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SARASOTA, Fla. -- Manager Craig Albernaz, president of baseball operations Mike Elias and the rest of the Orioles’ front office have plenty of tough roster decisions to make this Spring Training. Fortunately for them, they have six weeks to make those evaluations.
The O’s open camp this week, with pitchers and catchers reporting to the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota, Fla., on Tuesday and participating in their first workout on Wednesday. The first full-squad workout will be Feb. 16.
Before Spring Training begins, here’s a 26-man roster projection for Baltimore.
Catcher (2): Adley Rutschman, Samuel Basallo
Rutschman remains the Orioles’ No. 1 catcher, but Basallo (MLB Pipeline’s No. 8 overall prospect) will get considerable time behind the plate as well. Expect to see them in the lineup together quite often, with both likely to get plenty of starts at designated hitter.
First basemen (2): Pete Alonso, Ryan Mountcastle
After signing a five-year, $155 million deal with Baltimore on Dec. 11, Alonso is now the team’s primary first baseman. The move seemed to signal that either Mountcastle or Coby Mayo would become a trade chip, but both remain in the organization.
Mountcastle avoided arbitration with a $6.787 million deal that added a $7.5 million team option for 2027. The 28-year-old could serve as a right-handed bench bat capable of filling in at first base and DH, and he likely has an edge over Mayo, who has a Minor League option remaining.
But a trade could still materialize during the spring that sends Mountcastle or Mayo elsewhere.
Second baseman (1): Jackson Holliday
It’s easy to forget that Holliday is still only 22 (and will be for all of this season). The former top prospect took a big step forward from ‘24 to ‘25, and he’ll look to make even larger strides in ‘26.
Shortstop (1): Gunnar Henderson
Henderson had a “down” 2025 season by his lofty standards, but he was playing through a left shoulder impingement for much of the year. The 24-year-old is healthy and poised for a big ‘26.
Third baseman (1): Jordan Westburg
A three-year MLB veteran, Westburg has excelled when healthy, but three stints on the injured list have prevented him from playing more than 107 games in any big league season. If the 26-year-old can stay on the field, he could have a career year.
Outfielders (5): Dylan Beavers, Colton Cowser, Tyler O’Neill, Leody Taveras, Taylor Ward
Cowser became the starting center fielder during the final two months of last season after primarily playing the corners up to that point in his MLB career. The 25-year-old is set to remain in center entering his fourth big league season.
Ward (who was acquired in a trade with the Angels on Nov. 19), O’Neill and Beavers (MLB Pipeline’s No. 83 overall prospect) should combine to get the bulk of the starts in the corners while also factoring into the DH rotation. Taveras signed a one-year, $2 million deal on Nov. 6 to provide depth, particularly in center.
Former top prospect Heston Kjerstad will be trying to push his way onto the roster this spring. The soon-to-be 27-year-old hasn’t yet found success in the Majors (hitting .218 with a .649 OPS in 106 games over the past three seasons), and he still has one Minor League option remaining.
Utility (1): Blaze Alexander
Mayo, Kjerstad and infielder/outfielder Jeremiah Jackson will be competing for the final bench spot, but the front-runner is Alexander, a utility man acquired in a trade with the D-backs last Thursday. The 26-year-old is a solid defender at every infield spot, and he’s capable of playing anywhere in the outfield.
Alexander is a right-handed-hitting former top prospect who has some pop, as he slugged seven homers while posting a .706 OPS in 74 games for Arizona last year.
Starting Pitchers (5): RHP Kyle Bradish, LHP Trevor Rogers, RHP Shane Baz, RHP Zach Eflin, RHP Dean Kremer
It’s possible the O’s will still add another frontline starter. If not, the biggest question regarding this group is whether Eflin will avoid the injured list to open the season, as the 31-year-old is coming off back surgery.
If Eflin hits the IL, it would open a spot for right-hander Tyler Wells, left-hander Cade Povich, righty Brandon Young or non-roster righty Albert Suárez.
Relief Pitchers (8): RHP Ryan Helsley (closer), LHP Keegan Akin, RHP Yennier Cano, LHP Dietrich Enns, RHP Rico Garcia, RHP Andrew Kittredge, LHP Grant Wolfram, RHP Tyler Wells
Helsley signed a two-year, $28 million deal on Dec. 1 and will serve as the closer in place of Félix Bautista, who is expected to miss most (if not all) of the season while rehabbing from shoulder surgery. The only other locks for the bullpen appear to be Kittredge and Akin.
The remaining spots are up for grabs. Wells is a strong candidate to move to a relief role if he doesn’t make the rotation, while Enns is also capable of pitching in multi-inning stints.
Cano, Enns, Garcia and Wolfram will aim to secure jobs in a bullpen competition also featuring Yaramil Hiraldo, Chayce McDermott, Colin Selby, Cameron Foster, Anthony Nunez and non-roster invitees (including Suárez).