Predicting Team USA’s Starting Lineup for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles
With the Paris Olympics coming to a close about two weeks ago and the Major League Baseball season in full swing, what better time to look at what could be in the Los Angeles 2028 edition of the Olympics? With baseball being added back into the Olympics once more for the 2028 edition, the possibility for active major leaguers to take part in the games has yet to be ruled out. In fact, it will be much easier for baseball’s best players to take part in 2028, as the games will take place in the United States contrasting to Tokyo in 2020, which is the last Summer Olympic Games to include baseball. This article will take a look into the future of what Team USA’s baseball roster may look like four years from now with a projected starting lineup, relief pitcher, and three honorable mentions per position.
Catcher: Adley Rutschman, Baltimore Orioles
Starting at the catcher position, it is hard to look further than the Orioles’ young star Adley Rutschman. Slashing a career .266 batting average as a catcher is very respectable, while recording over 100 hits in every season he’s played to date. Rutschman received MVP votes as a rookie in his first year, a Silver Slugger Award in his second year, and back-to-back All-Star appearances in 2023 and 2024. At age 26, it is difficult to envision anyone else starting behind the plate if Rutschman is healthy.
Honorable mentions: Will Smith, Kyle Teel, Cal Raleigh
Representing Team USA in the 2023 World Baseball Classic it is not far-fetched to believe that Will Smith will have a chance to represent Team USA once again in 2028. Top catching prospect Kyle Teel’s selection will depend on how he handles the Major Leagues after progressing through Triple-A. Holding a .302 career minor league batting average and an on-base percentage of .853, Teel looks to be well on his way. Cal Raleigh would provide Team USA with a power option, hitting 27 home runs in 2022, and 30 in 2023, and at the time of this article Raleigh currently has hit 27 homers in the 2024 season.
First Base: Alec Burleson, St. Louis Cardinals
Surprisingly carrying the Cardinals’ offense in the 2024 season, Alec Burleson is a high-upside choice to start at first base for Team USA in 2028. Carrying a struggling Cardinals’ offense this season, Burleson has hit .277 thus far with an OPS of .772 and a slugging percentage of .462 while hitting 21 home runs. Seeing as it is his age 25 season, Burleson can reach an even greater potential in the years to come. Playing predominately at right field this season with a small mix of left field and first base, Burleson will likely be moved to the infield sooner rather than later depending on Paul Goldschmidt’s future with the team.
Honorable mentions: Bryce Harper, Triston Casas, Xavier Isaac
Assuming Bryce Harper is healthy and willing to play, it is improbable that the two-time MVP won’t be asked to represent Team USA, however, a lot can happen in four years. With Harper being 35 years old at the time of the 2028 Olympic Games, it is more likely that we’d see him in the lineup as a designated hitter. Triston Casas is another high-upside option for Team USA. Having been injured the majority of this season, we can only go off of his 2023 numbers where he hit 24 home runs and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting. Lastly, Xavier Isaac, one of MLB’s highest-ranked first base prospects has moved through the minor leagues quickly, playing in Double-A already at age 20.
Second Base: Jackson Holliday, Baltimore Orioles
While Jackson Holliday’s Major League Baseball career has just begun, Holliday has crushed minor league pitching. While his batting average in the majors has been poor thus far, five home runs in 29 career games is impressive and would be an average of 28 long balls over a 162-game season. In order to develop well, Holliday will need to reduce his strikeout rate and fielding errors. Keeping these things in mind, at age 20, Holliday has plenty of time and potential to improve before the Olympics are upon us once more.
Honorable Mentions: Matt McLain, Nolan Gorman, James Triantos
Matt McLain hasn’t played a game in the major leagues this season but dazzled during his time with the Reds in 2023. In 2023, McLain provided the Reds with 106 hits, 23 doubles, 16 home runs, and 50 RBIs in only 89 games during his rookie season while batting .290. If McLain can stay healthy, he’s certainly a realistic candidate to represent Team USA in 2028. It may surprise many to see Nolan Gorman on this list but with 60 career home runs in less than three seasons, Gorman has some serious power, especially at the second base position. If Gorman is able to clean up his fielding and reduce his strikeout rate, there’s a chance he could be involved in the 2028 Olympics. James Triantos is on a fast track to the major leagues, as he has already reached Triple-A this season at age 21. It may only be a matter of time before we see Triantos performing at a high level for the Chicago Cubs.
Shortstop: Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals
Currently one of the best young talents in all of baseball, it is hard to imagine Witt Jr. being left out of Team USA’s starting lineup. Top-10 in MVP voting last year and guaranteed to receive votes this year, at the time that this article was written Bobby Witt Jr. leads MLB in runs scored and hits in 2024. Being only 24 years old, Witt Jr. has the opportunity to add a lot of accolades to his resume before 2028, perhaps even an MVP Award. In addition to the numbers, Witt Jr. also has Team USA experience having come off the bench in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Honorable Mentions: Masyn Winn, CJ Abrams, Bo Bichette
Despite only being in his rookie season, Masyn Winn has impressed many with his high-quality at-bats in the Cardinals leadoff position. Leading the league in two-strike hits for the majority of the 2024 season and showcasing his strong arm in the field, at only 22 years of age, the future is very bright for Winn. The same can be said for CJ Abrams, who has amazing potential for the Nationals at age 23. Having cooled down from his hot start to the season, Abrams has still put together a nice 2024 campaign and has all the tools needed to replicate his successes in the future. Having dealt with injuries and struggling when healthy thus far in the 2024 season, Bo Bichette will look to bounce back in the years to come. However, Bichette possesses the most service time and experience of all other alternative shortstops listed and has also received MVP votes in the last three seasons. One caveat with Bichette is that he has represented Brazil on the national level previously, although he still remains eligible to represent the United States.
Third Base: Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore Orioles
At only age 23, Gunnar Henderson has already proven to be the real deal. Henderson won Rookie of the Year, a Silver Slugger Award, and finished eighth in MVP voting during his first full season. At this point in the 2024 season, Henderson is destined for a top-five finish in MVP voting having improved on his numbers in every single offensive category. This includes 144 hits, 33 home runs, a .286 batting average, a .373 on-base percentage, and a .555 slugging percentage. If Henderson continues to improve season to season at this rate, he should be a lock to make the Team USA starting lineup in 2028.
Honorable Mentions: Alec Bohm, Austin Riley, Josh Jung
In 2024, Alec Bohm is having his best season yet, as he seems to steadily improve year by year. As Bohm enters his late 20s, he will need to continue to improve each year in order to prove himself worthy of a spot on the 2028 U.S. Olympic team. Having a bit of a down year to his standards in 2024, Austin Riley will need to produce much more to beat out the likes of Gunnar Henderson. However, with that being said, Riley is certainly capable. Finishing no worse than seventh in MVP voting from 2021-2023, Austin Riley’s best seasons may remain ahead of him. Josh Jung is another high-upside choice having only played 172 career MLB games. Despite the limited service time, Jung had a great rookie year finishing with an All-Star selection, 23 home runs, 70 runs batted in, and 223 total bases.
Outfield:
Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks
Steven Kwan, Cleveland Guardians
Having already expressed interest in playing for Team USA in 2028 if allowed, Aaron Judge will certainly be involved in the team's plans if he continues to produce at such a high rate offensively. Winning an MVP, three career Silver Sluggers, leading MLB in home runs three times and runs batted in twice, Judge’s resume speaks for itself. Corbin Carroll had a spectacular rookie season, winning Rookie of the Year and finishing top-five in MVP voting. Despite a rough 2024 season thus far, the 24-year-old has plenty of potential and time to figure things out before the 2028 Olympic Games roll around. Perhaps one of the most underrated players in all of baseball, Steven Kwan is statistically the hardest man to strike out in the major leagues. Pair his great contact-hitting ability with his two career Gold Gloves and you have one of the league's best outfielders and lead-off men. Kwan has also improved his power as well, hitting 13 home runs so far this season while only hitting 11 combined in his first two seasons.
Honorable Mentions: Mookie Betts, James Wood, Kyle Tucker
Mookie Betts will likely be involved in Team USA’s 2028 team also having participated for the U.S. in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. With six career Gold Gloves, six Silver Slugger Awards, and an MVP Award, Betts will be great to have on the roster but we may see him come off the bench due to the inevitable decrease in speed, agility, and power. Having played less than half of a full season, James Wood is another player with untapped potential and tremendous upside. Despite a lack of experience, Wood has looked good in the small sample size he’s provided this season. Just an all-around solid baseball player, Kyle Tucker will certainly be considered to join the 2028 U.S. Olympic roster. Although he has been injured for the second half of the 2024 season, Tucker has a Silver Slugger and Gold Glove Award to his name while continuing to be one of the league's most consistent players year by year.
Designated Hitter: Pete Alonso, New York Mets
Pete Alonso would make a great addition to Team USA being able to provide a very powerful bat. Alonso led all of baseball in home runs his rookie season, led MLB in runs batted in during the 2022 season, and has finished top-10 in MVP voting twice. Alonso’s 2024 season has not been MVP caliber, but an improvement on his production in 2023. If Pete Alonso remains healthy and continues to mash home runs, there’s a good chance he’ll be able to help Team USA with his bat in 2028.
Honorable Mentions: Bryce Harper, Bryan Reynolds, Colton Cowser
Being the only player on this list mentioned twice, as explained previously Bryce Harper’s career accolades and numbers stand alone on their own. With that being said, father time may be the only thing that stops Harper from making the starting lineup rather than coming off the bench as a pinch hitter. With very consistent seasons at the plate, Bryan Reynolds would make a great fourth outfielder for Team USA and perhaps an occasional designated hitter. With 19 home runs so far this year, Reynolds is looking to complete his fourth straight season with 20 or more homers. Colton Cowser, at age 24, is another young major leaguer with plenty of potential. With 97 hits, 19 home runs, a .249 batting average, a .326 on-base percentage, and a .454 slugging percentage so far in the 2024 season, Cowser may be a name to look out for in the future.
Starting Pitcher: Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
Leading the race for the Cy Young Award in 2024, Tarik Skubal is one of the league's best young arms. Sporting a 2.49 earned run average, a .778 win percentage, 185 strikeouts, and 14 wins thus far this season, Skubal has been dominant in 2024. As talented as Skubal is and as good as he’s performed, it is safe to say that he’ll be one of the league's premier pitchers for years to come. Unfortunately for Skubal, there are so many other great American starting pitchers to compete with, that he’ll have to perform at this level almost every year in order to be the first starter for Team USA in the Olympics.
Honorable Mentions: Paul Skenes, Cole Ragans, Spencer Strider
Speaking of great American starting pitchers, Paul Skenes has had a phenomenal rookie season thus far. Skenes has racked up 130 strikeouts already in just 17 starts and holds a great record with eight wins and only two losses. Skenes is a true power pitcher and will be one of the most feared pitchers in the near future if he is not already. Ever since being traded to the Kansas City Royals, Cole Ragans has looked great. With an earned run average of 3.31, 183 strikeouts, and 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings, the 26-year-old has a bright future ahead of himself. Despite having only pitched in two games in 2024 due to injury, when healthy Spencer Strider remains one of the league's best strikeout artists. Winning 20 games in 2023, striking out 281 batters, and holding a strikeout per nine-inning average of 13.5, it is only a matter of time until we see Strider dominating on the mound once more.
Relief Pitcher: Mason Miller, Oakland Athletics
Bursting onto the scene with an electric fastball this season, Mason Miller is easily the best young closer in baseball and has been a bright spot for the continually struggling Oakland Athletics. With 20 saves recorded already, 81 strikeouts, and an amazing strikeout per nine-inning average of 15, Miller has dominance written all over him. Miller has also only surrendered 21 hits on the season in 41 games played. At only 26 years old, there is a great chance that we’ll see Mason Miller come out of the bullpen for Team USA in 2028.
Honorable Mentions: Evan Phillips, David Bednar, Ryan Helsley
Unexpectedly for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Evan Phillips has been made into a great closer. With a combined 40 saves and counting in the last two seasons, there is a good chance for Phillips to be a part of the Team USA bullpen. David Bednar’s earned run average has increased by quite a lot in 2024, however, with a 2.00 earned run average and 39 saves in 2023, there is still great potential there. Playing for the U.S. in the 2023 World Baseball Classic will only help his case to be selected once more in 2028. With 50 appearances recording a whopping 39 saves and counting this season, Ryan Helsley would be a great addition to the Team USA bullpen. Relievers don’t tend to age as well as other positions, so all at age 29, Helsley, Bednar, and Phillips will need to age well in order to earn their roster spots.
With so many talented major league players, if they are allowed to represent their country in 2028, Team USA will surely be one of the favorites. However, if Major League Baseball players are given the green light to represent their countries in the 2028 Olympic Games, the United States will not be the only potent roster. Having finished second to Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic and finishing with a Silver medal to Japan’s Gold medal in the 2020 Olympics, the United States baseball team will be desperate for victory in 2028. If they are able to take a team as talented as this to the Olympics, there is no reason why they can’t come home with Gold.
