Baseball has been played 17 times in the Summer Olympics since 1900, and with Los Angeles being the host city for the 2028 Olympic Games, baseball and softball have been approved to be included.
Japan won the gold medal last time baseball was played at the games in 2020, defeating the United States in the final game. That United States team was composed of minor league players and veteran free agents as the Olympics conflicted with the Major League season that year. Many have called for the MLB and other governing bodies to allow for a longer All-Star break to allow MLB’s best talent to compete internationally in the Olympics. In 2020, the roster size for competing countries in baseball was 24. Here is a probable 24-player roster for the United States at the 2028 Olympic Games.
Adley Rutschman will be the starter at catcher. The current leader for WAR amongst catchers in 2024, Rutschman looks to be one of the brightest young catchers in the game. A two-time All-Star, the former number-one overall pick is only 26 years old, meaning he would only be 30 by the time 2028 comes around. Backing him up will be Cal Raleigh, the switch-hitting catcher for the Seattle Mariners with big-time power and great defense to match. Other possible catchers could be Will Smith of the Los Angeles Dodgers or Austin Wells of the New York Yankees.
First base is a little more of a consideration. Ultimately, Pete Alonso has the power, consistency, and youth that gives him the edge over players like Christian Walker and Bryce Harper. Harper could slot into the DH role and be the backup at first while hopefully returning to the outfield after fully recovering from his injury to provide depth.
Second base can be filled by either Trea Turner, who had a fantastic 2023 World Baseball Classic, or Mookie Betts. Betts is a longtime outfielder but has played a lot of second base and shortstop for the Dodgers over the last two seasons. Betts moving to second could allow a jam of talent in the outfield to free up and provide offense to a position like second base that traditionally does not have elite production.
At shortstop, it is a toss-up between two young stars who are also 2024 AL MVP candidates: Gunnar Henderson and Bobby Witt Jr. Witt is the superior defender, but both bats are essential for the United States lineup. So Gunnar will play the hot corner at third base, and Bobby Witt will be the shortstop, as he already has international experience as a member of the 2023 USA World Baseball Classic squad.
Now, out of the infield, the outfield starts with none other than Aaron Judge, to no one’s surprise. Mike Trout will most likely join him if healthy unless his production is completely unusable at that time, which is doubtful. The two remaining outfield spots could go to a couple of young stars like Jackson Merrill and Kyle Tucker. Other possible chosen outfielders could be Steven Kwan, Riley Greene, James Wood, or Corbin Carroll.
The talent pool for American hitters is loaded, so due to injury replacements or team opt-outs, players like Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, Jordan Westburg, Jackson Holliday, Austin Riley, and many more not mentioned could be good fits for the Olympic squad.
Pitching was the biggest concern for the 2023 USA WBC squad, as many pitchers had injuries or could not compete for other reasons. Elite starters that could compete for the United States could be 2024 AL Cy Young front-runner Tarik Skubal, currently injured Atlanta Braves ace Spencer Strider, 2024 NL Rookie of the Year candidate Paul Skenes, MLB strikeout leader Dylan Cease, Garrett Crochet of the Chicago White Sox and flamethrower Hunter Greene of the Cincinnati Reds. Cole Ragans, George Kirby, Shane McClanahan, Joe Ryan, Taj Bradley, Logan Webb, and many other pitchers are also worth consideration.
Devin Williams, Ryan Helsley, Mason Miller, Michael Kopech, and Josh Hader are in the bullpen. The bullpen is a position with such constant rotation in the MLB that many arms are yet to debut, or current relievers like Peter Fairbanks could fill out the roster.
Final Roster:
P Tarik Skubal
P Spencer Strider
P Dylan Cease
P Paul Skenes
P Hunter Greene
P Garrett Crochet
P Tanner Scott
P Devin Williams
P Ryan Helsley
P Michael Kopech
P Josh Hader
P Mason Miller
C Adley Rutschman
C Cal Raleigh
1B Pete Alonso
2B Mookie Betts
3B Gunnar Henderson
SS Bobby Witt Jr.
IF Trea Turner
OF Aaron Judge
OF Mike Trout
OF Kyle Tucker
OF Jackson Merrill
OF/1B Bryce Harper
The potential roster has incredible talent, but the question remains if the MLB and its teams would allow a longer break for their players to participate and risk possible injury. Detrimental injuries have happened during international play in the past, such as Edwin Diaz of the Mets tearing his patellar tendon while competing in the 2023 World Baseball Classic for Puerto Rico, which caused him to miss the entire 2023 MLB season. The NBA has embraced their players competing in the Olympics for the United States and Internationally. The NFL is considering allowing current players to compete in the debut of Flag Football at the next summer games. The MLB has a chance to follow suit and contribute to one of history’s greatest international baseball competitions at the Los Angeles Summer Olympics in 2028.
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WBN MLB: https://worldbaseball.com/league/mlb/
Photo Credit: Jackson Holliday #7 and Gunnar Henderson #2 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrate at the end of their MLB game victory over the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on August 7, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
