2028 Olympic Baseball Power Rankings: Potential Players and Teams

2028 Olympic Baseball Power Rankings

Every week, we ask a select group of our baseball writers — both local and national — to rank the teams from first to worst. Here are the collective results.

This week, we’ve got a confession: over the past two weeks, we may have occasionally turned our attention away from baseball and focused instead on the thrilling events happening across the Atlantic in Paris during the Olympics. Watching Steph Curry drain threes and Kahleah Copper seize gold got us thinking about what some of the top major leaguers have also been contemplating. Wouldn’t it be amazing to participate in the Olympics?

Baseball is set to make its return to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028, and there’s already early talk about the possibility of major-league players being part of the event.

For this week’s power rankings, we took out our crystal balls and projected who some potential baseball headliners might be for those games. Although we’re four years away, we’re not overly concerned about the qualifying process or whether a player listed here might find themselves on a different major-league team by then.

Rank	Team	Record	Last Power Ranking	2028 Olympic Hopeful	Country	Writer’s Insight
1	New York Yankees	70-50	1	OF Juan Soto	Dominican Republic	Let’s not overthink this. At just 25, Soto is a legitimate MVP candidate heading into 2028. Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole will be in their late 30s, which isn’t ideal for peak performance. Soto has nothing left to prove and could still be in his prime by that time. This might be the easiest pick of all 30 teams.
2	Baltimore Orioles	70-49	2	C Adley Rutschman	United States	Rutschman is more than capable of managing a new pitching staff in a high-pressure environment like the Olympics. By 2028, he’ll be in the thick of his prime and well-prepared to rise to the occasion.
3	Los Angeles Dodgers	70-49	5	SP/DH Shohei Ohtani	Japan	Ohtani is currently the best player in the world and will likely remain a dominant force at age 34. He could lead a formidable Japanese pitching rotation and help secure another medal for his country.
4	Philadelphia Phillies	69-49	4	1B/DH Bryce Harper	United States	Harper has expressed a strong desire to play in the Olympics, and by 2028, he could be a seasoned veteran leading Team USA. Expect him to still be a formidable hitter at 35.
5	Cleveland Guardians	70-49	3	2B Travis Bazzana	Australia	Bazzana could play a crucial role in helping Australia make a splash at the Olympics. His talent could elevate the squad, especially alongside other emerging stars.
6	Milwaukee Brewers	67-51	7	OF Jackson Chourio	Venezuela	Chourio is a rising star with speed and agility who could become a key player for Team Venezuela by 2028. He has the potential to be one of MLB’s leading stars.
7	Arizona Diamondbacks	67-53	11	C Gabriel Moreno	Venezuela	Moreno’s versatility and athleticism make him a strong candidate for Team Venezuela. He could be a key figure in a roster filled with talent.
8	San Diego Padres	67-53	9	C Ethan Salas	Venezuela	Salas is one of the top prospects in baseball. If he continues to develop, he could establish himself as a significant player by the time the Olympics roll around.
9	Minnesota Twins	66-52	6	SS Carlos Correa	Puerto Rico	Correa’s experience and leadership will be invaluable for Team Puerto Rico. His return to the national team could be a meaningful experience for him.
10	Kansas City Royals	65-54	8	Player/Coach Salvador Perez	Venezuela	Perez could serve as both a player and a mentor for the Venezuelan team. His experience and leadership will be crucial in the high-stakes environment of the Olympics.
11	Houston Astros	63-55	13	SP José Urquidy	Mexico	Urquidy represents a strong Mexican pitching tradition and will be a key figure in the national team’s quest for Olympic glory.
12	Seattle Mariners	63-56	14	OF Randy Arozarena	Mexico	Arozarena’s flair for big-game moments makes him a perfect candidate for Team Mexico, as he has proven himself in international play.
13	Atlanta Braves	62-56	10	OF Ronald Acuña Jr.	Venezuela	Acuña is poised to rebound and could be a key leader for Team Venezuela. His previous performances indicate he can rise to the occasion.
14	Boston Red Sox	62-55	12	1B Triston Casas	United States	Casas has international experience and could emerge as a key player for Team USA, showcasing his talent on the Olympic stage.
15	New York Mets	61-57	15	SP Brandon Sproat	United States	Sproat is a rising talent who could be a crucial part of the U.S. pitching rotation if he continues to develop successfully.
16	San Francisco Giants	61-60	19	INF/OF Marco Luciano	Dominican Republic	Luciano’s hitting ability and versatility make him a strong candidate for the Dominican Republic’s lineup, potentially joining a star-studded roster.
17	St. Louis Cardinals	60-59	16	SP Sem Robberse	Netherlands	Robberse’s path to Olympic participation for the Netherlands looks promising, especially with the country’s strong baseball tradition.
18	Chicago Cubs	59-61	21	OF Owen Caissie	Canada	Caissie’s development in the minors could lead him to play a significant role for Team Canada, especially if he continues to refine his skills.
19	Tampa Bay Rays	59-59	17	INF Junior Caminero	Dominican Republic	Caminero’s versatility and elite potential could make him an important player for the Dominican Republic, providing valuable depth.
20	Cincinnati Reds	58-61	22	SS Elly De La Cruz	Dominican Republic	De La Cruz possesses the speed and power that could shine in Olympic play, making him a player to watch as he navigates a star-studded Dominican roster.
T-21	Pittsburgh Pirates	56-62	18	SP Paul Skenes	United States	By 2028, Skenes could be a key player for Team USA, potentially leading the pitching staff in a dramatic Olympic storyline.
T-21	Texas Rangers	55-64	20	Pitching coach Max Scherzer	United States	Scherzer could provide invaluable experience and leadership as Team USA’s pitching coach, enhancing the team’s competitive edge.
23	Detroit Tigers	56-63	23	SP Tarik Skubal	United States	Skubal’s talent and potential could see him representing the U.S. in the Olympics, provided he remains healthy and continues to develop.
24	Toronto Blue Jays	55-64	24	1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.	Dominican Republic	Guerrero’s commitment to the Dominican team could make him a significant player in 2028, potentially leading a talented roster.
25	Washington Nationals	54-65	25	OF James Wood	United States	Wood is already making strides in the majors and could be a key player for Team USA, particularly in the home run department.
26	Los Angeles Angels	52-67	26	INF Luis Rengifo	Venezuela	Rengifo’s potential could see him make the Venezuelan roster, providing depth in a competitive infield environment.
27	Oakland Athletics	50-69	27	3B Myles Naylor	Canada	Naylor’s development in the minors could pave the way for a spot on Team Canada, potentially bringing the Naylor brothers together for Olympic glory.
28	Colorado Rockies	44-76	29	SP Cal Quantrill	Canada	Quantrill could look to redeem his previous international experience with Team Canada at the Olympics, showcasing his skills on a grand stage.
29	Miami Marlins	44-75	28	1B Deyvison De Los Santos	Dominican Republic	De Los Santos is on track to become a significant player in the league, and his power-hitting ability could add depth to the stacked Dominican team.
30	Chicago White Sox	29-91	30	OF Luis Robert Jr.	Cuba	Despite a challenging season, Robert’s Olympic experience could prove vital for Team Cuba, as they look to reclaim their status in international baseball.