Predicting Each MLB Team's Best Player in 5 Years
A lot can change in five years. For example, the best players in Major League Baseball in 2017 included Giancarlo Stanton, Jose Altuve, Corey Kluber and Kris Bryant, who are decidedly not in that discussion now.
As such, we had our work cut out for us in predicting which player will be each team's best in 2027.
This tasked boiled down to making 30 educated guesses. We considered players who are already established in the majors but only young ones who are controlled through 2027 or likely to sign extensions. Naturally, we also considered prospects who could come into stardom in the near future.
We'll go division by division, starting in the American League East and ending in the National League West.
American League East
1 of 6
Baltimore Orioles: RHP Grayson Rodriguez
Age in 2027: 27
Yes, Adley Rutschman is Baltimore's top prospect and considered by many to be the best in all of baseball. But he's going to be 29 years old in 2027, which could put him closer to the end of his prime. Rodriguez should be in the thick of his. If the 2.36 ERA and 6.0 strikeout-to-walk ratio he had in the minors last year are any indication, what a prime it should be for the flame-throwing righty.
Boston Red Sox: SS Marcelo Mayer
Age in 2027: 24
Even if the Red Sox extend Rafael Devers, he will be 30 in 2027. The bigger heavyweights in the lineup figure to be first baseman Triston Casas, second baseman Nick Yorke and, especially, Mayer. The 19-year-old was a steal at No. 4 in the 2021 draft, as his upside is that of a Gold Glove Award shortstop who also hits in the middle of the order.
New York Yankees: SS Anthony Volpe
Age in 2027: 26
The Yankees lean old right now, but Volpe is but one of several exciting prospects working their ways up the ladder. He wasn't on many radars going into 2021, but now he's front and center after ripping off a 1.027 OPS, 27 home runs and 33 stolen bases in the low minors. He and Mayer should revive the ol' Derek Jeter vs. Nomar Garciaparra debates.
Tampa Bay Rays: SS Wander Franco
Age in 2027: 26
It's scary to think how good Franco is going to be. He had some obvious rough edges as a rookie last year, yet he still put together a 43-game on-base streak and was the most dangerous hitter in the Rays lineup by October. Hence why he got an 11-year, $182 million contract, though that will prove to be a substantial underpay once he starts racking up All-Star nods and contending for MVPs.
Toronto Blue Jays: 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Age in 2027: 28
The Blue Jays only control Guerrero through 2025, and he says the team has yet to offer him a contract extension. However, it'll be an outrageous upset if the sides don't get something done. Guerrero is coming off a 1.002 OPS and 48 home runs and generally looks like the next coming of Miguel Cabrera, so Toronto must pay what it must to keep him.
American League Central
2 of 6
Chicago White Sox: CF Luis Robert
Age in 2027: 29
The White Sox extended Robert in 2020 before he'd taken so much as one at-bat in the majors. Good call. His power-speed combination is as good as any in the sport. And albeit in just a 68-game sample thanks to a hip injury, he made a huge improvement with his strikeout rate in 2021. If that's a sign of things to come, he will remain a star even as his athleticism fades with age.
Cleveland Guardians: RHP Daniel Espino
Age in 2027: 26
George Valera headlines Cleveland's elite system, but his flaws pair his tremendous upside with real downside. So we'll go with the safe pick in Espino. Not just because the Guardians have a knack for churning out talented homegrown pitchers but because he looked the part of an ascendant ace as he whiffed 152 batters in 91.2 innings in the low minors last year.
Detroit Tigers: CF Riley Greene
Age in 2027: 26
Spencer Torkelson's bat lived up to the hype as he posted a .935 OPS and 30 homers across three minor league levels in 2021. Trouble is, a big bat is really all he has. Greene also has one of those—he had a .921 OPS and 24 homers last year—yet he's also a good baserunner and a potentially plus defender as a corner outfielder. What's more, he's a year younger than Torkelson.
Kansas City Royals: SS Bobby Witt Jr.
Age in 2027: 27
Though Torkelson and Greene are top-five talents, neither is even the best prospect in the AL Central. That's Witt, who popped all sorts of eyes as he racked up a .936 OPS, 33 homers and 29 steals in the high minors in 2021. He also projects as a well-above-average shortstop, so he has a shot to become only the second Royal to win an MVP Award after George Brett.
Minnesota Twins: SS Royce Lewis
Age in 2027: 28
Nowhere were we presented with a tougher call to make than here. Though the Twins control Byron Buxton through 2028, it's hard to imagine he'll be more durable at 33 than he has been at 28. Lewis, who tore his ACL last offseason, also has red flags in that department. But as he showed with a .975 OPS in the 2019 Arizona Fall League, the upside that made him the No. 1 pick in 2017 is still there.
American League West
3 of 6
Houston Astros: OF Kyle Tucker
Age in 2027: 30
The Astros only control Tucker through 2025, so he'll need an extension if they want to still have him in 2027. But as Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and Lance McCullers Jr. can vouch, this is an organization that takes care of its own. And following a year in which Tucker was the best hitter in baseball for a majority of the season, he is absolutely worth taking care of.
Los Angeles Angels: LHP Reid Detmers
Age in 2027: 27
Look, we all love Mike Trout. But he's already breaking down physically, so it's not fair to expect him to be his former superhuman self at 35 in 2027. Ditto for fellow MVP Shohei Ohtani, who'll need an extension to see his age-32 season with the Angels in '27 anyway. Detmers is thus something of a shrug pick here, though he does offer lots to like after whiffing 15.7 batters per nine innings in the minors in 2021.
Oakland Athletics: C Tyler Soderstrom
Age in 2027: 25
Who knows what the A's will look like a month from now, much less in five years? Yet Soderstrom is at least one player who figures to be wearing the green and gold in 2027. Last year marked his pro debut, and it yielded a .957 OPS and 12 homers in 57 games at Single-A. It's a good thing a bat like that will play anywhere, because he's probably not long for catcher.
Seattle Mariners: OF Julio Rodriguez
Age in 2027: 26
We can pick only one Mariner? That's not fair, but Rodriguez it is. As evidenced by his .955 career OPS in the minors, he's an absolute terror in the batter's box. But he also moves well for a 6'3", 180-pounder, and he likewise boasts a plus arm. Maybe some of that athleticism will have faded by 2027—but not enough to render him anything less than a superstar.
Texas Rangers: RHP Jack Leiter
Age in 2027: 27
Corey Seager and Marcus Semien are the best players the Rangers have now, but the latter is already north of 31, and the former will be 33 come 2027. This stage therefore belongs to Leiter. Some parts of his game need refinement, but his sneaky-good fastball and feel for the strike zone make for a solid foundation on which to build his future as an ace.
.png?w=256)
National League East
4 of 6
Atlanta: OF Ronald Acuna Jr.
Age in 2027: 29
As he had a .990 OPS, 24 homers and 17 steals at the time, Acuna probably would have won the National League MVP if he hadn't torn his ACL in July. That injury will be a distant memory by 2027, but so too might the peak of Acuna's athleticism. It's a good thing, then, that he's already evolving into an advanced hitter. To wit, his chase and walk rates were both in elite territory last year.
Miami Marlins: SS Kahlil Watson
Age in 2027: 24
The Marlins are a young team now, and they have still more young talent left to mine in their third-ranked system. But with respect to right-handers Max Meyer and Edward Cabrera, our eyes are on Watson. He made a quick impression in rookie ball after the Marlins chose him 16th in the 2021 draft, and his skill set gives off vague impressions of Jimmy Rollins.
New York Mets: C Francisco Alvarez
Age in 2027: 25
Francisco Lindor is already trending in a bad way, so the thought of his age-33 season in 2027 isn't exactly a positive one. But he'll soon be sharing an infield with top prospects Brett Baty and Ronny Mauricio as well as Alvarez if you count catcher as part of the infield. Alvarez is already an advanced hitter with good power, and he has a strong arm. Basically, a franchise catcher in the making.
Philadelphia Phillies: RF Bryce Harper
Age in 2027: 34
This is a reach, but one we're kinda forced to make. The Phillies farm system isn't good, and even top prospects such as shortstop Bryson Stott and righty Mick Abel look more like solid players than can't-miss stars. So we'll bank on Harper aging like the finest of wines, which isn't actually a long shot. He is a two-time MVP, after all, and his old-man skills (i.e., power and patience) are already as sharp as can be.
Washington Nationals: RF Juan Soto
Age in 2027: 28
Granted, the Nationals haven't yet extended Soto beyond the end of his club control in 2024. Yet it's a positive sign that they're trying, reportedly offering him a 13-year, $350 million deal prior to the lockout. If they bump that baby up to $400 million or even closer to $500 million, they'll likely have a deal. And lest there be any doubts about Soto's future, just remember he's basically a modern Ted Williams.
National League Central
5 of 6
Chicago Cubs: OF Brennen Davis
Age in 2027: 27
The one player the Cubs control through 2027 is Frank Schwindel, who is already pushing 30. Their farm system has come a long way over the last year, though, and nobody shows more promise than Davis. He's a lot more refined now than when the Cubs drafted him as a toolsy upside bet in the second round in 2018, not only making it to Triple-A in 2021 but starring there. He's an All-Star center fielder in the making.
Cincinnati Reds: 2B Jonathan India
Age in 2027: 30
It was oh so tempting to use this as an excuse to write about Hunter Greene, who pumps out triple-digit heat like Polka-Dot Man pumps out polka dots. But at the same time, all that velo might be a red flag for someone who's already had Tommy John surgery. So we'll hedge and assume the Reds will extend India after he showed a well-rounded skill set in winning the NL Rookie of the Year Award in 2021.
Milwaukee Brewers: RF Joey Wiemer
Age in 2027: 28
Given the way he's been going, it's hard to fathom what will be left of Christian Yelich once he's 35 in 2027. But Milwaukee's next wave of offensive stars is plainly visible in the minors. At 6'5", 215 pounds, Wiemer in particular is hard to miss. He's a good athlete despite that massive frame, with less swing-and-miss than you would expect. Ideally, he'll be a more consistent Joey Gallo.
Pittsburgh Pirates: C Henry Davis
Age in 2027: 27
The Pirates want to build around Bryan Reynolds, but it's hard to imagine chairman Bob Nutting actually paying what it takes to retain the All-Star outfielder beyond 2025. So the focus here falls to the club's prospects, who include gigantic shortstop Oneil Cruz and last year's No. 1 pick, Davis. He slugged .808 in his first taste of pro ball, hinting at the huge offensive ceiling he has to go with cannon arm strength.
St. Louis Cardinals: 3B Jordan Walker
Age in 2027: 25
The Cardinals farm system isn't necessarily deep, but it's nothing if not top-heavy. And since Nolan Gorman looks vaguely like a Rafael Devers clone, it's no small compliment to Walker that we're higher on his future. At 6'5", 220 pounds, he is already an absolute unit at 19. Yet there's more to his game than what's arguably 80-grade power, including some speed that could survive even as he continues to fill out.
National League West
6 of 6
Arizona Diamondbacks: SS Jordan Lawlar
Age in 2027: 24
It's doubtful that any members of last year's 110-loss team will still be with the Diamondbacks by 2027, so this is is all about what's in the farm system. Outfielders Corbin Carroll and Alek Thomas are prized talents, but the highest hopes are squarely on Lawlar. Assuming he recovers from surgery on his non-throwing shoulder, he will have the bat and athleticism to make good on said hopes.
Colorado Rockies: OF Zac Veen
Age in 2027: 25
The bad news? The Rockies have an awful major league team and a less-than-good farm system. The good news, though, is that Veen is already growing into his 6'4", 190-pound frame. He has enough power and speed to one day pursue 30-30 seasons, yet it shouldn't be overlooked that he walked in 13.4 percent of his plate appearances last year. Not many teenagers have that kind of feel for the zone.
Los Angeles Dodgers: C Diego Cartaya
Age in 2027: 25
Mookie Betts will still be under contract in 2027, but he'll be 34 years old and probably not the athlete he is today. Our eyes are thus on Cartaya, who drew attention by hitting .298/.409/.614 with 10 home runs in 31 games at Single-A last year. He also knows what he's doing behind the plate, so the Dodgers might see fit to bump Will Smith to another position once Cartaya is ready for The Show.
San Diego Padres: SS Fernando Tatis Jr.
Age in 2027: 28
All Tatis has done in his three years with the Padres is earn two top-five MVP finishes and two Silver Sluggers and tally 81 home runs and 52 stolen bases in 273 games. And while he's inconsistent, there are times when he looks like an elite defensive shortstop. So provided he can smooth out his rough edges and avoid further trouble with his left shoulder, he is going to be a star for years and years to come.
San Francisco Giants: SS Marco Luciano
Age in 2027: 25
It's rare to see a 107-win team, much less one with precisely zero long-term building blocks. That was the Giants in 2021. The plus side is that they have many building blocks under construction, including Luciano. Chances are he's going to move off short to the hot corner, but he has the power (e.g., 18 homers in 70 games at Single-A last year) and patience to make the cut as an offensive standout there in the long run.
Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.
.png?w=480)
