least 20 times last year. With all that power comes strikeout trouble, though, and this team certainly has some. Davis, Cruz, Upton, Gallo, and Zunino whiffed 871 combined times last season.

Pitchers

Role Pitcher Team SP Justin Verlander Astros SP Dallas Keuchel Astros SP Shohei Ohtani Angels SP James Paxton Mariners SP Gerrit Cole Astros CL Edwin Diaz Mariners RP Ken Giles Astros RP Will Harris Astros RP Blake Parker Angels RP Blake Treinen Athletics RP Alex Claudio Rangers RP Chris Devenski Astros

The AL West pitchers are a top-heavy bunch. Verlander and Keuchel own Cy Young Awards, and Paxton could be a future candidate should he stay healthy. Ohtani is the real wild card here as he approaches his highly anticipated first season in the majors. The rotation would need to be relied upon heavily, since the bullpen - while full of good relievers - just doesn't have the elite pieces that some other divisions do. Back-end arms Giles and Diaz have shown flashes of dominance, but are also prone to meltdowns.

4. National League Central

Position Players

Position Player Team C Willson Contreras Cubs 1B Joey Votto Reds 2B Javy Baez Cubs 3B Kris Bryant Cubs SS Paul DeJong Cardinals LF Tommy Pham Cardinals CF Christian Yelich Brewers RF Marcell Ozuna Cardinals DH Anthony Rizzo Cubs

Anchored by two MVP winners - Votto and Bryant - in the middle of the order, this young lineup can flat-out hit. Eight players slugged at least 20 homers last season, while seven posted an OBP over .350. Much like the AL West, strikeouts are this team's main issue. These nine struck out 1,065 combined times last season, with six of them racking up triple-digit whiffs.

Pitchers

Role Pitcher Team SP Jon Lester Cubs SP Kyle Hendricks Cubs SP Jose Quintana Cubs SP Carlos Martinez Cardinals SP Luke Weaver Cardinals CL Felipe Rivero Pirates RP Carl Edwards Jr. Cubs RP Pedro Strop Cubs RP Corey Knebel Brewers RP Josh Hader Brewers RP Tyler Lyons Cardinals RP Raisel Iglesias Reds

Though talented, this rotation checks in as the second-worst starting five of any division due to its lack of a true ace. None of the starters has ever won a Cy Young, and Lester is the only one who's finished top two in voting for the award. The bullpen is loaded with a number of underappreciated arms that aren't yet household names. Rivero, Knebel, and Iglesias are three of the better closers in the majors. Edwards and Hader have the makeup of future closers, with each reliever posting 12.8 K/9 last season.

5. National League East

Position Players

Position Player Team C J.T. Realmuto Marlins 1B Ryan Zimmerman Nationals 2B Daniel Murphy Nationals 3B Anthony Rendon Nationals SS Trea Turner Nationals LF Yoenis Cespedes Mets CF Ender Inciarte Braves RF Bryce Harper Nationals DH Rhys Hoskins Phillies

The Nationals are well-represented in a division that features three teams currently in different stages of rebuilding, and thanks to the Marlins' recent string of deals, a significant amount of talent has scattered elsewhere. There's still a lot to like about this lineup: Zimmerman, Murphy, and Rendon all hit at least 20 home runs and boasted at least a .300 average last season; Harper is a perennial MVP threat; and Hoskins was on a 60-homer pace in 2017. But the NL East doesn't have the one-through-nine firepower that the top four divisions do.

Pitchers

Role Pitcher Team SP Max Scherzer Nationals SP Stephen Strasburg Nationals SP Jacob deGrom Mets SP Noah Syndergaard Mets SP Aaron Nola Phillies CL Sean Doolittle Nationals RP Jerry Blevins Mets RP Ryan Madson Nationals RP Brandon Kintzler Nationals RP Pat Neshek Phillies RP Arodys Vizcaino Braves RP Hector Neris Phillies

Wow. What a rotation. Scherzer owns back-to-back Cy Young Awards, while Strasburg, deGrom, and Syndergaard have top-eight finishes over the last two seasons. All four posted double-digit K/9 last year. The bullpen is bolstered by a number of veterans, and though it lacks elite-level arms, there's still plenty of capable relievers. Doolittle, Madson, and Neshek each posted a sub-1.00 WHIP last season while striking out more than a batter per inning.

6. American League Central

Position Players

Position Player Team C Salvador Perez Royals 1B Jose Abreu White Sox 2B Brian Dozier Twins 3B Jose Ramirez Indians SS Francisco Lindor Indians LF Avisail Garcia White Sox CF Byron Buxton Twins RF Nicholas Castellanos Tigers DH Edwin Encarnacion Indians

It's tough to put together an elite team when over half the division is rebuilding. The Tigers and White Sox traded away their top-level talent over the last two years, and the Royals lost their core to free agency. Lindor and Ramirez are MVP-caliber players, and having those two, along with Encarnacion and Abreu, gives the AL Central a solid top of the order. Buxton is arguably the best defensive center fielder in the game, and has shown signs of breaking out at the plate. Overall, however, this group lacks depth.

Pitchers

Role Pitcher Team SP Corey Kluber Indians SP Carlos Carrasco Indians SP Trevor Bauer Indians SP Danny Duffy Royals SP Ervin Santana Twins CL Cody Allen Indians RP Andrew Miller Indians RP Shane Greene Tigers RP Joakim Soria White Sox RP Fernando Rodney Twins RP Kelvin Herrera Royals RP Addison Reed Twins

The reigning AL Cy Young winner headlines a solid, Cleveland-filled group of starters. Much like the NL Central's roster, though, the rotation and bullpen are top-heavy. Miller is arguably the best middle reliever in baseball, but the likes of Soria, Rodney, and Herrera might already have their best years behind them.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)