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Despite the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics coming to a close, it’s never too early to leap ahead four years. In 2028, the Olympics will be hosted by the city of Los Angeles. Along with the venue change comes an addition of new sports to the global competition. Among them will be baseball — a sport often associated with the United States as its national pastime. Trying to predict what a possible 26-man roster will look like may be a bit difficult. However, we’ll save you the headache by breaking down what Team USA could bring to the table in search of a gold medal.
Catcher: Adley Rutschman (Baltimore Orioles)
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Rutschman is the premier catcher in the game today. His ability to switch-hit is immensely significant when constructing a batting order. Opposing teams will have a harder time lining up their preferred relief pitcher rotation considering Rutschman’s proclivity for hitting both left-handed and right-handed pitching. He hits for both power and average, and by the time the Olympics roll around, the Oregon native will only be 30 years of age.
1st Base: Bryce Harper (Philadelphia Phillies)
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Harper’s inclusion into this lineup is two-fold. For one, there aren’t a ton of great first baseman options presently for Team USA (though some certainly can emerge over the next four years). Harper’s energy level is a major plus — not to mention the fact he’ll be looked at as one of the prominent leaders within this group. He can still slug, and the bat speed likely won’t diminish much over the next few seasons. Throw him at first base and let him rake.
2nd Base: Jackson Holliday (Baltimore Orioles)
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Holliday has had a rough start to his MLB career. He’s striking out at a high rate, and there are plenty of people on social media questioning why he’s not yet broken out. In early August, we are seeing signs of a player with a sky-high upside. Remember, he’s only 20 years of age — and he’s been touted as a generational talent for a reason. Give him some time to acclimate to the Big Leagues. Once he does, Holliday should take off in a hurry.
Shortstop: Bobby Witt Jr. (Kansas City Royals)
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There’s a case to be made that Witt Jr. is the best player in the sport at this present time. His bat-to-ball skills are utterly ridiculous. Whereas pitchers manipulate the ball to garner higher spin rate and velocity, Witt Jr. does the same thing with his bat. He’ll hit the ball to the opposite field with pop. Witt Jr. will also turn on a 100-mile-per-hour fastball with ease. Throw in his ability to steal bases and field the baseball, and you’re looking at the next face of the sport.
3rd Base: Gunnar Henderson (Baltimore Orioles)
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Henderson will be only 27 years old when the Olympics begin in 2028. The slugging infielder has been Baltimore’s most impressive hitter — which is saying something considering the collection of talent on that roster. While he has been a shortstop with the Orioles, he figures to slide over to third base as he matures physically. This is the middle-of-the-order bat that opposing teams in LA will fear immensely in the later innings.
Outfield: Corbin Carroll (Arizona Diamondbacks)
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Carroll will be the sparkplug at the bottom of this projected lineup once the order flips. Though he’s off to a rough 2024 campaign, the talent is still there for him to be an impact player on this roster. He’s exceptionally fast — a trait that is starting to become more and more valuable as the game cycles back to prioritizing stealing bases. Carroll will only be 27 when the next Olympics take place. By this point, he’ll just be entering his prime as a player.
Outfield: Michael Harris II (Atlanta Braves)
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Don’t sleep on Harris. He’s had somewhat of an injury-riddled 2024 season. With that said, look at the damage he did during his first two full seasons in the Big Leagues. Harris is adept at spraying the ball all over the park. He steals bases and as the advanced analytics detail, is an above-average to elite fielder. You can envision a scenario in which Harris leads off for this group — ultimately setting the table for Witt Jr., Henderson, Harper, and our pick to be the team’s starting DH (more on that later).
Outfield: Mookie Betts (Los Angeles Dodgers)
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Betts is a perfect player for this team. He offers positional versatility in being both an outfielder and an infielder. Even though his speed has diminished a bit, you’re still looking at an elite fielder with fantastic instincts both in the outfield and at the plate. Betts’ game should age immensely well, and there will be no questions about his ability to make contact. Above all else, he’s a very likable guy that the team can rally behind as one of the core leaders of an Olympic squad.
Designated Hitter: Aaron Judge (New York Yankees)
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Is Judge the best slugger we’ve seen since the days of Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, and Albert Pujols? A resounding “YES” can be used to answer that question. By the time the Olympics start in 2028, Judge will be 36 years old. We’ve seen guys well into this age demographic (namely David Ortiz) who get even better with age. If Judge is asked to only focus on hitting the baseball, he could be the single biggest X-Factor on this roster.
Ace: Paul Skenes (Pittsburgh Pirates)
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Barring health, this one is a no-brainer. We offer that caveat based on the inordinate amount of arm injuries Big League pitchers have been facing over the last calendar year. Skenes has already become one of the game’s most dominant arms. His combination of high-end velocity and his patented “splinker” has hitters looking utterly foolish. With further polish to his game, Skenes has the upside of a Hall of Fame arm.
Closer: Mason Miller (Oakland Athletics)
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Miller is one of the few bright spots within Oakland’s franchise. A tall, physically imposing pitcher, his high-octane velocity bears down on hitters without much time to react. He’s another one who could be susceptible to an arm injury based on how hard he throws. Assuming he withstands the physical perils, Miller is a massive weapon to unleash from the bullpen in late-inning situations.
Rest of the Pitching Rotation
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Grayson Rodriguez — Hunter Greene — Corbin Burnes — Tarik Skubal
You’ve got a nice mix of pure stuff and pitching know-how with this group. Greene has one of the most prolific fastballs in the game right now. Fast-forward four years, and his secondary pitches should be even better. Burnes and his electric cutter figures to age well. Rodriguez is a budding star, and Skubal adds some balance as a dominant lefty.
Rest of the Bullpen
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Garrett Crochet — Michael Kopech — Ben Joyce — Jared Jones — Devin Williams — Pete Fairbanks — Josh Hader
Talk about throwing smoke. Outside of Williams, everyone on this list routinely sits in the 97-to-102 mile-per-hour range. Williams is a perfect player to mix in here with arguably the game’s best change-up. Crochet and Hader are electric from the left side. Fairbanks has plenty of experience closing. Jones will be the de facto sixth starter who can gobble up 3-4 innings in a pinch. We’ve included Kopech and Joyce for the sheer standpoint that velocity plays up in a competitive situation. Joyce in particular is that unicorn of an arm — recently registering 104.5 MPH on a fastball during a July game.
Reserve Players
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Will Smith — James Wood — Jackson Merrill — CJ Abrams
Smith has established himself as one of the best catchers in baseball. He’s improved dramatically when it comes to framing and throwing runners out. He’s also traditionally a high-contact guy versus velocity. Wood is the speculative pick. He’s got immense potential, and could even end up being a starter on this team down the line. Abrams and Merrill are plus-athletes with defensive versatility. Merrill has looked fantastic for the Padres in 2024. Abrams continues to shine for the Nationals — evidenced by making the All-Star team this season.
Potential Batting Order
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- Michael Harris Jr.
- Bobby Witt Jr.
- Gunnar Henderson
- Aaron Judge
- Bryce Harper
- Mookie Betts
- Jackson Holliday
- Adley Rutschman
- Corbin Carroll
