In this slower time of the sporting calendar, we typically begin to see the more evergreen stories surface, such as the top players in one sport or the greatest moments ever in another. It often serves as a fun way to keep sports at the forefront until baseball kicks in, the NFL Draft arrives, and the NBA/NHL playoffs heat up.
For the sake of keeping things fresh, let’s mix up the experiment a bit, and go beyond ranking the top 10 New York sports athletes right now.
Instead, let’s put the crystal ball on the table and forecast what that list would look like in five years from now.
There are plenty of variables to throw into the equation when pondering what this list could look like: could any of Gotham’s pro teams make a huge move and bring in a young star that would still be top 10 material by 2030? The Mets just did by signing Juan Soto, who is somehow still only 26 years old. Could the Giants draft a top quarterback in two months, and they crack this list?
Of course, this list will look a lot different than any current ranking. Aaron Judge is undeniably one of - if not the best - New York sports athlete right now, but in five years, he will be nearly 38 years old and past his prime. Igor Shesterkin will be in his mid-30s and likely breaking down by 2030. Francisco Lindor is an MVP-caliber star, but in half a decade, his defensive value as a shortstop will likely be far diminished. So, it may look a little strange without those names being highlighted, but here is the forecasted top 10 New York sports athletes in 2030:
10: Jalen Brunson, NYK
Brunson is of course near the top of the list for 2025, but in five years, he will be 33 years old and likely in the final years of his prime. Still, he should remain enough of a star to keep his place on this list for one more year, and hopefully would have brought the Knicks a title by 2030. If that’s the case, prepare the statue outside Madison Square Garden.
9: Garrett Wilson, NYJ
There is a chance Wilson isn’t even on the Jets by 2027, let alone 2030, if Darren Mougey and company don’t sign him to the big payday that the star wide receiver is seeking. But I’m betting that Gang Green prioritizes keeping Wilson over Sauce Gardner, and he becomes the WR1 for the Jets for years to come. By 2030, he will still be under 30 years old, and hopefully has finally found some steady quarterback play by then, making himself one of the top wideouts in the league.
8: George Lombard Jr., NYY
Taking a chance here and betting on a Yankees position player prospect blossoming into All-Star material. The Yanks haven’t hit the jackpot on such a prospect since Judge, and many would expect Anthony Volpe to have been a lock for this kind of list, but so far, his production has been too much of a mixed bag. So let’s bet on the team’s 2023 first-round pick blossoming into a stud for the Bombers’ infield. Lombard is just 19 years old and didn’t wow anyone with his offensive numbers in 2024, but there’s plenty of time for the top 100 prospect to grow. Other Yankees top prospects include Will Warren, who is already 25 and likely not a contender for this list, and Spencer Jones, whose high strikeout numbers scare me from putting him in this top 10.
7. Sabrina Ionescu, NYL
The Liberty's sharpshooting star has three All-Star and three All-WNBA selections under her belt, and now a championship ring. Oh, and she only just turned 27. There's no reason to think Ionescu's shooting stroke won't hold up for another five years, and if it continues on this trend, Ionescu will go down as one of the great 3-point shooters in league history.
6. Jack Hughes, NJD
Already a two-time All-Star with a season under his belt in which he finished eighth in the Hart Trophy voting, it’s hard to believe Hughes is still just 23 years old. But the former No. 1 overall pick is indeed already an electrifying scoring threat in the NHL, with room to get even better. He needs to work on limiting giveaways in the attacking zone, but Hughes logged in 99 points in his last full season, and should continue to be a force come 2030.
5. Jasson Dominguez, NYY
His defense is clearly a question mark right now, but the former top prospect showed a flash of brilliance in 2023 before needing Tommy John surgery, and it seems like a decent bet that The Martian will find that level again as he puts his injuries behind him. A switch-hitting outfielder with power and speed in the Bronx is what brought upon the unfair Mickey Mantle comparisons, and while Dominguez isn’t going to be The Mick by any stretch, his ceiling can still be one of the best athletes in the city.
4. Kyle Tucker, NYY
Here we go. We had to take one big swing on this list to gamble that one of our teams would make a blockbuster acquisition in the next five years. My bet is on the Yankees to splurge for Tucker this winter, providing the best possible Soto alternative. Tucker would be 33 in five years, but he seems to have the build to still be at the top of his game come 2030. The former first-round pick has been an All-Star in each of the last three seasons, and has been at least a five-win player by WAR the past four years. A 30-home run hitter who stole 30 bases in his last full season, Tucker has the tools to be a star, especially if his lefty swing came to the Bronx. They would have to sign him for that dream to come true, but Hal Steinbrenner was ready to commit $760 million to...
3. Juan Soto, NYM
Sure, Soto’s defense and baserunning will likely be a big question by 2030, but his bat? That still tracks to be elite, as the 26-year-old will be just 31 in five years. Add in the fact that he plays every day, is coming off a career-high 41-homer season, and is now ready to settle in to his forever home after jumping around in recent years, and you likely get a player who is going to be among the best in baseball for years to come.
2. Malik Nabers, NYG
A rookie season that included a Pro Bowl selection, 1,204 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns all while the Giants were largely a disaster? That seems like a fairly sure bet that the 21-year-old is set to become a generational star in the NFL. The quarterback situation needs to be figured out in New York, but Nabers already showed what he could do with putrid QB play, so if things get even a little better for the G-Men, Nabers should blossom into one of the best athletes in Gotham.
1: Mark Vientos, NYM
The Mets, and the Yankees for that matter, get lots of love on this list, but for good reason. Both teams are really good right now, and forecast to stay that way for years to come. For the Mets specifically, Vientos looks like a bonafide star in the making after swatting 27 home runs in 2024 before really making his introduction in October, posting a .998 OPS in the playoffs against the best of the best. By 2030, he will still be just 30 years old and hitting alongside Soto, giving him all he needs to continue his ascent and perhaps become one of the best offensive performers in baseball.
Honorable Mentions: Anthony Volpe (NYY), Maximo Carrizo (NYCFC), Olu Fashanu (NYJ), Brandon Sproat (NYM), Gabe Perreault (NYR).