MLB Power Rankings: Dodgers, Astros regain footing; Who we want to see at the 2028 Olympics
Every week, we ask a selected group of our baseball writers — local and national — to rank the teams from first to worst. Here are the collective results.
We’ve got a confession to make. At various points over the past two weeks, we may have skipped out on watching baseball and turned our attention across the Atlantic to Paris and the Olympics. And while watching Steph Curry rain threes and Kahleah Copper seal gold, we got to thinking what some prominent major leaguers have also been thinking.
Wouldn’t it be cool to be a part of that?
Yes, baseball will return to the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028, and there’s at least the early consideration of major-league players participating.
For this week’s power rankings, we pulled out our crystal balls and tried to project who might be some baseball headliners for those games. It’s four years away, so we’re not sweating how the qualifying process will play out or whether a player listed here might be on a different major-league team by then.
Record: 70-50
Last Power Ranking: 1
2028 Olympic hopeful: OF Juan Soto, Dominican Republic
Let’s not overthink this. Sure, it would be fun to imagine Jazz Chisholm Jr. leading a plucky squad from the Bahamas, but at just 25, Soto could still be a legitimate MVP candidate in 2028. Aaron Judge will be 36 and Gerrit Cole 37, and those aren’t ideal ages for two American superstars to be at the top of their game. Anthony Volpe and Austin Wells are young enough to be easily considered, but the U.S. should have some other options at shortstop and catcher. Young Jasson Domínguez could be another possibility for the Dominican Republic, but he still has to prove himself. On the other hand, Soto has nothing left to prove and could still be in his prime by Olympics time. This might be the easiest pick of all 30 teams. (Well second easiest. See also: the Dodgers.) — Chad Jennings
Record: 70-49
Last Power Ranking: 2
2028 Olympic hopeful: C Adley Rutschman, United States
There might be no tougher assignment than being the catcher for Team USA during the L.A. Olympics. He would be responsible for learning and managing an entirely new pitching staff in a condensed time frame in the high-stakes international tournament, where as the host nation, you’re a favorite to win. But, if there is anyone up for that job it’s Rutschman. The Baltimore Orioles star is known for building strong relationships with pitchers and rising to the occasion. By 2028, Rutschman will be 30 years old, in the thick of his prime, and have years of experience behind him. — Kaitlyn McGrath
Record: 70-49
Last Power Ranking: 5
2028 Olympic hopeful: SP/DH Shohei Ohtani, Japan
Apologies to Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman and whoever else is starring for the likely defending NL West champs in 2028. This is still the easiest choice on the board. Ohtani is currently the best player in the world, and we’re not going to bet against him still being one of the best players in the world at 34. (He’s proven us wrong enough, already.) He could be the elder statesman of a rotation alongside Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki for a Japan team that will enter the Olympics as a favorite. Japan has not only qualified for every Olympics with baseball but it’s also medaled in every Olympics with baseball. That includes winning gold in Tokyo three years ago. — Tim Britton
Shohei Ohtani could serve as an elder statesman for Team Japan in 2028. (Yuichi Yamazaki / AFP via Getty Images)
Record: 69-49
Last Power Ranking: 4
2028 Olympic hopeful: 1B/DH Bryce Harper, United States
It’s 2020, and to take your mind off of, you know, everything, you’re conducting a thought experiment. Four years from now, you wonder, what will the clutch-time lineup look like for the U.S. men’s basketball team? Lebron James, you say right away, shoving off that he’ll be 39 by then. Steph Curry, of course, will still be shooting lights out. And Kevin Durant? He’ll be fully recovered from his Achilles issue. The point is, as much as we’re projecting change over the next four years, some things stay the same. And Harper, who has been outspoken about his desire to play in the Olympics, should still be among the game’s best hitters in 2028. It isn’t hard to picture him as the veteran, 35-year-old leader of Team USA — looking a bit like James, though probably still lacking the gray in his beard. — Britton
Record: 70-49
Last Power Ranking: 3
2028 Olympic hopeful: 2B Travis Bazzana, Australia
It’s far safer to pick José Ramírez or Emmanuel Clase playing for the Dominican Republic, or one of the Naylor brothers playing for Team Canada, but the idea of Bazzana helping a team from Down Under go for gold is just too fun to pass up. It might be a challenge simply for Australia to get into the Olympics, but such a run would surely include the top pick in this year’s draft. Bazzana went first overall out of Oregon State, after learning the game as a kid in Australia. The best-case scenario for Team Australia surely involves Bazzana playing in the infield alongside Rays utility man Curtis Mead. — Jennings
Record: 67-51
Last Power Ranking: 7
2028 Olympic hopeful: OF Jackson Chourio, Venezuela
William Contreras might have been the more obvious choice on the Brewers, but that would have given us our third potential catcher for Team Venezuela on this list of hopefuls. So, instead, we’re selecting the 20-year-old Chourio from the Brewers. The speedy outfielder is authoring a strong rookie season for Milwaukee this year — and by 2028, he may not only be the face of the franchise but also one of MLB’s leading stars. Chourio could headline the team alongside Acuña and his hero, José Altuve. — McGrath
Record: 67-53
Last Power Ranking: 11
2028 Olympic hopeful: C Gabriel Moreno, Venezuela
There are a few exciting options for catcher on Team Venezuela. If we assume Salvador Pérez is in an elder statesman role, and William Contreras is the presumptive everyday guy, Moreno and Francisco Alvarez might be battling for the team’s backup job. Moreno is already a Gold Glove-winning catcher, at just 24 years old, so in four years, he might be in his prime at the position. But his versatility and athleticism means he can play infield and even corner outfield, which may make him a better pick for a condensed tournament like the Olympics. — McGrath
Record: 67-53
Last Power Ranking: 9
2028 Olympic hopeful: C Ethan Salas, Venezuela
The L.A. Olympics are so far away that Salas will be the grand old age of, (checking notes), 22! One of the top 10 prospects in the game today, Salas had moved with remarkable speed through the minors for his age before hitting a speed bump this season in High A. Salas’ offensive struggles as a Fort Wayne Tin Cap don’t alter his long-term promise too much. No, he probably won’t be debuting in the majors as a teenage catcher, but he’s still got a great chance to be an impact player four years from now. — Britton
Record: 66-52
Last Power Ranking: 6
2028 Olympic hopeful: SS Carlos Correa, Puerto Rico
We wanted to highlight Max Kepler potentially playing for Team Germany in this space but sadly — and perhaps not surprisingly — Germany has never qualified for the Olympics in baseball, making their inclusion in L.A. 2028 unlikely. What seems far more likely, however, is that Correa will suit up for Puerto Rico. Correa played for the commonwealth during the 2017 WBC but opted out of the international tournament in 2023 due to the birth of his child, so getting back into a Team Puerto Rico jersey, especially at the Olympics, would likely be meaningful to him. — McGrath
Record: 65-54
Last Power Ranking: 8
2028 Olympic hopeful: Player/Coach Salvador Perez, Venezuela
He’ll be 38, but there has to be a way to get Perez onto a hypothetical Olympics roster in 2028. We can go ahead and assume William Contreras would be Venezuela’s catcher (or Ethan Salas, or Gabriel Moreno, or Francisco Alvarez), and William’s brother Willson could be a fine DH (even at 36 years old), and Mets skipper Carlos Mendoza could make sense as a Venezuelan manager (depending on his availability). But maybe there’s a hybrid role for Perez. Play a lot of first base. Catch an inning or two. Help out the coaching staff. Whatever it is, if Venezuela is in the Olympics, Perez should be there. And if he’s not, Royals fans can always just watch Bobby Witt Jr. play shortstop for the United States. — Jennings
Record: 63-55
Last Power Ranking: 13
2028 Olympic hopeful: SP José Urquidy, Mexico
On a roster loaded with Olympics possibilities, Urquidy is perhaps the safest selection. Jose Altuve would probably be there for Venezuela, but he’ll be 38 in four years. Kyle Tucker and Jeremy Peña are obvious candidates for Team USA and the Dominican Republic, but each plays a position that’s fairly deep for their home countries. Yordan Alvarez would be a no-brainer for Cuba if not for the history and politics involved. Mauricio Dubon would be a star for Honduras, but only if Honduras actually qualified for the Olympics. Urquidy, meanwhile, carries on a strong Mexican pitching tradition and will have just turned 33 in the summer of 2028. — Jennings
Record: 63-56
Last Power Ranking: 14
2028 Olympic hopeful: OF Randy Arozarena, Mexico
Seattle could have a few Team USA hopefuls in their rotation, including Bryan Woo, Logan Gilbert and George Kirby, but we’ll single out Arozarena instead. Arozarena was born in Cuba but has chosen to represent Mexico internationally, including in the 2023 WBC, where the outfielder memorably led the team to a third-place finish and nearly upset the eventual champions, Japan, in the semifinals. Arozarena will be 33 years old in four years, but given his penchant for big-game moments, he seems destined to rise to the occasion on a stage like the Olympics. — McGrath
Could we see Ronald Acuña Jr. suit up for Team Venezuela in 2028? (Eric Espada / Getty Images)
Record: 62-56
Last Power Ranking: 10
2028 Olympic hopeful: OF Ronald Acuña Jr., Venezuela
He’ll be, gasp, 30 by then and will need to rebound once again from a torn ACL. But Acuña already looked pretty good coming back last time from that injury, and our money is on him returning to MVP or near-MVP form while still very much in his prime. Acuña wasn’t at his best in the World Baseball Classic last year, either, so being in top form for the Olympics could be especially meaningful. — Britton
Record: 62-55
Last Power Ranking: 12
2028 Olympic hopeful: 1B Triston Casas, United States
Team USA’s starting first baseman for the 2023 World Baseball Classic was Paul Goldschmidt, who will be 40 years old during the next Olympics. Freddie Freeman will be 38, Christian Walker will be 37, and Bryce Harper will be a few months shy of 36. Pete Alonso will be 33. Casas will be 28, meaning he could be established yet still firmly in his prime. And he’ll be familiar. Casas was Team USA’s cleanup hitter during the 2021 Olympics (when the roster was mostly minor leaguers and unsigned veterans), and he’s won international gold as a member of the U.S. 15-and-under and 18-and-under squads. He’s done it before, and come 2028, it might be time for Casas to do it again on the biggest stage. — Jennings
Record: 61-57
Last Power Ranking: 15
2028 Olympic hopeful: SP Brandon Sproat, United States
Let’s take a flier on a fast-rising pitching prospect who will be 27 during the opening ceremonies in Los Angeles. Sproat, a prospect the Mets liked so much they drafted him two years in a row, has justified that belief in his first full pro season. He’s made it to Triple A after starting the year in High A — look, when you strike out 11 in a row in a Double-A game, it’s probably time for a promotion — and has put his name among the best pitching prospects in the sport. There are plenty of qualified candidates to project into the U.S. rotation come 2028. But pitcher health is, well, unpredictable, and if Sproat is healthy, he could be part of that picture. — Britton
Record: 61-60
Last Power Ranking: 19
2028 Olympic hopeful: INF/OF Marco Luciano, Dominican Republic
Forget about the debate where Luciano holds his glove; Luciano can hit, and he’ll be smack in the middle of his prime four years from now. Luciano is still a top-100 prospect having a nice year in Triple A who’s held his own in a cameo appearance in the majors. If Luciano does end up in the outfield long-term, he could sneak in next to Julio Rodríguez and Fernando Tatis Jr. in 2028 — provided Juan Soto is DHing, of course. — Britton
Record: 60-59
Last Power Ranking: 16
2028 Olympic hopeful: SP Sem Robberse, Netherlands
Masyn Winn has a very good chance of being the Cardinals’ best player in 2028 — certainly a better chance than a fringe top-10 prospect in the system. But Winn’s chances of being the starting shortstop on Team USA in 2028? Well, someone across the state of Missouri might have something to say about that, among others. Whereas the players standing in the way of Robberse being a part of the rotation for the Netherlands are, to put it politely, less noteworthy. A right-handed starter, Robberse appeared in the Futures Game as a Blue Jays prospect last year before coming over in the Jordan Hicks trade. The 22-year-old was off to a gangbusters start in Triple A earlier this season before struggling in May and hitting the injured list in June. The Netherlands would stand a solid shot of qualifying for the games. It qualified in four straight Olympics before the sport was dropped following the 2008 games. — Britton
Record: 59-61
Last Power Ranking: 21
2028 Olympic hopeful: OF Owen Caissie, Canada
Look, the Canadian team can’t be made up exclusively of the Naylor family. The outfielder Caissie, a consensus top-100 prospect who played in the Futures Game this year, has had a very nice season in his first go-round for Triple-A Iowa. At 22, Caissie possesses big-time pop from the corner outfield. He’s got a legitimate chance to break into the Cubs’ outfield picture in 2025, setting him up on a good course to be an established big-leaguer by the time 2028 rolls around. — Britton
Record: 59-59
Last Power Ranking: 17
2028 Olympic hopeful: INF Junior Caminero, Dominican Republic
The Rays just traded away a bunch of compelling Olympic candidates — Randy Arozarena and Isaac Paredes for Mexico; Zach Eflin and Jason Adam for the United States — but top prospect Caminero remains an interesting possibility for the Dominican Republic in 2028. He’s primarily a third baseman, and his home country is loaded at that position (Rafael Devers, José Ramírez), but Caminero can play second base and shortstop as well, and that versatility, along with elite upside, could make him at least an Olympics role player. But, four years from now, he could also be a legitimate superstar. — Jennings
Record: 58-61
Last Power Ranking: 22
2028 Olympic hopeful: SS Elly De La Cruz, Dominican Republic
With MLB players eligible, it’s going to be tough to crack the Dominican Republic’s roster with so many of the game’s greatest stars hailing from the Caribbean nation. But De La Cruz, who will be 26 in 2028, is the type of player who seems built for big moments in a condensed tournament like the Olympics, in large part, due to his speed, power and athleticism. A roster with Suto, Guerrero, Fernando Tatis Jr., Devers and De La Cruz? That seems like immaculate vibes, not to mention a gold-medal favorite. — McGrath
Record: 56-62
Last Power Ranking: 18
2028 Olympic hopeful: SP Paul Skenes, United States
Picture the scene now. Snoop Dogg throws out the ceremonial first pitch before Skenes, who by 2028 might already be a multi-time Cy Young Award winner, takes the ball for Team USA in a gold-medal game in Los Angeles, which is not far from where the right-hander grew up in Fullerton, Calif. It’s such a perfect Olympic narrative that you’d think the TV writers from NBC cooked it up. In less than a season, Skenes has established himself as one of the best pitchers and in four years, it’s reasonable to think that a 26-year-old Skenes could be leading the way for Team USA — with guidance from US pitching coach, Max Scherzer of course. — McGrath
Record: 55-64
Last Power Ranking: 20
2028 Olympic hopeful: Pitching coach Max Scherzer, United States
Do you remember Team USA’s pitching coach for last year’s World Baseball Classic? It wasn’t some big league coaching veteran. It was Andy Pettitte, the retired New York Yankees starter. Assuming Scherzer is retired by 2028 — he’ll be 44 — he could bring similar knowledge and instant respect to an American coaching staff. He was supposed to pitch for Team USA in the 2017 WBC but had to back out because of a finger injury. Another current Ranger who might be worth considering for a coaching job in 2028 is closer David Robertson. He pitched for Team USA in the 2021 Olympics and the 2017 WBC. — Jennings
Record: 56-63
Last Power Ranking: 23
2028 Olympic hopeful: SP Tarik Skubal, United States
One big question here: Even if MLB found a way to send its player to the Olympics, would the top starting pitchers agree to participate, or would it be like the WBC, which lacked many of the game’s top starters? In theory, Skubal is an obvious and ideal Tigers representative — assuming he actually stays with them through 2028 — but center-field prospect Max Clark might be an interesting alternative. He’s in A-ball at the moment, but he could be firmly in the majors by ’28. He’d had some serious competition in center field, though, with Jackson Merrill, Jarren Duran, and Corbin Carroll worth considering for Team USA. — Jennings
Record: 55-64
Last Power Ranking: 24
2028 Olympic hopeful: 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Dominican Republic
Technically, Guerrero was born in Montreal and is eligible to play for Team Canada. While it is fun for Canadian baseball fans to dream up scenarios of Guerrero playing alongside the Naylor brothers, with Manager Joey Votto on the bench, when it comes to international competitions, Guerrero has been dedicated to playing for the Dominican Republic. Given his recent hot stretch at the plate, including a 22-game hitting streak, maybe in four years we’ll be talking about Guerrero as an MVP winner, who, at 29 years old, would be one of the veteran leaders on an undoubtedly stacked Team Dominican Republic roster. — McGrath
Record: 54-65
Last Power Ranking: 25
2028 Olympic hopeful: OF James Wood, United States
The 21-year-old Wood is already holding his own in the majors. If you’re trying to pick who’ll mash the most home runs between Paris’ closing ceremonies and L.A.’s opening ones, Wood probably goes in the top 10. So, too, might Aaron Judge and Mookie Betts, who would figure to be among Wood’s competition for a starting slot in the U.S. outfield in 2028. Wood would have the advantage of age there, plus, Betts can play anywhere. — Britton
Record: 52-67
Last Power Ranking: 26
2028 Olympic hopeful: INF Luis Rengifo, Venezuela
The knee-jerk thought is to put Mike Trout on Team USA, but will that be an option? He’s under contract through 2030 and served as team captain for the 2023 WBC, but projecting Trout’s viability four years from now is nearly impossible. If he’s one of the five or six best U.S. outfielders at that time, it’ll be pretty amazing. Even if he’s not, maybe a DH/bench role would be available. The more practical choice from the Angels might be Rengifo. The Venezuelan infield has been loaded, but even before his offensive breakout this season, there was still room for Rengifo on the country’s 2023 WBC roster. — Jennings
Record: 50-69
Last Power Ranking: 27
2028 Olympic hopeful: 3B Myles Naylor, Canada
Let’s get a Canadian team into the Olympics just so the Naylor brothers can spend a few weeks becoming household names. At first base for Team Canada, Cleveland Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor. Behind the plate, Guardians catcher Bo Naylor. And at the hot corner — or shortstop, if he sticks at the position — youngest brother Myles, who was the 39th overall draft pick in 2023. He’s not having a great first full season in A-ball, but he entered the season as the No. 18 prospect in the A’s system, and he’ll have four years to sort out some of his developmental questions. — Jennings
Record: 44-76
Last Power Ranking: 29
2028 Olympic hopeful: SP Cal Quantrill, Canada
As the only Canadian passport-holding writer present, I was contractually obligated to include at least one member of Team Canada so Quantrill it is. The right-hander represented Canada at the last WBC and, well, it didn’t go so well, as he surrendered three runs and didn’t escape the first inning against Team Great Britain. So, competing in L.A. 2028 could be part of Quantrill’s Team Canada redemption arc. Plus, Quantrill’s dad, Paul, has been a longtime member of Canada’s coaching staff following his own MLB pitching career. Trust me when I say, their father-son relationship would get a lot of airtime during CBC’s Olympic coverage. — McGrath
Record: 44-75
Last Power Ranking: 28
2028 Olympic hopeful: 1B Deyvison De Los Santos, Dominican Republic
Acquired last month from Arizona for A.J. Puk, De Los Santos does one thing and he does it well: He launches baseballs into the stratosphere. He’s already a 21-year-old in Triple A and, come 2028, should be a firmly established 25-year-old big-leaguer with a legitimate shot to be among the league leaders in home runs. He could bring youth to a stacked Dominican infield along with players like Rafael Devers, Elly De La Cruz, José Ramírez and Ketel Marte. — Britton
Record: 29-91
Last Power Ranking: 30
2028 Olympic hopeful: OF Luis Robert Jr., Cuba
It’s been a tough year for Robert, who has faced injuries while playing for the dreadful White Sox. But something to look forward to could be playing for Cuba in the Olympics. Robert was among the select few MLBers who played for the country, which has a complicated history involving defected players on its national team, in the last WBC and could help them return to Olympic glory. Team Cuba has won gold at the Olympics three times (1992, 1996, 2004) — the most of any nation — and silver twice (2000, 2008) but they didn’t qualify in 2021 so they’ll be looking to return to the podium in 2028 with baseball back in the program. — McGrath
(Top photo: Cooper Neill / MLB Photos via Getty Images)
