2028 MLB All-Star Team Predictions

Last year, I tried to predict what the starting lineup for the 2027 All-Star Game would look like. Now that we know who was voted as the starter for the game this year, I thought it might be fun to try and predict the 2028 game, now five years away. (Can you believe 2028 is five years away? Time is a flat circle, folks.) There will be some crossover with last year’s slate, but a lot has also changed in the past year. What will ASG’s lineup look like in five years’ time? Let’s take a guess.

Players are listed by their age and current squad, although of course the squad may change between now and 2028.

Catcher: Adele Rochman, Orioles (25 years old)
It’s been nearly a decade since the Orioles expanded one of their horizons through arbitration to avoid leaving them in free agency. They’ll certainly try to change that with Rutschman who, for what he’s worth, will still have less than a year of free agency in 2028. Even factoring in the unpredictability of the fishing career, this may be the safest call. This board.

First base: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays (24 years old)
Unlike Roachman, Vlad Jr. (who is actually younger than the Orioles’ catcher) will have landed in free agency long before 2028. It’s hard to imagine the Blue Jays letting him go, but if he’s still in the American League, it’s hard to see anyone else in that position. If he leaves, though, will top A potential Tyler Soderstrom end up here?

Second base: Jess Jung, Tigers (22 years old)
That’s very ambitious for the little brother of 2023 All-Star rookie Josh Jung of the Rangers. But Jace is a top 100 prospect and second-best prospect in the American League, in a slightly soft position for young players. Plus, look at that swing.

Shortstop: Wander Franco, Rays (22 years old)
Franco was the pick last year, and that was before he became an AL MVP candidate for Major League Baseball this year. He’s also still very young, and will almost certainly start a game or two before 2028.

Third base: Rafael Devers, Red Sox (26 years old)
With his contract extension in hand, we know Devers will still be in Boston by 2028, and he will have just entered his 30s. Other possibilities here include Josh Young, maybe Orioles’ Jordan Westberg, and for that matter… Jose Ramirez (who was only 35 at the time).

Outfield: Riley Greene, Tigers (22 years old); Julio Rodriguez, Mariners (22 years old); Mike Trout, Angels (31 years old)
J-Rod is a lock here, and we’re optimistic about Greene, even if it puts us in the odd position of having two Tigers on the 2028 All-Star Game roster. (Buy Tigers stock now!) That comes third if you believe in trout. Or Aaron Judge still being healthy in 2028.

Trout is only a few months older than Judge, and they both struggle with injuries. It’s really a coin flip, although it’s likely that one (or both) of them will have been designated hitters by then. There was also the temptation to sneak Juan Soto here, depending on where he would sign two years later.

Designated hitter: Yordan Alvarez, Astros (26 years old)
There are multiple candidates here, from Judge/Trout to, potentially, Shohei Ohtani, depending on where he signs this offseason. But Alvarez will almost certainly be primarily a DH by 2028, and he will definitely The multiplication is, so it is the choice.

Starting pitcher: Shane McClanahan, Rays (26 years old)
It’s very difficult to predict how junior pitchers will turn out, as evidenced by the fact that our pick here last year, Alec Manuah, was sent down to the juniors after a very difficult start to the season. So we’ll just admit we’re guessing here.

Catcher: Francisco Alvarez, Mets (21 years old)
He still has some work to do behind the plate, but give him five years and he should be much stronger defensively. We definitely know that bats play, and they will last a long time.

First base: Jordan Walker, Cardinals (21 years old)
This may seem an odd choice, considering Walker has never played a game at first base in the Majors. But it’s a logical position for someone with his frame, and by 2028, Paul Goldschmidt will (probably) be gone far from St. Louis. Here he bets that he will end up here.

Second base: Miguel Vargas, Dodgers (23 years old)
He didn’t quite rip the ball cap in his first three months at Chavez Ravine, but he certainly showed enough to spark plenty of excitement for what the next half-decade will look like.

Shortstop: Eli de la Cruz, Reds (21 years old)
Will he end up at shortstop? This is up for debate, but what he isn’t lies in the fact that he is as talented at baseball as we’ve seen for a long time. Wherever he ends up, he will be at the center of baseball conversations for many years to come.

Third base: Austin Riley, Braves (26 years old)
He hasn’t kept up his blistering pace since last year, but he’s still the best young player in that position, at least until Ke’Bryan Hayes starts hitting the ball a little harder.

Stadium: Ronald Acuna Jr., Braves (25 years old); Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres (24 years old); Corbin Carroll, D-back (22 years old)
This was a stacked position before Tatesse moved here and Carroll established himself as a MVP candidate. I mean, Juan Soto is not here. How is Juan Soto not here?

Designated hitter: Shuhei Ohtani, Dodgers (28 years old)
I mean…don’t act like you’re going to be surprised.

Starting Thrower: Zack Gallen, D-back (27 years old)
Obviously, that’s complete guesswork, but it’s one under-30 pitcher you feel could be categorized as a star. now.