Category: Sports News

Well, folks, it is March. That means regular season games happen later this month and we will hopefully have meaningful games for the seven months that follow.

But, there are still almost four weeks of Spring Training games left, which means there is still time for the Atlanta Braves 2026 Opening Day roster to evolve.

Back on Valentine’s Day, we published the first Spring Training roster projection. Now that the Braves have are weeks-deep into the Grapefruit League, there are a few change from the initial projection. Part of that is due to a subtraction and an addition to take into account.

As a reminder, this projection is based on who is on the Braves’ 40-man roster or in camp with the team at this moment in time and assumes that everyone is “healthy” when Opening Day rolls around. All the usual caveats apply related to injuries, acquisitions and the like.

Position Players

Catcher: Drake Baldwin

First base: Matt Olson

Second base: Ozzie Albies

Shortstop: Mauricio Dubón

Third base: Austin Riley

Right field: Ronald Acuña, Jr.

Center field: Micheal Harris II

Left field: Mike Yastrzemski

Designated hitter: Jurickson Profar

Bench: Jonah Heim, Eli White, Jorge Mateo, Kyle Farmer

The only change here is catcher Sandy León as he leaves the initial roster in favor of non-roster invitee Kyle Farmer. Farmer, a local product who went to Marist High School and then UGA, will turn 36 on August 17, and brings nine years of big league experience to the Braves. León will likely head to Triple-A to provide depth but more importantly help develop the pitching staff.

Farmer make the roster thanks to 300 career games at shortstop, 200+ games at second base, more than 160 appearances at third base – and most importantly for the Braves roster construction – 19 games behind the plate. Although he hasn’t caught in a game since making 15 starts in 2019, he would be the team’s third catcher, third shortstop and to slot into the 26th man spot allowing Atlanta to use fleet-footed reserve shortstop Jorge Mateo as a pinch-runner without risking two key defensive positions should something incredibly fluky occur.

Wild Cards: Dominic Smith, Luke Williams, Chadwick Tromp, Nacho Alvarez, Jr., Ben Gamel

Big league veteran Dominic Smith was a late addition to the Braves camp as a depth option at first base. If he sticks with the organization, he will likely be the latest veteran to provide the team some insurance at Triple-A in case Matt Olson were to miss time. It seems unlikely he’ll make the Opening Day roster at this point, but things could change should his bat get hot in the next three weeks.

Nacho Alvarez, Jr. and Chadwick Tromp are both headed to the World Baseball Classic have have been optioned and reassigned from camp, respectively. Both will head to Gwinnett to get regular playing time as the likely first-man-up should the team need an infielder or catcher. Luke Williams can’t be counted out since he can cover shortstop, pinch-run, and has proven to be a highly-effective position-player-pitcher, which might matter since the Braves start the year with 13 consecutive games, but also seems most likley to be a Striper when the season begins.

Outfielder Ben Gamel enters the chat, although he’d likley only make the roster should Atlanta need to replace one of their corner outfielders for Opening Day. He’s another long-time big leaguer who will likley add depth with the Stripers.

Pitchers

Starting pitchers: Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Reynaldo Lopez, Grant Holmes, Bryce Elder, Joey Wentz

Bullpen: Raisel Iglesias, Robert Suarez, Dylan Lee, Tyler Kinley, Aaron Bummer, Joel Payamps, James Karinchak

Last time, Dylan Dodd was on the roster due to the mistaken believe that he was out of options. Because Dodd does have an option remaining, James Karinchak makes the 26-man roster as it looks like he has returned to the form he had when he was an elite reliever for Cleveland before dealing with injuries. Should Karinchak make the roster, it would be his first big league spot since 2023.

This projection continues to stick with belief that the Braves will open the season with a six-man rotation – more on that below.

Wild Cards: JR Ritchie, Jose Suaréz, Martín Peréz, Hayden Harris, Dylan Dodd

Unfortunately, Hurston Waldrep’s elbow issues will cause him to miss at least the first couple of months of the season, which means JR Ritchie becomes the starting pitcher most likley to make his way on to the Opening Day roster. Ritchie has looked good early in camp and Atlanta could be tempted to bring him north to Atlanta for the regular season – even if the play would be to give him a couple of starts since the Braves won’t have an off-day until 14 days into the season.

Martín Perez and Jose Suaréz could both factor into the sixth-starter/long-man role, but at this point, it seems like only an injury could cause that to happen.

Two weeks into Spring Training and the two pitchers who might be able to force their way on to the Opening Day roster are Dodd and Hayden Harris. Both left-handers have been effective thus far in camp, but Harris and his unusual pitch mix landed on an off-season top reliever prospect list and after a spectacular 2025 season in the minors, has nothing left to prove below the big league level.

Will this new coaching staff believe in Harris enough to give him an opportunity to prove himself in Atlanta to start the season? Time will tell if Harris continues to have a strong camp.

Barring an injury or trade, both Harris and Dodd should be a factor with Atlanta in 2026, but those pesky options may prevent them from seeing Opening Day with the Braves if Atlanta opts to maximize their roster flexibility.

Last thing, neither of these first two projections have included reliever Ian Hamilton who is on the 40-man roster and was highly effective a couple of seasons ago out of the New York Yankees bullpen. That wasn’t an oversight, but he could factor into the Opening Day roster, but as of now, Joel Payamps holds on to the last right-handed reliever spot in the bullpen thanks in part to a $2.5M commitment for 2026.

Things may change again in two weeks, and hopefully if they do, it is only because of outstanding performance and not because of something negative.

The Braves have their first split squad matchup of Spring today, as Reynaldo Lopez and most of the regulars on offense face Drew Rasumussen and the Rays at CoolToday Park and Grant Holmes leads a team of mostly veteran quad-A players plus John Gil at DH against Mick Abel and the Twins. You can see the lineups below.

Reynaldo Lopez’ velocity will be worth monitoring, after it sat low-90s in his first Spring appearance. That Rays game should be fairly fun with a number of regulars and/or real prospects playing for both teams and real major league pitchers starting the game. We should expect to see a number of prospects touch the field today, with the split squad set-up, which is always a fun aspect of Spring Training. It’s also cool to see John Gil getting some more playing time, as he is a guy who had some real prospect buzz coming into Spring Training and has only made the buzz grow louder in his limited playing time.

You can catch the Rays game on Gray TV in-market and the Twins game nationally on MLB Network, or use MLBTV for your preferred viewing experience. Both games start at 1:05 PM ET

Join us and discuss today’s games in the comments below!

Now that the calendar has turned to March, we are heading into the meat of the Spring Training schedule. However, I wanted to shout out three players who have really impressed me so far this spring. The three players I have been most impressed with have been Brady House, Riley Cornelio and Nasim Nunez.

All three had different things to prove this spring. For House, he has the third base job locked up, but after a poor offensive rookie year, Nats fans wanted to see more life with the bat. So far, that is exactly what we have gotten from Brady House. He is absolutely smoking the ball and has four extra base hits.

In his first game of the spring, House made a statement, hitting two homers, including one off of Sandy Alcantara. He has continued to swing a hot bat in his first few games, going 5/11. House is consistently hitting the ball over 100 MPH, even when he is getting out. Yesterday, he hit a double that was 111 MPH off the bat.

Brady House is a flawed hitter, but he has tremendous raw power to all fields. The approach is questionable, but House has the ability to slug his way out of some of those concerns. House has been consistently hitting line drives and flyballs, which I love to see. He will always strike out a decent bit and doesn’t take a ton of walks, but his quality of contact has looked outstanding.

House can be one of those hitters who has the ability to sustain high BABIP numbers because he hits the ball so hard and at good angles to get hits. He will need to show at least 20-25 home run power to be a productive hitter, but the signs of that are there so far this spring. After last season, I was a bit bearish about House, but it looks like he may have taken a leap.

The lone pitcher I will discuss today is Riley Cornelio. I wrote a piece about him a few days ago where I went in depth. However, I wanted to talk a little more about the 25 year old pitcher. His stuff looked absolutely outstanding in his first outing of the spring.

The velocity was better than ever, averaging over 96 MPH. Cornelio’s signature slider was also very sharp. That led to two dominant innings where he struck out three. Cornelio also lit up stuff models. His 110 stuff+ rating is in the top 20 of all pitchers who have tossed at least 20 pitches this spring.

That raw stuff makes Cornelio a very interesting prospect for me. He is unlikely to make the team out of camp, but if he keeps throwing the ball like this, he will have a shot. At this time last year, we did not think Brad Lord would make the team, but he gave the team no choice.

I think Cornelio could do the same thing. He had a breakout season in the minors last year and looks like he took another step. I can’t wait to see him pitch again and I am really rooting for the former 7th round pick.

The last player I want to discuss is Nasim Nunez. Going into camp, he was the favorite to win a bench role. It seems like he has a roster spot locked up after a strong start. Now, the only question is how much will Nasim Nunez play.

Last September, Nunez showed much improved power. For most of his career, Nunez was a defensive specialist who could not provide much with the bat. However, it seems like something has clicked. He is driving the ball with authority on a consistent basis. 

Nunez’s bat speed improved a lot last season, and it looks like he has kept those gains. He is hitting .300 with a .962 OPS so far this spring. The quality of contact impresses me more than the raw numbers though. Nunez is driving the ball to the pull side and that is leading to extra base hits.

Nasim Nunez’s trademark defense is still there as well. He is such a joy to watch at shortstop. His actions are incredibly smooth and he has such a great arm, especially for a smaller guy. Watching Nunez at short vs CJ Abrams is really jarring because it is clear how much better Nunez is defensively. He has already made some really nice plays this spring.

At this point, Nunez will absolutely be on the roster. However, I want him to be playing on a fairly regular basis. I would also love to see the Nats play Nunez at shortstop and CJ Abrams at second base. You could also put Luis Garcia Jr. at first base on those days as well. This should be an alignment the Nats turn to at least occasionally.

After last season, I was still skeptical about Nunez as a hitter, and I still have questions. However, it looks like the improvements he made are sticking. If that is the case, Nunez can be an incredibly valuable player. Even as an average or slightly below average hitter, Nunez has the glove to bring value to the team.

It is still early in spring, but Brady House, Riley Cornelio and Nasim Nunez have really impressed me. Hopefully they can sustain this level of success through the spring and into the regular season. If they can be real contributors, it would really help the Nats outlook. I do not want to overreact, but I like what I am seeing from those three players.

This morning, Atlanta Braves formally announce that infielder Nacho Alvarez, Jr. and reliever Hunter Stratton have been optioned to Triple-A and that non-roster invitees catcher Chadwick Tromp and reliever Javy Guerra have been reassigned to the minor league camp. Alvarez, Jr.’s option appeared on the team’s transaction page yesterday.

For Alvarez, Jr., Tromp and Guerra, this isn’t surprising as all three players will be playing in the World Baseball Classic for Mexico, Netherlands and Panama, respectively, and all three were likely to start the year in the minors baring an injury to those above them on the team’s depth chart.

Stratton, who pitched in 12 games out of the bullpen for Atlanta, also figured to start the year in Triple-A. He has pitched in parts of three seasons in the big leagues, all with the Pittsburgh Pirates prior to joining Atlanta during the 2025 season.

The Braves now have 62 players in camp.

The 2025 Orioles’ season was a demonstration in the fragility of success. GM Mike Elias took his foot off the gas pedal, banking on the roster he had already assembled in lieu of making upgrades from outside the organization. The gamble didn’t pay off; the Orioles instantly floundered as their pitching imploded and their young offense couldn’t make up the deficit. For a team which had finally returned to prominence the previous two years following such a long period of futility, the failure of 2025 was a stark reminder of how deadly complacency can become in one of the most competitive divisions in baseball.

This offseason, Baltimore bucked their recent trends, giving a large free agent contract to a veteran slugger in an effort to complement their young core. They’ve also hired a first-time MLB manager to oversee this talented group as they vie to return to the postseason. Now the question becomes, have the O’s done enough to stand out against a crowded AL East field?

Baltimore Orioles
2025 record: 75-87 (5th, AL East)
2026 FanGraphs projection: 84-78 (4th, AL East)

Obviously, the Orioles are still a team built around their cost-controlled young position players. Baltimore brings back every notable member of their homegrown assembly of hitters: Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Jordan Westburg, Jackson Holliday, Colton Cowser, and Coby Mayo. Holliday and Westburg will miss the start of the season, but as we’ll get into, this is just the beginning of the laundry list. Heck, even Ryan Mountcastle is still here. You’ll notice the vast majority of these players are infielders. And y’know who else plays the infield?

Why, that would be former Mets slugger Pete Alonso, the big splash signing the Orioles made this offseason. Hilarious, right? Mike Elias finally swallows his pride to give a big contract to somebody, and it’s a power-hitting first baseman who’s already over 30. Alonso is the exact kind of player a GM like Elias ordinarily wouldn’t be caught dead offering a contract, but these are strange times we inhabit. It’s a good thing they realized that making Camden Yards the worst park for right-handed power hitters in the league was a bad idea— otherwise Alonso wouldn’t have been caught dead signing in Baltimore, either. But here we are.

In addition to bringing Alonso, the Orioles traded away oft-injured pitcher Grayson Rodriguez to acquire Taylor Ward from the Angels. Ward is a big of a strange fit with the O’s, but it’s hard to scoff at adding a guy who hit nearly as many homers as Alonso last season. Tyler O’Neill, last year’s ‘major’ signing, is another guy who can hit a ton of homers, though he regressed badly in 2025.

I would be remiss to forget Samuel Basallo, another big-time prospect who will give Rutchman little margin for error lest he be usurped as the everyday catcher. And oh yeah, Dylan Beavers and Heston Kjerstad are in the mix for playing time too. For as often as the Yankees are accused of prospect-hugging, the Orioles appear committed to holding onto all of these guys. It doesn’t feel like it could possibly work long-term, though roster logjams like those tend to work themselves out.

Now let’s work our way over to the trouble spot for Baltimore: the pitching. After the Orioles declined to re-sign Corbin Burnes last offseason, their rotation fell off a cliff in the former Cy Young winner’s absence. De facto ace Kyle Bradish spent most of the year recovering from Tommy John surgery, and the O’s were forced to rely on a gaggle of unsteady veterans, including but not limited to Charlie Morton, Tomoyuki Sugano, and Zach Eflin.

The only major victory the O’s got out of their pitching last season was the career revival of Trevor Rogers, who posted startlingly good numbers upon returning to regular rotation duty in June. Ultimately, it was only a 109.2-inning sample, albeit a convincing one. The Orioles appear to be banking pretty heavily on what we saw from Rogers down the stretch sticking.

Rogers and Bradish are a solid top two — on paper — but the depth beyond them is questionable. Veteran Chris Bassitt has been dependable for many years, but just turned 37. Zach Eflin struggled badly but returns on a one-year deal. Rays castoff Shane Baz has looked good in camp, but has mostly existed in the realm of the hypothetical breakout for almost a decade. Additionally, their bullpen lacks a ton of high-upside guys beyond free agent signing Ryan Helsley — who struggled badly with the Mets after the trade deadline last year. Imposing closer Félix Bautista is still recovering from shoulder surgery after he tore his labrum last summer.

Lastly, the Orioles have a new manager entering this season. Craig Albernaz, who previously served as Steven Vogt’s associate manager in Cleveland, got the nod to hold this talented but young roster together. Like Aaron Boone, Albernaz is known for his ability to connect with his players, and that quality seems to be what got him the job in Baltimore. He’ll be tasked with keeping morale high over a long season in a gauntlet of a division; with the Yankees running it back, the Blue Jays reloading after their pennant win and the Red Sox still formidable in their own right, the margin for error will be slim.

Overall, the Orioles’ roster is more volatile than those aforementioned rivals. Pitching depth is rather slim, many of their best players have lengthy injury histories, and they may not be able to find enough playing time for all of their young players. But if they can get off to a good start, they’ll be one of the best-positioned teams to make midseason upgrades and raise their ceiling along the road to October.

The Grapefruit League schedule continues on Sunday with the Yankees visiting Clearwater. But there will be considerably less star power on hand, as several prominent players like Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and Brad Keller have departed for World Baseball Classic competition.

But the game shouldn’t lack for interest as it will feature the 2026 debut of pitcher Andrew Painter. We’ll get our first look at the righthanded prospect who is expected to open the season in the Phillies’ rotation.

The Yankees will counter with a young pitcher of their own in righthander Will Warren. As a rookie in 2025, Warren made 33 starts recording a 4.44 ERA.

Game time is 1:05 PM and will be televised on MLB.TV and locally on NBCSP.