Predicting Each MLB Team's Face of the Franchise in 2028
Which player will be the face of every MLB franchise three years from now?
The AL West and NL West races have become must-watch theatre, and copious amounts of popcorn are being consumed around the nation amid the continued downfall of the Mets and Yankees. But mid-August—a.k.a. the doldrums of the summer season—has always been a prime window for gazing into cloudy crystal balls with topics like this.
Ahead, we've identified the player we expect to be "the guy" for each team in 2028, based on a combination of age, contract status, prospect potential and more. And, on the off-chance we're wrong, we're also including a "Don't Sleep On" player for each team who could become the face of the franchise.
Of note, there are a few big-time impending free agents worth considering here. Kyle Tucker hits the open market this winter. Tarik Skubal is scheduled to do so the following offseason. And Adley Rutschman, MacKenzie Gore and Jeremy Peña headline a solid class of guys who could become very rich heading into the 2028 campaign. We won't be projecting landing spots for any of those players here, but we know they could become the singular star of wherever they land.
Arizona Diamondbacks: OF Corbin Carroll
1 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 25, signed through at least 2030
Ketel Marte is the "right now" face of the Diamondbacks, and he is, like Corbin Carroll, signed through at least 2030. But he'll be turning 35 during the 2028 campaign, while Carroll turns 28 that season and ought to be at his MVP-caliber prime.
The only real question with Carroll is his consistency.
Everyone endures hot and cold spells, but the 2023 NL Rookie of the Year's swings have been wilder than most. Last year, he had a barely .600 OPS in the first half of the season before exploding out of the All-Star break. And this year, he has been all over the map from one month to the next.
If Carroll reels that in and becomes a more stable source of production, he might be the face of more than just the D-backs in three years' time.
Don't Sleep On: SS Jordan Lawlar
Athletics: 1B Nick Kurtz
2 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 22, under team control through at least 2030
The No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 draft followed quite well in the footsteps of the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft, with Nick Kurtz making it to the big leagues less than a year after his final collegiate appearance and immediately demonstrating why he was so highly touted—just like Paul Skenes before him.
In 48 games played from June 15 through August 11, Kurtz was batting .354/.444/.764 with 18 home runs, good for a 162-game pace of 61 dingers.
His six-hit, four-homer extravaganza on July 25 was a nice big factor there. However, you could remove that historic night from the mix and he'd still be batting .331 and slugging .680 over the course of nearly two months.
Don't Sleep On: OF Lawrence Butler
Atlanta Braves: RF Ronald Acuna Jr.
3 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 27, $17M club options for 2027 and 2028 that are sure to be exercised
This is the first of several times on this list that we need to ask if impending free agency will impact whether we still view the player as the face of the franchise in 2028.
Atlanta has Ronald Acuña Jr. under contract for another three years after the current season. If it doesn't manage to re-extend him before then, he'll hit free agency about two months before celebrating his 31st birthday, likely destined for a second nine-figure contract, possibly with another team.
But Bryce Harper was still the face of Washington in his walk year in 2018. Same goes for Aaron Judge with the Yankees in 2022 and Shohei Ohtani with the Angels in 2023. Acuña ought to be in a similar boat with Atlanta—provided he hasn't reached Grady Sizemore levels of "Remember how great he was before all the injuries?" by then.
Don't Sleep On: CF Michael Harris II
Baltimore Orioles: SS Gunnar Henderson
4 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 24, Arbitration-Eligible through 2028
As with Ronald Acuña Jr. in Atlanta, 2028 could be the end of the line for Gunnar Henderson in Baltimore, as the Orioles brass continually fails to sign any of its young stars to long-term extensions, assuming it's trying to do so at all.
And while it's plausible Atlanta will re-sign Acuña three years from now, it's hard to imagine Baltimore standing any financial chance of re-signing Henderson if he just keeps churning out great seasons—which would make his 2028 campaign feel a lot like Willy Adames' final hurrah in Milwaukee last season.
Because of that, cases for Jackson Holliday, Coby Mayo and top prospect Samuel Basallo could be made here, all under team control through at least 2030. But maybe in his last act before setting sail and making bank, Henderson helps steer the Orioles to their first World Series since 1983.
Don't Sleep On: C/1B Samuel Basallo
Boston Red Sox: RF Roman Anthony
5 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 21, Signed through at least 2033
In his first plate appearance after the Red Sox traded away Rafael Devers, Roman Anthony hit the first home run of his Major League career.
That was just about the only positive of his first 15 games in the majors, a stretch in which he went 5-for-44 at the dish. But since slogging through that initial learning curve, Anthony has been every bit as good as advertised, with an OPS of almost 1.000 dating back to late June while anchoring Boston's postseason push.
Less than two months after his arrival, the Red Sox signed Anthony to an eight-year, $130 million extension. And it sure feels like they pulled off some sort of coup to buy out the rest of his twenties for $16.25 million a pop.
Don't Sleep On: CF/2B Ceddanne Rafaela
Chicago Cubs: OF Pete Crow-Armstrong
6 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 23, Under team control through 2030
If the Cubs manage to re-sign Kyle Tucker this winter, this becomes a much tougher call.
At any rate, Tucker would be the financial face of the franchise, making what figures to be around $40 million per year while Pete Crow-Armstrong would (if Chicago doesn't extend him first) only be in his first year of arbitration eligibility.
But PCA is the five-tool star who only needs to pick up his homering pace a little to wind up with 40 home runs, 40 stolen bases and 40 doubles in a single season for what would be just the second time in MLB history. (Alfonso Soriano did it in 2006.)
That he might do so while also probably winning the National League's Platinum Glove is, in technical terms, ridiculous and makes him the easy choice to be the face of the Cubs for years to come.
Don't Sleep On: C/DH Moisés Ballesteros
Chicago White Sox: SS Colson Montgomery
7 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 23, Under team control through at least 2030
Had we done this in mid-July instead of mid-August, it's tough to say who the pick would have been for the White Sox. Probably the backstop tandem of Edgar Quero and Kyle Teel, even though neither rookie has exactly lived up to the hype from an OPS perspective.
Colson Montgomery, on the other hand, has emphatically begun to look the part of a first-round pick who was a top-10 prospect in all of baseball heading into the 2024 campaign.
From July 22 through August 11, Chicago's shortstop with barely 100 plate appearances' worth of MLB experience mashed 10 home runs in the span of 18 games, good for a 162-game pace of 90.
Goodness only knows where that power came from, as Montgomery barely averaged 20 home runs per 162 games played in the minors over the past five seasons. But he is officially the present and future of this franchise now.
Don't Sleep On: C Edgar Quero
Cincinnati Reds: SS Elly De La Cruz
8 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 23, Under team control through at least 2029
Can't imagine there will be much pushback on this selection.
Not only is Elly De La Cruz arguably the most scintillating sensation in baseball today, but he's also the only position player to represent Cincinnati at an All-Star Game in the past four years, doing so in each of 2024 and 2025.
Even though he didn't get called up until June 2023, he has stolen 133 bases over the past three seasons, 23 more than his closest challenger. He's also one of just five players with at least 20 triples and 50 home runs since the beginning of 2023, the others being Shohei Ohtani, Gunnar Henderson, Corbin Carroll and Bobby Witt Jr.—all of whom also appear on this list.
All that said, No. 2 overall pick in last year's draft, Chase Burns, has been all sorts of impressive on the mound and reasonably could be the best pitcher in baseball within three years.
Don't Sleep On: RHP Chase Burns
Cleveland Guardians: 2B Travis Bazzana
9 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 23, Under team control through at least 2031
Toward the end of the 2028 campaign, José Ramírez will turn 36 years old in what is the final year of his $141 million deal. The torch in Cleveland is still very much his for now, but 2028 is when it figures to be passed elsewhere.
Maybe it goes to Kyle Manzardo, who is now up to 21 home runs in his first full season in the big leagues, this after putting up a 1.077 OPS in the 2024 ALCS.
Surely the hope, though, is that 2024 No. 1 pick Travis Bazzana will be shining brightly three years from now.
He missed nearly two months of the current season with an oblique injury, but that wasn't enough to stop him from getting called up to Triple-A earlier this week. Pencil him in for second base on Opening Day 2026, and don't be surprised if fans in Cleveland soon thereafter come to revere him like they did Jason Kipnis.
Don't Sleep On: DH/1B Kyle Manzardo
Colorado Rockies: SS Ezequiel Tovar
10 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 23, signed through at least 2030
There are surprisingly a few viable candidates here, inspiring some hope that there's a way out of what has been a years-long pit of despair.
Both Hunter Goodman and Jordan Beck have had quality seasons and shouldn't be going anywhere any time soon. There's also No. 3 pick in last year's draft, Charlie Condon, and No. 4 pick in this year's draft, Ethan Holliday, either of whom could be major contributors by 2028.
Hard to not go with Ezequiel Tovar, though, who is already signed to a seven-year deal and who has already shown that he's more than just a one-year wonder or a great big ball of hype. He has been banged up this season, missing more than half of Colorado's games. But he's batting north of .300 since the All-Star Break.
Don't Sleep On: SS Ethan Holliday
Detroit Tigers: OF Riley Greene
11 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 24, Arbitration-eligible through 2028
Welcome back to the "Might Be His Final Year with the Team" category of candidates.
For Detroit, though, there aren't any other great options presently on the roster—unless you think they'll be able to extend/re-sign Tarik Skubal, who is scheduled to hit free agency next winter.
Maybe Colt Keith, who is signed through at least 2029, possibly through 2032? Or maybe Kevin McGonigle or Max Clark, both of whom rank top 10 in MLB.com's prospects pipeline and both of whom should be in the majors by next season?
But Riley Greene (when healthy) has been Detroit's star position player for three seasons running and should remain a massive piece of their puzzle, right up until he hits free agency a month after turning 28.
Don't Sleep On: IF Kevin McGonigle
Houston Astros: DH/LF Yordan Alvarez
12 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 28, Signed through 2028
2025 has been a season to forget for Yordan Alvarez. But from 2021-24, only Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani had a better OPS than Houston's slugger with a .958 mark. Kind of have to hope/assume that he'll be back to his old self after this hand fracture heals up, mashing his way through the three years left on his deal.
Because if it's not Alvarez as Houston's star in 2028, the options sure are limited for what is arguably the least talent-rich farm system in the sport right now.
Jose Altuve is signed for another four years, but he'll turn 38 in 2028. Hard to imagine he'll still be doing his thing at a high level. And though the re-acquired Carlos Correa is signed through at least 2028, all those long-term concerns about his medical history from his free agency saga a few years ago—not to mention his mediocre play for the first four months of this season—make it feel unlikely he'll be dynamite three years from now.
Maybe Cam Smith's star will be shining brightly by then, though.
Don't Sleep On: RF Cam Smith
Kansas City Royals: SS Bobby Witt Jr.
13 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 25, Signed through at least 2030
If Jac Caglianone had shown up and immediately started mashing like he did in the minors for the first two months of this season, that might have been grounds for a spirited debate here.
As is, with the rookie on the IL with a .485 OPS in his 41 mostly underwhelming games played to date, Bobby Witt Jr. is maybe the most inarguable choice of this entire list.
Witt finished second in last year's AL MVP vote, seventh the year prior and is on track for a top-five finish again this season. His streak of 30 HR/30 SB seasons is almost certainly going to end at two, but he's also almost certainly going to reach 20 home runs and 30 stolen bases for a fourth consecutive year—likely with a second straight Gold Glove, too.
Don't Sleep On: 1B/RF Jac Caglianone
Los Angeles Angels: SS Zach Neto
14 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 24, Under team control through 2029
Much like Jose Altuve in Houston, Mike Trout has been the face of this franchise for at least a decade and is signed through and beyond 2028. However, he'll turn 37 that summer and has already struggled to stay healthy for the past five years.
Maybe Trout will still be solid and closing in on 500 career home runs, but Zach Neto is nearly a decade younger and has already been the Angels' most valuable player both this year and last.
The national love for Neto is way less intense than it was for Trout and Shohei Ohtani, but the young shortstop is almost as much of a cornerstone player as those stars who preceded him. He was worth 5.1 bWAR last year and he's on his way to eclipsing that this season; his combined total of 42 home runs and 51 stolen bases putting him on par with the likes of Corbin Carroll and Julio Rodríguez.
Don't Sleep On: 2B Christian Moore
Los Angeles Dodgers: DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani
15 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 31, Signed through 2033
The Dodgers are loaded with guys who would be strong candidates on a lot of teams. Mookie Betts, Will Smith and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are already signed well beyond 2028. Andy Pages will just be reaching his first year of arbitration eligibility. Same goes for Dalton Rushing. And goodness knows there's a lot of long-term hype percolating around Josue De Paula.
But, come on.
It's Shohei Ohtani and it's not even close. He was practically the face of the franchise before he even played his first game with the Dodgers, and his legend has only continued to grow.
Ohtani is presently on track to become the first player to score at least 153 runs in a season since Lou Gehrig in 1936. This coming after his legendary 54 HR/59 SB campaign in 2024. And, oh yeah, he's probably going to throw five or six innings in their first game of the postseason. Perfectly normal stuff.
Don't Sleep On: OF Andy Pages
Miami Marlins: OF Kyle Stowers
16 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 27, Arbitration-eligible through 2029
This is one of the few spots where it was quite tempting to go with a pitcher as the face of the franchise, as Eury Pérez is still just 22 years old and has bounced back from his Tommy John surgery a whole heck of a lot better than Sandy Alcantara has. He reasonably could be Miami's version of Stephen Strasburg, albeit hopefully without the "career ends almost immediately after signing a $245M contract" part.
But Kyle Stowers has had one heck of a breakout year, especially the stretch from June 22 through August 3, in which he triple-slashed .351/.437/.825 with 15 home runs while the Marlins went 25-10 to storm back to within shouting distance of the wild card conversation.
Even though Trevor Rogers is having quite the impressive season of his own with a 1.44 ERA in Baltimore, it sure does feel like Miami won that 2024 deadline deal by a landslide with Stowers theirs for at least four more years.
Don't Sleep On: RHP Eury Pérez
Milwaukee Brewers: OF Jackson Chourio
17 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 21, Signed through at least 2031
Maybe the most ridiculous part of the Brewers opening August on a 12-game winning streak is the fact that they've done it all without Jackson Chourio, who is working his way back from a hamstring strain suffered while legging out a triple on July 29.
They're already the best team in the majors, and they should be getting their brightest star back just in time for the stretch run. (They're also likely to get both Jacob Misiorowski and Robert Gasser back from the IL in the next week or two, and they may well be Milwaukee's co-aces heading into 2028.)
Chourio signed his eight-year, $82M contract (with club options that could push it to 10 years, $132M) four months before making his MLB debut. It was a bold move that could have just about crippled this small market team if it backfired, but it instead already looks like maybe the most team-friendly deal in all of baseball.
Don't Sleep On: RHP Jacob Misiorowski
Minnesota Twins: UTIL Luke Keaschall
18 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 22, Under team control through at least 2030
Byron Buxton is signed through 2028. Royce Lewis is arbitration-eligible until then, too. And beyond that, it's anyone's guess which remaining pieces of Minnesota's roster are building blocks for the future.
Luke Keaschall already looks like the real deal just a few weeks into his big league career, though.
Minnesota's second-round pick in 2023 hit .303 with 15 home runs and 23 stolen bases in 103 minor league games played in 2024. And through 12 big-league games —even with a three-month hiatus between games seven and eight for a broken arm—he was sitting at .415, two and five, respectively.
He has been manning 2B and DH thus far for the Twins, but he could be a Ben Zobrist type who plays anywhere and everywhere.
Don't Sleep On: OF Walker Jenkins
New York Mets: OF Juan Soto
19 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 26, Signed through at least 2029
Juan Soto darn well better be the face of this franchise in 2028, right?
Steve Cohen didn't roll out the $765 million red carpet for Soto to settle into any sort of secondary or tertiary role less than one-third of the way through that contract.
Yes, Francisco Lindor is still there through 2031, as is Brandon Nimmo through 2030. They might re-up with Pete Alonso on a long-term deal. Guys like Ronny Mauricio, Brett Baty and Mark Vientos could be stars in three years' time.
But Soto is the sine qua non who needs to be the star; who will face scrutiny any time he fails to hit 40 home runs or post a .400 OBP in a given season, or any time the Mets fail to reach the postseason.
Don't Sleep On: SS Francisco Lindor
New York Yankees: OF Aaron Judge
20 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 33, Signed through 2031
At about six months older than Bryce Harper and more than two years older than Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge is the eldest statesman on this list, turning 36 shortly after the 2028 campaign begins.
Will he be wearing down by then like so many greats before him?
Or is Judge going to follow more of a David Ortiz career arc, peaking at 30 but continuing to provide great value (and many home runs) through his age-40 season?
The Yankees certainly bet big on the latter, hoping he will remain the face of the franchise into 2030 and beyond.
If Judge does start to fade over the next three years, maybe top prospect Spencer Jones will take the reins. With 30 home runs and 25 stolen bases in his first 81 minor league games played this season, it's growing increasingly difficult to understand why he's still, you know, playing minor league games.
Don't Sleep On: OF Spencer Jones
Philadelphia Phillies: 1B Bryce Harper
21 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 32, Signed through 2031
As mentioned, Bryce Harper is very much on the older end of the spectrum here. If the Phillies make the postseason in 2028, he'll be turning 36 somewhere around the end of the NLDS round.
Yet, it's easy to see him remaining the face of the Phillies deep into his 30s because of one word we haven't used yet on this list: Swagger.
It took a few years after his arrival in 2019 for the team to start making it back to the postseason, but Philadelphia's DNA changed almost instantly after he showed up, as was also the case with Washington back in 2012.
Maybe that spark fades with age, but his talent certainly hasn't yet, on track to post an OPS north of .800 for what would be the 13th time in his 14-year career.
Don't Sleep On: OF Justin Crawford
Pittsburgh Pirates: RHP Paul Skenes
22 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 23, Under team control through 2029
The only pitcher on the list, and the only question about Paul Skenes' placement here is the unknown of whether the Pirates will trade him away before he gets this close to free agency.
If Skenes does get dealt before 2028, that clears the path for MLB.com's No. 1 overall prospect Konnor Griffin, who has been unbelievable at the Single-A level this season.
Let's assume Skenes stays in Pittsburgh, though, and stays healthy. Can we get to a point where his home starts are every bit the must-attend sensation that Félix Hernández's "King's Court" games were for Seattle back in the 2010 timeframe? If you're going to have a Cy Young winner on a potential 100-loss team, please at least make the most of it.
Don't Sleep On: SS Konnor Griffin
San Diego Padres: OF Jackson Merrill
23 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 22, Signed through at least 2034
Jackson Merrill had the misfortune of making his MLB debut in the same year that Paul Skenes did.
And while Skenes set the sport on fire with a 1.96 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 11.5 K/9 en route to NL ROY, Merrill did receive seven first-place votes for a job well done as the everyday center fielder for a 93-win team.
He also received a 10-year, $156 million contract after that dynamite rookie season, and he almost certainly could have held out for even more than that.
Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr. are both signed through at least 2034, while both Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts are each signed through 2033. The Padres are hoping all four will shine brightly in 2028, but Merrill might be the one shouldering the load by then.
Don't Sleep On: RF Fernando Tatis Jr.
San Francisco Giants: DH Rafael Devers
24 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 28, Signed through 2033
Could go any number of directions with this one.
Ace Logan Webb is signed through 2028. Infielders Matt Chapman and Willy Adames are both signed through at least 2030. Top prospect Bryce Eldridge might be the main attraction at first base three years from now.
But the Giants went all-in on Rafael Devers, agreeing to absorb the entirety of what was left on his contract, which will be about $250 million paid out through 2043.
If he isn't the face of the franchise three years from now, he might be the face of their failures instead. That has already become the case this season, San Francisco going from 41-30 before trading for him to a near MLB-worst record over the past two months.
Devers does have a .955 OPS in 26 career postseason games played, though. Doesn't look like he'll be adding to those numbers this year, but he figures to be the biggest piece of the puzzle when the Giants do make it back to October baseball.
Don't Sleep On: 1B Bryce Eldridge
Seattle Mariners: OF Julio Rodriguez
25 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 24, Signed through at least 2029
Toughest call of them all here, as Cal Raleigh's quest for 60-plus home runs has at least temporarily supplanted Julio Rodríguez as the face of the Mariners.
The Big Dumper signed a six-year, $105 million extension just before Opening Day that presently looks like highway robbery. That contract also pales in comparison to Rodríguez's deal that could be worth up to $470 million, depending on how he fares in the AL MVP votes over the next four years.
J-Rod is already up to 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases for a fourth consecutive year, likely to reach 30/30 for what would be a second time. He's also having a career-best year as far as outfield defense is concerned, possibly destined for a Gold Glove to go alongside Raleigh's Platinum Glove from last season.
The correct answer is probably just calling them co-faces of the franchise. But we'll give the nod to Rodríguez.
Don't Sleep On: C Cal Raleigh
St. Louis Cardinals: SS Masyn Winn
26 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 23, Arbitration-eligible through 2029
Masyn Winn is probably already the face of the Cardinals.
Surely Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras are the more well-established (and well-compensated) members of the roster. But Winn was easily their MVP in 2024, and he's starting to run away with that crown again this season by virtue of his elite glove at shortstop—leading the majors in Outs Above Average and very likely headed for a Gold Glove.
Most importantly for this discussion, though, Winn isn't going anywhere any time soon. The aforementioned three veterans, Brendan Donovan and Lars Nootbaar are all likely to be out of the picture by the end of 2027, making it almost "Winn or Bust" among players currently on the roster. (Could make an argument for Iván Herrera, though.)
If anyone is taking Winn's throne by 2028, it's probably top prospect JJ Wetherholt. The No. 7 overall pick in last year's draft is batting .300 with a .900 OPS thus far in the minors and may well be a regular in the bigs next spring.
Don't Sleep On: IF JJ Wetherholt
Tampa Bay Rays: 3B Junior Caminero
27 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 22, Arbitration-eligible through 2030
Though it was Cal Raleigh who won the 2025 Home Run Derby, that exhibition was something of a national breakthrough for first runner-up Junior Caminero—as it was for Julio Rodríguez in his age-21 season three years ago.
Caminero had already hit 23 home runs by that point in the season, tied with Juan Soto for 10th-most in the majors. Though, it didn't seem like many noticed how well he was faring, what with Raleigh, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani each well into the 30s and stealing all the slugging spotlight.
Caminero is now up to 34 dingers, all but certain to eclipse 40 (barring injury), which is historic territory for a player in his age-21 (or younger) season. The only players to ever get there were Hall of Famer and 12-time All-Star Eddie Mathews in 1953 (47 HR), Hall of Famer and 11-time All-Star Mel Ott in 1929 (42 HR) and 2023 NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. in 2019 (41 HR).
Don't Sleep On: 1B Jonathan Aranda
Texas Rangers: OF Wyatt Langford
28 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 23, Under team control through 2029
Texas' 19-year-old prospect Sebastian Walcott has blossomed into the next big thing that everyone is excited about, hitting pretty well at Double-A Frisco with an "exclusively facing older pitchers" asterisk on his 29 extra-base hits and 24 stolen bases. Force us to bet on a 2027 AL Rookie of the Year right now and he'd be the pick, with the potential to be a real star by 2028.
Of course, Wyatt Langford has already shown in the majors that he can be a five-tool star, making him the safer, more obvious pick here.
Thus far in his two-season career, Langford is averaging 22 home runs and 24 stolen bases per 162 games played. And much like Jarren Duran in Boston or Daulton Varsho in Toronto in recent years, Langford's glove has become a major plus, regardless of whether it's deployed in left or center field.
Don't Sleep On: SS/3B Sebastian Walcott
Toronto Blue Jays: 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
29 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 26, Signed through 2039
If Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hadn't signed that $500 million extension in early April, it's hard to say who would have been the pick here.
Maybe Alejandro Kirk, who is signed through 2030? Possibly Addison Barger, who is also under team control through 2030 and enjoying a breakout year? We probably would have made the case for Tarik Skubal, who is slated to hit free agency next winter, with Toronto likely losing all of Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, George Springer, Bo Bichette and Max Scherzer between now and then.
Alas, no need to throw a dart into the unknown. Not only will Guerrero be the face of this franchise through 2028, but they're also hoping he'll still be a key contributor a decade beyond then.
His OPS this season has increased month-by-month from .763 to .869 to .899 to .943 to now 1.082 in August. Trending toward one heck of an October, no?
Don't Sleep On: C Alejandro Kirk
Washington Nationals: OF James Wood
30 of 30
Age and Contract Terms: 22, Arbitration-eligible through 2030
Though the Nationals aren't winning any more consistently than they were when they traded away Juan Soto three summers ago, the saving grace on their end of that blockbuster is that they got some legitimate talent in return.
Both MacKenzie Gore and CJ Abrams have been major assets, Robert Hassell III finally made it to the bigs and Jarlin Susana should be coming within the next calendar year.
But the player who has become the crown jewel of that swap is James Wood.
Wood was in quite a funk from July 4 up until about a week ago, hitting .122 with just one home run during a stretch of 26 games. He had a .958 OPS before that cold spell, though, and appears to have reignited at the dish in recent days, still destined for something in the vicinity of 30 home runs and 20 stolen bases.
Should he reach both of those plateaus, he'd be the first Nat to do so since Alfonso Soriano's legendary 40/40 campaign in 2006. And with the five years of team control still remaining, the hope is he'll help guide this woebegone team back to its 2012-19 levels of excellence.
Don't Sleep On: OF Dylan Crews
