MLB State of the Position 2024: Every Team's 5-Year Plan at Second Base
Second base is traditionally somewhat lacking in star power relative to other positions, but with Marcus Semien, José Altuve and NL batting champion Luis Arraez as established stars, Ha-Seong Kim, Nico Hoerner and Bryson Stott all taking a step forward in 2023, and Colt Keith, Curtis Mead and Termarr Johnson representing the next wave, the position is in good shape.
Ahead, we've broken down each team's present and future outlook at second base, highlighting their current starter and their top prospect, followed by a prediction for who will start for each of the next five seasons.
Included with each top prospect is his tier ranking based on where he slotted in Bleacher Report's 2024 farm system rankings.
Think of this as the team's five-year plan at the position.
Catch up on the State of the Position series: First Base, Shortstop, Third Base
Arizona Diamondbacks
1 of 30
Present: Ketel Marte (Age: 30)
Marte became the face of the franchise for the D-backs in 2019 when he posted a 149 OPS+ with 36 doubles, 32 home runs, 92 RBI and 6.9 WAR to finish fourth in NL MVP voting. The team signed him to a five-year, $76 million extension that kicked in last season, and a reasonable $13 million club option could keep him in Arizona through 2028. The question is whether he will stick at second base the entire time, or if he will potentially shift to designated hitter once prospect Tommy Troy is ready.
Future: Tommy Troy (Tier 1)
Troy hit .394/.478/.699 with 17 home runs, 58 RBI and 17 steals in 58 games during his junior season at Stanford, and the D-backs made him the No. 12 overall pick in the 2023 draft. He played all over the infield in college, and with Jordan Lawlar penciled in as the shortstop of the future, he will likely shift to second base or third base in the majors.
Five-Year Predictions: Marte (2024-25), Troy (2026-28)
Atlanta Braves
2 of 30
Present: Ozzie Albies (Age: 27)
The seven-year, $35 million extension Albies signed prior to the 2019 season is one of the most team-friendly deals in baseball, and it also carries a pair of $7 million club options for 2026 and 2027. The three-time All-Star will be 30 years old in 2027, so he could be a candidate for another extension before he hits the open market. The Braves might be able to convince him to tack on a few more years if they guarantee both option years with a marginal raise.
Future: Ignacio Alvarez (Tier 3)
Alvarez emerged as one of the top position-player prospects in the Atlanta system in 2023, hitting .284/.395/.391 with 31 extra-base hits and 16 steals in 116 games at High-A Rome. The 21-year-old has played primarily shortstop to this point in his career, but he lacks the quick-twitch athleticism to be the long-term answer at the position and profiles better at second base or third base. A super-utility role could be his best fit.
Five-Year Predictions: Albies (2024-28)
Baltimore Orioles
3 of 30
Present: Jordan Westburg (Age: 24)
The Orioles selected Westburg with the No. 30 overall pick in the 2020 draft, the same year they took Heston Kjerstad (No. 2 overall) and Coby Mayo (No. 103 overall). The Mississippi State standout hit .295/.372/.567 with 15 doubles, 18 home runs and 54 RBI in 67 games at Triple-A last season before making his MLB debut on June 26, and he posted a 100 OPS+ with 22 extra-base hits and 1.2 WAR in 68 games as a rookie.
Future: Connor Norby (Tier 2)
Norby crushed mid-major competition at East Carolina, hitting .415/.484/.659 with 15 doubles, 15 home runs and 51 RBI in 61 games during his junior season on his way to going No. 41 overall in the 2021 draft. He hit .290/.359/.483 with 40 doubles, 21 home runs and 92 RBI in 138 games at Triple-A last season, and while second base is his natural position, he also saw some time in the outfield and a super-utility role could be his ticket to the big leagues.
Five-Year Predictions: Westburg (2024-28)
Boston Red Sox
4 of 30
Present: Vaughn Grissom (Age: 23)
After showing some offensive promise with a 119 OPS+ and five home runs in 156 plate appearances as a rookie in 2022, Grissom spent the bulk of last season back at Triple-A working on his defensive game. The Red Sox acquired him in the deal that sent Chris Sale to the Atlanta Braves, and he should have a clear path to playing time at second base in Boston.
Future: Nick Yorke (Tier 1)
A surprise pick at No. 17 overall in the 2020 draft, Yorke will need to continue hitting to deliver on that draft position with a limited defensive profile. The 21-year-old batted .268/.350/.435 with 25 doubles, 13 home runs, 61 RBI and 18 steals in 110 games at Double-A last season, and he could ultimately end up in left field.
Five-Year Predictions: Grissom (2024-28)
Chicago Cubs
5 of 30
Present: Nico Hoerner (Age: 26)
The Cubs signed Hoerner to a three-year, $35 million extension last March that bought out his final two years of arbitration and his first year of free agency, and following a breakout 2023 season, he now looks like a candidate for a longer deal. He won NL Gold Glove honors at second base and logged a 5.1-WAR season while tallying 40 extra-base hits and 43 steals.
Future: James Triantos (Tier 2)
A late-riser in the 2021 draft following a terrific senior season at Madison High School in Virginia, Triantos landed an above-slot $2.1 million bonus as a second-round pick. The 21-year-old is a bat-first prospect without a clear long-term defensive home, though second base is the most likely spot after he struggled at the hot corner. He hit .417/.495/.679 with 11 extra-base hits and nine steals in 22 games in the Arizona Fall League to win Offensive Player of the Year honors.
Five-Year Predictions: Hoerner (2024-28)
Chicago White Sox
6 of 30
Present: Nicky Lopez (Age: 28)
Lopez hit .300/.365/.378 over 565 plate appearances in a 4.4-WAR season with the Kansas City Royals in 2021, but he has batted just .228 with a 64 OPS+ over the past two seasons. He was non-tendered at the start of the offseason and the White Sox acquired him this offseason in the deal that sent Aaron Bummer to Atlanta. He is controllable through 2025 via arbitration if he rebounds, but his best role is as a glove-first utility player.
Future: Jacob Gonzalez (Tier 2)
With Colson Montgomery and Bryan Ramos poised to be the infield of the future on the left side, Gonzalez could wind up shifting to second base after three seasons as the starting shortstop at Ole Miss. The No. 15 overall pick in the 2023 draft has a 55-hit, 55-power offensive profile and should move quickly through the minors.
Five-Year Predictions: Lopez (2024-25), Gonzalez (2026-28)
Cincinnati Reds
7 of 30
Present: Matt McLain (Age: 24)
For all the hype surrounding top prospect Elly De La Cruz, it was McLain who was the best rookie on the Cincinnati roster last season. The 2021 first-round pick hit .290/.357/.507 for a 129 OPS+ with 23 doubles, 16 home runs, 50 RBI, 14 steals and 3.7 WAR in 89 games after crushing Triple-A pitching for the first month of the season. An oblique injury ended his rookie campaign in August, but he should settle in as the everyday second baseman in 2024.
Future: Carlos Jorge (Tier 2)
Signed for $495,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2021, Jorge spent his first two pro seasons in rookie ball before breaking out in 2023. The 20-year-old hit .282/.374/.464 with 14 doubles, 10 triples, 12 home runs, 50 RBI and 32 steals in 109 games between Single-A and High-A, and he could be a consensus Top 100 prospect by the end of 2024 with more of the same in the upper levels of the minors.
Five-Year Predictions: McLain (2024-28)
Cleveland Guardians
8 of 30
Present: Andrés Giménez (Age: 25)
Giménez was one of the breakout stars of 2022, posting a 141 OPS+ with 46 extra-base hits, 20 steals and 7.4 WAR while earning his first All-Star selection, winning an AL Gold Glove and finishing sixth in MVP voting. The Guardians signed him to a seven-year, $106.5 million extension last March, and while he did not match his breakout offensive production, he was still a 5.3-WAR player on the strength of his defense and won the AL Platinum Glove honors.
Future: Juan Brito (Tier 2)
Nolan Jones had a 20-homer, 20-steal, 4.3-WAR season and finished fourth in NL Rookie of the Year balloting for the Colorado Rockies after he was traded last offseason. Brito is the player the Guardians acquired in that trade, and after he hit .271/.377/.434 with 31 doubles, 14 home runs and 75 RBI across three minor league levels in his age-21 season, there is still a chance the scales will be leveled on that swap.
Five-Year Predictions: Giménez (2024-28)
Colorado Rockies
9 of 30
Present: Brendan Rodgers (Age: 27)
Rogers was the third overall pick in the 2015 draft, behind Dansby Swanson and Alex Bregman, and at the time he was viewed as potentially having the highest ceiling of that trio. Injuries limited him to 46 games in 2023 and have been an issue throughout his career, but he has shown flashes when healthy, including a 4.3-WAR season and Gold Glove win in 2022. He has two years of club control remaining entering the 2024 season.
Future: Adael Amador (Tier 1)
Amador has the defensive tools to be an MLB shortstop, but with Ezequiel Tovar staking claim to the position, he will shift to second base in the big leagues. The 20-year-old is now the top prospect in the Rockies system after hitting .287/.380/.495 with 15 doubles, 12 home runs, 46 RBI and 15 steals in 69 games while reaching Double-A. It's not out of the question to think he could push for the starting job in 2025.
Five-Year Predictions: Rodgers (2024-25), Amador (2026-28)
Detroit Tigers
10 of 30
Present: Andy Ibañez (Age: 30)
A former top prospect in the Texas Rangers system, Ibañez was claimed off waivers by the Tigers last November, and he posted a 102 OPS+ with 23 doubles, 11 home runs, 41 RBI and 2.0 WAR in 114 games. He played primarily second base but also started multiple games at first base, third base and both corner outfield spots, and he will likely fill a utility role in 2024.
Future: Colt Keith (Tier 1)
Keith has yet to make his MLB debut, but after signing a six-year, $28.6 million extension in January that could be worth as much as $82 million over nine years, he is all but guaranteed to break camp with the starting second base job. The 22-year-old hit .306/.380/.552 with 38 doubles, 27 home runs and 101 RBI in 126 games between Double-A and Triple-A in 2023.
Five-Year Predictions: Keith (2024-28)
Houston Astros
11 of 30
Present: José Altuve (Age: 33)
The Astros likely assured that Altuve will spend his entire career with the organization when they signed him to a five-year, $125 million extension earlier this month. The new contract begins in 2025 and will keep him in Houston through his age-39 season in 2029. With 2,047 career hits entering the 2024 season, he could be on the cusp of joining the 3,000-hit club right around the time that extension wraps up.
Future: Will Wagner (Tier 3)
An 18th-round pick out of Liberty University in 2021, Wagner starred in the Arizona Fall League in 2022 and then hit .337/.420/.518 with 29 extra-base hits in 65 games last season while closing out the year at Triple-A Sugar Land. The 25-year-old has a hit-over-power offensive profile that fits better at second base than third base, and a utility role is likely his MLB future.
Five-Year Predictions: Altuve (2024-28)
Kansas City Royals
12 of 30
Present: Michael Massey (Age: 25)
Massey hit .312/.371/.532 with 44 extra-base hits in 87 games in the upper levels of the minors in 2022, and he spent the bulk of the 2023 season in the majors. He hit just .229 with a .274 on-base percentage but showed some playable pop with 18 doubles, 15 home runs and 55 RBI in 461 plate appearances. The Royals signed Adam Frazier and Garrett Hampson to one-year deals this offseason and they could also see time at second base.
Future: Nick Loftin (Tier 2)
With Vinnie Pasquantino at first base, Bobby Witt Jr. at shortstop and Cayden Wallace viewed as the future at third base, the keystone might be the most clear path to playing time for Loftin in the coming years. The 25-year-old hit .323/.368/.435 for a 121 OPS+ in 68 plate appearances as a September call-up last season, and he can play all four infield spots.
Five-Year Predictions: Massey (2024-28)
Los Angeles Angels
13 of 30
Present: Luis Rengifo (Age: 26)
Following a breakout 2022 season, Rengifo was even better last year, hitting .264/.339/.444 for a 111 OPS+ with 15 doubles, 16 home runs, 51 RBI and 55 runs scored in 445 plate appearances. After shuffling around the infield the past few seasons, he should have an opportunity to settle in as the everyday second baseman in 2024. He is controllable through 2025 before hitting free agency for the first time.
Future: Kyren Paris (Tier 3)
Paris was a second-round pick in 2019, and while his offensive game has been slow to develop, he took a step forward last year when he hit .255/.393/.417 with 23 doubles, 14 home runs, 45 RBI and 44 steals in 113 games at Double-A. His 17.1 percent walk rate is a promising sign, and he is still only 22 years old, so there is still time for him to make his case to be an everyday big leaguer.
Five-Year Predictions: Rengifo (2024-25), Paris (2026-28)
Los Angeles Dodgers
14 of 30
Present: Mookie Betts (Age: 31)
Originally drafted as a middle infielder before shifting to the outfield, Betts saw occasional action at second base in 2021 and 2022 before making 62 starts and logging 485 innings at the position in 2023. The perennial MVP candidate is now poised to make a full-time move onto the infield dirt, and if last year's defensive metrics (6 DRS, 4.6 UZR/150) are any indication, he could be a Gold Glove winner there as well. His 12-year, $365 million contract runs through 2032.
Future: Austin Gauthier (Tier 3)
Signed for $20,000 as an undrafted free agent in 2021, Gauthier opened some eyes last season when he hit .316/.435/.476 with 29 doubles, 12 home runs, 59 RBI and 19 steals in 124 games between Double-A and Triple-A. His average arm and hit-over-power offensive game fit best at second base, but he could end up playing all over the field.
Five-Year Predictions: Betts (2024-28)
Miami Marlins
15 of 30
Present: Luis Arraez (Age: 26)
Arraez followed up his 2022 AL batting title with the Minnesota Twins by hitting .354/.393/.469 for a 133 OPS+ to win the NL batting title in his first season with the Miami Marlins. The two-time All-Star will be a free agent after the 2025 season, and there's a chance he could be on the move again before that time after his name surfaced in trade rumors this winter. Utility man Nick Gordon is also an option at second base after he was acquired from the Minnesota Twins.
Future: Xavier Edwards (Age: 24)
Xavier Edwards and Vidal Brujan are both former Top 100 prospects who are still looking to carve out a role in the majors, and they represent potential backup options for Arraez in 2024 with the potential to seize a long-term role with a breakout performance. Edwards hit .295/.329/.333 with 23 hits in 30 games in his first extended MLB action last season.
Five-Year Predictions: Arraez (2024-25), Edwards (2026-28)
Milwaukee Brewers
16 of 30
Present: Brice Turang (Age: 24)
Turang hit .218/.285/.300 for a 62 OPS+ in 448 plate appearances as a rookie, swiping 26 bases but showing little extra-base pop with nine doubles, three triples and six home runs. Despite the middling production at the plate, he was still a 1.2-WAR player thanks to his elite defense (12 DRS, 5.2 UZR/150), and that should give him plenty of time to find his footing at the plate.
Future: Daniel Guilarte (Tier 3)
Guilarte signed for $1 million as part of the 2021 international class, and he made his pro debut stateside in 2022, hitting .307 with a .403 on-base percentage in 144 plate appearances in rookie ball. The 20-year-old held his own last year making the jump to full-season ball, and while he doesn't have much pop, his combination of hit tool, speed and a reliable glove help give him a high floor.
Five-Year Predictions: Turang (2024-28)
Minnesota Twins
17 of 30
Present: Edouard Julien (Age: 24)
Julien sent his stock soaring when he hit .400/.563/.686 with five doubles, five home runs and 17 RBI in 21 games during the 2022 Arizona Fall League, and he backed it up with a breakout 2023 campaign. In 109 games, he posted a 130 OPS+ with 16 doubles, 16 home runs, 37 RBI and 2.6 WAR. With Jorge Polanco traded to the Seattle Mariners, he will be the everyday second baseman in 2024.
Future: Brooks Lee (Tier 1)
Julien will be the starting second baseman to begin 2024, but he is just keeping the position warm. Once Lee arrives in the big leagues, expect Julien to shift into a super-utility role or to be the team's primary designated hitter. Lee, 23, hit .275/.347/.461 with 39 doubles, 16 home runs and 84 RBI in 125 games between Double-A and Triple-A last year, and he could make a serious push for a roster spot this spring.
Five-Year Predictions: Julien (2024), Lee (2025-28)
New York Mets
18 of 30
Present: Jeff McNeil (Age: 31)
McNeil signed a four-year, $50 million extension last January that also includes a $15.75 million club option and $2 million buyout for 2027 when he will be entering his age-35 season. With a wealth of middle infield talent coming up the pipeline, he could shift off second base before his time with the team is over, moving to left field or designated hitter during the back half of his contract.
Future: Luisangel Acuña (Tier 1)
Acuña is the prospect the Mets acquired in the deadline deal that sent Max Scherzer to the Texas Rangers, and while he doesn't offer the same superstar upside as his older brother, he is a consensus Top 100 prospect heading into 2024. The 21-year-old hit .294/.359/.410 with 39 extra-base hits and 57 steals in 121 games at Double-A last season. He could push for the starting second base job before the All-Star break in 2025.
Five-Year Predictions: McNeil (2024-25), Acuña (2026-28)
New York Yankees
19 of 30
Present: Gleyber Torres (Age: 27)
Torres sent expectations sky high when he launched 38 home runs during his age-22 season in 2019, and while he has failed to develop into a bona fide superstar, he is still a solid all-around contributor who has racked up 8.0 WAR over the past two seasons. The two-time All-Star will be a free agent next offseason, and his stock will be largely dependent on his 2024 performance.
Future: Jorbit Vivas (Tier 3)
The Yankees acquired Vivas along with reliever Victor González from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for fellow middle infield prospect Trey Sweeney in December. Vivas, 22, hit .269/.381/.407 with 25 doubles, 13 home runs and 64 RBI in 135 games between Double-A and Triple-A last year, and the 22-year-old could be ready for his MLB debut in 2024.
Five-Year Predictions: Torres (2024), Free Agent (2025-28)
Oakland Athletics
20 of 30
Present: Zack Gelof (Age: 24)
Despite not making his MLB debut until July 14, Gelof led a 112-loss Oakland team with 2.6 WAR in 69 games last season. The 2021 second-round pick hit .267/.337/.504 for a 137 OPS+ with 20 doubles, 14 home runs, 32 RBI and 14 steals, and he has a chance to be a bright spot for the Athletics in the coming years.
Future: Darell Hernaiz (Tier 3)
Acquired from the Orioles in the deal that sent Cole Irvin the other way prior to the 2023 season, Hernaiz has a chance to break camp as the starting shortstop this season if no other outside additions are made. That said, he could quickly be pushed into a utility role once 2023 first-round pick Jacob Wilson is ready, and that could mean time at second base as well. The 22-year-old hit .321/.386/.456 in 131 games in the upper levels of the minors last year.
Five-Year Predictions: Gelof (2024-28)
Philadelphia Phillies
21 of 30
Present: Bryson Stott (Age: 26)
Stott showed potential as a rookie in 2022 and then broke out last season after shifting from shortstop to second base following the addition of Trea Turner in free agency. The 2019 first-round pick hit .280/.329/.419 for a 104 OPS+ with 32 doubles, 15 home runs, 62 RBI and 31 steals in a 4.3-WAR season, and he is now one of the best young second basemen in the league. His club control runs through 2027, but he could emerge as an extension candidate.
Future: William Bergolla (Tier 3)
As mentioned in the shortstop version of this article, the Phillies have a trio of teenage middle infielders in the lower levels of the minors who all have intriguing upside in Bergolla, Bryan Rincon and Starlyn Caba. Bergolla might be the most likely from that group to shift to second base, though there is still a variance between floor and ceiling for all three players.
Five-Year Predictions: Stott (2024-28)
Pittsburgh Pirates
22 of 30
Present: Liover Peguero (Age: 23)
Ji-Hwan Bae (56 games), Nick Gonzales (25 games) and Peguero (23 games) all spent time at second base for the Pirates last season, and that trio will be vying for the starting role this spring. A former consensus Top 100 prospect, Peguero was acquired in the deal that sent Starling Marte to the Arizona Diamondbacks prior to the 2020 season, and he is under club control through 2029.
Future: Termarr Johnson (Tier 1)
Johnson went No. 4 overall in the 2022 draft on the strength of one of the best hit tools to come out of the prep ranks in years. The 19-year-old hit .244/.422/.438 with 85 hits and 101 walks in 105 games between Single-A and High-A in his first full professional season, and he is just scratching the surface of his vast offensive potential.
Five-Year Predictions: Peguero (2024-25), Johnson (2026-28)
San Diego Padres
23 of 30
Present: Ha-Seong Kim (Age: 28)
After playing primarily in a bench role in 2021, Kim has posted back-to-back 5-WAR seasons, and now he is entering the final guaranteed season of a four-year, $28 million deal that also includes an $8 million mutual option for 2025 that is a safe bet to be declined on his end. He posted a 110 OPS+ with 40 extra-base hits, 38 steals and 84 runs scored last year, finishing 14th in NL MVP voting and winning his first Gold Glove.
Future: Jackson Merrill (Tier 1)
Merrill is one of the best pure hitters of any prospect, with a 65-hit, 55-power offensive profile and a strong minor league track record. He was 20 years old when he made his Double-A debut last season, and he hit .273/.338/.444 with 20 extra-base hits in 46 games at that level. With Xander Bogaerts blocking his path, second base looks like his future MLB home.
Five-Year Predictions: Kim (2024), Merrill (2025-28)
San Francisco Giants
24 of 30
Present: Thairo Estrada (Age: 27)
Estrada has posted back-to-back strong seasons in 2022 (105 OPS+, 14 HR, 62 RBI, 21 SB) and 2023 (101 OPS+, 14 HR, 49 RBI, 23 SB), and he was a 2.3-WAR player last year in 120 games. He has club control through the 2026 season and could be a potential extension candidate if he can continue to produce at that level.
Future: Diego Velasquez (Tier 3)
Velasquez was San Francisco's top international signing in 2021, inking a $900,000 bonus out of Venezuela. The 20-year-old hit .298/.387/.434 with 41 extra-base hits and 23 steals in a full season at Single-A in 2023, and his 55-grade hit tool will be his ticket to a regular role in the big leagues.
Five-Year Predictions: Estrada (2024-26), Velasquez (2027-28)
Seattle Mariners
25 of 30
Present: Jorge Polanco (Age: 30)
With a 120 OPS+ and 63 home runs over the past three seasons, Polanco is one of baseball's best offensive second basemen, and those numbers would look even better if injuries had not limited him to 184 games the last two years. The Minnesota Twins traded him to the Mariners in January, and he is also controllable in 2025 on a $12 million club option.
Future: Cole Young (Tier 1)
Polanco could end up being the perfect stopgap to Young, who is quickly rising the ranks on the strength of a 60-grade hit tool after going No. 21 overall in the 2022 draft. The 20-year-old hit .277/.399/.449 with 34 doubles, 11 home runs, 62 RBI and 22 steals in 126 games between Single-A and High-A, and while he has the tools to stick at shortstop, his likely long-term home is second base where he could be a Gold Glove contender.
Five-Year Predictions: Polanco (2024-25), Young (2026-28)
St. Louis Cardinals
26 of 30
Present: Nolan Gorman (Age: 23)
Gorman has huge raw power, and he showed the ability to tap into it on a regular basis in 2023 when he posted a 117 OPS+ with 27 home runs and 76 RBI in 119 games. He logged poor defensive metrics (-2 DRS, -8.9 UZR/150) over 579.2 innings at second base last year, and with Tommy Edman expected to see more time in center field, he will have a chance to prove he can be the everyday guy at the keystone in 2024.
Future: Thomas Saggese (Tier 2)
In the midst of a breakout season, Saggase was acquired in the deal that sent Jordan Montgomery to the Texas Rangers at the 2023 trade deadline. The 21-year-old hit .306/.374/.530 with 34 doubles, 26 home runs and 111 RBI in 139 games between Double-A and Triple-A, and he made double-digit starts at second base, shortstop and third base.
Five-Year Predictions: Gorman (2024-28)
Tampa Bay Rays
27 of 30
Present: Brandon Lowe (Age: 29)
Lowe has a 126 OPS+ over six MLB seasons, and he has averaged 34 home runs, 98 RBI and 4.4 WAR per 162 games in his career. He is entering the final guaranteed season of a six-year, $24 million contract, though it also has club options for 2025 ($10.5 million) and 2026 ($11.5 million). That could make him a trade candidate for the low-budget Rays next offseason.
Future: Curtis Mead (Tier 1)
Mead is a .302/.376/.514 hitter over five seasons in the minors, and after posting a .900 OPS with 32 extra-base hits in 61 games at Triple-A last year, he has little left to prove in the minors. The 23-year-old has seen regular action at second base and third base, but with Junior Caminero expected to be the long-term answer at the hot corner, Mead looks like the future at second base.
Five-Year Predictions: Lowe (2024), Mead (2025-28)
Texas Rangers
28 of 30
Present: Marcus Semien (Age: 33)
Semien has racked up 20.2 WAR over the past three seasons since shifting from shortstop to second base, a total that trails only Aaron Judge's (21.1) among all players during that span. He posted a 122 OPS+ with 40 doubles, 29 home runs, 100 RBI, 122 runs scored and an AL-leading 7.4 WAR in 2023 to finish third in AL MVP voting and help lead the Rangers to a World Series title. He is two seasons into a seven-year, $175 million contract.
Future: Justin Foscue (Tier 2)
Foscue was the No. 14 overall pick in the 2020 draft, and he has hit every step of the way since beginning his pro career. The 24-year-old batted .266/.394/.468 with 31 doubles, 18 home runs, 84 RBI and 14 steals in 122 games at Triple-A last season. With his path blocked at second base for the foreseeable future, he is an obvious trade chip for a contending team.
Five-Year Predictions: Semien (2024-28)
Toronto Blue Jays
29 of 30
Present: Isiah Kiner-Falefa (Age: 28)
The Blue Jays are poised to use some combination of Davis Schneider, Cavan Biggio, Santiago Espinal and Kiner-Falefa at second base and third base this season after Whit Merrifield departed in free agency. Kiner-Falefa signed a two-year, $15 million contract in December, and his defensive versatility makes him an underrated asset in a utility role.
Future: Davis Schneider (Age: 25)
Schneider posted a 175 OPS+ with 12 doubles, eight home runs, 20 RBI and 1.8 WAR in 35 games after making his MLB debut on Aug. 4. However, those numbers were largely propped up by a red-hot start, and he went 2-for-35 with 14 strikeouts over his final 10 games. Can he build off his early success, or are those late struggles indicative of his 2024 outlook?
Five-Year Predictions: Schneider (2024-28)
Washington Nationals
30 of 30
Present: Luis García Jr. (Age: 23)
Garcia tallied a career-high 482 plate appearances in 2023 and hit .266/.304/.385 with 18 doubles, nine home runs, 50 RBI and nine steals in a 0.7-WAR season. The former top prospect made his MLB debut shortly after his 20th birthday in 2020, and while he has shown flashes over the years, he has yet to develop into a quality everyday big leaguer.
Future: Darren Baker (Tier 3)
Want to feel old? This is the same Darren Baker who J.T. Snow memorably saved from a potential home plate collision during Game 5 of the 2002 World Series when he was a three-year-old bat boy. A 10th-round pick in 2021, he hit .273/.338/.340 with 17 extra-base hits and 19 steals in 99 games at Triple-A last season, and his slap-hitting approach will be his ticket to an MLB role.
Five-Year Predictions: García Jr. (2024-27), Free Agent (2028)
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