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Predicting the Rosters for Baseball's Return to the Olympics in 2028
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    Predicting the Rosters for Baseball’s Return to the Olympics in 2028

    The on-again, off-again relationship between the Olympics and baseball is heading toward another reconciliation in 2028.

    That leads to the inevitable discussion of what the rosters could look like.

    Commissioner Rob Manfred said last month he was open to the possibility of major leaguers participating, but recent history suggests some obstacles. Baseball was dropped after the 2008 Games, returned in 2021 in Japan, then was left out this year in Paris.

    The sport returns for the Los Angeles Games four years from now. At the Tokyo Olympics, Major League Baseball only allowed players not on 40-man rosters to play — and teams additionally blocked many eligible prospects. The potential health risk is real, a point only further driven home by Edwin Díaz’s season-ending injury at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

    So the 2021 U.S. team was led by a few familiar names, such as Todd Frazier and Edwin Jackson, with a couple of intriguing youngsters in Tristan Casas and Shane Baz. The mix created little buzz.

    One possible compromise would be for teams to keep active major leaguers out of the Olympics but permit top prospects who haven’t yet reached the majors to go. The event would resemble the All-Star Futures Game, but for a whole tournament.

    In 2000, future big leaguer Ben Sheets shut out a powerful Cuban team to secure the gold medal for the U.S. Nowadays it’s far easier for fans to monitor top prospects. Imagine if baseball were in the 2024 Games and the game’s best minor leaguers were largely available. The U.S. lineup could’ve been full of players like Dylan Crews and Marcelo Mayer, two prospects ranked in the top 10 by MLB Pipeline.

    Those wouldn’t be household names for casual Olympic watchers, but baseball diehards might recognize — or be glad they were introduced to — some of them. Whether that team could win anything is another matter. Nippon Professional Baseball interrupted its season in 2021, which helped Japan ultimately beat the U.S. for the gold medal.

    But with the Americans hosting the Olympics in four years, the baseball tournament is clearly an opportunity for … something. The players, owners and Manfred just need to figure out what.

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    As baseball makes its highly anticipated return to the Olympic Games in 2028, fans and experts alike are already speculating on which players will make up the rosters for the participating countries. With the sport being absent from the Olympics since 2008, there is sure to be a renewed sense of excitement and anticipation surrounding the event.

    One of the key factors in predicting the rosters for the 2028 Olympics will be the eligibility rules set forth by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In past Olympics, baseball has been limited to amateur players, but there has been speculation that professional players may be allowed to participate in future games. If this is the case, we could see a mix of young up-and-coming talent and seasoned veterans representing their countries on the Olympic stage.

    Another factor to consider when predicting the rosters for the 2028 Olympics is the strength of each country’s baseball program. Traditional powerhouses like the United States, Japan, and Cuba are likely to field strong teams, while emerging baseball nations like South Korea, the Netherlands, and Australia could also make a splash on the international stage.

    In terms of individual players, it is difficult to predict specific names this far in advance, but there are a few players who are already making a name for themselves on the international stage. Players like Shohei Ohtani from Japan, Ronald Acuña Jr. from Venezuela, and Fernando Tatis Jr. from the Dominican Republic are all young stars who could potentially represent their countries in the 2028 Olympics.

    Ultimately, predicting the rosters for baseball’s return to the Olympics in 2028 is a challenging task, but one thing is for certain – the competition is sure to be fierce and the talent on display will be top-notch. Baseball fans around the world can look forward to seeing some of the best players in the game compete for gold on the Olympic stage once again.