Getting off to a good start in the first 10 games with a new club doesn’t guarantee anything for the next 152, but it’s better than the alternative, right?
While fully acknowledging the small sample size, a number of players have broken out of the gates in an impactful way, making a strong first impression with their new teammates, coaching staffs and fan bases.
Let’s take a look at five faces in new places who have been difference-makers in the early days of the 2026 season.
(Players are listed alphabetically)
Owen Caissie, RF, Marlins
The centerpiece of the trade that sent Edward Cabrera to the Cubs, Caissie has lived up to his top-prospect label through the Marlins’ first 10 games. He hit two home runs with nine RBIs and a .948 OPS in his first 31 plate appearances of 2026, putting last season’s subpar debut with the Cubs (.568 OPS in 12 games) in the rear-view mirror.
The 23-year-old ranks in the top 15 percent of the league in a number of Statcast categories (xSLG, barrel percentage, launch angle, sweet spot percentage, bat speed and chase percentage), looking more polished at the plate than most hitters his age. His walk-off home run finished off a season-opening sweep of the Rockies, marking only the third 3-0 start in franchise history and the first since 2009. The only other player to hit a walk-off homer in his first three games with the Marlins? Miguel Cabrera. Pretty good company.
Cabrera hasn’t allowed a run in his first 11 2/3 innings with the Cubs, putting him in the same “So far, so good” category as the rest of the players on this list, but Caissie is showing that he could become a staple of Miami’s lineup for years to come.
Brendan Donovan, 3B, Mariners
Donovan made a name for himself as one of the best utility players in the league, but his trademark versatility hasn’t been on display during his first two weeks with the Mariners, who are using him as their starting third baseman after acquiring him this winter in a three-team trade with the Rays and Cardinals.
Defense hasn’t been an early-season strength for Donovan (-3 Outs Above Average), but he’s more than made up for it with his bat. In his first nine games (37 plate appearances), the 29-year-old is slashing .323/.432/.581 (1.013 OPS) with two home runs, four RBIs and four runs scored.
Donovan has hit leadoff in six of those contests, setting the table for the Mariners’ lineup. Unfortunately, Seattle’s 2-3-4 hitters (primarily Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez and Josh Naylor) started the year 17-for-130, slashing .131/.226/.169, but if Donovan continues to get on base, he’ll score plenty of runs before all is said and done.
Munetaka Murakami, 1B, White Sox
Murakami didn’t land the huge contract some had forecasted when he was posted this winter, signing a two-year, $34 million deal with the White Sox. A number of talent evaluators wondered how the slugger would adapt to big league pitching, while his defense at first base was another lingering question.
Through 10 games, Murakami has been a revelation for Chicago, hitting four home runs with an .892 OPS in his first 42 plate appearances while making the White Sox an international story. Murakami ranks near the top of the league in hard-hit percentage and barrel percentage, also showing the good eye at the plate that helped him to a .394 career on-base percentage in Japan. He ranks in the 84th percentile in chase percentage and 87th in walk percentage, reaching base safely in nine of 10 games.
“He's built for this,” manager Will Venable said last week. “He's been everything that we imagined as far as his impact in the clubhouse, who he is as a person, his play on the field defensively, as well as the power and plate discipline.”
Ryan O'Hearn, RF/1B, Pirates
O’Hearn made his first All-Star team in 2025, posting solid numbers with the Orioles before being traded to the Padres last summer. The 32-year-old signed a two-year, $29 million deal with the Pirates during the offseason, part of Pittsburgh’s effort to bolster its lineup.
Through his first nine games, O’Hearn paid dividends for the Pirates, hitting three home runs with 11 RBIs and a .364/.463/.697 slash line (1.160 OPS) while reaching base safely in every game. His 11 RBIs have accounted for 24.4% of Pittsburgh’s 45 runs this season, and while he has played right field in seven of those games, he’s also given manager Don Kelly the ability to put him at first base when needed.
The Pirates are averaging 4.5 runs per game through their first 10, putting their offense right at the league-average mark. That might not seem like a big deal, but considering that Pittsburgh finished last in the Majors with only 3.6 runs scored per game last year, it’s clear that the offseason additions – led by O’Hearn – have been effective early in the season.
Framber Valdez, LHP, Tigers
Valdez didn’t sign his three-year, $115 million deal with the Tigers until Feb. 10, but the veteran left-hander has proven to be one of the best early-season signings through the first two weeks. The Tigers opened with a 4-6 record after 10 games, but imagine how different that record might have looked without Valdez?
The 32-year-old has allowed one earned run over 12 innings (0.75 ERA) in his first two starts, both Detroit victories. Valdez has struck out 10 batters while issuing only three walks, giving the Tigers a lethal 1-2 rotation punch with reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal.
The Tigers lost four in a row prior to Valdez’s most recent start, but the southpaw delivered six scoreless innings against the Cardinals, bringing the losing streak to a halt. Manager A.J. Hinch said he may split up Skubal and Valdez in the near future, creating some more balance in the rotation.