BALTIMORE -- After a solid two-month debut in the big leagues late last year and a strong showing this Spring Training, Jeremiah Jackson will now experience his first MLB Opening Day.
The Orioles set their season-opening 26-man roster on Wednesday, with the 25-year-old Jackson securing the final spot on the position-player side of the roster. The infielder/outfielder hit .314 (11-for-35) with one double, two home runs, seven RBIs and an .848 OPS over 13 exhibition games this spring.
Jackson reached the Majors at the beginning of last August and went on to hit .276 with 10 doubles, two triples, five homers, 21 RBIs and a .775 OPS in 48 games for Baltimore.
"Obviously, I played a little bit up here last year, but to break with the team is very special," Jackson said. "I feel like I really had to earn it, and it just makes it a little bit more sweet."
Right-handers Yaramil Hiraldo and Anthony Nunez (the Orioles' No. 25 prospect per MLB Pipeline) landed the final two spots in the O’s bullpen, with lefty Keegan Akin hitting the 15-day injured list due to a left groin strain.
Outfielder Dylan Beavers, who had been dealing with right knee soreness since last Friday, is good to go and was included on the roster, marking the first time MLB Pipeline’s No. 69 overall prospect will be in the big leagues for Opening Day.
Here’s the Orioles’ full 26-man roster:
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 have remained 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 will serve as a right-handed bench bat capable of filling in at first base and DH.
Second baseman (1): Blaze Alexander
Alexander was acquired in a trade with the D-backs on Feb. 5 to become Baltimore’s new utility man, as the 26-year-old can play anywhere in the infield and all three outfield spots. He’ll eventually move around the diamond, but until Jackson Holliday (broken hamate bone in right hand) returns -- which will likely be in mid-April -- expect to see Alexander mostly at second.
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, as he showed with his stellar performance for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.
Third baseman (1): Coby Mayo
With Jordan Westburg (partial UCL tear) sidelined until at least May, Mayo has returned to the hot corner, where he mostly played while coming up through the Minors. As the 24-year-old got reacclimated to third, he raked, hitting .378 (14-for-37) across 15 exhibition games.
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 -- who is dealing with right knee soreness but is expected to be OK for Opening Day -- 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 was trying to push his way onto the roster this spring, but the 27-year-old cooled off after a hot start to camp. He's now starting the season on the IL due to a right hamstring strain sustained last Thursday.
Utility (1): Jeremiah Jackson
Luis Vázquez, Bryan Ramos, Weston Wilson and Thairo Estrada were in the mix for this final bench spot, but Jackson had a strong finish to camp, which included hitting a three-run home run in Sunday's 8-1 exhibition win over the Nationals at Camden Yards. Jackson also proved he can handle second base, with third and right field as secondary options.
Vázquez’s elite defense at second, third and shortstop has kept him in contention. However, the 26-year-old got stitches in his right thumb after getting hit by a pitch on Monday.
Starting Pitchers (5): LHP Trevor Rogers, RHP Kyle Bradish, RHP Shane Baz, RHP Chris Bassitt, RHP Zach Eflin
The O’s had six options here, but they decided to go with a traditional five-man rotation, optioning Dean Kremer to Minor League camp on Saturday. There had been uncertainty regarding whether Eflin would get built up in time for the start of the season after undergoing back surgery last August, but the 31-year-old put together an impressive spring to prove he was ready.
Relief Pitchers (8): RHP Ryan Helsley (closer), RHP Yennier Cano, LHP Dietrich Enns, RHP Rico Garcia, RHP Yaramil Hiraldo, RHP Anthony Nunez, LHP Grant Wolfram, RHP Tyler Wells
Two key pieces will be missing here to begin the season, with both Akin (left groin strain) and right-hander Andrew Kittredge (right shoulder inflammation) going on the IL. So others will need to step up to fill high-leverage roles.
Those losses opened spots for Hiraldo and Nunez, who had been optioned to Minor League camp on March 8. Because Akin went on the IL, Nunez was allowed to be recalled, as the 24-year-old replaced an injured player.