MLB Face of the Franchise Rankings: Top 50 Players to Build a Team Around
Imagine for a moment that the rosters of all 30 MLB teams were placed into a draft pool and a video game-style fantasy draft was to take place. Who would be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft? How would teams weigh factors like age and future outlook vs. current production?
That is the premise of our Face of the Franchise Rankings.
Ahead we've ranked the top 50 players to build a team around, with age, current level of production, injury history and long-term outlook among the biggest factors in determining where each player fell in the rankings.
However, the first step was to whittle down the list of worthy candidates, so before we dive into the Top 50 there will be a few honorable mention slides to comb through.
Let the debate begin!
Not Enough Prime Years Remaining
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The following players received some initial consideration as veterans still performing at a high level, but their age makes them a less-than-ideal franchise building block:
- 2B José Altuve, Houston Astros (34 years old)
- RHP Jacob deGrom, Texas Rangers (35 years old)
- RHP Sonny Gray, St. Louis Cardinals (34 years old)
- LHP Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers (36 years old)
- C Salvador Pérez, Kansas City Royals (34 years old)
- RHP Max Scherzer, Texas Rangers (39 years old)
- RHP Justin Verlander, Houston Astros (41 years old)
Talented Enough, Injury Prone
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These players are all talented enough to crack the Top 50, but frequent injuries make them too risky to make the cut:
- RHP Walker Buehler, Los Angeles Dodgers
- OF Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins
- 3B Royce Lewis, Minnesota Twins
- LHP Shane McClanahan, Tampa Bay Rays
- OF Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
Rookies and Prospects Who Could Be Next
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A few years from now, all of these players have the upside to be clear choices for a spot inside the Top 50, but for now they still have something to prove:
- IF Junior Caminero, Tampa Bay Rays
- OF Evan Carter, Texas Rangers
- OF Jackson Chourio, Milwaukee Brewers
- OF Colton Cowser, Baltimore Orioles
- OF Dylan Crews, Washington Nationals
- OF Jasson Dominguez, New York Yankees
- LHP Kyle Harrison, San Francisco Giants
- 2B/SS Jackson Holliday, Baltimore Orioles
- RHP Jared Jones, Pittsburgh Pirates
- OF Wyatt Langford, Texas Rangers
- OF Jackson Merrill, San Diego Padres
- SS Colson Montgomery, Chicago White Sox
- C Ethan Salas, San Diego Padres
- SS Masyn Winn, St. Louis Cardinals
- OF James Wood, Washington Nationals
Just Missed (Position Players)
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These position players were all part of the preliminary discussion, but fell just short of earning a spot inside the Top 50 on our final list:
- SS Willy Adames, Milwaukee Brewers
- 2B Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves
- 1B Pete Alonso, New York Mets
- OF Randy Arozarena, Tampa Bay Rays
- 2B Luis Arraez, San Diego Padres
- 3B Alec Bohm, Philadelphia Phillies
- 3B Alex Bregman, Houston Astros
- 1B Triston Casas, Boston Red Sox
- OF Jazz Chisholm Jr., Miami Marlins
- OF Adolis García, Texas Rangers
- 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes, Pittsburgh Pirates
- 2B Nico Hoerner, Chicago Cubs
- OF Steven Kwan, Cleveland Guardians
- 3B Manny Machado, San Diego Padres
- IF Matt McLain, Cincinnati Reds
- C Gabriel Moreno, Arizona Diamondbacks
- 1B Josh Naylor, Cleveland Guardians
- 3B Isaac Paredes, Tampa Bay Rays
- SS Jeremy Peña, Houston Astros
- C Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners
- OF Bryan Reynolds, Pittsburgh Pirates
- C Will Smith, Los Angeles Dodgers
- OF Spencer Steer, Cincinnati Reds
Just Missed (Pitchers)
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These pitchers were all part of the preliminary discussion, but fell just short of earning a spot inside the Top 50 on our final list:
- RHP Brayan Bello, Boston Red Sox
- RHP Zach Eflin, Tampa Bay Rays
- LHP Max Fried, Atlanta Braves
- RHP Kevin Gausman, Toronto Blue Jays
- RHP Tyler Glasnow, Los Angeles Dodgers
- LHP MacKenzie Gore, Washington Nationals
- RHP Hunter Greene, Cincinnati Reds
- RHP Tanner Houck, Boston Red Sox
- LHP Shōta Imanaga, Chicago Cubs
- RHP Mitch Keller, Pittsburgh Pirates
- LHP Jesús Luzardo, Miami Marlins
- RHP Bobby Miller, Los Angeles Dodgers
- RHP Aaron Nola, Philadelphia Phillies
- LHP Cole Ragans, Kansas City Royals
- RHP Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins
- RHP Kodai Senga, New York Mets
- RHP Brady Singer, Kansas City Royals
- LHP Justin Steele, Chicago Cubs
- LHP Ranger Suárez, Philadelphia Phillies
Nos. 50-46
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50. 2B Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks (Age: 30)
49. RHP Logan Gilbert, Seattle Mariners (Age: 27)
48. RHP Bryce Miller, Seattle Mariners (Age: 25)
47. C William Contreras, Milwaukee Brewers (Age: 26)
46. SS Anthony Volpe, New York Yankees (Age: 23)
It will be interesting to see in a few years who winds up being the better MLB starter between Bryce Miller and Logan Gilbert, and while they would both profile as the ace of the future on most teams, they are not even the top two Seattle Mariners starters on this list.
A step forward offensively in his second season has put Anthony Volpe on a star trajectory, and while he will continue to play in the shadow of Aaron Judge in the coming years, he could be the team's best player before too long.
Ketel Marte and William Contreras are both among the best offensive players in baseball at their respective positions, and also currently the best offensive players on their team.
Nos. 45-41
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45. 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays (Age: 25)
44. 2B Marcus Semien, Texas Rangers (Age: 33)
43. RHP Pablo López, Minnesota Twins (Age: 28)
42. SS CJ Abrams, Washington Nationals (Age: 23)
41. OF Riley Greene, Detroit Tigers (Age: 23)
CJ Abrams (148 OPS+, 18 XBH, 8 SB, 1.3 WAR) and Riley Greene (141 OPS+, 17 XBH, 1.8 WAR) are both former elite-level prospects who showed flashes in 2023 and are now in the middle of a bona fide breakout performance. They are the best long-term piece on rebuilding rosters.
It's tough to know what to make of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s future upside, but he is still only 25 years old with 134 home runs and 423 RBI. Meanwhile, Pablo López has quietly been one of baseball's best pitchers since his breakout in 2020.
At 33 years old, Marcus Semien is one of the older players on this list, but he is showing no signs of slowing down in the third season of his seven-year, $175 million deal with the Texas Rangers. After a 7.4-WAR season in 2023, he has already racked up 2.7 WAR through 43 games this year.
Nos. 40-36
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40. LHP Framber Valdez, Houston Astros (Age: 30)
39. RHP Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia Phillies (Age: 33)
38. 1B Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers (Age: 34)
37. RHP Dylan Cease, San Diego Padres (Age: 28)
36. RHP Freddy Peralta, Milwaukee Brewers (Age: 27)
Right-hander Zack Wheeler and first baseman Freddie Freeman were both candidates for the "Not Enough Prime Years Remaining" list, but both are still at the top of their games so it's difficult to exclude them from this conversation entirely.
Freddy Peralta and Dylan Cease are two of the best strikeout pitchers in baseball, and they are also still on the young end of the established front-line starter spectrum relative to some of the other top starters on this list.
Not many active pitchers boast a better postseason track record than Framber Valdez, who has a 4.24 ERA in 80.2 career playoff innings. He went 2-0 with a 1.46 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 18 strikeouts in 12.1 innings during his two starts in the 2022 World Series.
Nos. 35-31
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35. 1B Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves (Age: 30)
34. SS Francisco Lindor, New York Mets (Age: 30)
33. OF Michael Harris II, Atlanta Braves (Age: 23)
32. 3B Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox (Age: 27)
31. RHP Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates (Age: 21)
Matt Olson and Francisco Lindor are off to slow starts this season, but they were both 6-WAR players in 2023 and have a long enough track record of production to be viewed as franchise players. Center fielder Michael Harris II has also been slow out of the gates, but he is also still years away from entering his prime.
How is Rafael Devers still only 27 years old?! Now in his eighth big league season, he has a 125 OPS+ with 176 home runs, 569 RBI and 19.7 WAR. The Red Sox committed to him as their face of the franchise with a 10-year, $313.5 million extension that runs through the 2033 season.
With only one MLB start under his belt, Paul Skenes is by far the biggest projection pick on this list, but he checks all the boxes to be a generational talent on the mound. The 6'6", 235-pound right-hander averaged 100.1 mph on the 33 fastballs he threw in his debut, and backed it with a slider and splitter that both looked like potentially elite pitches.
Nos. 30-26
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30. 3B Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves (Age: 27)
29. LHP Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers (Age: 27)
28. RHP George Kirby, Seattle Mariners (Age: 26)
27. SS Bo Bichette, Toronto Blue Jays (Age: 26)
26. OF Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks (Age: 23)
Austin Riley (No. 41 overall in 2015) and Bo Bichette (No. 66 overall in 2016) were both steals in their respective draft classes, and they have been among the game's best offensive players the past few seasons. Improved defense has also helped both players take their game to another level.
Left-hander Tarik Skubal (8 GS, 2.02 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 8 BB, 60 K, 49.0 IP) and right-hander George Kirby (9 GS, 3.58 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 5 BB, 51 K, 50.1 IP) both have elite command and the upside to be AL Cy Young contenders for years to come.
After putting together one of the best rookie seasons in recent MLB history, Corbin Carroll is hitting .197/.291/.261 for a 60 OPS+ in 179 plate appearances to kick off his sophomore campaign. This spot in the rankings is betting on his elite hit tool and impactful power/speed combination quickly returning.
Nos. 25-21
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25. OF Luis Robert Jr., Chicago White Sox (Age: 26)
24. RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers (Age: 25)
23. RHP Luis Castillo, Seattle Mariners (Age: 31)
22. SS Trea Turner, Philadelphia Phillies (Age: 30)
21. RHP Spencer Strider, Atlanta Braves (Age: 25)
After flashing superstar potential while struggling to stay healthy, Luis Robert Jr. showed what he could do over a full season last year when he posted a 129 OPS+ with 36 doubles, 38 home runs, 20 steals and 5.0 WAR in 145 games. A change of scenery could do wonders for his career.
Can Yoshinobu Yamamoto live up to his 12-year, $365 million contract? Will Spencer Strider return to elite form on the other side of elbow surgery? How many more elite-level seasons does Luis Castillo have left in the tank? All three have enough potential upside to be worthy of a spot in the Top 25.
Slow out of the gates in the first season of his 11-year, $300 million deal with the Phillies in 2023, Trea Turner is hitting .343/.392/.460 to kick off this season. He is working on a stretch of three straight 20/20 seasons, and few players possess his combination of contact ability, power, speed and steady defense.
Nos. 20-16
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20. RHP Gerrit Cole, New York Yankees (Age: 33)
19. OF Aaron Judge, New York Yankees (Age: 32)
18. RHP Zac Gallen, Arizona Diamondbacks (Age: 28)
17. RHP Logan Webb, San Francisco Giants (Age: 27)
16. RHP Corbin Burnes, Baltimore Orioles (Age: 29)
With a long history of injuries, Aaron Judge might not age as well as some of the other superstars on this list who are already on the other side of their 30th birthday. However, he remains one of the most impactful players in the sport when he is on the field, so it's tough to drop him any lower than the No. 20 spot.
Gerrit Cole is 33 years old, he ranks seventh among active pitchers with 1,859 career innings pitched, and he is currently sidelined with nerve inflammation in his elbow. The 2023 AL Cy Young winner is still arguably baseball's best pitcher when healthy, but how many more years will that be true?
On the other hand, Zac Gallen, Logan Webb and Corbin Burnes are all shy of their 30th birthday and have proved to be durable front-line options over the past few seasons. That trio makes up the top tier of pitchers on this list, as everyone else the rest of the way is a position player.
Nos. 15-11
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15. DH Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros (Age: 26)
14. 1B Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies (Age: 31)
13. 3B José Ramírez, Cleveland Guardians (Age: 31)
12. OF Kyle Tucker, Houston Astros (Age: 27)
11. SS Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds (Age: 22)
He may not provide much in the way of defensive value, but Yordan Alvarez is one of baseball's best pure hitters. His sweet lefty swing has generated a .293/.385/.577 career line with a 162 OPS+ over his six seasons in the majors, and he also has a .949 OPS with 12 home runs and 41 RBI in 58 career playoff games.
Bryce Harper and José Ramírez are both on the back end of their respective primes from an age standpoint, but it's not out of the question to think they could still be impact offensive players into the 2030s.
Five-tool talents Kyle Tucker and Elly De La Cruz were the toughest omissions from the top 10 in these rankings. Tucker is well on his way to a 30/30 season after a 29-homer, 30-steal campaign last year when he finished fifth in AL MVP voting, while De La Cruz has a 146 OPS+ with nine home runs and 25 steals through 41 games.
Nos. 10-6
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10. OF Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres (Age: 25)
9. SS Corey Seager, Texas Rangers (Age: 30)
8. SS Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore Orioles (Age: 22)
7. OF Julio Rodríguez, Seattle Mariners (Age: 23)
6. C Adley Rutschman, Baltimore Orioles (Age: 26)
Fernando Tatis Jr. made a seamless transition to the outfield last year, posting elite defensive metrics (27 DRS, 14.9 UZR/150) en route to Platinum Glove honors while continuing to show elite power (25 HR) and speed (29 SB) in a 5.5-WAR campaign.
Two-time World Series MVP Corey Seager had 75 extra-base hits in 536 plate appearances to finish runner-up in AL MVP voting last year. Despite his slow start this year, he is one of the best offensive players in the game and still in the prime of his career.
Gunnar Henderson and Julio Rodríguez have gone from AL Rookie of the Year winners to bona fide superstars at an age when most players are still in the minors. Meanwhile, Adley Rutschman has lived up to being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft, and he gets bonus points for how difficult it can be to find a true franchise catcher.
Nos. 5-1
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5. SS Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals (Age: 23)
4. OF Juan Soto, New York Yankees (Age: 25)
3. OF Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves (Age: 26)
2. SS Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers (Age: 31)
1. DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers (Age: 29)
Bobby Witt Jr. took a major step forward from his rookie season in 2022 to last year, raising his OPS+ from 102 to 118 while also making strides defensively. Now he looks like one of baseball's brightest young stars, hitting .304/.369/.518 for a 150 OPS+ with 21 extra-base hits, 15 steals and 2.9 WAR in 43 games.
While Juan Soto is a year younger and off to a better start in 2024, Ronald Acuña Jr. is the more complete player with a significant edge in athleticism, speed and overall defensive ability. Both are great choices as franchise cornerstones and have a case for the No. 1 spot on the list.
At 31 years old, Mookie Betts might not have the same long-term outlook as some of the game's elite young stars, but he has a strong case for being the best player on the planet right now and he has been extremely durable throughout his career. He is currently on pace for a 12.4-WAR season in 2024.
And who else but Shohei Ohtani at No. 1? Assuming he returns to the mound, he is a no-brainer for the top spot thanks to his all-encompassing impact, but even as just a hitter he is as good as anyone in the game.
Full Top 50 List
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Top 50
1. DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani, LAD
2. SS Mookie Betts, LAD
3. OF Ronald Acuña Jr., ATL
4. OF Juan Soto, NYY
5. SS Bobby Witt Jr., KC
6. C Adley Rutschman, BAL
7. OF Julio Rodríguez, SEA
8. SS Gunnar Henderson, BAL
9. SS Corey Seager, TEX
10. OF Fernando Tatis Jr., SD
11. SS Elly De La Cruz, CIN
12. OF Kyle Tucker, HOU
13. 3B José Ramírez, CLE
14. 1B Bryce Harper, PHI
15. DH Yordan Alvarez, HOU
16. RHP Corbin Burnes, BAL
17. RHP Logan Webb, SF
18. RHP Zac Gallen, ARI
19. OF Aaron Judge, NYY
20. RHP Gerrit Cole, NYY
21. RHP Spencer Strider, ATL
22. SS Trea Turner, PHI
23. RHP Luis Castillo, SEA
24. RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, LAD
25. OF Luis Robert Jr., CWS
26. OF Corbin Carroll, ARI
27. SS Bo Bichette, TOR
28. RHP George Kirby, SEA
29. LHP Tarik Skubal, DET
30. 3B Austin Riley, ATL
31. RHP Paul Skenes, PIT
32. 3B Rafael Devers, BOS
33. OF Michael Harris II, ATL
34. SS Francisco Lindor, NYM
35. 1B Matt Olson, ATL
36. RHP Freddy Peralta, MIL
37. RHP Dylan Cease, SD
38. 1B Freddie Freeman, LAD
39. RHP Zack Wheeler, PHI
40. LHP Framber Valdez, HOU
41. OF Riley Greene, DET
42. SS CJ Abrams, WAS
43. RHP Pablo López, MIN
44. 2B Marcus Semien, TEX
45. 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., TOR
46. SS Anthony Volpe, NYY
47. C William Contreras, MIL
48. RHP Bryce Miller, SEA
49. RHP Logan Gilbert, SEA
50. 2B Ketel Marte, ARI
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