Much can change in six years. The team you follow now was very different seven seasons ago. Look at the Dodgers. There is no set with more continuity in recent years. After all, they have won the NL West Division since 2013. But do you know how many players from the 2015 team are still active with the club in 2021? Four; Clayton Kershaw, Justin Turner, Kenley Jansen, and Corey Seager.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at one player from each team who might have a chance to stay with the same club in 2028.
(The ages reflected are with respect to 2021)
Blue Jays: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B (age 22)
The Dominican will be a free agent in 2025 – a year before George Springer – but the Blue Jays can’t let him go, can they?
Orioles: Adley Rutschman, C (age 23)
If you are not promoted until 2022, you will still be under the arbitration years by then.
Rays: Wander Franco, INF (age 20)
It’s always possible for the Rays to make trades just before paying for a big contract, but if there’s one guy they might not contemplate that with, it’s Wander Franco.
Red Sox: Rafael Devers, 3B (age 24)
The Red Sox haven’t signed him to a contract extension (he won’t be a free agent until 2023), but they appear to be positioning themselves to work out a deal with the Dominican.
Yankees: Gerrit Cole, RHP (age 30)
Giancarlo Stanton’s contract expires after the 2027 season, Cole’s after 2028.
Cleveland: Tyler Freeman, INF (age 22)
Your candidate is so good with ours with the future Guardians, but his best prospect and called to replace Puerto Rican Francisco Lindor, seems to have a good chance.
Royals: Salvador Pérez, C (31 years old)
The Venezuelan will turn 38 in 2028; younger than Puerto Rican Yadier Molina is today.
Tigers: Casey Mize, RHP (24 years old)
Miguel Cabrera’s contract will be two years old in 2028. Prospects Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene are also good options.
Twins: Royce Lewis, Utility (22 years old)
The Twins may be back in competition in 2022, but most of those on that team will be out in 2028.
White Sox: Eloy Jiménez, LF (24 years old)
The White Sox have a pool of players insured for the next half decade and although none of them are signed beyond 2026, the Dominican seems to be a player who will be in South Chicago for quite some time.
Angels: Mike Trout, CF (age 29)
He’s under contract through 2030. Could he have won a postseason game by then?
Athletics: Tyler Soderstrom, C / 1B (age 19)
Considering that we have no idea what the Athletics will be doing in 2028, or where they will be playing, the safe bet is to go for the receiving prospect who is still years away from making his debut.
Astros: José Altuve, 2B (31 years old)
This is difficult. Maybe it’s Alex Bregman, or the Cuban Yordan Álvarez (probably not the Puerto Rican Carlos Correa). But at the end of the day, the Venezuelan will no longer play anywhere and will be 37 years old in 2028, probably still far from retirement.
Mariners: Julio Rodríguez, RF (20 years old)
Choose your candidate here between the Dominican and Jarred Kelenic. There is no doubt that the fans of the Mariners can easily buy the jerseys of any of them.
Rangers: Jack Leiter, RHP (age 21)
The prized prospect will hit the majors sooner than they think, and Texas may be building around him.
Braves: Ronald Acuña Jr., OF (23 years old)
The Braves have a $ 17 million option for 2028 on the Venezuelan, the last one on the contract. It is a fun experiment to imagine what would have to happen for them not to exercise it. Maybe we already colonized the moon and aliens replaced humans in the Elders.
Marlins: JJ Bleday, RF (age 23)
You never know with the Marlins, but they have a lot of players close to the majors. Who will be granted an extension? The safest bet now is Bleday.
Mets: Francisco Lindor, SS (age 27)
The Puerto Rican will have three more years of contract after 2028. He is not the only one like this in the division.
Nationals: Juan Soto, LF (22 years old)
With all the other stars out, the Nationals have to sign the Dominican long-term, right?
Phillies: Bryce Harper, RF (age 28)
Did you see that Lindor’s contract ends the same year as Harper’s? They will get tired of facing each other.
Brewers: Christian Yelich, OF (age 29)
The 2028 season is the last of Christian Yelich’s contract in Milwaukee. Now, the question is: How many All-Star Games will he be called to from here until then?
Cardinals: Nolan Arenado, 3B (age 30)
Assuming he does not get out of his contract, Arenado would have recently terminated his contract in 2027. Will he be on the way out and continue in the waiting room?
Cubs: Brennen Davis, OF (age 21)
The Cubs could go in many directions this offseason and may be signing a shortstop for more than seven years. But for now, we’ll walk away with his best prospect.
Pirates: Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B (24 years old)
Hayes would enter free agency after the 2027 season, so we’ll have to wait to see if the Pirates offer him an extension or … do business as usual.
Reds: José Barrero, SS (23 years old)
The Reds are a more veteran team than you might think, so we avoid the temptation to write “Joey Votto” here. We go with the Cuban.
D-backs: Jordan Lawlar, SS (18 years old)
Sorry, kid, but you just got drafted into the Amateur Draft by a team just starting a rebuild.
Dodgers: Mookie Betts, RF (age 28)
Betts signed for one more season than Harper and Lindor will turn 39 that year. It’s hard to imagine Betts being 39, right?
Giants: Marco Luciano, SS (19 years old)
Although the veterans are now shining, being the surprise team of the season, guys like the Dominican are showing off on one of the best farms in baseball.
Parents: Fernando Tatis Jr., SS (22 years old)
It is not Harper who has the longest contract in baseball, it is the Dominican, who is under contract until 2034. (He will turn 35 that year).
Rockies: Zac Veen, OF (age 19)
It’s clear that the Rockies are looking to the future, leaving us the only option for the guy they just drafted in the amateur draft.
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