Baseball has seen an influx of young talent join the league in recent years. Names like Ronald Acuna Jr., Juan Soto, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. are just a few of the players that have entered the league to much fanfare at a very young age.
There are still plenty of long-time veterans who are producing in the big leagues as well though. Here is a 26-man roster of players that are 35 or older (sorry about shortstop, there just really isn’t anyone who currently plays the position who is that advanced in age).
After each player, the team they are currently on the side they hit (or pitch) from is listed as well as the age they will be when the 2020 regular season ends.
Batting order for starting lineup
1. Shin-Soo Choo, RF - Rangers (L, Age: 38)
2. Yuli Gurriel, 1B - Astros (R - Age: 36)
3. Justin Turner, 3B - Dodgers (R, Age: 35)
4. Nelson Cruz, DH - Twins (R, Age: 40)
5. Howie Kendrick, 2B - Nationals (R, Age: 37)
6. Ryan Braun, LF - Brewers (R, Age: 36)
7. Brett Gardner, CF - Yankees (L, Age: 37)
8. Robinson Chirinos, C - Astros (R, Age: 36)
9. Jed Lowrie, SS - Mets (S, Age: 36)
Choo would be a solid choice to lead-off as he owns a .369 on-base percentage since 2015 (.371 in 2019). This is a pretty solid lineup as seven of the nine hitters had over an .800 OPS last year, and Chirinos was close at .790.
The unknown in the lineup is Lowrie, who made just eight plate appearances last season.
He was an All-Star in 2018 though so better health would go a long way.
Finding a 35-or-older shortstop wasn’t a successful task, thus the reason Lowrie is positioned there. There weren’t any other options, but it’s a position he hasn’t started since 2015 (or appeared at since 2016).
Bench
Yadier Molina, C - Cardinals (R, Age: 38)
Edwin Encarnacion, DH/1B - White Sox (R, Age: 37)
Nick Markakis, OF - Braves (L, Age: 36)
Robinson Cano, 2B - Mets (L, Age: 37)
All of these players would be fine options for spot starts.
While Molina isn’t quite the defender at backstop that he previously was, he’s still well above-average. Markakis is an adequate hitter and won a Gold Glove in right field in 2018.
Cano had an awful 2019 for the Mets, but he’s a strong candidate to bounce back because of the excellent career he’s had (hit .303 with a .845 OPS in 2018).
According to the New York Daily News, he would love to play a full 162-game season in 2020. For eight straight years, Encarnación has hit at least 32 homers.
Starting rotation
Justin Verlander - Astros (R, Age: 37)
Max Scherzer - Nationals (R, Age: 36)
Zack Greinke - Astros (R, Age: 36)
Charlie Morton - Rays (R, Age: 36)
Cole Hamels - Braves (L, Age: 36)
Let’s see what we got here.
Verlander is the reigning AL Cy Young. Scherzer finished third in NL Cy Young voting last year, second in 2018, and won in 2017 and 2016. Greinke has won a Gold Glove for six straight years and had a 2.93 ERA. Morton finished third in AL Cy Young voting last year.
While Hamels is a drop-off from those four, he owns a 3.48 ERA since 2014, is a four-time All-Star, and was the 2008 World Series MVP.
Signing with the Braves in the offseason, a shoulder ailment has him currently sidelined and could keep him out all of April according to CBS Sports.
Relievers
Will Harris - Nationals (R, Age: 36)
Oliver Perez - Indians (L, Age: 39)
Yusmeiro Petit -Athletics (R, Age: 35)
Pedro Strop - Reds (R, Age: 35)
Brandon Kintzler - Marlins (R, Age: 36)
Mark Melancon - Braves (R, Age: 35)
Craig Stammen - Padres (R, Age: 36)
Andrew Miller - Cardinals (L, Age: 35)
The relievers include two who are at least expected to start the year as their team’s primary closer (Mark Melancon with the Braves and Brandon Kintzler with the Marlins).
The best or the group (at least in 2019) is Harris. He pitched to a 1.50 ERA in 60 innings for the Astros (now with the Nationals) along with a 0.93 WHIP.