Every MLB team’s face of the franchise in the 2000s

A look at the MLB face of the franchise for the 21st century for each team.

When your mind pictures a particular league uniform, whose face is wearing it?

It’s likely the face of a veteran mega-star, somebody of the stripe of the Cardinals’ Yadier Molina. Molina retired at the end of the 2022 season after a 19-year career, all of that time spent behind the plate for St. Louis.

Every team has a franchise face, somebody you see when you picture the team’s colors. That player may be a long-time local idol, as Molina is in the Gateway City.  Or it may be a star in his prime. Jose Altuve fits that mold. It may also be a retired star such as Yankee Hall of Famer Derek Jeter.

What follows is a look at each franchise’s 21st century “face,” that single person who exemplifies the team’s recent past, present and (sometimes) its future.

Selection of the face is generally performance-related, but not entirely. Personality factors can influence the final selection. About one-third have already retired, and a couple have found their way to Cooperstown. Others are bound there, while some will never make it.

But each selectee has one thing in common with all the others. Each, whether still in uniform or already departed, possesses an exceptional identity with “his” franchise, its personality and its fan base.

Take a spin through the list, and see how many selections you agree with. Or perhaps you have a list of your own. We’ve also added a notation at the end of each entry assessing which players we might be talking about as a franchise face a decade from now.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Arizona Diamondbacks: Randy Johnson

Until his late 2018 trade to the Cardinals, Paul Goldschmidt was the obvious pick as the Diamondbacks’ franchise face. With Arizona, he was a six-time All-Star and two-time MVP runner-up. He remains the franchise leader in WAR, on-base average and slugging.
But Goldschmidt’s departure, on terms that were less than ideal, forces a reconsideration of the question, especially since he now plays for an opponent.

Lacking a current star, the best replacement candidate is Randy Johnson, whose accomplishments with the Diamondbacks were legendary. Between 1999 and 2004, he won 103 games against 49 defeats, returning in 2007 to add 15 more wins.

In the first four seasons of the franchise’s existence, 1999 through 2002, he swept the Cy Young Award, leading the league three times in ERA, twice in innings pitched, and four times in strikeouts.

A Hall of Famer, largely for his accomplishments with Arizona, he remains today the franchise leader in pitcher WAR, victories, ERA, games started, complete games, strikeouts and shutouts.

Finally, and not inconsequentially, he is a memorable character. Standing 6-10 with that flowing hair and mustache, he is in a literal sense the D-Backs’ face.

In the wings: How about Corbin Carroll? He hasn’t done anything yet to supplant Johnson in the minds of D-Backs fans, but Arizona just gave Carroll about $160 million through 2031. They believe.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Atlanta Braves: Freddie Freeman

Taking over as Atlanta’s first baseman in 2011, Freddie Freeman developed into the centerpiece of one of the most feared offenses in the modern game. Runner-up in that season’s Rookie of the Year voting, he was a .295 batter with 292 home runs who led the Braves to six postseason appearances capped by the 2021 World Series championship.

For his .341 average in 2020, Freeman was voted the National League’s Most Valuable Player.
Freeman measures up not merely by the standards of 21st century Braves but also by the standards of all-time Braves. Here’s where he ranks on the career list of several major offensive categories for Braves both in the 21st century and all-time.

Category                     All-time        21st century

Position WAR                  6th                  T1

On Base Average         10th                 1st

Slugging Average        10th                2nd

Games                              9th                 2nd

Base hits                         7th                 1st

Total bases                     6th                1st

Home Runs                    6th                2nd

RBI                                    7th                1st

Five times during his years in Atlanta, Freeman was voted to the National League All-Star team. There’s no doubt he would have made it five had there been an All-Star selection process in 2020.

In the wings: Freeman’s signing with the Dodgers prior to the 2022 season opens the door wide for Ronald Acuña Jr. to supplant him as franchise face in the near future. Acuna already leads Freeman in slugging percentage. Another potential candidate is third baseman Austin Riley, who the Braves recently signed to a $232 million contract through 2023.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Baltimore Orioles: Adam Jones

The recent exodus of talent from Baltimore makes Adam Jones’ selection akin to a survivor’s award. Given the team’s .445 winning percentage for the century and just one divisional title – that followed by a sweep out of the 2014 postseason – one would hardly expect to see Ruthian-level personae in Oriole colors.

So Jones is the pick. Reaching the majors with Seattle in 2006, he was acquired by Baltimore as a 22-year-old in 2008, and immediately installed as the club’s centerfielder. From then until his departure via free agency for Arizona and – one year later – Japan, Jones consistently batted around .280 with 263 home runs and 866 RBI.

Unfortunately for Jones, he did that for a consistent postseason loser. In addition to their 2014 postseason sweep at the hands of the Kansas City Royals, the Jones-led Orioles also lost a divisional series in 2012 and they lost the 2016 AL Wild Card Game. With a career .155 postseason batting average, Jones will not remember those games fondly.

He has, however, had plenty of regular-season moments. Jones’ career 32.2 WAR ranks among the franchise’s 20 best.

In the wings: The Orioles’ present roster is filled with youngsters who might, in the very near future, eclipse Jones in the memory of Baltimore fans. Adley Rutcschman, a 2022 rookie, made a strong first impression at catcher, leading the team in both WAR and on base percentage and establishing himself as able to lead a pitching staff.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Boston Red Sox: David Ortiz

With three World Series titles since 2004, the Boston Red Sox have had plenty of larger-than-life stars. But they’ve only had one Big Papi.

Acquired from the Minnesota Twins prior to the 2003 season, David Ortiz exploded on Boston, both with his bat and with his equally dominant personality. Savor the numbers between that trade and his retirement at the end of the 2016 season: 483 home runs, 1,530 RBI, a 54-home run season in 2006, 148 RBI in 2005, 10 All-Star game selections, and a total WAR of 52.7.

Between 2004 and 2007, Ortiz averaged 44 home runs and 135 RBI while leading his team to two its first two World Series titles in nine decades and fourth, second, third and fourth in the MVP balloting.

On Ortiz’s retirement, Sox owner John Henry called him “the one constant force underpinning what it means to play for this organization and making it fun.” Since leaving the game, Ortiz hasn’t forgotten the fun element, starring in a series of light-hearted retirement-themed promotions that played on both his power and his fan-friendly personality.

In the wings: It would take a lot to replace Ortiz in Boston, and many of the players who might have done it (think Xander Bogaerts here) have left. The obvious remaining possibility is third baseman Rafael Devers, six seasons deep into his Red Sox career, yet only just 25. Devers is signed through 2033.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Chicago Cubs: Anthony Rizzo

At one point, the 21st century face of the Cubs might easily have been Sammy Sosa. He was, after all, a dominant figure in the sport through 2004. But Sosa’s departure from the North Side under suspicious circumstances undermined his candidacy.

Then it might have been pitchers Kerry Wood or Mark Prior. But arm injuries undid their chances.
Under different emotional circumstances, it might have become Kris Bryant, its slugging third baseman. But injuries combined with sub-surface discontent over his contract status soured Bryant’s relationship with the club.

Even though Anthony Rizzo now plies his trade in The Bronx, process of elimination labels him s the Cubs’ face. During his 10-season tenure on the North Side, Rizzo topped 30 home runs four times, drove in 100 or more runs four times, and was a three-time All-Star.

Oh, and we probably shouldn’t forget his leadership role on the first Cubs team in 108 seasons to win a World Series.

In the wings: The Cubs have a lot of young players who could, in time, develop into a franchise face. Infielder Nico Hoerner, pitcher Justin Steele, and outfield prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong all could in time do so. But perhaps the most likely candidate, assuming he remains, is outfielder Ian Happ.

Happ had the best season of his career in 2022, producing .781 OPS. The question with Happ is his long-term status; he’s a free agent after this coming season.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Cincinnati Reds: Joey Votto

Joey Votto may be a Canadian native, but he is indisputably the face of the Reds.

A 2002 second-round Reds draftee out of Toronto, he has played nearly 2,000 big league games, every one of them in Reds livery. That translates to 16 seasons of seniority. Votto ranks sixth in Reds history in that category. At .419, he is first all-time in on-base average.

And Votto has done far more than merely hang around town. The National League’s 2010 Most Valuable Player, he’s a six-time All-Star and a career .304 hitter with a deserved reputation for waiting out the perfect pitch, then assaulting it.

In five different seasons, Votto has led the National League in walks. At .412, he’s second in franchise history in on-base average. At .513, he’s fifth in slugging.

Reds management thinks so much of Votto’s role as a team leader that they committed more than $125 million to keep him in Cincinnati at least through the end of this season.

To date, Vitto has amassed 64.3 games of WAR, the most by any first baseman in the history of the Reds’ franchise, and the fourth most by any player. That’s saying something because the Reds history dates continuously to the 1880s and includes such prominent first basemen as Ted Kluzewski and Tony Perez.

Yet it is Votto, not Kluzewski, Perez or anyone else, who holds the franchise record for most seasons as the team’s primary first baseman.

In the wings: It’s anybody’s guess who, if anybody, might develop into the next team leader. The Reds have a lot of young pitchers who have a chance to develop, guys like Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft. But whether any of those young arms will establish himself as a young ace very much remains to be seen.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Cleveland Guardians: Jose Ramirez

Jose Ramirez came to the Guardians as a touted rookie in 2014 and has inexorably risen in stature.

Part of his rise in prominence has been attributable to attrition as the Indians lost or moved out their other most prominent ‘faces.’  Indians management traded away Corey Kluber following the 2019 season. At the time Kluber probably was the franchise face, having compiled a 98-58 record and 3.16 ERA.

That trade left Francisco Lindor as the franchise face. Lindor was a .285 hitter and magnificent fielder in six starring seasons at shortstop. But Lindor was also traded away – that deal coming this winter – in a cost-saving step.

That leaves Ramirez, who is a worthy franchise representative. He has a career .279 average over 1,137 games with 192 home runs and 666 RBI. He’s a four-time All-Star who has won the respect of observers, as evidenced by his four top-four finishes in MVP balloting since 2017.

In 2020, he was runner-up to Jose Abreu with a .292 batting average, .386 on base average and .607 slugging average.

He was the unquestioned leader of Cleveland’s run to a surprising AL Central title in 2022, and he batted .400 in a division-series loss to the Yankees.

In the wings: Since Ramirez recently signed an extension that will keep him in Cleveland at least through 2028, there’s no viable threat to his role as franchise face. Among the young stars who might over time develop, the most intriguing is leadoff hitter and contact specialist Steven Kwan.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Colorado Rockies: Todd Helton

In the 25-season history of Colorado Rockies baseball, the franchise has only retired two numbers. The first was Jackie Robinson’s iconic 42, whose retirement was mandated league-wide. The second is Todd Helton’s No. 17.

A lifetime Rockie, Helton was drafted by Colorado in 1995 and hit the majors two seasons later. Installed as the team’s regular at first in 1998, he finished second to Kerry Wood in the Rookie Of The Year vote and held down first base in Denver until his retirement in 2013. Eventually that spanned 2,247 games in which he averaged .316 with .414 and .539 on base and slugging averages.

Helton won the National League batting title at a career-best .372 in 2000. A five-time All-Star, he amassed 61.2 games of career WAR in Rockies purple, the largest total in franchise history by a margin approaching 13 games.

Like Lindor in Cleveland, Nolan Arenado had a chance to surpass Helton as a Rockies icon. But like Lindor, Arenado was traded away – in Arenado’s case it was a forced deal. As it stands, Arenado’s record in Colorado simply doesn’t compare with Helton’s.

Just to cite a few examples, Helton leads the franchise in career hits with 2,519; Arenado left with fewer than half that many.  Helton also leads in home runs with 369; Arenado hit 235 with the Rockies.

Trevor Story could have been a candidate, but he also left too soon.

In the wings: At this stage, it’s hard to envision anybody replacing Helton in the hearts and minds of Rockies fans. One guy who might have the potential is infielder Brendan Rodgers, a 26-year-old whose career is on the upswing. Connor Joe began 2022 evincing so much potential that color caster Ryan Spilborghs took to hopefully labeling him “the greatest Rockie ever,” but Joe flamed out and was dealt to Pittsburgh for not much of a return.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Detroit Tigers: Miguel Cabrera

Two players have dominated the 21st century landscape in Detroit, and they have done so almost simultaneously, making the choice between them a narrow one.

Between his arrival late in 2005 and his trade in 2017, Justin Verlander won 183 games as the unquestioned ace of the Tigers, leading them to the 2006 World Series as a rookie, when he won the Rookie of the Year award.

Since his arrival via trade prior to the 2008 season, Miguel Cabrera has twice led the American League in both home runs and RBI, while winning four batting titles. A seven-time All-Star, he brought back-to-back MVPs to Detroit in 2012 — when he won the Triple Crown — and 2013.

He also happens to rank fourth in franchise history in slugging average, a nice credential given that Hank Greenberg, Ty Cobb, Al Kaline and Harry Heilmann played for the Tigers.

In the wings: The Tigers need second-year first baseman Spencer Torkelson to develop into a contender for “face of the franchise.” The No. 1 overall draft pick of 2020, Torkelson reached the big leagues less than two years later with a reputation for power.

In his rookie season he didn’t live up to that reputation, batting just .203 with eight home runs in more than 400 plate appearances. As a 23-year-old, he has time.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Houston Astros: Jose Altuve

In their 56-year franchise history, the Astros have won two World Series titles. They got both with Jose Altuve in an MVP-worthy starring role in the middle of both their infield and lineup, reason enough to view him as the franchise’s 21st century face.

Altuve earns the nod by his performance both on and off the field. Overcoming the athletic challenges often presented by his 5-6 stature, his gregarious personality has made him a constant presence in commercials and TV promotions. His back-to-back 2016-17 batting titles and 2017 MVP Award haven’t hurt, either.

Signed by the Astros in 2007 as an amateur free agent out of Venezuela, he came to the big leagues in 2011 as a centerpiece of the 56-106 team’s rebuilding process. Annually from 2014 through 2017, Altuve led the American League in base hits. His 2016 and 2017 batting titles were actually his second and third, the first having come in 2014. He is an eight-time All-Star since 2014.

Altuve has been the team’s face through good and bad, such as the sign-stealing scandal when he stood up as a team leader.

Astros management tacitly acknowledged the vital roles, both on-field and off-field, played by Altuve when they signed him in 2018 to a deal that will buy out his free agent seasons at a cost approaching $30 million annually from 2020 through 2024.

In the wings: The Astros have several young stars with credentials to succeed Altuve if he leaves in 2025. The best may be Yordan Alvarez, slugging outfielder-DH who hit .306 with 37 home runs in 2022. Over the past two seasons, Alvarez has driven in 201 runs. He’s still only 26, so there’s room to grow.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Kansas City Royals: Salvador Perez

The Royals’ 2015 World Series winning team featured three face-worthy veterans.

Eric Hosmer hit 127 home runs over seven seasons with the Royals, and in 2017 peaked his batting average at .317.

Alex Gordon spent his entire 14-season career with the Royals, making three All-Star teams and winning eight Gold Gloves.

But Hosmer took the money and ran to San Diego, and Gordon has retired. That leaves the third franchise fixture, catcher Sal Perez, to build on his legacy as the living, breathing identity of the team.

Entering his age 33 season in 2023, Salvador Perez has plenty of time to do that. He’s already well on his way, having made seven of the last eight American League All-Star teams.

A five-time Gold Glove catcher, Perez had his best offensive season in 2021. He hit 48 home runs with 121 RBIs

He’s also been rated consistently positive in the defensive metrics, and is viewed as one of the best handlers of a pitching staff in the American League.

In the 2015 World Series against the Mets, Perez batted .364.

Finally and persuasively, as the last remaining link of significance to those 2014 and 2015 champions, Perez is beloved in his home city.

In the wings: Bobby Witt Jr., the overall No. 2 pick in the  2019 draft, hit the majors in 2022. He batted .254 with 20 home runs and 30 steals, and is poised for better things in 2023.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Los Angeles Angels: Mike Trout

The face of the Angels? That’s easy.

Since coming to the majors late in 2011, Trout has dominated baseball in Los Angeles and everywhere else. Consider merely his award credentials. In every one of his full seasons, Trout has made the All-Star team.

Nine different times he’s been top five in MVP voting. He won the award in and 2014, 2016 and 2019. He was runner-up in 2012 – when he was a unanimous Rookie of the Year selection — 2013 and 2015.

Drafted by the Angels in the first round of 2009, Trout has a career .303 average with a .415 on-base average and 1.002 OPS. If he has any offensive weakness at all, it may be his selectivity: Trout has three times led the American League in bases on balls.

And when opposing pitchers make the mistake of falling behind Trout in the count, they pay big-time. On first pitches or with counts of 1-0 or2-0, Trout is hitting .333 for his career with 175 home runs.

He is committed to the Angels at least through the 2030 season. That will give Trout time to improve on his status as the iconic Angel both in the 21st century and forever. In 2017 he surpassed Chuck Finley as the most productive Angels player in history as measured by WAR. His total productivity now stands at 82.4 games and is rising at a rate approaching 9 games per season.

That makes Mike Trout more than the face of the 21st century Angels…it makes him the face of 21st century baseball.

In the wings: The question is whether the Angels can retain Shohei Ohtani, who is a free agent at season’s end. If they can, then the Angels could become that rarest of entities, a true Janus franchise with Trout and Ohtani as dual prominent faces.

If not, then the question of a successor to Trout is academic. There isn’t one, and given his credentials there won’t be for a very long time.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Los Angeles Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw

Since the days of Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale, the Dodgers have been known as a pitching team. Clayton Kershaw carries on that tradition admirably.

A first-round Dodgers draftee in 2006, Kershaw debuted two seasons later and made his big splash in 2011. He went 21-5 that season, led the National League with a 2.28 ERA, fanned a league-leading 248 opponents and won the Cy Young Award.

His career since then has been one extended repetition. Kershaw sports a career .694 winning percentage founded on a 2.48 ERA and a 197-87 record. It wouldn’t be a National League All-Star team without Kershaw, who added the 2013 and 2014 Cy Youngs along with the 2014 MVP to his trophy case. In 2014, he went 21-3 with a 1.77 ERA, his fourth straight league-leading performance in that category.

In 2015 Kershaw struck out 301 opponents.

Kershaw is quickly rising through the pantheon of Dodger greats. He already ranks first all-time in WAR, having produced 73.1 games of value. He is sixth in franchise ERA, third in wins and first in strikeouts.

In the wings: Since the Dodgers are classically a pitching-oriented team, it makes sense to look to the mound for successors to Kershaw. There are candidates aplenty.

Julio Urias has won 37 games the past two seasons and led the league in ERA in 2022. Tony Gonsolin was 16-1 in his first full season. Injuries limited Walker Buehler, but in 2021 he was 16-4. Take your pick.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Miami Marlins: Sandy Alcantara

Until recently, the logical face of the Marlins franchise was Giancarlo Stanton, if only by default.

But since 2020, Marlins fans have had a new and dominant face to root for in pitching ace Sandy Alcantara.

During the abortive 2020 season, Alcantara made seven starts with a 3.00 ERA and won a playoff game. Through 118 games in a Marlins uniform, he has a 3.10 ERA, and he’s pitched 716 innings.

In 2022, he led the National League with 229 innings pitched, nearly three games worth of innings more than any other NL pitcher.

As a result, entering his age 27 season he already ranks third in franchise history in pitching WAR, first in earned run average, first in baserunners per nine innings of work, first in hits per nine innings, ninth in innings and fifth in complete games.

So attached have Marlins fans become to Alcantara that the Marlins management made the rare move of tying him up long-term. He’s under contract through 2027.

Alcantara also scores heavily with Miami’s heavily Latin population due to his Dominican roots.

In the wings: For Alcantara? Get serious. The Marlins have nobody who compares. Unless he suffers a physical breakdown, Alcantara will be the face of the Miami franchise for years to come.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Milwaukee Brewers: Ryan Braun

They adored Ryan Braun in Milwaukee from the moment the Brewers picked him in the first round of the 2005 draft through his retirement.

Braun concluded his 14-seasonMilwukee career in 2020 having played 1,766 games in Milwaukee blue and gold, zero in the uniform of any other team. He hit 352 home runs, drove in more than 1,100 runs, won the 2007 Rookie of the Year award, and was a six-time All-Star selection.

His reputation even withstood a 2013 suspension for violation of baseball’s PED restrictions. And although Milwaukee had little postseason success during his tenure, that’s not Braun’s fault. In 27 postseason games, he batted .330.

One place where Braun can expect no love is Chicago’s North Side. Cubs fans have grown to hate Braun, their excuse being the PED violation. The real reason may have more to do with his career performance against those divisional rivals: a .311 average and .945 OPS with 40 home runs and 141 RBI.

He ranks third on the franchise’s all-time WAR list, trailing only certified Milwaukee legends Robin Yount and Paul Molitor. Among Brewers whose careers predominantly unfolded in the 21st century, there is no comparison. Geoff Jenkins, No. 2 in Brewer WAR since 2000, trails Braun by nearly 24 games.

In the wings: If Christian Yelich recovers the swing that led him to the 2018 MVP, he could be a candidate.

But the more likely successors to Braun are at the forefront of Milwaukee’s pitching staff. Corbin Burnes is 23-13 with an ERA title and a Cy Young Award since 2021. Brandon Woodruff is 22-14 over that same period.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Minnesota Twins: Joe Mauer

When the Twins had the first pick in the 2001 draft, they didn’t have to look far. They chose Joe Mauer out of Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul. It was a match made in baseball heaven.

Arriving as a 21-year-old in 2004, Mauer batted .308 in 35 games and has taken off from there. Quickly asserting himself as the Twins catcher, he won batting titles in 2006, 2008 and 2009 (the latter year at .365), and won the 2009 MVP. He is a six-time All-Star.

Mauer has played more than 1,800 major league games, all of them for the Twins, and more than half as their backstop, although the position’s wear and tear forced his move in recent seasons to first base or designated hitter.

At .388, Mauer is sixth in the 118-year history of the franchise in on-base percentage. Among those who made their names in Minnesota, only Rod Carew and Chuck Knoblauch rank ahead of him. He also ranks sixth all-time in games played and runs scored, where among Minnesota Twins only Harmon Killebrew and Kirby Puckett lead him.

Mauer ranks fourth in franchise history in hits, behind only Sam Rice, Puckett, and Joe Judge.

Mauer retired at the end of the 2018 season.

In the wings: If he can stay healthy, Byron Buxton is the obvious candidate. The Twins now have their talented but fragile center fielder under contract through 2028. Like Mauer, he’s a career Twin, drafted with the second overall pick in 2012. The problem is well-known: Buxton’s only taken the field for 100 games once in eight years as a major leaguer.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — New York Mets: Jacob deGrom

One can make a perfectly credible argument for David Wright as the franchise face of the Mets. Over a 14-season career, he played in 1,586 games, batted .296, held down third base for as long as his body would permit, and slugged 242 home runs.

One could even argue for Pete Alonso, although that case may be better stated a few years from now.

Max Scherzer or Francisco Lindor? Too much identity with other franchises.

Although he left for free agency and Texas at the end of 2022, Jacob deGrom remains, at least for the time being, the 21st Century franchise face. The simplest explanation is that the Mets have historically been a pitching-dominated team, and deGrom was a pitcher in the mold of Tom Seaver and Dwight Gooden.

Breaking in to the rotation as Rookie of the Year in 2014, deGrom rose to the pinnacle of National League pitchers. He had a career 2.52 ERA – that’s Kershaw territory – and he averaged 261 strikeouts per 162 games while allowing barely more than one baserunner per inning.

Beyond that are the awards. DeGrom can claim the 2018 and 2019 Cy Youngs in addition to his 2014 Rookie of the Year honor. He was a four-time All Star with the Mets.

In the wings: Give Alonso a few seasons and check back. In his first four seasons, he’s displayed a rare combination of power and personality. Alonso led the National League with 131 RBI in 2022. He hasn’t reached deGrom levels of respect yet, but he could.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — New York Yankees: Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter is so obviously the face of the 21st century Yankees that it’s impossible to imagine any other Yankee even asserting a partial claim to the designation.

The Yankees themselves tacitly acknowledged that fact when they selected him as only the 16^th team captain in the franchise’s 116-year history in 2003, filling a position vacated since Don Mattingly’s retirement eight seasons earlier.

Coming to the majors in 1995, Jeter played in 2,747 games, all of them as a Yankee, and all but 73 as the team’s shortstop. He was a unanimous choice as Rookie Of The Year in 1996, a 14-time All-Star and a 12-time .300 hitter. He led the Yankees to 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2009 World Series victories, batting .409 in the 2009 six-game victory over Philadelphia. In the five-game 2000 World Series victory over the Mets, Jeter also hit .409, winning the Series MVP award in the process.

In 2017, the Yankees did the inevitable, retiring his jersey No. 2. “He was a dream for a manager to manage,” said Jeter’s long-time manager, Joe Torre, at those retirement ceremonies. Jeter was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2020.

Following his retirement, Jeter re-invested some of the estimated $265 million he earned during his playing days back into baseball, joining a group that purchased the Miami Marlins in 2017.

In the wings: In five or 10 years, we may want to revisit the “face of the Yankees” question. Aaron Judge is that good. His 62-home run season of 2022 was good enough to win Judge a new contract extension as well as the designation of team captain, vacant since Jeter’s retirement.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Oakland Athletics: Billy Beane

One man has shaped Oakland’s fortunes through the 21^st century, and that man never put on an A’s uniform.

The man, very obviously, is long-time A’s general manager Billy Beane, who reshaped the very way successful teams are constructed and overseen by his penchant for what came to be known as “Moneyball.” It meant getting the most out of the least, a strategy Beane was intimately familiar with given Oakland’s chronically low payroll situation.

Still, since becoming GM prior to the 1998 season, Beane has taken Oakland to 11 postseasons. With Beane directing moves from the front office, Oakland has compiled a .525 winning percentage in the 21st century including seven divisional titles.

Beane once said he’s always been restless, but building is the part that interests him. With the Athletics, Beane’s gotten plenty of opportunities to exercise that interest. Inheriting a 97-loss team with a low payroll, he built it into a 102-game winner in four seasons, then won 103 a year later. Following a 96-victory season in 2006, the game’s economics forced Beane to restructure once again. He tore Oakland down to sub-.500 level from 2007 through 2011, then rebuilt the Athletics a second time to 94 and 96 wins and division titles in 2012 and 2013.

Elevated to executive vice president of baseball operations following the 2015 season, Beane tore the A’s down a third time and emerged in 2018 with a 97-game winner.  Since 2018, this version of Beane’s A’s have won 60 percent of their games.

They won the 2020 short-season division title before money forced Beane to tear down the A’s yet a fourth time.

In the wings: There is nobody. The A’s are Billy Beane and Billy Beane is the A’s … period.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Philadelphia Phillies: Chase Utley

They called Chase Utley the Silver Fox in deference both to his prematurely graying hair but also in acknowledgment of his stabilizing role on the field.

When the Phillies made five consecutive postseason trips culminated by 2009 and 2009 World Series appearances – and the 2008 World Series title – Utley was a driving force. A five-time All-Star, he drove in 104 runs in 2008, the fourth consecutive season he had topped 100 RBI.

Although never a high-average hitter – his career mark is .275 – the Phillies’ fortunes generally rose or fell with Utley’s. He was a .314 hitter in games Philadelphia won, a .229 hitter in defeats.

It’s no surprise, then, that although traded to Los Angeles when the Phillies fell out of contention in 2015, Utley remains the second most productive position player and fourth most productive overall – as measured by WAR – in the history of the franchise. His 62.0 game contribution is topped only by Mike Schmidt, Robin Roberts and Steve Carlton.

The closest of Utley’s 21st century peers – Bobby Abreu, Jimmy Rollins and Cole Hamels – are all more than 14 games of value behind him.

Utley retired following the 2018 season, having played 13 seasons of his 16-year career with the Phillies. He finished with a career .282 batting average and 233 home runs in Philly.

In the wings: Bryce Harper is contractually bound to Philadelphia through 2031, so he’s the obvious candidate. Harper has largely reprised his career line through four seasons in Philly: a .282 average, 101 home runs and 296 RBI.

He helped lead the Phillies to the 2022 National League pennant, putting him four postseason appearances with the Phils behind Utley. For the moment, Harper also lacks the World Series trophy Utley won in 2008. That, of course, could change soon.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Pittsburgh Pirates: Andrew McCutchen

Consider this fact about Andrew McCutchen. Before he rose to stardom as center fielder of the Pirates, Pittsburgh had not made a postseason appearance in two decades. In fact they’d rarely contended, finishing double digits behind their division champion every season but one since 1993.

With McCutchen in a leadership role, the Pirates reached post-season play in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Since he left, the Pirates have not returned to the postseason.

“Cutch” was a popular figure in Pittsburgh virtually from the moment the Pirates chose him in the first round of the 2005 draft. Debuting in 2009, he finished fourth in the Rookie of the Year balloting, hitting .286. he topped .300 for the first of three straight seasons in 2012 with a league-leading 194 hits.

McCutchen won the hearts of Pirate fans with an infectious personality and an on-field combination of power and hustle. He topped 20 stolen bases each of his first five seasons while reaching double figures in home runs annually from his debut until his trade to San Francisco following the 2017 season.

In 2013, he was the National League’s MVP, that selection based on his .317 average, his .404 on base mark, his .508 slugging average and his centerpiece role in carrying Pittsburgh to its first postseason game since 1992.

The January 2018 trade to the Giants was occasioned both by what was perceived in Pittsburgh to be McCutchen’s declining defensive skills and also by the expense of keeping him long-term.

McCutchen is returning to Pittsburgh for 2023.

In the wings: Take your pick. Third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes has star potential, but hasn’t yet established the ability to deliver consistently at the plate. Shortstop Oneil Cruz fits the same profile: great potential, limited production to date. Either or both could blossom into the face of the Pirate franchise … or they may not.

As for Bryan Reynolds, he has the offensive credentials, but you don’t win Face of the Franchise by demanding a trade.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — San Diego Padres: Manny Machado

Since signing with the Padres prior to the 2019 season, Machado has provided something the Padres franchise never had: stable, predictable excellence.

Machado is a .280 hitter in San Diego with an excellent .855 OPS. He has 340 RBI in four seasons in San Diego, topping 100 in both 2021 and 2022.

He ran up a team-leading 6.8 WAR in 2022, following up on a 5.0 WAR in 2021.

Padres teammates will tell you something less tangible but equally important about Machado: that he’s become a team leader.

Many of his teammates credit Machado with being the unifying force that held San Diego together in 2022 when putative team star Fernando Tatis missed the entire season, first to an off-field injury and then to a PED suspension.

The Padres have reached post-season play twice in Machado’s four seasons, and they’re a favorite to do so again in 2023. They had two post-season appearances between 1999 and 2018.

In the wings: At this stage, who knows what to make of Fernando Tatis Jr. He went from a 6.6 WAR player in 2021 to invisible in 2022, and when he completes his PED suspension in late April, he’ll be exiled from shortstop to the outfield. He’s under contract for a decade and he obviously has superstar potential.

However, plenty of players with superstar potential have squandered it. Time will tell.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — San Francisco Giants: Buster Posey

With Barry Bonds consigned to baseball’s historical dust bin, there are only two logical candidates to be the face of the Giants franchise … and one spent most of his career throwing to the other.

In the end, the nod goes to Buster Posey over batterymate Madison Bumgarner. There are four reasons to favor Posey.

1.       He has a career 129 OPS+. Bumgarner’s career ERA+ with the Giants was 120.

2.       Posey’s career 44.8 WAR is way ahead of Bumgarner’s 32.3 WAR during his time in San Francisco.

3.       Posey won both a Rookie of the Year Award (2010) and an MVP (2012). Bumgarner’s best Cy Young finish was fourth.

4.       Both are gone. Bumgarner took a five-year, $85 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Posey retired at the end of 2021.

Giants fans have good reason to remember Bumgarner fondly, especially for his post-season success. He basically carried the team to the 2014 World Series win and was undefeated in five World Series appearances.

But Posey had a lot to do with those titles, too. He batted .305 in 2010, led the league at .336 in 2012 and hit .311 in 2014. In those three championship seasons, Posey was responsible for 16.6 WAR, providing the principal offensive boost to the Giants’ efforts.

In the wings: It takes some imagination to envision anybody supplanting Posey in the hearts and minds of Giants fans. Maybe if Logan Webb can put together a half dozen seasons atop 2021-22, when he was a combined 26-12 in 58 starts, he might have a chance.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Seattle Mariners: Ichiro Suzuki

How many players go through their entire careers basically being known by a single name?

There’s Ichiro and then there’s … well, nobody really. But that’s not all making Ichiro a singular force in Seattle.

Signed out of the Japanese leagues, where he was already an established star, prior to the 2001 season, Ichiro made an immediate splash. Leading the league as a rookie in plate appearances, at-bats, stolen bases, batting average (.350)  and hits (242), he was a near-unanimous selection as Rookie of the Year and he added the MVP trophy in a walk.

Along the way, he helped the Mariners to 116 victories, setting an American League record and equaling a 95-year-old Major League record.

Between 2001 and 2010, Ichiro was a regular on the AL All-Star team, topping 200 hits every one of those seasons and leading the league seven times. He won his second batting title, at .372, in 2004.

The one disappointment was Ichiro’s failure to return the Mariners to postseason play, where they flamed out in 2001. After eliminating Cleveland in five games in the ALDS, they lost the ALCS to New York, also in five games. Ichiro had a lot to do with both outcomes, batting .600 against the Indians but just .222 against the Yankees.

As they set off on a rebuilding course, the Mariners traded Ichiro, 38 by then, to the Yankees in mid-season 2012. When it was time for Ichiro to retire in 2018, there was only one appropriate place for that to take place. The Mariners re-signed him to make a final 17 appearances in the Pacific Northwest.

In the wings: It’s hard to imagine anybody stepping ahead of Ichiro in Seattle … until you remember that Julio Rodriguez plays center field for the Mariners. The 2022 Rookie of the Year has both the credentials and personality. Give Rodriguez five more years of top performance and a long-term contract and the question could be re-opened.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — St. Louis Cardinals: Yadier Molina

Yadier Molina is so thoroughly the face of the Cardinals that the prospect of his signing with anyone else for the 2021 season seemed unthinkable. In the end it was unthinkable to Molina as well; he signed up for one more year behind the plate in St. Louis and retired at the  end of 2022.

Any other outcome would have been disappointing. Molina played 2,224 games  for the Cards, all but 112 of them at catcher. That’s the all-time record for one player with one team. He is a nine-time All-Star and eight-time Gold Glove winner.

His offense did not come naturally. Still, Molina produced five seasons with a batting average above .300, a notable accomplishment for a backstop.  He also developed a knack for coming through in the clutch. Molina averaged 74 RBI per 162 games.

But Molina is best known for two immeasurable qualities, his toughness and leadership. In that capacity, he helped the Cardinals to the 2006 and 2011 World Series titles. With Molina behind the plate, the Cardinals won nine divisional titles. Molina caught 104 of his team’s 109 post-season games, maintaining a .273 post-season batting average in the process.

That toughness and that leadership quality make it likely that five year s from now Molina will be among the immortals in Cooperstown.

In the wings: For sheer force of personality, nobody in St. Louis could compare with Molina. Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt are bigger threats, and Tyler O’Neill is a more imposing specimen, but Yadi will still be the man in St. Louis several years from now.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Tampa Bay Rays: Randy Arozarena

Have the Tampa Bay Rays done enough by now that we can get past the idea of Kevin Kiermaier as the face of the franchise?

The answer is yes, they have.

No offense to Keirmaier, who gave the Rays 10 nice seasons before signing this winter with the Toronto Blue Jays.

But Kiermaier, while an exceptional defender and a credible batsman, comes up short in one important category…he is not an inspirational figure. For the past few seasons, Kiermaier has had one teammate who delivers in all the tangible categories and also excites the fan base.

That player, of course, is outfielder Randy Arozarena.

Arozarena arrived late in 2019, sparkled through the 2020 short season and World Series, and since then has established himself in the middle of the Rays’ offensive plans. In 2022, he led the team in hits, runs scored, doubles, homers, RBIs, stolen bases, slugging average and total bases.

It was the second consecutive year that Arozarena led his team in hits, doubles and steals.

The question going forward is whether the Rays front office can work enough magic to tie up their franchise star beyond 2026, when he becomes a free agent. As Arozarena continues to establish himself as the face of the Rays, his value on the open market increases.

In the wings: If Arozarena remains in Tampa Bay, there’s no need to envision a successor because he’ll be the guy for the foreseeable future. If, however, he leaves, then what?

The best possibility is Wander Franco, signed by the Rays as an international free agent in 2017, when he was just 16 years old. Unlike Arozarena, the Rays have locked up Franco through 2033.

Franco was a 2.6 WAR player (good but not great) in 2022, but he plays a pivotal defensive position, shortstop.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Texas Rangers: Michael Young

The Rangers have possessed several plausible candidates for 21st century face, notably Josh Hamilton and Adrian Beltre. But for sheer consistency of performance, one name truly stands out.

Acquired from Toronto in July of 2000 when he was a minor leaguer, Michael Young blossomed into the most reliable and useful players in the 21st century history of the Rangers. Here’s the evidence in a sentence: Young ranks first in Rangers franchise history in games played, at-bats, hits, doubles, total bases and runs scored.

Young did it all despite never really having an identifiable position. He turned versatility into a strength, playing more than 400 games each at shortstop, third base and second base. Beginning as a shortstop in 2001, he slid primarily to second base in 2003, then to third base in 2009. In brief, he could do whatever the Rangers needed.

Across a dozen seasons in Texas, Young batted .300 or better seven times, finishing his career precisely at that mark. He topped 100 RBI twice, and although never a prodigious power threat he did top 20 home runs four times.

He was a seven-time All-Star selectee, including six seasons in succession between 2004 and 2009. Despite never being identified with any single position, he won a Gold Glove in 2008 as a shortstop.

In the wings: Few young players have as much potential as Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia. There’s a significant contact problem — Garcia has fanned 377 times since the start of the 2021 season. But he’s also hit 58 home runs with 191 RBI, and he’s only now hitting his peak.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Toronto Blue Jays: Roy Halladay

Over the span of a dozen seasons in Toronto, Roy Halladay justified the perception of him as one of the dominant pitchers in Toronto Blue Jays history.

A 148-game winner for the Jays, Halladay led the American League in victories in 2003 (with 22), and three times (2002,2003, 2008) was the most heavily used pitcher. His 266 innings of work in 2003 included 36 starts and 9 complete games, winning the Cy Young Award for his trouble. If any manager asked a pitcher to do either of those things today, that manager would be arrested for abuse.

Throughout his career, he was a bear-down artist. With two out and runners in scoring position, opposing batters hit just .216 against Halladay. He was particularly tough on the Detroit Tigers, who batted just .223 in 16 games against Halladay.

Halladay was an 18-year-old high schooler when the Jays picked him 17th overall in 2005. Sadly for Blue Jays fans, the team’s financial situation eventually forced Halladay’s Dec. 2009 trade to Philadelphia for three players, none of whom ever did anything for the Jays.

Halladay was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2019, one year after his death in a private plane accident. He still ranks second in franchise history in pitcher WAR, wins, strikeouts and shutouts, in each case behind only Dave Stieb.

He is first in Jays history in two major categories, Win Probability Added, with 29.7 games, and Adjusted Pitcher Wins, with 26.2.

In the wings: In the near future, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will replace Halladay as the face of the Jays. Only 24, Guerrero has hit 80 home runs with 208 RBI in the past two seasons, finishing second in 2021 MVP voting and making both All-Star teams. Another year or two of that kind of production and it will be time for a re-evaluation.

MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Washington Nationals: Stephen Strasburg

It says a lot about Stephen Strasburg’s relationship with the Nationals that he has signed to remain with the team at least through his age 37 season. That is almost certain to make him that rarest thing among Scott Boras clients: a one-team lifer.

Drafted by the Nats in 2009, Strasburg was 18-6 in helping carry the Nats to the franchise’s first World Series win in 2019. He pitched a league-leading 209 innings that year. Strasburg was a perfect 5-0 in six post-season starts, with a 1.98 ERA.

Against Houston in the World Series, he won Game 2 12-3, then delivered a 7-2 Game 6 win. For that performance, he was named the World Series Most Valuable Player.

It was the kind of showing Nats fans have hoped for from Strasburg since arriving as the No. 1 draft selection. Entering 2021, he has a 112-59 career record with a 3.19 ERA in nearly 1,500 innings of work. He’s already accumulated nearly 1,700 strikeouts, averaging more than one per inning.

The last three seasons have certainly been the most frustrating of his career. He has been limited by injury to eight starts and one victory.

In the wings: The Nats are banking on catcher Keibert Ruiz to be a centerpiece of their rebuilding. Obtained from Los Angeles in the Scherzer-Turner 2021 trade, Ruiz established himself as a regular in 2022.