This story was excerpted from Jake Rill’s Orioles Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
SARASOTA, Fla. -- It didn’t take long for roster projections and mock lineups for the 2026 Orioles to get torn up this spring. Within the first 10 days of camp, second baseman Jackson Holliday (broken hamate bone in right hand) and third baseman Jordan Westburg (partial right UCL tear) were both ruled out for Opening Day.
Those injuries also changed the complexion of the roster battles occurring in Spring Training.
Let’s check in on the three most notable competitions taking place for the O’s.
The final outfield spot
Candidates: Leody Taveras, Heston Kjerstad
Baltimore is likely to carry exactly five outfielders, with Colton Cowser, Tyler O’Neill, Taylor Ward and Dylan Beavers being four of them. It’s largely expected that Taveras will be the fifth. (The odds are probably about 85% in his favor.)
But Kjerstad is having a great start to camp. The 27-year-old former top prospect is fully healthy and taking impressive at-bats, including one in which he homered this past Sunday vs. the Tigers in Lakeland, Fla.
The 27-year-old Taveras is valuable because he can back up Cowser in center, but Beavers has already gotten two starts there this spring and could emerge as an option at the position. So if Kjerstad puts up big numbers, he could possibly force his way onto the roster over Taveras (who signed a one-year, $2 million deal).
Kjerstad could also provide left-handed power off the bench, which is something the Orioles may not have otherwise.
The final bench spot
Candidates: Jeremiah Jackson, Thairo Estrada, Luis Vázquez, Weston Wilson
Assuming Coby Mayo is the starting third baseman in place of Westburg and either Taveras or Kjerstad is the final outfielder, Baltimore will have one final bench spot to fill. The early front-runner has been the 25-year-old Jackson, who has a lot of offensive potential and can play second, third and right field.
Jackson is also the only one of these candidates on the 40-man roster. But the O’s likely wouldn’t have trouble clearing a spot if one of the other three is the best option.
Keep an eye on Vázquez, who may be the best defensive infielder in camp. The 26-year-old struggled offensively in the big leagues last season -- hitting .160 with a .448 OPS in 36 games -- but he is coming off a solid showing in the Puerto Rican Winter League, where he hit .252 with six home runs and a .701 OPS in 39 games.
“I was just trying to do whatever I can to continue to get better, do all the little things and do what I can to be more consistent,” Vázquez said via interpreter Brandon Quinones. “Also, I worked on controlling the zone a lot better.”
The final two bullpen spots
Candidates: RHP Rico Garcia, LHP Grant Wolfram, RHP Yaramil Hiraldo, RHP Jose Espada, RHP Cameron Foster, RHP Jackson Kowar, RHP Chayce McDermott, RHP Anthony Nunez, LHP Cade Povich, RHP Brandon Young, RHP Albert Suárez, RHP Hans Crouse, LHP Eric Torres, RHP Enoli Paredes, LHP Josh Walker
The locks for the bullpen should be closer Ryan Helsley, fellow right-handers Andrew Kittredge and Tyler Wells and lefty Keegan Akin. Both righty Yennier Cano and lefty Dietrich Enns appear to have inside tracks for jobs as well.
If all of that is accurate, then there will be room to carry two more relievers (unless a six-man rotation comes to fruition).
There’s a lot to consider. Maybe the O’s will want a third left-hander (which could be Wolfram or Povich). Perhaps a starter who doesn’t make the rotation slides to the bullpen (such as Povich, Young or Suárez). Or guys already on the 40-man roster like Garcia, Kowar, McDermott, Espada, Nunez or Foster could take a spot.
But the non-roster invitees among this group (such as Torres and Crouse) are intriguing, giving manager Craig Albernaz plenty to think about. This relief competition is wide open, and an injury to one of the locks (or near locks) would open an opportunity to carry more.
“I hope everyone makes a tough decision for us,” Albernaz said. “The only thing you can control as a player is just make the decision difficult for everyone. Then, decisions are going to be made either way, but just put your best foot forward, work hard, and try to get better every day, that’s what we’ve been preaching.”