Hurray!
Opening Day is just a week out as the Orioles close out spring training and get ready for the upcoming season. To judge by the main Orioles-interested press outlets, there won’t be a ton of surprises in roster construction. This team is built with depth, and few holes. Manager Craig Albernaz maintains, “I am definitely not the decision-maker,” and that president of baseball operations Mike Elias takes an “organizational approach” to how roster decisions will be made.
That doesn’t mean, though,
that there are no slots left, or that spring had no impact on roster decisions. Spring training stats don’t count, of course, but they do matter for folks on the bubble. Some of the “risers” this spring are no-brainers: catcher Adley Rutschman (an .841 spring OPS), infielder Coby Mayo (14 hits in 31 ABs), and catcher Samuel Basallo (a .310 BA and .946 OPS), and, on the pitching side, the whole presumptive starting rotation. But dark horses have surprised, too: utility infield candidate Bryan Ramos (10 hits, 4 XBH, in 29 ABs), outfielder and offseason acquisition Taylor Ward (a .976 OPS in 29 ABs), relievers Eric Torres (8 Ks in 3.2 IP), Grant Wolfram (a 0.00 ERA in five IP), Cameron Weston (an 0.80 WHIP in five IP).
Injuries to infielders Jackson Holliday and Jordan Westburg, plus veteran reliever Andrew Kittredge, have opened up a couple of spots on the 26-man roster. I’ve surveyed the major O’s-related publications, and here is the consensus view on the Orioles’ projected 26-man roster for the 2026 season. In bold are people on the bubble:
LINEUP:
- Gunnar Henderson – Shortstop
- Taylor Ward – Left Field
- Pete Alonso – First Base
- Adley Rutschman – Catcher
- Tyler O’Neill – Right Field
- Samuel Basallo – Designated Hitter (DH)
- Coby Mayo – Third Base
- Colton Cowser – Center Field
- Blaze Alexander – Second Base
BENCH:
First Baseman – Ryan Mountcastle
Outfield – Dylan Beavers
Outfield – Leody Taveras (Banner, WBAL)
Utility – Jeremiah Jackson
DEPTH:
Infield – Bryan Ramos
Infield – Luis Vázquez
Outfield – Heston Kjerstad
Outfield – Jhonkensy Noel
Analysis: Injuries to Holliday and Westburg were a blessing in disguise for Coby Mayo, who will get an extended chance to show he can handle third base. It’ll be an adventure, but he’s shown the offensive upside this spring: a .452 average, .742 slugging, and 1.183 OPS in 31 at-bats. Blaze Alexander will fill in at second, but could find himself back on the bench when Holliday returns.
As for the utility players, Luis Vázquez has options remaining and could be reassigned. Although Jeremiah Jackson has cooled off after a hot start, he has a track record of MLB success that other candidates in this pool don’t. As for longtime Chicago farmhand Bryan Ramos, he’s a sleeper candidate to crack the roster, having torn the cover off the ball lately.
Turning to the outfield, there is a crunch, with five viable options in Colton Cowser, Taylor Ward, Tyler O’Neill, Dylan Beavers and Leody Taveras. Cowser and Taveras are the only true centerfielders, although Beavers has seen plenty of innings at that position this spring. Taveras’ versatility has several publications putting him on the roster. Kjerstad and Noel started off the spring hot, but have cooled recently, and have options remaining.
A question will be what will happen when/if Westburg returns from his partially torn UCL in his elbow. Mayo and Mountcastle would be the odd men out, and while Mayo can be sent to the minors with an option, Mountcastle would need to be designated for assignment(cut) or traded.
ROTATION:
- Trevor Rogers
- Kyle Bradish
- Chris Bassitt
- Shane Baz
- Dean Kremer
- Zach Eflin
BULLPEN:
Closer – Ryan Helsley
Set Up – Yennier Cano
Keegan Akin
Tyler Wells
Dietrich Enns
Rico Garcia
Albert Suárez (Banner)
DEPTH:
Jackson Kowar (SI, WBAL)
Grant Wolfram (The Sun, Baltimore Baseball)
Yaramil Hiraldo (The Sun, Baltimore Baseball)
Hans Crouse
José Espada
Cameron Foster
Chayce McDermott
Anthony Nunez
Cade Povich
Brandon Young
Eric Torres
Not much suspense at the top tier of the rotation: Trevor Rogers is looking to build on a season that saw him become one of the best pitchers in the league, while Kyle Bradish wants to stay healthy after Tommy John surgery, and ideally return to his 2024 form that saw him finish in the Top 5 for the Cy Young. The biggest wild card will be from newcomer Shane Baz. Crazy as it sounds, he could be the best pitcher in the rotation if he lives up to his potential and stays healthy.
This group looks dramatically different from last season, when Zach Eflin was the Opening Day starter. The righty, rehabbing from back surgery last fall, may not even make the rotation this season, depending on his return from injury and whether the team utilizes a six-man rotation. If he is still ramping up, the team could carry an extra reliever in Grant Wolfram.
The bullpen will be the biggest question going into the season. The locks include closer Ryan Helsley, signed in the offseason to fill in for Felix Bautista and veteran reliever Andrew Kittredge, although he will miss the beginning of the season. Tyler Wells was moved to the bullpen after being a starter last season.
The last slot or two are interesting. Jackson Kowar, a 29-year-old waiver claim, is showing electric velocity, but he’s out of options. So is Albert Suárez, back on a one-year deal. If he gets cut, other teams will get a chance at him on waivers. Grant Wolfram has pitched great this spring, but he has an option remaining. So does Yaramil Hiraldo, who pitched for the O’s last season and has had a mixed spring. There are other intriguing names in here, including lefty sidearmer Eric Torres and Luis de León, a prospect with electric stuff who was just sent down for more seasoning.
