Bryce Harper Or Mike Trout? Looking At Top MLB Players To Start Franchise With

The Boston Red Sox probably didn’t know it at the time, but when they signed David Ortiz in 2003, they signed a franchise player.

The Ortiz signing didn’t come with much fanfare, and the designated hitter didn’t even start at the beginning of his career with Boston. Fast forward 13 years, though, and Ortiz is the face of the Red Sox franchise, and he’s still one of the most important players in all of baseball.

In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Ortiz was asked about which player he’d pick if he were starting a franchise.

“I’d definitely go for Bryce Harper,” Ortiz said.

Not a bad choice, of course. Harper has all the makings for a franchise player. He’s an obvious talent, and he’s also young with his entire prime ahead of him. Just as importantly, he’s got the sort of marketability that transcendent players — like Ortiz — possess.

But Harper is far from the only answer to such a question. As much as any time in baseball history, there’s no shortage of franchise players currently active in the majors. Here are some of the best.